Sub-Title 1: Rise of the Church Raiders

Opening Statement:

By Andy Yparraguirre

Administrator

Time-To-Measure Website

https://timetomeasure.home.blog/in-defense-of-h-w-armstrong/

This is the third in our series of rebuttals to web entries with hostile contents especially against the Worldwide Church of God and its founder, the late Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.  

To review our two previous responses, we have found Kelly Marshall of Exit Support Network (ESN) as simply an ambitious upstart stepping on Mr. Armstrong’s toes to be seen and gain a following for himself. Furthermore, we have proven as accurate Mr. Armstrong’s predictions on the Assyrians which Kelly Marshall extensively assailed in his efforts to call attention to his cause.

We have also found Ron Russell’s hit-piece “Honey I Shrunk The Church” as embellished hearsays, made-up scenarios and concocted tales putting him on a par with Brian Williams, the now retired MSNBC host notoriously known as King of Fake News.

This time, we will dissect the writings of Dr. Joseph Tkach, Jr., the ex-President and Pastor General of the Grace Communion International, WCG’s nondescript offshoot. He retired on October 14, 2018, but still exerts influence in the GCI memberships.

We invite the brethren to follow Belo Alvaran’s exposé as he lifts the lid on the strange doctrines based on flawed reasoning adopted by Mr. Armstrong’s successors. The first, Joseph Tkach Sr., after 9 years at the helm, swung the Church’s gates open and let the sheep go whither they wanted. Note that he died less than a year after. His successor, Joseph Tkach, Jr., disposed of the Church’s assets but kept the remaining sheep obviously for cash cows.

Dr. Joseph Tkach, Jr., a graduate of Ambassador College, reportedly enrolled further in Azusa Pacific University, and Fuller’s seminary both evangelical schools, one of which conferred his doctorate degree.

My associate, Belo Alvaran, has been a bona fide Church of God member since the 70s. Belo wrote the book God’s Covenant – Extinct or Extant now available on book stores based mostly on the teachings of Mr. Armstrong. From his vantage point as Political Reporter at Philippine foreign missions, he saw most of the events that led to WCG’s diminution and consequent disappearance from the world scene. He is fully equipped to dissect the Tkaches’ defective logic.

Reproduced below are the pertinent parts of Dr. Tkach’s book

Transformed by Truth: 

Sub-titles and texts in RED were Belo Alvaran’s inputs.

Sub-Title 2: The Hirelings Take Charge

The Worldwide Church of God REJECTS the Teachings of Founder Herbert W. Armstrong and Embraces Historic Christianity.

Belo Alvaran’s comments: 

The Worldwide Church of God did not reject the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong. The HIRELINGS Joseph Tkach Sir and his son did. The Tkaches are not the Worldwide Church of God!

Foreword, by Hank Hanegraaff

The Worldwide Church of God has embarked upon a course virtually uncharted in church history—a course that has taken them from the kingdom of the cults to the KINGDOM OF CHRIST.

Sub-Title 3: Christ has no kingdom!

Where on earth, or in heaven, is the Kingdom of Christ?

No wonder the Worldwide Church of God has gone missing from the directory of churches! It went to a non-existent territory!

The Kingdom of God belongs to Christ’s Father.

Mat 26:29  (KJV, Christ speaking on his last Passover night) But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you IN MY FATHER’S KINGDOM. 

Christ was very specific in declaring who owns the Kingdom of God:

Mat 6:9  (KJV, Christ teaching his disciples how to pray) After this manner…pray you: OUR FATHER who is in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10  YOUR KINGDOM (not Christ’s kingdom) come…13 …For YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, and the power, and the glory, FOR EVER. Amen. 

FALLACIOUS START 

We can see that this book Transformed by Truth is founded upon a false premise at the very start. Hank Hanegraaff, the President of the Christian Research Institute, had committed here a fallacy known as “FALSE ATTRIBUTION”. After so many years of serving God under Mr. Armstrong, he never knew who his true employer was! That makes him …

DUMBER THAN THE OX AND THE ASS:

Isa 1:3  (KJV, the LORD expressing his disappointment) The OX knows its owner, and the ASS its master’s crib: but…Hank Hanegraaff does not know his master!

Let President Hank continue:

In Transformed by Truth, Joseph Tkach, leader of the Worldwide Church of God, candidly describes the movement’s transformation from the perspective of his own PERSONAL AWAKENING.

Awakening presupposes that the person was asleep before it happened! Is this an admission that Dr. Tkach had been asleep all the while that he was employed as shepherd in the Worldwide Church of God?  

Isa 56:10  (KJV, Isaiah describing the LORD’s shepherds) His watchmen are … all DUMB dogs…SLEEPING, lying down, LOVING TO SLUMBER. 11  Yea, THEY ARE GREEDY DOGS which can never have enough, and THEY ARE SHEPHERDS …(they are church raiders!)

Let President Hank continue:

During their pilgrimage from cultism to the cross, I have come to know Joseph as both a friend and as a brother in Christ. I have observed firsthand his courage, his integrity, and HIS ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT to SCRIPTURE as the final COURT OF ARBITRATION.

The Court of Arbitration needs an Arbitrator to function. The Scripture does not allow everyone to serve as Arbitrator in the interpretation of its precepts. One must be DULY COMMISSIONED with a clear MISSION ORDER to serve in that capacity.

2Pe 1:20  (KJV, Peter speaking) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.

Preaching includes CONTEXTUAL INTERRETATION of Scripture.

Rom 10:15  And how shall they PREACH, except they be SENT?

Paul was “SENT” to PREACH and part of his task was INTERPRETATION of Scripture: 

Act 13:1  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon…and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen…and SAUL (who became PAUL).2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and SAUL (who became PAUL) for the work whereunto I have called them. 3  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them (i.e., ordained them), they sent them away. 4  So they, being SENT FORTH by the Holy Spirit, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5  And when they were at Salamis, they PREACHED THE WORD OF GOD in the synagogues of the Jews…  

Gal 5:14  (KJV, Paul “interpreting” the LAW) For all the LAW is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  

MR. ARMSTRONG WAS COMMISSIONED TO PREACH – he was therefore authorized to interpret scripture: 

Mr. Armstrong’s “Mission Order” to preach was issued in the 30s by the OREGON CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, which became the pioneer of the Worldwide Church of God. Here was how it came about, as Mr. Armstrong wrote on pp. 206-207 of his autobiography: 

“…Actually, (the Oregon State Conference, the name of the new splinter group) was born of opposition to and dissatisfaction with the Stanberry Membership and State Conference (the name of the Mother Church)…

“…The (Oregon) state conference was agreed to and formed (and new officers were elected)…

Here was Mr. Armstrong’s MISSION ORDER: 

“…At the close of this business meeting, the newly elected officers … ASKED me if I would HOLD AN EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN for them in the church building they rented in Harrisburg…

“Well, brethren,” I replied, “…If every one of you here at this meeting will pledge yourselves right now to devote not less than one hour every day to earnest and believing and prevailing PRAYER for the success of these meetings…then I will undertake this CAMPAIGN.

“They agreed. THEY PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO THIS INTENSIVE PRAYER.

“I AGREED. I was brought one step closer to the ministry of Christ!

HWA ORDAINED 

Mr. Armstrong was subsequently ordained by the laying on of hands. Here is the pertinent account in his autobiography, page 215: 

“And let it be made plain here: I was ordained by, and under the authority of, the Oregon Conference of the Church of God (which became the pioneer of the Worldwide Church of God), separately incorporated; NOT by the Stanberry, Missouri, (Church of God) headquarters.” (End of quotes)

HANDS OF ZERUBBABEL CAN INTERPRET FOR THE HEAD

Zech 4:6  (KJV, An angel talking to Zechariah)…This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, said the LORD of hosts. 7  Who are you, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel you shall become a PLAIN (there are no mountains to level today, this refers to difficult scriptures. He was authorized to interpret difficult verses):…8  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 9  The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands (ALL WCG MEMBERS) shall also finish it;…

All WCG members are the hands of Zerubabbel. We should finish what he started! We should build on his foundation, not depart from it!

Let Hank Hanegraaff continue:

Joseph’s PERSONAL (i.e., not God mandated) TRANSFORMATION, as well as the TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD, has not come without cost. Income has plummeted, staff have been laid off, membership has declined, churches have broken off into splinter groups, families have separated, and friendships have been severed.

Dr. Tkach should NOT have dragged the entire Worldwide Church of God along with his PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION! The word “TRANSFORM” is very biblical. Here is how it is used:

2Co 11:14  (KJV, Paul speaking) And no marvel; for Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an angel of light. 15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be TRANSFORMED as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

WE may not have realized it, but there is an unseen power behind this transformation movement. And it’s not God!

Dr. Tkach, if he was God’s servant, should have behaved like a branch of the True Vine, who is Christ.

John 15:5  (KJV, Christ addressing his apostles)I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, THE SAME BRINGS FORTH MUCH FRUIT: for without me (margin: severed from me) you can do nothing…16 You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ORDAINED you (lay members are not addressed here), that you should go and BRING FORTH FRUIT, and that YOUR FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN:

As a branch, however, Dr. Tkach had not shown much fruit, indicating he was SEVERED from the True Vine.

Let President Hank continue:

The transformation, however, has been well worth the cost. The leadership of the Worldwide Church of God now champions essential Christian doctrine. Their flagship magazine, The Plain Truth, is now focused on the person and work of Jesus Christ rather than on sensationalistic end-time speculations.

As Joseph wrote in the Christian Research Journal: Gone is our obsession with a legalistic interpretation of the Old Testament, our belief in British Israelism, and our insistence on our fellowship’s exclusive relationship with God. Gone are our condemnations of medical science, the use of cosmetics, and traditional Christian celebrations such as Easter and Christmas. GONE IS OUR LONG-HELD VIEW OF GOD AS A “FAMILY” OF MULTIPLE “SPIRIT BEINGS” INTO WHICH HUMANS MAY BE BORN.

Hank Hanegraaff is now giving us a sneak-peek on Dr. Tkach’s accomplishments, so let us skip his somniloquy, I mean soliloquy, and proceed to that part of this book at once:

MR. TKACH SR’s 1994 SERMON

On page 21 of this book, Dr. Tkach wrote:

“On Christmas Eve 1994, my dad began the three-hour sermon by saying, “This is going to be a long afternoon.” His message would fundamentally change forever the Worldwide Church of God. As one writer later put it, my dad “had to show that it is not a sin to work on the Sabbath. This was the single MOST IMPORTANT DECISION in the history of the denomination.”¹

…In many ways an observer cannot grasp the importance of the sermon without reading it in its entirety. [The main text is available at www.wcg.org/lit/law/newcovsabb.htm.] Yet how many readers would be willing to sift through sixty-two single-spaced pages of sermon transcripts?” (End of quotes)

TKACH Sr. NOT PREPARED TO GIVE SERMON

Before reading Mr. Tkach’s 1994 sermon, let us review the events that led to his appointment as WCG Pastor General. Five years before his death, in his co-worker letter dated March 19, 1981, Mr. Armstrong wrote, “ 

“…As the original apostles were taught by Jesus IN PERSON, so was I taught by Jesus Christ IN WRITING. It is the SAME WORD—the SAME TEACHING…

“But as I said at the beginning, some, even in the public press, are beginning to ask, WHO is the “heir apparent,” as the newspapers put it? WHO will rule the Church after Mr. Armstrong?

“The answer is, NOBODY!

“I have gone to considerable length in this letter to show you how God does His Work among humans through one man at a time. He specially prepared me for the Work He has called me to do. I know of NO ONE ELSE who has been so prepared.” (End of quote)

There it is clear: God did not train HWA’s successor! So, let’s establish the Who! Who was, or better yet, who became the Pastor General WITHOUT PREPARATION? We all know him of course – it was Mr. Joseph Tkach, Sr.  

Let us hear directly from his son Dr. Joseph Tkach, the true identity of this man who splintered the Church in Dr. Tkach’s first book Transformed by Truth as posted on the internet:

“…[J]ust months before his death, Mr. Armstrong … named Joseph Tkach Sr.—my father—to follow him as the next PASTOR GENERAL of the Worldwide Church of God. It was not a choice that many expected. WHAT DID HE DO?

Before hearing what his father did, let’s jump to the part where he introduces his father:

“My Father’s Roots

“My dad was born at his parents’ CHICAGO home on March 16, 1927. As was common in those days, the doctor didn’t get around to filling out a birth certificate until a few months after my dad’s birth. Joseph was the youngest of five children and the only son of William and Mary Tkach, who had emigrated from Carpatho-Russia.

LUKEWARM ATTITUDE SHOWED AT EARLY AGE

“Along with his siblings, my dad grew up in the Russian Orthodox faith. At an early age he became an altar boy, NOT BECAUSE HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT IT, but because that was the thing to do.

Comments: Please note Dr. Tkach’s answer to his own question “WHAT DID HIS FATHER DO?” – Mr. Tkach would do something he was not serious about. This LUKEWARM attitude would show, and it did, when he became a shepherd.

“He graduated from Tilden High School in southwest Chicago and continued to live in the Windy City until he joined the U.S. Navy…After his honorable discharge he returned home and married my mother. If asked about his faith at that time, he would reply, “I’M A MEMBER OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH”; YET HE WAS NOT AN ACTIVE MEMBER.

“Despite this RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE, the family continued to attend the Russian Orthodox Church while visiting a variety of churches in search of greater truth. A growing dissatisfaction eventually blossomed into action. My grandparents often asked questions of their priest, but he never provided answers that satisfied them. Soon the family (except for my dad) began listening to Herbert W. Armstrong on the radio. My dad was not the least bit interested; on the contrary, this new interest in Herbert W. Armstrong bothered him, although he didn’t want to argue with his father about it.

“One event changed all that. In those days my dad suffered from severe ulcers and was considering surgery to correct the problem. He was on a special bland diet—milk products, baby food, and absolutely nothing spicy. My mother suggested that God could heal him if he allowed himself to be anointed by a WCG minister. While he was very skeptical about the chances for success, he finally agreed to try. A minister was called to anoint my dad—who was astonished to find himself suddenly and miraculously cured of his ulcers…

“This remarkable incident convinced my dad to become active in his new faith. …He became an eager learner, and by January 1961 he was ordained a deacon.

Somewhere around page 60 of this online book copy, Dr. Tkach said:

“NOT A THEOLOGIAN

“My dad was not known as a theologian. This concerned some members. They worried that the church could make significant theological corrections without my dad endorsing them personally. ..

“When my dad came along and allowed others to do most of the teaching on major doctrinal changes, some of our members who were used to doctrinal changes coming directly from the top were disconcerted. They would say, “Does he really understand these changes? …

“My Dad’s Last Years

“Throughout his NINE YEARS as pastor general, his most earnest desire was to follow Christ faithfully. He began to present the truth as it UNFOLDED for him; never was there an agenda. …A flood of questions started pouring in from our ministers and membership. As we answered those questions, more questions came in. There was no way to stop them. The questions spanned the spectrum of doctrine. We were unable to develop a grand scheme for answering them all; we simply had to respond to the questions, one by one, as they came in. We did a lot of research and replied with the most honest answers we could give…

“For my dad, this reform was literally a life-and-death struggle. On the one hand, HE BEGAN SEEING THAT ONE CHANGE AFTER ANOTHER NEEDED TO BE MADE…

“I’m happy that he made the right choice. HE CHOSE BIBLICAL TRUTH rather than mere church tradition, even if some critics loudly disagreed with him and insinuated he didn’t know what was really going on.” (End of quotes, emphasis mine)

Ron Russell, author of the “Honey, I shrunk the church” gave a vivid summary of Tkach Sr.’s accomplishments. He said:

“A former aircraft factory foreman from Chicago, Tkach Sr., while widely respected, possessed none of Armstrong’s charisma and was not even considered a top lieutenant. But he was known as a loyalist, and MANY BELIEVE THE DYING FOUNDER WANTED TO LEAVE THE CHURCH IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO WOULDN’T TINKER WITH IT.

“BUT TKACH SR. DID JUST THAT.” (End of quotes)

OK, so let’s visit the site Dr. Tkach Jr. mentioned above and sift through it. It is at https://archive.gci.org/articles/the-new-covenant-and-the-sabbath/

Let’s read first the concluding paragraph wherein Mr. Tkach Sr. issued the following statements which became a bombshell, the first of the doctrinal changes:

“In the New Testament, we see examples of people keeping the Sabbath, and we see statements that tell us THE SABBATH IS A SHADOW POINTING TO THE REALITY, WHO IS CHRIST. That doesn’t mean that the Sabbath is done away, but it means THE SABBATH IS FULFILLED IN CHRIST. “

DOCTRINE OF A NON-THEOLOGIAN

In short, Mr. Tkach says Christ is the Sabbath, our Sabbath! The Sabbath is a day, the seventh day of the week. If we take him at his word, then we should regard Christ as a day, a holyday. But Christ is a person. Let’s take President Joe Biden, for example. Can the Americans say he is their Independence Day? Can one say “we don’t have to celebrate our Independence Day because it has been fulfilled in President Joe Biden!”

To say such a statement would be, to borrow the British ex-PM Tony Blair’s description of Pres. Biden’s chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, “IMBECILIC”!

Source:https://www.politico.eu/article/tony-blair-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-imbecilic-taliban/

Yet, about one half of all WCG brethren believed Mr. Tkach.

In this post, we will expose the defects in the Mr. Tkach’s line of reasoning. I will show that an aircraft mechanic and factory foreman is NOT QUALIFIED to tinker with God’s doctrines.

So, let’s check Mr. Tkach’s biblical reference. He was referring to Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

Colo 2:16 (KJV) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or IN RESPECT of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the SABBATH [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

First, we need to know WHY Paul wrote to the Colossians. Then we will dissect what he wrote with the help of LINGUISTICS.

Background: There were many Jews in the areas where Paul preached, and many of them were against him and his teachings.

Acts 14:1 (KJV) And it came to pass in ICONIUM (part of modern Turkey), that they (Paul and Barnabas) went both together into the Synagogue of the JEWS, and so spoke, that a great multitude both of the JEWS and also of the GREEKS (the Gentiles) believed. 2 But the UNBELIEVING JEWS stirred up the Gentiles (the Greeks), and made their minds EVIL AFFECTED against the brethren. …6 They (Paul and Barnabas) were ware of [it], and FLED unto LYSTRA and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lies round about: 7 And there they PREACHED THE GOSPEL.

UNBELIEVING JEWS followed Paul wherever he went. They stoned him in LYSTRA: 

…19 And there (in LYSTRA) came thither [certain] Jews from Antioch and ICONIUM, who persuaded the people, and, having STONED Paul, drew [him] out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. …24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had PREACHED THE WORD in Perga, they went down into Attalia (in Turkey): 26 And thence sailed to Antioch (in Syria, not in Turkey), from whence they had been recommended (by the brethren there) to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. (There were many brethren in Antioch. It was there that the disciples of Christ were first called Christians, Acts 11:26)

PAUL CONFERS WITH APOSTLES IN JERUSALEM 

Acts 15:1 (KJV) And certain (Jewish) men which came down from JUDAEA taught the brethren (in Antioch, Syria), [and said], Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to JERUSALEM unto the apostles and elders about this question.…6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. …13 And after they had held their peace, James (the host of the conference) answered, saying, Men [and] brethren, hearken unto me: …19 …my sentence is, that we trouble not them (with the issue of circumcision), which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

Note the reason for this gathering of the apostles: because some UNBELIEVING Jews were proselytizing the Gentiles who were already converted to Christianity. We can see that from an earlier account in Acts 13, let’s rewind there: 

Acts 13:16 (KJV, Paul visiting a Jewish synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia, Turkey, not in Syria. This was during his first journey) Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with [his] hand said, Men of Israel, and you (Gentiles) that fear God, give audience…

43 Now when the congregation was broken up (after Paul had spoken), many of the JEWS and RELIGIOUS PROSELYTES (i.e., GENTILES, mostly Greeks, who ALREADY converted to Judaism) FOLLOWED Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 

That was the reason for the anger of the Jews: Paul was taking away some of their members! 

Let’s continue with Paul’s exploits

FROM JERUSALEM, PAUL RETURNS TO THESSALONICA 

This was Paul’s second journey. Barnabas was gone. This time, he was accompanied by Silas. 

Acts 17:1 (KJV) Now when they (Paul and Silas) had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to THESSALONICA (in Macedonia, near Greece), where was a SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and THREE SABBATH DAYS reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom (said he) I preach unto you, is Christ. {whom…: or, whom, said he, I preach} 4 And SOME of them (Jews) BELIEVED, and consorted with PAUL and SILAS; and of the DEVOUT GREEKS a GREAT MULTITUDE (consorted with Paul), and of the chief women not a few.

UNBELIEVING JEWS CAUSE UPROAR 

5 But the JEWS WHICH BELIEVED NOT, moved with ENVY, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason (where Paul and Silas lodged for the night), and sought to bring them out to the people.

PAUL COMES TO EPHESUS 

Acts 18:19 And he (Paul) came to EPHESUS (part of modern Turkey today), and left them (Priscilla and Aquila) there: but he himself entered into the SYNAGOGUE (in Ephesus), and REASONED WITH THE JEWS.

PAUL CAMPAIGNS IN EPHESUS FOR TWO YEARS 

Acts 19:10 And this (daily lectures of Paul in Ephesus) continued by the space of TWO YEARS; so that ALL THEY WHICH DWELT IN ASIA (i.e., Asia Minor, present-day Turkey, including COLOSSAE) HEARD THE WORD OF THE LORD JESUS, BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS.

It was most likely during Paul’s more than two-year ministry in Ephesus that EPAPHRAS was converted and carried the gospel to COLOSSAE.

COLOSSAE was located in the Lycus River valley, about 100 miles east of the city of Ephesus in present-day Turkey which was a Roman province in Paul’s time.

Not long after a church in Colossae was founded by Epaphras, it became the target of heretical attacks, mostly by Jews, who were also proselytizing Gentiles to Judaism, which led to Epaphras’ visiting Paul at his prison in Rome and ultimately to Paul’s penning of a letter to the Colossians.

A map of Colossae showing its proximity to Ephesus may be viewed at http://www.jesuswalk.com/colossians/0_intro.htm

We will now discuss the contents of Paul’s letter to the Colossians and dissect the parts cited by Mr. Tkach with the use of linguistics.

PAUL INTRODUCES EPAPHRAS TO THE COLOSSIANS 

Colo 1:7 (KJV) As you also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 

In his letter, Paul warned them not to let ANY MAN, meaning, the UNBELIEVING JEWS, to judge them by telling them to perform OBSOLETE RITUALS. Instead, Paul directed them to listen to the Church under Epaphras.

TKACH SR’s REFERENCE  

This was the reference of Mr. Tkach about the Sabbath:

Colo 2:16 (KJV) Let no MAN (i.e., UNBELIEVING Jews), therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or IN RESPECT of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ (i.e., the newly formed Church under Epaphras)

Paul then introduced Epaphras:

Colo 4:12 (KJV) EPAPHRAS, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he has a great zeal for you, and them [that are] in (neighboring towns of) Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

We will now dissect Paul’s instruction with the help of the principle of ELLIPSIS, a branch of linguistics which is defined as follows:

Definition of ellipsis

plural ellipses 

Reference: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ellipsis 

ELLIPSIS is the omission of one or more words that are obviously UNDERSTOOD but that must be SUPPLIED in order to make a sentence construction grammatically complete.

Paul’s writings were full of ellipses.

First, let us define some words: The word RESPECT, Gr. meros, 3313 in Strong’s Concordance, means a PART DUE or ASSIGNED TO ONE in observance of a HOLY DAY. Remember this point: the subject of Paul’s statement was HOLYDAY OBSERVANCE.

The on-line dictionary defines respect as:

Idioms

–        in respect of, in reference to; in regard to; concerning.

We have heard of the expression pay one’s respects. Here is the dictionary definition of the said phrase:

pay (one’s) respects

Source: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/paying+my+respects

1.     To offer (someone) a proper or formal expression of greeting, welcome, esteem, or well wishes.

e.g.) I think we should go over and PAY OUR RESPECTS to the new neighbors and make them feel welcome to the area!

In some countries new arrivals pay respects to their neighbors by giving them GIFTS such as baked goods. (This writer saw this firsthand in Korea. Our new neighbor came over and gave us a piece of cake)

Synonyms of paying respects -GLORIFY, hail, HONOR, magnify, WORSHIP, PAY TRIBUTE TO, sing praises of, please, wish joy to, etc.

Source: http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/paying%20respects

People should pay RESPECTS TO GOD during holy days:

Deut 16:16 (KJV) Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the LORD your God in the place which he shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and THEY SHALL NOT APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD EMPTY:

Giving OFFERINGS is PAYING RESPECTS to God. This is a COMMAND, and therefore a law similar to the Ten Commandments:

17 EVERY MAN [SHALL GIVE] AS HE IS ABLE, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he had given you. {as…: Heb. according to the gift of his hand}

Prov 3:9 (KJV) Honor the LORD with your substance (OFFERINGS esp during holydays), and with the firstfruits (tithes) of all your increase:

Mala 1:6 (KJV, the LORD speaking through Malachi) A son honors [his] father, and a servant (honors) his master: if then I [be] a father, where [is] my honor (offerings and tithes)?

We will focus on OFFERINGS. Anciently, offerings were mostly animals:

Levi 3:6 (KJV) And if his OFFERING for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD [be] of the FLOCK (goat or sheep); male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. 7 If he offers a LAMB for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD. (the ritual was a long procedure)

Solomon offered burnt offerings unto God on the SABBATHS, on the NEW MOONS, and on the SOLEMN FEASTS three times in the year:

2Chr 8:12 (KJV) Then Solomon OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS unto the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, 13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the SABBATHS, and on the NEW MOONS, and on the SOLEMN FEASTS three times in the year, [even] in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

Let’s go back to Colossians. Paul’s instruction was:

Colo 2:16 (KJV) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or IN RESPECT of (or offering for) an HOLYDAY, or of (in offering for) the NEW MOON, or of (in offering for) the SABBATH [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

To reiterate, Paul wrote to the Colossians, at the request of Epaphras, because there were Jews who were trying to subvert Paul’s teachings! The Jews wanted Paul’s converts to revert to the Old Testament laws on animal sacrifices which have now fallen in desuetude and was already superseded by the sacrifice of Christ.

RESPECT OF THE HOLYDAYS (OBSOLETE RITUALS)

Here are the OBSOLETE ways to pay RESPECTS to God during the holydays which the Jews wanted Paul’s converts to perform. WE NEED TO KNOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO TEACH WHAT IS OBSOLETE AND WHAT IS NOT.  

Numb 28:1 (KJV) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My OFFERING (animal), [and] my BREAD (also called MEAT OFFERING, coupled with DRINK OFFERING) for my (animal) sacrifices made by fire, [for] a sweet savor unto me, shall you observe to offer unto me in their DUE SEASON.

1.     DAILY OFFERINGS, one in the MORNING and one in the EVENING

3 And you shall say unto them, This [is] the offering made by fire which you shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot DAY BY DAY, [for] a continual burnt offering. 4 The one lamb shall you offer in the MORNING, and the other lamb shall you offer at EVEN; {at even: Heb. between the two evenings}

2.     MEAT OFFERING & DRINK OFFERING TO ACCOMPANY EVERY ANIMAL OFFERING

5 And a tenth [part] of an ephah (22 liters) of FLOUR for a MEAT OFFERING, mingled with the fourth [part] (1¼ liters) of an hin (5.7 liters) of beaten oil. 6 [It is] a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.  

Note: a hin is about 5.7 liters; a fourth part of it equals 1¼ liters 

7 And the DRINK OFFERING thereof [shall be] the fourth [part] of an hin for the ONE LAMB: in the holy [place] shall you cause the STRONG WINE to be poured unto the LORD [for] a drink offering.

8 And the OTHER LAMB shall you offer at even: AS (or in similar proportion to) the MEAT OFFERING of the morning, and as the DRINK OFFERING thereof, you shall offer [it], a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.

3.     SABBATH OFFERINGS – this was what Paul referred to as “in respect of the Sabbath days” in his letter:

Numb 28:9 And on the SABBATH DAY two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour [for] a MEAT OFFERING, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: 10 [This is] the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside (i.e., in addition to) the continual (i.e., daily) burnt offering, and its DRINK OFFERING.

4.     NEW MOON OFFERINGS – this was the other item referred to in Paul’s letter to the Colossians:

Numb 28:11 And in the BEGINNINGS OF YOUR MONTHS (NEW MOONS) you shall OFFER a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; 12 And three tenth deals of flour [for] a MEAT OFFERING, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour [for] a MEAT OFFERING , mingled with oil, for one ram; 13 And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil [for] a MEAT OFFERING unto one lamb; [for] a burnt offering of a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 14 And their DRINK OFFERINGS shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third [part] of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth [part] of an hin unto a lamb: this [is] the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. 15 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside (i.e., in addition to) the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.

5.     PASSOVER – this is the first and typical of the HOLYDAYS which Paul also addressed in his letter to the Colossians. The offering was a lamb which was a “shadow” or type of Christ:

Numb 28:16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month [is] the Passover of the LORD.  

Exod 12:21 (KJV) Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the (lamb sacrifice of the LORD’s) Passover.  

Deut 16:6 (KJV)…at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to place his name in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover (lamb) at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt. 7 And you shall roast and eat [it] in the place which the LORD your God shall choose: and you shall turn in the morning, and go unto your tents.

6.     DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD (DUB) which are a “shadow” or type of the days we should live after availing of Christ’s sacrifice.

Numb 28:17 And in the fifteenth day of this month [is] the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18 In the first day [shall be] an holy convocation; you shall do no manner of servile work [therein]:  

This was how to pay “respect” to God on DUB 

19 But you shall OFFER a sacrifice made by fire [for] a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish: 20 And their MEAT OFFERING [shall be of] flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall you offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; 21 A several tenth deal shall you offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 22 And one goat [for] a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.  

…24 After this manner you shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside (i.e., in addition to) the continual (i.e., daily) burnt offering, and its drink offering.

7.     PENTECOST – is a “shadow” of the honor that God will confer to the members of the Church of the Firstborn. Pentecost is God’s way of honoring the future firstborn in his family of by then spirit beings. 

Numb 28:26 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new MEAT OFFERING unto the LORD, after your weeks [be out], you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work:  

27 But you shall OFFER the burnt offering for a sweet savor unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year; 

28 And their MEAT OFFERING of FLOUR mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto ONE BULLOCK, two tenth deals unto one ram, 29 A several tenth deal unto ONE LAMB, throughout the SEVEN LAMBS; 30 [And] one KID OF THE GOATS, to make an atonement for you. 31 You shall offer [them] beside (i.e., in addition to) the continual burnt offering, and its MEAT OFFERING , (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their DRINK OFFERINGS.

8.     FEAST OF TRUMPETS – a “shadow” of the return of Christ:

Numb 29:1 (KJV) And in the SEVENTH MONTH, on the first [day] of the month, you shall have an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.  

2 And you shall OFFER a burnt offering for a sweet savor unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, [and] seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 3 And their MEAT OFFERING [shall be of] flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, [and] two tenth deals for a ram, 4 And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 5 And one kid of the goats [for] a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: 6 Beside (i.e., in addition to) the burnt offering of the month, and its MEAT OFFERING , and the daily burnt offering, and its MEAT OFFERING , and their DRINK OFFERINGS, according unto their manner, for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

9.     DAY OF ATONEMENT – a “shadow” of our reconciliation with God the Father as a result of Christ’s sacrifice:

7 And you shall have on the tenth [day] of this SEVENTH MONTH an holy convocation; and you shall afflict your souls (by fasting): you shall not do any work [therein]:  

8 But you shall OFFER a burnt offering unto the LORD [for] a sweet savor; one young bullock, one ram, [and] seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish: 9 And their MEAT OFFERING [shall be of] flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, [and] two tenth deals to one ram, 10 A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 11 One kid of the goats [for] a sin offering; beside (i.e., in addition to) the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the MEAT OFFERING of it, and their DRINK OFFERINGS.

10.  FEAST OF TABERNACLES – a “foretaste” or “shadow” of the World Tomorrow under God’s rule:

Numb 29:12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work, and you shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:

13 And you shall OFFER a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD; THIRTEEN YOUNG BULLOCKS, two rams, [and] fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish: 14 And their MEAT OFFERING [shall be of] flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams, 15 And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs: 16 And one kid of the goats [for] a sin offering; beside (in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, its MEAT OFFERING , and its DRINK OFFERING.  

17 And on the second day [you shall OFFER] TWELVE young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 18 And their MEAT OFFERING AND THEIR DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner: 19 And one kid of the goats [for] a sin offering; beside (in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, and the MEAT OFFERING thereof, and their DRINK OFFERINGS.  

20 And on the third day ELEVEN bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; 21 And their MEAT OFFERING and their DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner: 22 And one goat [for] a sin offering; beside (i.e., in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, and its MEAT OFFERING , and its DRINK OFFERING.  

23 And on the fourth day TEN bullocks, two rams, [and] fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 24 Their MEAT OFFERING and their DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner: 25 And one kid of the goats [for] a sin offering; beside (in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, its MEAT OFFERING, and its DRINK OFFERING.  

26 And on the fifth day NINE bullocks, two rams, [and] fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 27 And their meat offering and their DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner: 28 And one goat [for] a sin offering; beside (i.e., in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, and its MEAT OFFERING, and its drink offering.  

29 And on the sixth day EIGHT bullocks, two rams, [and] fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 30 And their MEAT OFFERING and their DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner: 31 And one goat [for] a sin offering; beside (in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, its MEAT OFFERING , and its drink offering.  

32 And on the seventh day SEVEN bullocks, two rams, [and] fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 33 And their MEAT OFFERING and their DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner:

34 And one goat [for] a sin offering; beside (in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, its MEAT OFFERING , and its drink offering.

11.  LAST GREAT DAY – a “shadow” of the completion of God’s Plan of Salvation

Numb 29:35 On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work [therein]: 36 But you shall OFFER a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD: ONE bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 37 Their MEAT OFFERING and their DRINK OFFERINGS for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, [shall be] according to their number, after the manner: 38 And one goat [for] a sin offering; beside (in addition to) the continual (daily) burnt offering, and its MEAT OFFERING , and its drink offering.  

39 These [things] you shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, BESIDE (I.E., IN ADDITION TO) your vows, and your FREEWILL OFFERINGS, for your burnt offerings, and for your MEAT OFFERINGS, and for your DRINK OFFERINGS, and for your peace offerings. {do: or, offer}

40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

The above laws on sacrifices are now in desuetude (obsolete) because the offering of Christ superseded them all: 

Hebr 10:11 (KJV) And every (Levitical) priest stands daily ministering and OFFERING oftentimes the same (animal) sacrifices, which CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY SINS:

Animal offerings, hidden in the word “RESPECT” are THE SHADOW of Christ who became the ultimate sacrifice.

To clarify, the holydays are “shadows” or forerunners of bigger events, while the animal sacrifices are “shadows” of the sacrifice of Christ. A HOLYDAY, like the Sabbath, is not, and cannot be, a “shadow of Christ”. Christ fulfilled the sacrifice, not the holyday.

12 But this man (Jesus Christ), after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;…14 For by ONE OFFERING he had perfected forever them (not everybody in the world) that are sanctified (or set apart for holy use, the called-out ones including us here present). 

Roma 10:9 (KJV) That if you shall CONFESS (or acknowledge) with your mouth the Lord Jesus (by obeying his doctrine), and shall believe in your heart that God had raised him from the dead (after dying for our sins), you shall be saved.

Lest misunderstood, verbal confession should be followed with action: 

Hebr 6:1 (KJV, Paul had been discussing this subject for quite some time, hence he wanted to change the topic) Therefore leaving the principles of the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of (these are the actions to be taken by Christian converts) REPENTANCE from dead works, and of FAITH toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of BAPTISMS, and of LAYING ON OF HANDS, (to receive the Holy Spirit) and of resurrection of the dead (and eternal life for those who qualified), and of eternal judgment (or eternal death for those who failed to qualify). 

2Joh 1:9 (KJV) Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, has not God. He that abides in the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, he has both the Father and the Son.

10 If there comes any unto you, and brings not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him Godspeed: 11 For he that bids him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Let us now dissect the biblical reference of Mr. Tkach:

Colo 2:16 (KJV) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or IN RESPECT of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

There are many ellipses in the above verses and, if we read without supplying them, it would appear that the Sabbath days are a shadow of things to come. But we can see that the meaning changes when the ellipses are supplied.

GRAMMAR RULE ON MODIFIERS

We cannot discuss this thing without invoking a rule of grammar that many of us are familiar with – i.e., the rule on modifiers.

The rule of grammar is: modifiers BEFORE and AFTER items in a series modify all the items in the series.

EXPANDED FORM: 

For breakfast, I bought bread at the supermarket.

For breakfast, I bought cheese at the supermarket.

For breakfast, I bought milk at the supermarket.

Note that there are redundant words in the above sentences. Redundant words mean “unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas.” Sentences using the same modifiers over and over are called redundant.

In a compressed form, the redundant modifiers are omitted; and are made into ellipses. Remember our definition of ellipsis:

ELLIPSIS is the omission of one or more words that are obviously UNDERSTOOD but that must be SUPPLIED in order to make a sentence construction grammatically complete.

We will now apply the definition into practical use. We shall arrange the purchased items into a series and remove the redundant words.

COMPRESSED FORM:

For breakfast, I bought bread, cheese, and milk at the supermarket.

All the words we omitted are now ellipses.

RULE OF GRAMMAR: To COMPRESS a statement, simply omit the ellipses. To EXPAND a statement, supply the ellipses.

Colossians 2:16 is in COMPRESSED FORM. Let us read it again to see the items in a series.

Colo 2:16 (KJV) Let no man therefore judge you in MEAT, or in DRINK, or IN RESPECT of an HOLYDAY, or of the NEW MOON, or of the SABBATH [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ. (The word [is] was not in the original, but supplied by the KJV translators. In short, they supplied an ellipsis where there is none!)

The items in a series are: meat, drink, respect of a holyday, new moon and the Sabbath. This is a COMPRESSED statement.

To see the full meaning of the verse, let’s EXPAND Paul’s statement by supplying the ELLIPSES for every item in the series:

Let no man therefore judge you in MEAT, or in DRINK which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

Let no man therefore judge you IN RESPECT of an HOLYDAY which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

Let no man therefore judge you IN RESPECT of the NEW MOON which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

Let no man therefore judge you IN RESPECT of the SABBATH [days]: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

FIRST ITEM IN THE SERIES: meat and drink.

Let no man therefore judge you IN MEAT, OR IN DRINK, (these were OFFERINGS to God which were given to the priests) which are a shadow (or representation) of things to come; but the body of Christ.

These MEAT and DRINK OFFERINGS were inseparable. They were part of every animal offering:

Numb 28:1 (KJV) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My (animal) OFFERING (animal), [and] my BREAD (also called MEAT OFFERING , coupled with DRINK offering, v.7) for my (animal) sacrifices made by fire, [for] a sweet savor unto me, shall you observe to offer unto me in their due season.

3 And you shall say unto them, This [is] the OFFERING MADE BY FIRE which you shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot DAY BY DAY (daily), [for] a continual burnt offering. 4 The one lamb shall you offer in the morning, and the other lamb shall you offer at even;

Here is the “MEAT OFFERING” that accompanies the ANIMAL OFFERING: 

5 And a tenth [part] of an ephah of FLOUR for a MEAT OFFERING, mingled with the fourth [part] (1¼ liters) of an hin of beaten oil. 6 [It is] a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

Here is the “DRINK OFFERING” that goes with the MEAT OFFERING: 

7 And the DRINK OFFERING thereof [shall be] the fourth [part] of an hin (1 hin = 5.7 liters) for the one lamb: in the holy [place] shall you cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD [for] a drink offering.

8 And the other lamb shall you offer at even: as (i.e., in the same proportion to) the MEAT OFFERING of the morning, and as the DRINK OFFERING thereof, you shall offer [it], a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.

Christ was the real MEAT and DRINK OFFERING; hence they were no longer necessary.

John 6:53 (KJV) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoso eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For MY FLESH IS MEAT indeed, and MY BLOOD IS DRINK indeed.

However, the Jews, who did not know Christ, were still observing them and worse, they were instigating Paul’s Jewish and Gentile converts to observe them as well.

Second item in the series: RESPECT OF A HOLYDAY:

Let no man therefore judge you IN RESPECT OF AN HOLYDAY which are a shadow of thingS to come; but the body of Christ.

We have enumerated above all the ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN RESPECT OF HOLYDAYS. The accurate phrase should be “in paying respects to God during the holydays”. Respects should be paid to God, not to the holydays, but Paul spoke in the passive voice.

Again, the animal sacrifices, the SHADOW (or representation), were no longer needed because the REAL THING, who was Christ, had come! All animal sacrifices had been superseded by the sacrifice of Christ.

Heb 10:14 For by ONE OFFERING he had perfected forever them (not everybody in the world) that are sanctified (or set apart for holy use, the called-out ones including us here present).

Third item in the series:

Let no man therefore judge you IN RESPECT OF THE NEW MOON which are a shadow of thingS to come; but the body of Christ.

We have also shown above the ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN RESPECT OF THE NEW MOON which had also been superseded by the sacrifice of Christ.

Heb 10:14 For by ONE OFFERING he had perfected forever them (not everybody in the world) that are sanctified (or set apart for holy use, the called-out ones including us here present).

Fourth item in the series:

Let no man therefore judge you IN RESPECT OF THE SABBATH [DAYS]: Which are a shadow of thingS to come; but the body of Christ.

We have also shown above the ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN RESPECT OF SABBATH DAYS which had been superseded by Christ.

Heb 10:14 For by ONE OFFERING he had perfected forever them (not everybody in the world) that are sanctified (or set apart for holy use, the called-out ones including us here present).

We can see by now that the word “RESPECT” refers to ANIMAL SACRIFICES, and the ANIMAL SACRIFICES are the SHADOW of THINGS TO COME.

The THINGS to come, PLURAL, do not refer solely to Christ. They refer to the coming Kingdom of God. Christ is only a part of it.

Hebr 9:11 (KJV) But CHRIST being come an HIGH PRIEST of GOOD THINGS TO COME (the Kingdom of God) by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

The basic statement is: Let no man judge you but the body of Christ, i.e., the Church. Here is a quote from Good News, Sept 1960 “Does it matter which days we observe?” by Herman L. Hoeh:

“No man (i.e., any unbelieving Jew in Colossae) is to sit in judgment of our Christian conduct, Paul is declaring in Colossians 2:16-17…It is the responsibility of the Church — the body of Christ — to determine these matters! The Church is to teach how to observe the festivals…etc. So these little-understood verses ought to be translated clearly: “Let no man therefore judge you … but (rather) let the body of Christ (determine it).” (End of quote)

IN CONCLUSION, the SABBATH WAS NOT FULFILLED IN CHRIST as was claimed by Mr. Joseph Tkach Sr., because CHRIST IS NOT A HOLYDAY. The ANIMAL SACRIFICES hidden in the word “RESPECT” were THE SHADOW, or representation, of CHRIST, which were all fulfilled by Christ when he came the first time.  

In any court of law, if a segment of a document is found tainted, the whole document becomes inadmissible as evidence. We have now found this book Transformed by Truth as filled with untruths and fallacious claims from Dr. Tkach and his fellow GCI writers. It should be thrown out by the brethren. 

One last comment: This book will not even pass for a thesis in the Philippines where English is a second language. Furthermore, the rule on grammar cited above is being taught in the Philippines as early as Junior high school under the subject of “MODIFIERS”. Mr. Tkach Sr’s reasoning processes therefore is BELOW THAT OF A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL in the Philippines! His son, who is a doctor of theology, should not have adopted his father’s doctrine. They are both IGNORAMUSES! Dr. Tkach should cease flaunting the title “Dr.”■

Administrator’s parting words:

We have shown incontrovertible proofs that Mr. Joseph Tkach Sr. and his son, Dr. Joseph Tkach, Jr. were NOT teachers sent from God. They are just kibitzers. Or, more likely, examiners, to test the brethren’s retention. They cannot initiate any changes on the foundational doctrines Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, the end-time Apostle, laid down. Nobody can undo them. All we can do is only to build upon the foundation.

2Th 2:15  (MKJV, Paul speaking) Therefore, my brothers, stand fast and hold the TEACHINGS which you have BEEN TAUGHT, whether by word or by our letter. 

Rev 3:11  (KJV, Christ speaking) Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast to that which you have (BEEN TAUGHT), so that no one may take your crown. 

Mr. Armstrong was a branch of the True Vine and we are his fruits! We cannot allow kibitzers to denigrate our branch, HWA, to detach us from him and severe us from Christ and God!

The brethren are encouraged to join our team of HWA defenders by disseminating this article through the link to our website. We will also make available a copy in PDF for downloading.

We will be glad to answer questions on any point of interest from Church of God members, active or not. Here are our email addresses:

Andy Yparraguirre

luklok522000@yahoo.com ;

Belo Alvaran

beloalvaran@yahoo.com

Let us extend our hand in fellowship to our brethren who are still out there in the GCI. Let’s help them find their way back to the fold. We advise them to join any splinter group of their choice and be counted once again as teacher-trainees in God’s coming Kingdom.

God bless us all.

Andres Yparraguirre

Administrator

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