The British & European Supplement to

May/June 2013

The 2000-Year-Old Church Jesus Built: Then and Now A pervasive, clever counterfeit of the New Testament Church has taken centre stage. Within it, man-made traditions and pagan concepts abound – none of which were found in the first-century Church. Rather, the latter’s beliefs and practices were based on the Hebrew Scriptures, the teachings of Jesus Christ and the inspired writings of His apostles. That Church has survived through the centuries.

fter the early Church that people. Nor could the Latin Bible be ing station for salvation, was no longer Christ built, a rival religious read except by privileged members of taught. organisation soon emerged, the Roman Church. and with the passing of time estab- The Roman Sunday or A Enter the Protestant lished itself with a belief system that biblical Sabbath? was at variance with that of the Bible. Reformation But as a weekly rest day, most It created its own dogma and was The Protestant Reformation in the Protestants retained Sunday rather than willing to accept modes of worship 16th century changed all that. Or did it the biblical Sabbath as the proper day from non-Jewish and non-Christian really? It’s true that Bible reading was of worship – in spite of the fact that the sources. As such, it became a clever encouraged after centuries of suppres- seventh-day Sabbath was changed to forgery of the true New Testament sion. And in due time it could be trans- Sunday only by the authority of the Church. lated into the language of the indige- Catholic Church. There is no biblical Early in the 4th century, the Roman nous people. Only by studying the basis for observing the first day of the emperor Constantine sanctioned the Bible could the Roman Church be week as a weekly rest day. (For the Roman Church as the official church challenged – to see whether there was Bible evidence, ask for our free booklet throughout his empire. As the centuries any biblical basis to its doctrines and Sunset to Sunset: God’s Sabbath Rest.) rolled by, it set itself against those practices. This was also true of the yearly reli- who refused to accept its dogma, God’s Word then became the focus gious festivals of Christmas and Easter, confronting those who adhered to the of the scholars’ studies to find out what both of which were brought into the Judaeo-Christian Bible rather than the the Bible really said. It soon became Christian calendar by the Roman dictates of the Roman Church. clear that much of what that church Church. These two festivals are not Its pervasive influence spread all taught had no biblical basis. As a con- even mentioned in the Greek New over Europe and beyond. Freedom of sequence, the pope was no longer seen Testament, the language in which it religion was not allowed. Religious as the ‘vicar of Christ on earth’. was written. (The King James Version material was confined to what it pub- The Virgin Mary was no longer mentions Easter in Acts 12:4, but this is lished. It forbade the translating of the worshipped, nor Catholic saints vener- a gross mistranslation, because the Bible into the common language of the ated by Protestants. Purgatory, the wait- original Greek term is pascha, meaning

Published by the United Church of God – British Isles. Address: The Good News, PO Box 705, Watford WD19 6FZ. Telephone: 01494 875003. Fax: 020 8386 1999. Website: www.ucg.org.uk. the Passover. The New King James The faithful Hungarians ‘All the unbiblical festivals, of this Version and other modern versions of Transylvania there can be no doubt, originate with correctly render it Passover.) Among the faithful were a group the Italians. As a witness to this fact Celebrating the birth of Jesus on of Hungarians in Transylvania we have in the papal city the pope Christmas was introduced into the (presently Romania) who went all the himself. If you ask him, he will admit church calendar as late as the mid- way in restoring the true teachings of that his festivals don’t originate with fourth century, and Easter was substi- the Bible. Not only did they keep the God, but with the popes . . . The Bible tuted for the biblical Passover in the seventh-day weekly Sabbath, but they he is forced to proclaim as divinely second century by Pope Victor I (AD also kept the biblical Passover and the inspired, yet his festivals are not found 189-198). seven annual Holy Days mandated in therein. And he will not deny that the Bible. Very much in the minority Rome invented them by human The Quartodeciman among mainstream Protestants, they decree. Yet he himself [ie, his prede- Controversy rejected observing any days or festi- cessors] used to keep – and there can Earlier, Pope Sixtus I had initiated vals that originated in pagan or non- be no doubt – the biblical Passover as observing an earlier version of Easter. biblical religions. mentioned in the Bible. It was Pope But the churches in Asia Minor had Here is what the Chief Rabbi of Victor [as Bishop of Rome ca. AD long kept the Christian Passover Budapest said in 1894 in his exhaus- 196] who changed the Jewish festival (1 Corinthians 5:7) at the very time tive work, The Sabbatarians of [Passover] into another feast’ (Kohn, the apostles observed it on the 14th of Transylvania (1588-1623, by Dr pp 64-65). Abib (or Nisan), the Jewish calendar’s Samuel Kohn, 1894, p8). ‘There were ‘Instead of the Sabbath, they keep first month – regardless of the day of also those who went one step further Sunday. Passover they have altered to the week on which the Passover fell. and decided to restore the original and Easter,’ are the exact words of the Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle true Christianity in that they actually Transylvanian Sabbath and Holy Day John, firmly maintained that the tradi- accepted and practiced Jewish reli- keepers (Kohn, p. 91). These Sabbath tional teaching of the New Testament gious customs and statutes, which the and Holy Day observers Church should be continually rejected the non-biblical adhered to. Conditions prevalent in Europe traditions of both the Eusebius, an early church shortly after the Reformation allowed Roman Church and the historian, had written about a remnant of the apostolic Church Jews. As Samuel Kohn Polycrates who wrote a letter stated: ‘Such religious cus- to Pope Victor I. ‘We observe to flourish. toms and ordinances of the the exact day; neither Jews which were not adding, nor taking away’ (emphasis Old Testament prescribes and which found in the “Lawbook” they avoided. added throughout). Then in that letter original Christianity observed as bind- They celebrated, for example, only Polycrates mentions the original New ing and only later discarded.’ those festivals mentioned in the Testament apostles Philip and John Yet when the New Testament apos- Pentateuch [the first five books of the tles died, a counterfeit church estab- who ‘observed the fourteenth day of Bible], and rejected all other feast and lished itself and produced its own the Passover [Leviticus 23:5] accord- fast days of the Jews’ (p 117). religious dogma, often borrowing con- ing to the Gospel, deviating in no cepts and festivals from pagan and respect’ (Life of Constantine, chapter The apostolic Church other religions. This practice is called 24). emerges syncretism. But faithfully following the apos- The suitable conditions prevalent But the Sabbath keepers in in Europe shortly after the Reforma- tles regarding the Passover date Transylvania in the late 16th century resulted in mass excommunication (under the leadership of Andreas tion allowed a remnant of the apostolic and being declared anathema from Eossi) based their religious beliefs on Church of God to flourish. The Church the church. At the time of the the Bible. That included the seven bib- in Transylvania saw that the Bible Reformation, most Protestants were lical festivals that the apostolic New became their prime authority on doc- unwilling to reject the pagan religious Testament Church continued to keep. trines and moral behaviour, rejecting festivals that the church at Rome had They refused to lean on other religions pagan days that originated with other introduced. But a small minority were for their worship practices and put for- religions. willing to worship God on those spe- ward the following reasons for not fol- They kept neither Christmas nor cial days mandated by the Judaeo- lowing in the footsteps of the Roman Easter, but their religious calendar had Christian Bible. Church: the annual festivals and Holy Days in

2 The British & European Supplement to The Good News addition to the weekly seventh-day among this world’s intelligentsia don’t. tive response from those He has given Sabbath. In the following chapter Paul continues a true understanding of His Word. It These days depict to God’s Church to explain: ‘But we speak the wisdom should never be shelved. today the basic steps in God’s plan of of God in a mystery, the hidden wis- God’s Church today bases its salvation. (To understand more about dom which God ordained before the beliefs and practices solely on God’s these annual festivals, write for our free ages for our glory, which none of the Word – the Bible. None of its annual booklet: God’s Holy Day festivals have been bor- Plan: The Promise of Hope Throughout the centuries God has rowed from pagan, non- for All Mankind). called people to a true understanding biblical religions. The days Samuel Kohn found in and feasts it keeps have a his research that these of His Word. divine origin and are Sabbath and Holy Day keepers also rulers of this age knew . . . but God has defined in the Bible as kept the biblical health laws. This is revealed them to us through His ‘God’s feasts’ (Leviticus 23:2). The what he wrote: ‘They observed the Spirit’(1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 10). true Church has not observed the Jewish health laws, as far as they were weekly Sabbath on the first day, to be found in the Bible and abstained A divine calling Sunday, but instead kept the seventh from animals described as unclean, as Throughout the centuries God has day set aside as a rest day at Creation well as those who had died of sickness; called people to a true understanding of (Genesis 2:2). neither did they eat blood. They also His Word. And He continues to call To understand much more, request stressed that pork was not to be eaten’ individuals into His Church today. It is our free booklet The Church Jesus (p 117). (To learn more about biblical God the Father who does the calling Built. (John 6:44, 65), but He expects a posi- dietary laws, ask for our free booklet Gerhard Marx What Does the Bible Say About Unclean Meats?) What Happens After Death? To whom is truth revealed? Margaret Thatcher was the son is considered small or great, The question as to why the vast longest serving British Prime death eventually is the fate of majority of the Protestants did not Minister of the twentieth century us all. In the end we shall stand come to the same understanding of (from 1979 to 1990) and the only before the judgement seat of what God taught in His Word is woman ever to hold this office. God to give account of our lives addressed by the true body of Christ Her struggles to deal with reces- (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians with the following words: ‘Buried lay sion, high unemployment and 5:10). the old teachings of Christ . . . But to inflexible unions led to much dis- But will some be consigned to us, the least of all, the most insignifi- content and to her reputation as an ever burning hell fire, while cant on the earth, to us the poor and the ‘Iron Lady’. On the other hand, others bask for eternity in despised ones, You have revealed it’ what she saw as over-interfer- heaven? Contrary to what many (Kohn, p 71). ence in people’s lives by the believe, that is not what Scripture This ancient Church is simply para- state resulted in the privatisation actually teaches. To discover from phrasing what the apostle Paul wrote and modernisation of industry your Bible the truth about the fate some 1500 years earlier: ‘For you see and boosting the free market. of the dead, please download or your calling, brethren, that not many Her decision to embark on the request our free booklets What wise according to the flesh, not many Falklands War proved successful Happens After Death? and mighty, not many noble are called. But and popular. Heaven and Hell – What Does God has chosen the foolish things of Thus her recent death evoked the Bible Really Teach? the world to put to shame the wise, and celebrations among some and God has chosen the weak things of the deep sadness among others; the world to put to shame the things that former being responsible for are mighty . . . that no flesh should ‘death songs’; the latter pointing glory in His presence’ (1 Corinthians out that her supposedly unpopular 1:26-29; compare Matthew 11:25). laws had not been repealed by There we have one of the basic rea- succeeding governments. sons why those God-called members of However history views this one the true Church understand, and others individual, and whether any per-

May/June 2013 3 The Seventh-Day Sabbath Part of Welsh History Fresh research shows that the biblical Sabbath was kept far more widely in Britain than previously thought – especially in the Celtic countries.

ay-on-Wye is a mecca for Bryan W. Ball’s The Seventh-Day Sunday during the Celtic period’ obtaining second-hand books. Men, mentioned above, is a compre- (p 202). People come from all over the hensive work and a compendium of worldH to browse for and buy books on fairly recent research on the seventh- Keeping the Sabbath today every conceivable topic. I have been an day Sabbath in Wales and England. The United Church of God traces enthusiastic visitor to this Welsh border Wales is a Celtic nation and principal- its recent history through seventh-day town many times in the last 35 years. ity where many early Celtic congrega- groups in the United States, particularly Imagine my astonishment when I tions emphasised the Hebrew in New England and the Pacific read in Bryan W Ball’s fairly recent Scriptures in a way not normally done Northwest, and in bygone centuries book that ‘a small seventh-day group in mainstream churches today. back to Great Britain and continental appears to have survived at Hay until As churchman Leslie Hardinge Europe. the 1730s’ (The Seventh-Day Men). carefully explained: ‘The rules of the Some of our readers may wonder The existence of other historic Sabbath- Old Testament which shaped the theoc- why relatively small groups of keeping groups have been confirmed in racy of Israel were followed by the Christians throughout the world still Wales, along with England. Celts as a natural consequence of their insist on keeping the Saturday Sabbath. ‘There is sufficient evidence to con- view of biblical authority . . . The laws clude that the Saturday Sabbath was What is its attraction? Why should defining clean and unclean animals these people go against the grain and well established in the Welsh Marches which might or might not be used as swim upstream when the vast majority south of Leominster and in the neigh- food [according to Leviticus 11 and bouring parts of Wales from the mid- of churchgoers are apparently content Deuteronomy 14]...as well as the pay- seventeenth century, if not earlier, and to observe Sunday – a day of rest not ment of tithes...all were thought neces- that it persisted in that region well into officially sanctioned until the time of sary’ (The Celtic Church in Britain, p. the eighteenth century. The evidence 202). Constantine the Great in the fourth pertains primarily to the counties of Great respect was accorded to the century AD? Monmouthshire and Herefordshire, and Hebrew part of the Judaeo/Christian The United Church of God has to the district around Hay-on-Wye’ Bible, as Mr Hardinge further published a 64-page booklet that (Bryan Ball, emphasis added through- embraces the biblical evidence and out). explained: ‘While grace was held to be vital to salvation, man also had his part addresses the most common questions Celtic Church history to play in obeying God’s about observing the seventh-day In addition noted Celtic historian Commandments, so the Atonement Sabbath. Entitled Sunset to Sunset: Peter Bereford Ellis makes a wide- procured by Christ might become God’s Sabbath Rest, this comprehen- ranging statement in his book Celt and effective in the Christian’s personal sive publication covers the subject from Saxon: ‘The Celtic Sabbath (“day of experience. The observance of the Genesis to Revelation. Please down- repose”) was celebrated on a Saturday, Sabbath of the Old Testament was a load or ask for a free copy in print. the last day of the week and Jewish natural outgrowth of this tenet. John Ross Schroeder, holy day’ (p 120). Mr Ellis is an histo- ‘The seventh day was kept from Researched by the author at rian, not a theologian with an axe to sunset Friday until sunset on Saturday the National Library of Wales grind. . . . There was no Sabbatizing on in Aberystwyth

4 The British & European Supplement to The Good News LOVE: The First

TheFruit annual one-day of Festivalthe of Holy Pentecost pictures Spirit the coming of the Holy Spirit, making the New Testament Church a profound reality. How important is this fruit of the Spirit in your life?

hen God’s Holy Spirit is cover in this article. full of teachings about love. But Christ really at work in your life, The Bible reveals how we can taught a whole new level of love and amazing things begin to experience love for God and love for set a never-before-seen example. happen.W Your whole existence blos- people that far exceeds mere human A man asked Him which was ‘the soms and bears beautiful fruit. The capability. This highest and purest form great commandment in the law’ most wonderful fruit of all is the giving is God’s divine love that He offers to (Matthew 22:36). Jesus answered: ‘You and receiving of true love. share with us. shall love the Lord your God with all People long to love and be loved. In fact, love summarises and epito- your heart, with all your soul, and with Consider the countless love stories, mises the ultimate nature of God. ‘He all your mind’ (verse 37). Jesus quoted songs and poems that have been writ- who does not love does not know God, from Deuteronomy 6:4-9. ten. Romanticists sing the praises of for God is love’ (1 John 4:8, emphasis Then He went beyond what was love, as in the song ‘Love Is a Many- added throughout). asked, saying: ‘And the second is like Splendored Thing.’ It seems the world God wants to transform us so that it: “You shall love your neighbour as is in love with love, but most often not our character is defined by love. Our yourself’” (Matthew 22:39). Christ the kind of love that flows from God Creator’s desire is to share everything quoted Leviticus 19:18, coupling it Himself. with others in His divine family. So He with Deuteronomy 6:5. He raised is creating ‘sons and daughters’ for His ‘Love your neighbour’ to a much The love of God expanding family (2 Corinthians 6:18). higher level of importance. The word love can mean many Even before creation, God the Christ also expanded the concept of things, as demonstrated by numerous Father and the One who became Jesus ‘Who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:29). dictionary definitions. We find many Christ knew that to transform human The parable of the Good Samaritan shows that God wants us to regard kinds of love in the Bible as well. Love beings spiritually and bring them into everyone as a ‘neighbour.’ We are to be usually embraces strong feelings that the Kingdom of God, Christ would neighbourly to all people, regardless of are important. God wants us to really have to sacrifice His life for humanity’s race, nationality or social class (verses feel love for Him and for others. Yet sins (Hebrews 10:12; Revelation 13:8). 30-37). our Creator also wants us to experience ‘For God so loved the world that He an even greater love that transcends Nowhere does the Old Testament gave His only begotten Son, that who- say, ‘Hate your enemy,’ yet that saying human emotions. ever believes in Him should not perish had become traditional thinking by Many people go through life but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). Jesus’ day (Matthew 5:43). Christ then receiving very little human love. That greatest-ever demonstration of shocked everyone by saying the oppo- However, God’s plan is for every per- godly love was the ultimate sacrifice site: ‘But I say to you, love your ene- son to eventually experience His love God and Christ made for us. mies, bless those who curse you, do so fully that each one can honestly say, good to those who hate you, and pray A new love ‘My cup runneth over with love.’ for those who spitefully use you and Ironically, when people are desper- that Jesus Christ taught persecute you’ (verse 44). This was a ately trying to understand the ‘mystery What was new about the love Jesus revolutionary ‘hard saying,’ completely of love,’ they seldom read the greatest Christ taught? The two ‘great com- contrary to human nature. book ever written about relationships, mandments’ Jesus emphasised were the Holy Bible. If you study it, you will not new in every sense. Contrary to The Golden Rule learn far more about love than we can what many think, the Old Testament is Love has more to do with what we

May/June 2013 5 do than what we think or feel. For life for his friends’ (John 15:13). tleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22- example, consider the Golden Rule During His humanity He laid down 23). Love tops the list, encompassing (Matthew 7:12), usually paraphrased His time and energy continually, and all the other fruits of the Spirit that fol- as ‘Do unto others as you would have then afterwards laid down His very life low. them do unto you.’ Works can be more for everyone (John 12:32). Christ was The key scriptural passage show- important than words. What we do is willing to go through the most terrible ing us how to attain God’s Spirit is an extremely important part of how we suffering and death – for each and Acts 2:38: ‘Repent, and let every one treat people (James 2:22-26). every one of us. His teachings and of you be baptised in the name of This emphasis on action is high- example show that godly love entails Jesus Christ for the remission [forgive- lighted by Jesus’ choice of Greek a deep outgoing concern for and gen- ness] of sins; and you shall receive the words. Usually Christ used the Greek erous giving to others. It is a continual gift of the Holy Spirit.’ word agape for love, which implies willingness to assist others. It is the At conversion we begin with a lit- determined effort to show love to God opposite of selfishness and self- tle love, but God leads us to keep and man. centredness. growing in love. Understanding the word hate helps God offers us a continual supply of us to comprehend the meaning of love. Learn to love as God does His limitless love by His Holy Spirit. Both usually emphasise action. We can learn how to love by fol- He fills our wells so that we have plenty Treating someone badly is equated lowing the Bible’s examples, teachings to give to thirsty people. Christ’s love with hate and treating someone well is and laws. ‘For this is the love of God, equated with love. Therefore, when that we keep His commandments. And is like a river that will flow through us Jesus said, ‘Love one another,’ He His commandments are not burden- (John 7:38). meant for us to show love when it is some’ (1 John 5:3). God showed His The more you give love, the more not easy – even when the other person love to us by giving us His perfect you will have. The more you love oth- is not appreciative or responsive. laws. We show our love for God by ers, the more you will be loved. When Paul wrote, ‘Husbands, love obeying those laws. your wives’ (Ephesians 5:25), He We can also learn godly love by Love in a world meant that we should treat our wives being in fellowship with other believ- marked by hate lovingly all the time, even when we ers in God’s Church, showing a special At the time of the end Christians don’t feel like it. love for each other (1 John 3:14-18). would have to live in a world of far Christ made it clear that we show too much hatred (see Romans 1:28-32; Christ’s perfect example our love for God by acts of mercy and 2 Timothy 3:1-7). of love service to His other children. He said: Yet Christians can swim upstream Christ said: ‘A new command I ‘Inasmuch as you did it to one of the against this world’s influence. Christ give you: Love one another.’ (John least of these My brethren, you did it said that He had overcome the world. 13:34, NIV). to Me’ (Matthew 25:4). So each true Christian can be a light of Christ’s teachings about love set love in the midst of spiritual darkness. the highest standards ever (Luke 6:27- Love as the first fruit of God’s Spirit All true love ultimately comes from 38). And He backed them up with God: ‘We love Him because He first His perfect example, showing a love Our human efforts alone can never loved us’ (1 John 4:19). greater than the world had ever seen. consistently produce godly love. Yet God’s calling is like a sincere mar- Consider how Christ was willing people can have divine love toward riage proposal. It is up to us to respond to sacrifice His heavenly glory to be God and others if they have God’s to this calling by humbly submitting incarnated as a mere human being Spirit. The apostle Paul called it ‘the (Philippians 2:5-11). love that comes from the Holy Spirit’ and committing ourselves to Christ. If He continually ‘went about doing (Romans 15:30, Contemporary we do, God will fill us with His love. good’ as a humble servant – teaching, English Version). God’s Spirit pro- When God’s people are led by His encouraging, healing the sick, comfort- duces power, love and a sound mind Holy Spirit, it produces abundant spiri- ing the oppressed (Acts 10:38; Matthew (2 Timothy 1:7). tual fruit, the first of which is love 8:1-17). He ‘did not come to be served, To the Galatians Paul wrote that: (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8). but to serve’ (Matthew 20:28). “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, Don Hooser, elder, Christ said: ‘Greater love has no longsuffering [patient endurance], Article adapted from one than this, than to lay down one’s kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gen- The Good News, 2008

6 The British & European Supplement toThe Good News We can compre- ation. As the late British theologian F F hend Genesis 1:26 Bruce commented on the opening pas- much better in the sages of the Gospel of John: ‘The light of some of the Personal Word is uncreated, not only writings of the apostle enjoying the divine companionship, but John. He begins his sharing the divine essence’ (The gospel of Jesus Christ Message of the New Testament,1972, p. by stating: ‘In the 105). This Word was and is God along beginning was the with the Father. Word, and the Word Later in his first epistle, John adds was with God, and the to our understanding: ‘That which was Word was God. He from the beginning, which we have was in the beginning heard, which we have seen with our with God. All things were made eyes, which we have looked at and our through Him, and without Him nothing hands have touched – this we proclaim Can you please explain who was made that was made’ (John 1:1-3). concerning the Word of life’ (1 John the ‘Us’ refers to in Genesis If you are with someone, then you 1:1, NIV). Here Jesus Christ, being that Q 1:26? are other than and distinct from that same ‘Word’ of John’s Gospel account, person. John clearly describes two M T, Limerick, Ireland is called ‘the Word of life.’ divine beings in this passage. John wrote that the Word, who was In one sense we could refer to John God reveals Himself through with God from the beginning, lived His Word. The Creator wants 1:1 as the real beginning of the Bible. among them in the human flesh. men and women Although He was born a Ato understand Him as He physical human being, the reveals Himself in the Holy Is God more than one person? disciples actually saw, Scriptures. It’s important that Who and what is God? touched, conversed with we carefully consider this How can we understand? and listened to the One truth. who was and is a member In the Bible’s first book of the divine family It describes the nature of God as we find a vital point regarding God’s (Hebrews 13:8). Creator even before the beginning nature. Genesis 1 records many cre- John continues: ‘The life appeared; depicted in Genesis 1:1. As The New ative acts of God before He created we have seen it and testify to it, and we Bible Commentary: Revised states, mankind. But notice verse 26: ‘Then proclaim to you the eternal life, which ‘John’s distinctive contribution is to God said, “Let Us make man in Our was with the Father and has appeared show that before the Creation the Word image, according to Our likeness.”’ to us’ (verse 2, NIV). ‘The Word of existed’ (1970, p. 930). Nowhere in the previous verses of life’ in 1 John 1:1 is called ‘the eternal Genesis did God use this phrase, ‘Let Consider carefully the context of life’ in verse 2. John goes on to say: Us . . .’ Why does Genesis now use this this crucial chapter of John’s gospel. ‘We proclaim to you what we have plural expression? Why have Bible Verse 14 explains exactly who this seen and heard, so that you also may translators down through the centuries Word actually became: ‘And the Word have fellowship with us. And our fel- understood that the plural was neces- became flesh and dwelt among us, and sary in this verse? we beheld His glory, the glory as of the lowship is with the Father and with his Who is the Us mentioned here, and only begotten of the Father, full of Son, Jesus Christ’ (verse 3, NIV). The why is the plural Our also used twice grace and truth.’ The Word was con- Holy Scriptures reveal that God the in this sentence? Throughout Genesis ceived in the flesh as a physical human Father and Jesus Christ form a divine one the Hebrew word translated ‘God’ being – Jesus Christ. Although fully family. is Elohim, a plural noun denoting more human, Christ perfectly reflected God’s So the Us in Genesis 1:26 refers to than one entity. Why did our Creator divine character. God the Father and to His Son Jesus purposefully use these plural expres- Here, then, we have two great Christ. To understand more about the sions? Is God more than one person? Personages, two uncreated, eternal Godhead, request our free booklets Who and what is God? How can we beings – God the Father and the Word, Jesus Christ: The Real Story and Who understand? both divine – presiding over the cre- Is God?

May/June 2013 7 Letters from our readers The Good News Booklets helpful to readers The Good News is truly a help in I so look forward to receiving your these times – it gives answers I cannot booklets and I learn so much from find anywhere else. Fine writers and them. They explain the Scriptures very first-class articles bring hope of Jesus’ clearly in a way that I can relate and return in glory, hopefully very soon! remember them. Thank you for keep- M L W, Clacton-on-Sea ing up the valuable work which is of God’s word. These awesome pow- needed by many – a very worthy mis- erful tools have also given me knowl- Your articles in The Good News sion in spreading His word. edge I really didn’t know and was not together with my Bible studies are the Miss E W, Romford aware of. Amazing! only things that give me hope in this D S M, Hounslow Thank you for the production of corrupt world in which we live. material of such a consistently high I have come to the end of the Bible Mr V H T, Langport standard. I am, thanks to you, building Study Course and I would like to thank up a valuable resource library to share Please renew my subscription. the ministry and staff for providing with others and open up the Kingdom. this important opportunity to be taught May I say that there are many issues S M, York covered in The Good News that would the truth of God’s Word in a way that is easy to understand. I recommend it not be mentioned from the pulpit – Thank you for the booklets. I am and in particular anything to do with building up a good collection to read to anyone who is sincerely seeking to Israel? Thank you for your commit- and re-read. know God and His will for their lives. ment and investment. Mrs M K, Londonderry C M, Leighlinbridge, Ireland J W, Newport, South Wales I have requested the booklet God’s Thank you for sending me Lesson Your magazine always gives food Holy Day Plan. Please explain exactly 12 of the Bible Study Course which for thought. I struggle with some of what one has to do on each of these arrived in this morning’s post. I live in your doctrine, but also get biblical and annual Holy Days. County Cork, S Ireland. I will return spiritual nourishment from many of H K, Ashford the form with a request for some litera- your articles. ture soon. The basic information is in the last S S, Gillingham • D O M, County Cork, Ireland chapter of God’s Holy Day Plan: The • We appreciate your balanced atti- Promise of Hope for All Mankind. Helping spread the Gospel tude and you can always do what the Bible Study Course Please accept my tithe cheque to Bereans did: ‘They received the word I am so elated and joyous in the help the United Church of God to with all readiness and searched the readings of these booklets. Studying preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Scriptures daily to find out whether the Bible Study Course has enlightened God. Many thanks. these things were so’ (Acts 17:11). and given me a deeper understanding P C, London

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8 The British & European Supplement to The Good News