(Sent this today. Pardon the NIV -- it's what she's familiar with -- and pray it is received with an open heart.
I fear it may damage our relationship, but what choice do I have but to try? Feedback and prayers appreciated.)
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Mom,
I'm glad you decided to send this note. Since I hadn't heard from you, I've been wondering
whether you watched the videos. I was afraid that the introduction might scare you off, so I
understand your decision.
You say, "I grieve over this whole situation." I ask *why* you grieve. Is it because I am trying
to follow God's commandments? Or because I am not following the traditions of the church?
If you are worried because I am trying to follow God's commandments, don't be. I have not
fallen into "works-based" salvation. No one is saved by keeping the law, all of my works are
but filthy rags, and where I fall short I have been covered by the blood of the lamb. I put my
trust in the words of Yahshuah the Messiah, commonly called Jesus, rather than in the
church's interpretation of Paul's letters, and other traditions.
In practical terms, what's the difference? I keep Yahweh's feasts, which He said we are to
observe "forever, throughout your generations, no matter where you live", instead of the
Roman church's holidays. I rest on the seventh day. And I don't eat some things I used to
enjoy, but really aren't good for me. While different than how I was raised, it's nothing "hard".
Each of these changes have resulted in a tangible, direct blessing in my life. I have lost
fifteen pounds. My blood pressure is down from "borderline high" to solidly "normal". I've had
to buy new jeans, closer to the size I wore in high school. And while the "experts" are saying
that this year is one of the worst for allergies, and Lexington is always notoriously bad for
allergy sufferers, mine have been cured. You remember how miserable I always was in the
summertime -- that did not change until I started eating clean. I've gone from an average of
four sinus infections a year, treated with antibiotics, to *none* in the last two years.
What I am doing is in line with what Jesus taught. I think you usually read from the New
International Version? Feel free to look these up in your own Bible if that's not right. The
"Gospels" record Messiah teaching the Law:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish
them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the
smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law
until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these
commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom
of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in
the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-20
Heaven and earth have not disappeared, neither have the commandments that He etched in
stone with his own finger. Several times Messiah was directly asked what was necessary for
salvation. Each time His answer was the same: Keep the commandments. Here's one
example...
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do
you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the
commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false
testimony, honor your father and mother.'" "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he
heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him
and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible
with men is possible with God." Luke 18:18-27
Yahshua repeats this throughout the New Testament. Here's another example:
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give
you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept
him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and
will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not
see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will
realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my
commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved
by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot)
said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" Jesus
replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will
come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my
teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. All
this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to
you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do
not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. You heard me say, 'I am going away and I
am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for
the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does
happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is
coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do
exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now; let us leave." John 14:15-31
After His death, do you remember why His followers didn't go to the tomb until Sunday
morning? They rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment (Luke 23:56). If He
did away with this before He died, He forgot to tell the people closest to Him. And there is
nothing recorded in any of His post-resurrection appearances to even hint at this (or any
other) commandment being set aside. So that leaves us with the question of Paul and the
early church.
The letters of the Apostle John, written after the Gospels and after Paul's letters, clearly
define sin as breaking God's law, and call for us to obey the commandments:
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the
father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving
God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And
his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is
the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world?
Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:1-5
There were claims of Paul teaching against the Law even while he was still alive. The early
church dealt with this in Acts 21:
When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Paul and the
rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and
reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they
heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: "You see, brother, how many thousands
of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed
that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them
not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will
certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who
have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so
that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in
these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law." Acts
21:17-24
Keep reading, and you find that Paul did what James and the brothers asked him to do,
proving that Paul lived in obedience to the law, and that there was "no truth in these reports"
that he was teaching against the law. Here's a sample of what Peter said about the
confusion:
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found
spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means
salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16
He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters
contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people
distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear
friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried
away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the
grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and
forever! Amen. 2Peter 3:14-18
and in Paul's own words:
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath
against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6
God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” 7 To those who by
persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for
those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and
anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for
the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. 12 All who sin apart from
the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the
law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those
who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Romans 2:5-13
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what
counts. 1 Corinthians 7:19
It can be very difficult to accept that the things we've been taught by people we love and trust
are not right. But by following the traditions of the church, instead of keeping God's
commandments, you are accepting the authority of the pope over scripture. The Vatican says
exactly this -- They acknowledge that there is no scriptural basis for changing the fourth
commandment from Sabbath rest to Sunday worship; and claim that protestant churches who follow
their liturgical calendar have accepted "the Mark of our authority". (Remember this:
following the Catholic liturgical calendar is accepting "the Mark" of Roman authority.)
Many of the traditions we have inherited from Roman Catholicism go back to customs that
were commonplace in the Roman empire during the days of the early church. Here's what
Paul said to Gentiles living in the Roman empire about the very same traditions which were
"Christianized" by the Catholic church 300 years later:
Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God,
and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the
Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of
demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 1 Corinthians 10:20-22
But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not
gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn
again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You
observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored
for you in vain. Galatians 4:8-11
Not only is there no scriptural basis for these traditions (including Easter, Christmas, and
Sunday worship in place of Sabbath rest), many of them are specifically condemned by scripture.
The name "Easter" comes from "Eostre", the German name of Asherah, the wife of Baal and
mother of Tammuz; and the date of her celebration is still calculated the same way it was
hundreds of years before Messiah walked the earth (the first Sunday after the first full moon
after the spring equinox). The date of Easter is NOT when our Messiah was crucified or
resurrected. The eggs and the bunnies also come from Asherah's fertility cult. Her son
Tammuz (known in Rome as Sol Invictus, the Invincible Sun) was born at the winter solstice, which was
December 25th when our Roman calendars were established. Easter and Christmas are
the Feasts of Baal.
Knowing this, pay close attention to what Ezekiel tells us. Those who "mourn for Tammuz"
(forty days of mourning, now known as "Lent", prior to the Feast of Ashera / Easter) or
celebrate the sunrise service on the Feast of Ashera / Easter, are destroyed. Those who
recognize these as abominations receive God's mark in their forehead, and are saved...
13 Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.” 14 Then he
brought me to the entrance to the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women
sitting there, mourning for Tammuz. 15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You
will see things that are even more detestable than this.” 16 He then brought me into the inner
court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico
and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD
and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east. 17 He said to
me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the house of Judah to do the
detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and
continually provoke me to anger? Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore
I will deal with them in anger; I will not look on them with pity or spare them. Although
they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them.” 1 Then I heard him call out in a loud
voice, “Bring the guards of the city here, each with a weapon in his hand.” 2 And I saw six
men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly
weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side.
They came in and stood beside the bronze altar. 3 Now the glory of the God of Israel went up
from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then
the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to
him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who
grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” 5 As I listened, he said
to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. 6
Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone
who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front
of the temple. 7 Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!”
So they went out and began killing throughout the city. 8 While they were killing and I was left
alone, I fell facedown, crying out, “Ah, Sovereign LORD! Are you going to destroy the entire
remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?” 9 He answered me, “The sin
of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city
is full of injustice. They say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’ 10
So I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads
what they have done.” 11 Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back
word, saying, “I have done as you commanded.” Ezekiel 8:13-9:11
In the same way, Revelation records John staggering when he realizes how these traditions
of Baal worship have overtaken the church.
8 A second angel followed and said, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the
nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” 9 A third angel followed them and said in
a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the
forehead or on the hand, 10 he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been
poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the
presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever
and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for
anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of
the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Revelation
14:8-12
Babylon is the Roman church, and her daughter churches. This is established by 1 Peter
5:13, and Revelation 17. Her "adulteries" are spiritual, leading people into Baal worship. In
contrast, how are the saints described? They OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, *AND*
remain faithful to Jesus. One or the other is NOT enough.
Once you have a solid understanding of the "Old Testament", Revelation becomes
surprisingly simple. While everyone has heard of the "Mark of the Beast", there are actually
two marks. We get to choose. Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Ezekiel tell us that keeping
Yahweh's commandments, and His Feasts, including His Sabbaths, will be a sign (mark) on
our forehead and our hands. Ezekiel and Revelation tell us that those with Yahweh's sign
(mark) will be spared from the coming destruction. Revelation tells us that the mark of the
beast (also on our foreheads and hands) is keeping the commandments (traditions), and
"holidays" of the Beast -- the Roman church. The Roman church confirms this, proudly
claiming the Catholic liturgical calendar as the "Mark" of their authority.
The pastor who tells you to ignore God's commandments (which Jesus taught us to keep),
and to celebrate Baal's Feasts instead of Yahweh's, is a wolf in sheep's clothing. If he can
show me one verse in which Jesus says that Yahweh's commandments or Feasts no longer
apply, or even any evidence that "Easter" is not the Feast of Ashera or Christmas the birthday
of Tammuz, I will apologize in writing, and send your church a check for $500. If he can't
claim the reward, why are you listening to him?
I pray you will pick up your scriptures, read them for yourself, and allow Him to open your
mind to His will. I love you always, but we have been warned:
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected
knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your
God, I also will ignore your children. The more the priests increased, the more they
sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed
on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness. And it will be: Like people, like
priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. Hosea
4:6-9
