James Malm, the Shininglight Blog Writer Has Shared Blindness

Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you can find helpful information here if you are searching for Biblical understanding like me. I welcome your comments.

Today I visited the TheShiningLight Blog to gather some ideas for my blog article. There is always a wealth of biblical error waiting to be corrected so it only took a couple minutes of reading to find a topic.

James Malm is the writer and a strong proponent of Armstrongism which rejects the true doctrines of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant (which they would disagree with). Armstrongism, as I refer to it, is a technically flawed theology created by the late Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) which blended Old and New Covenant Biblical practices while labeling it Christian.

In a James Malm Bible study published on the 2nd of August, 2012 titled "The Building of the Temple, Zecheriah Part 4 - I found one of his usual biblical contradictions. This is very typical of those trained by Armstrong and his followers, which James is one. The theology they practice is actually what I term "versology." A cut and paste form of religion that takes many different verses cut out of context from both old and new testament writings and weaves them into a patchwork of  contradiction and confusion.  The Churches of God (COG's) as I will call them here for continuity sprang from the 1995 split in the Worldwide Church of God. The founder HWA died in 1986 and the new leaders began to change many original teachings at a rapid pace. These numerous splinter COG's groups that left in 1995 for the most part retained the original teachings while the main group dropped most of the Old Covenant teachings.

The numerous but tiny COG's that clung to Armstrongism teach that God commands the keeping of the old covenant festivals listed in Leviticus 23. I grew up in Armstrongism and as a member was obligated to keep these holy days or feasts as they were called. The teachings on this within the COG's are duplicitous. While they teach Christians that these days must be kept they in no wise actually observe them other than the supposed dates. In fact these groups ignore Jesus Christ's own teachings and reject  His Sacrifice by rejecting the New Covenant in His shed blood. The new Covenant is rejected so therefore they are in all actuality Anti-Christ churches.

James Malm falls prey to this same flawed theology advocating the teachings adamantly. In his blindness, he can quote the scriptures that plainly prophecy the end of the Old Covenant and the beginning of a New Covenant but gloss over it as if it was not there - utterly blind. 

As example, here is his own explination of  Zechariah's prophecy of "Beauty" which James' claims is the Messiah;

"Beauty a prophecy of Christ

Jesus Christ bring called Beauty; and his death breaking the Mosaic Covenant between him and Israel. Only the humble understood this and follow4e into the New Covenant. (SP- "4e" should be me)

11:7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.
11:8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
11:9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.
11:10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people."

The highlighted text above is James' own explanation of the ending of the Old Covenant and the Beginning of a New Covenant at the death of the Messiah but completely glosses over that and continues promoting the observance of the Feasts of Leviticus 23 in his blog articles.

James ignores Jesus and the new covenant. Jesus Christ stated clearly in John 4 that there would be no more Temple Worship but spiritual worship instead.


<sup>John 4:19-26;

19</sup> “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.  
²⁰ Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
²¹ “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  

²² You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 

²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  

²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

²⁵ The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
²⁶ Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

That made observance of the Feasts of Lev 23 an impossibility since they were required to be observed at the Temple. At least three could be observed nowhere other than at Mt. Ebal in Samaria (Joshua 8:30-33) and no other place on earth 
( Deuteronomy 12:14). Later King David moved the Altar to Jerusalem.

But this error is not a new one. The Apostle Paul battled the same type of false teachings and false teachers that came from Jerusalem to Asia where Paul was baptizing many Gentiles and raising up many Christian churches. Many Jewish convert taught that the new Christians among the Gentile churches must be circumcised and obey the Laws of Moses known as the Torah like the Jews did. This was untrue as the new covenant did not require these things for salvation through Christ. Paul called these false teachers and warned, 


"You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." Read the entire passage here: Galatians 5:5-12 


I can only hope and pray that those who teach these lies and lead the sheep astray would repent or do as Paul suggested, 

" As for those agitators, I wish 

they would go the whole way 

and emasculate themselves!" 

It is obvious that the Apostle Paul took this heresy very seriously - so do I and pray false teachers like James Malm will repent before it is too late for them and their followers. This is the reason I left to begin my own biblical research - I finally came to admit, I too had been deceived...

DEFINITIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR LOGICAL DEBATE TO OCCUR

This my post on Face Book today in a group of present and former WCG/COG members I though might be beneficial to my readers.
 
When we debate the issues of the Law here it seems to me that some hold different understandings of terms and definitions. Many use the terms; law, covenant, statutes, ordinances, commandments, and judgements correctly but also more often incorrectly. Sometimes terms that are synonymous are used against others to support a particular position. I feel this is partly why there is so much circular action leading to stalemate. The other part may be emotional attachment to our personal belief system that clouds reason.

The way I like to explain these various terms is by using a comparison, an analogy if you will, comparing the Old Covenant to a Promissory Note and the Mortgage that secures the payment of the underlying note. If anyone has had a mortgage they know they had to sign a promissory note and the mortgage. The mortgage is obviously a contract and I want to focus on that document to make my point.

A Mortgage is a contract as stated. The definition of the word contract is synonymous with covenant. A mortgage may have any number of terms and conditions that are also referred to as covenants or promises contained within the mortgage. The covenant that God offered to Israel on Mt. Sinai was actually a covenant in relation to property rights or ownership. Here is a definition from Law.com; "...Covenants can be concurrent (mutual promises to be performed at the same time), dependent (one promise need be performed if the other party performs his/hers), or independent (a promise to be honored without reference to any other promise)."

From the definition above the covenant that God made with Israel in 1400 B.C. was a "dependent" covenant. If God performed His promises then Israel would perform theirs. God kept his promise to Abraham and gave Israel the land inheritance, then Israel had to obey their promises to stay there. The promise given to Abraham was that the land would be a perpetual covenant, IF they obeyed. The terms contract and covenant are the same. There are different kinds of contracts just like there are different kinds of covenants. The contract that contained the law was a: bilateral contract; "n. an agreement in which the parties exchange promises for each to do something in the future. "Susette Seller promises to sell her house to Bobby Buyer and Buyer promises to pay Seller $100,000 for it." This is distinct from a "unilateral contract," in which there is a promise to pay if the other party chooses to do something. "I'll pay you $1,000 if you'll stop smoking." (Law.Com) Jacob made a unilateral contract with God, Jacob asked for safety and then he would give ten percent to God if God choose to perform first. The contract that God offered Israel was a bilateral contract in that if one party (God) performed their promise then the other party (Israel) would perform theirs. The differences are only academic in nature.

Statutes, Ordinances, and Law are each synonyms. Each of these terms can be used individually, as Moses did often, or interchangeably. All contained within the Covenant or mortgage. The violation of any one breaches the entire covenant.

The term Statue is generally referring to a national law while ordinances are more local.
statute
"n. a federal or state written law enacted by the Congress or state legislature, respectively. Local statutes or laws are usually called "ordinances." Regulations, rulings, opinions, executive orders and proclamations are not statutes."

A Commandment is not the particular law, statute or ordinance in question but the act or power to mandate a law.
com·mand·ment
noun
1.a command or mandate.
2.( sometimes initial capital letter ) any of the ten commandments.
3.the act or power of commanding

Judgements are the part of administrating the terms and conditions (or laws) to determine if an action or failure to act has violated a law and caused a breach.
judg·ment;
noun
1. an act or instance of judging.
2. the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion: a man of sound judgment.
3. the demonstration or exercise of such ability or capacity: The major was decorated for the judgment he showed under fire.
4.the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind: Our judgment as to the cause of his failure must rest on the evidence.
5. the opinion formed: He regretted his hasty judgment.
 
Contracts/Covenants have a set of terms and conditions. Getting back to the mortgage, the terms and conditions are covenants or promises to perform certain acts. For example The first is to make a payment of an exact amount on a designated date. If the payment is not made then the entire covenant is considered breached and the mortgagee can foreclose and take the property. All of the terms and conditions do not need to be violated to cause a breach, just one. Other failures individually that can cause a breach of the contract may be a promise to keep hazard insurance in force or pay all property taxes or maintain the property. Analogous to the Old Covenant either side could breach the covenant. We know that God fulfilled everything He promised in the covenant he made by the words of Joshua in Joshua 23: 14, And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. Know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one thing of them has failed.

15 But just as all good things which the Lord promised you have come to you, so will the Lord carry out [His] every [warning of] evil upon you, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

16 If you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, if you serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land He has given you. 

At this juncture in around 1440 BC all the covenants that God had made with Israel He had fully kept. Now the rest was up to them, and verse 15 and 16 refers to the blessings and cursings that would accrue to them if they failed to keep their covenants. It would be righteousness for them if they were careful to observe all these commandments. Some here like to use the argument that the Law is still in force today just as it was in the time of Israel in the Promised land. That is a specious or fallacious argument for the following reasons.

1)The Laws comprised the numerous terms and conditions of the Covenant God offered to Israel only. They ratified it on Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim in Shechem in the land after they arrived at the spot that would be the center of religious worship for several hundred years.

2) The breaking of just one of the terms was enough to breach the whole covenant. God went to great length to make this clear in Deut. 27 known as the blessings and cursings chapter.
 
3) The individual laws that included the Decalogue were NOT severable or separable, meaning no individual law or group of laws could be excluded by either party without express permission of the other. God stated, "If you do not carefully observe ALL of the words of this law...or you shall be plucked off the land you go to possess...Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples...and you shall never see it again." Deut. 28:58-68.
 
4) From 770 BC until around 600 BC God gave Israel, who were divided into the North and South Kingdoms, final warnings against breaking the covenant. Their continual weakness of turning to foreign gods and idolatry finally got them ejected once and for all from the land. The Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian and Babylonian nations served to fulfill God's warning to eject and scatter the Israelites. He did this while Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and many minor prophets were sent over and over to warn them of the coming judgement but many of the Kings of Israel failed to heed the dire warning. Some prophets were sent during the captivity. At this time God is told Israel that he would make a new covenant not like the old one. Jeremiah chapter 31 reveals God's plan of reconciliation. But it is NOT by a breached covenant that no longer exists. Paul, was a legal expert in Torah and details of the Old Covenant which he lived under and practiced. Pharisees were lawyers of the day and would have known the terms I discuss above in great detail. They prosecuted violations of these terms and conditions, the numerous laws contained in the covenant. He uses the same terminology "..the law of commandments contained in ordinances." ( Eph. 2:14) Also Paul says, "And I testify (as in a court room) again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to KEEP THE WHOLE LAW." One single term violated means a breach of the covenant and foreclosure on the property. (Gal. 5:3)

To conclude: The laws are terms and conditions of the covenant (old covenant) made with Israel. When one single law (term or condition) is breached the entire covenant or contract is thus breached. If someone tells you that the laws are to be obeyed today, ask "which ones can be excluded" and still keep the old covenant? If God says that ALL must be kept then that is what must be taught and performed if you claim that covenant is to be kept. By definition it is impossible to keep or fulfill a contract without keeping ALL of the laws within it as I have proven. The Apostle Paul  verifies the same. Hebrews chapters 8-10 likewise verifies this identical concept. The problem arising when anyone attempts to lead people back to the Old Covenant is it, in theory,  places those who follow this specious and fallacious reasoning back under the curse of the law. Jesus specifically died for us becoming the curse of the law. To teach otherwise is to reject that free gift - which is shear folly. Even if we wanted to the Covenant has been foreclosed and is there by nullified and no longer exists.

What is worse is this preference of an obsolete covenant rejects the New Covenant and the Mediator of the New and better covenant offering Jesus as the truth and the life.

Jesus said, "They prefer the old wine because they say it is just fine." They therefore reject the new wine that God offers, the new covenant is not the same as the other.

Sour Wine, A Metaphor That Symbolized The End Of The Old Covenant

Was Sour Wine a Metaphor? If So For What?

Did you ever wonder like I did, why sour wine was offered to Christ on the cross? Was it only to quench Jesus' thirst or was there more to it? You will soon learn, there was much more to it!

The story I refer to is found in Matthew 27:46-51, the actual event is in verse 48. We break into the account of the crucifixion of Christ in verse 46 where we find Jesus on the cross and near the end of his life;

46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. 50Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;(KJV)


In verse 48, We read that Jesus is offered sour wine, or vinegar, after He cries out for someone the people think is Elias. But there is no indication that Jesus ever took any of the sour wine offered on the sponge before He died, only that it was offered. Sour wine was a common beverage of the day and a common drink of the Roman soldiers.

Throughout the ministry of Jesus beginning at the wedding feast in the town of Cana of Galilee, with his first miracle of turning water into wine, He frequently used parables and analogies to teach lessons. Most of these were lost to the readers because God was not calling everyone to accept Christ at that time.Many people heard the parables and stories, but did not understand. Even his own disciples often misunderstood requiring Christ to explain. The metaphors Christ used were often intentionally used to obscured  understanding from the Pharisees. His use of  Wine as a metaphor is one He used to teach a number of powerful spiritual lessons that went mostly over the heads of the hearers.

This article will reveal the lesson that Jesus was revealing through the use of Wine as a metaphor concerning the Old and New Covenants of God.


But first we need to collect some background information to begin our understanding of this subject.

1) To begin, It must be understood by the reader that the New Testament teaches that  when Christ died He ended the Old Covenant, or the Law of Moses, the Jews know this as the Torah. The Commandments "contained in  ordinances" as Paul writes in Ephesians 2:15; "...having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances..." Both the Apostles and Jesus Himself taught this clearly. Armstrongism teaches a contradictory doctrine of Christ that the Old Covenant was not replaced by the New Covenant but merely modified by Jesus and not fulfilled and abolished which is not scriptural. Paul taught this clearly in Colossians 2:14 concluding the matter.


Christ used wine in metaphorical ways to demonstrate the process in the plan of God concerning the ending of one covenant and the beginning of another as we will see.

2) Secondly,   we need to understand what Christ taught about the New and Old Covenants using wine in a metaphorical way found in Luke 5:37;

  ³⁷ “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. ³⁸ New wine must be stored in new wineskins. (NLT)

 

The lesson: The old wineskins are symbolic of the old covenant given at Mt. Sinai. More specifically the wine skins were symbolic of the statutes and ordinances that contained the commandments.[1] Jesus taught that all of the Law and Prophets hang on these commandments (Matt. 22:40).The new wine is the new covenant that replaces the old covenant. Paul taught that the old covenant had served it's purpose as tutor of Israel (Gal. 3:24) and prophetic of Christ (Gal. 3:19). Beyond usefulness and  stretched to it's limit it could not contain the symbolic new wine, or new covenant. The old skins, like the old covenant, had no more usefulness. The new wine would be contained within the believer on a spiritual level. The body of the believer became the Temple of the Holy Spirit. God is writing his law in the hearts and minds of His children as He teaches in Jeremiah 31:33;

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."[2]

The science and physics involved here is that wineskins were made of animal skins in those days not synthetic materials.  Wineskins were elastic and could stretch a considerable amount.They were good for wine storage being both water tight and elastic. Therefore the wine was kept safe.

Even after the initial fermentation ends the wine stored in a sealed, air tight skin, gives off carbon dioxide gas which stretches the skin like a balloon, eventually being stretched to the maximum.  And like a balloon, the skin could pop spilling the contents. Reusing the old wine skins for new wine risks bursting and the wine will spill and be lost. A very expensive loss considering the time and effort involved. So the practice was to use new wine skins that can stretch adequately for new wine, preventing lost of the wine.

3) Third is the lesson of the old verses new wine found in Luke 5:39; “No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.”

Here Jesus is using Old Wine as a metaphor for the Old Covenant and New Wine as a metaphor for the New Covenant. The very first miracle that Jesus performed was  to turn water into wine. When Jesus and His disciples were attending a wedding in the city of Cana in Galilee, His mother informed Him they had run out of wine. He proceeded to turn water that the servants had collected in six thirty gallon water pots into wine. This account is found in John 2:1-11.

The amazing part was that when the Master of the Feast tasted the wine he found it was better quality that the first wine that had been drunk up. The wine that Christ had made from the water was high quality, BETTER TASTING THAN THE OLD WINE. This was to set the stage for the metaphorical application of wine to the covenants throughout Jesus' ministry.

The majority of Jews were unwilling to receive the good news the  new covenant contained. They preferred the old covenant, the old wine. They said it is just fine. Therefore they rejected the message  God sent to them through His Son. By rejecting Jesus, they also rejected God, the Father. 

4) Fourth, Jesus used Wine as a symbol of the blood of the new covenant. Many things were consecrated or set apart for special religious purposes with blood in the Old Testament. See Exodus 29:20-21 as an example. The blood of a slaughtered ram was put on the tip of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot, and sprinkled on the garments of Aaron and his two sons to consecrate them as the ministers to God, as Priests.

When Christ introduced the new covenant, he used wine in Matthew 26:28, as the symbol for this concentrating blood. But the blood of the new covenant  was his own shed blood. When He was scourged (Matthew 27:34) before he was crucified He was marred like no other man. This gory scene was depicted in The Passion of Christ movie by Mel Gibson some of you may have seen. But it was probably worse in real life!

Christ was smeared from head to foot with  His own consecrating blood. On his right ear, his right thumb, his right toe, and all over His body. Thus the  new covenant fulfillment of the consecration of Christ as or new High Priest replacing the Aaronic Priesthood of Exodus 29 above.

5) Christ was offered bitter wine which he rejected just before He was crucified as recorded in Matthew 27:34. Here the soldiers offered Jesus wine  mixed with gall to drink. But after tasting it, he refused to drink it. Gall is a very bitter substance similar to bile in the stomach. The combination of Wine and Gall was said to numb the senses of the condemned person. A type of pain killer.

Christ refused it for three reasons which were:

A)  The Priests were forbidden to drink wine when they were on duty in the Tabernacle. Leviticus 10:9. Jesus Christ had replaced the old priesthood, becoming our new High Priest. He followed all of the Laws of the old covenant including  those that pertained to the priesthood.

B) Christ stated at the introduction of the new Passover symbols of bread and wine that He would not drink wine again until it was new in the kingdom found in  Matthew 26: 29. Some passages say sour wine, or vinegar, but this is wine for this passage. Later on the cross they offered Him sour wine which was the common beverage of the Roman Soldiers of the day and it was to quench his thirst rather than kill the pain.

C)  Christ was carrying the grief and sorrows of all mankind brought on by sin. He was intentional in this and would not accept a pain killing potion that would diminish His suffering and lesson the value of His sacrifice in any way. Isaiah 53: 1-10, ".. He suffered for us."


At the very end of Christ's life while on the cross He had one more thing to fulfill concerning the old covenant. This is found in John 19:28, He said, "I thirst." But why did he say that?  Verse 28 explains; "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst."


What He set out to fulfill, and had fulfilled at this point in His own words was the Law and the Prophets.  Jesus told us He had not come to destroy the Law and Prophets, but to fulfill them. Read this in Matthew 5:17-18;  “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. 18 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. (NIV)   

At this point Jesus had fulfilled all of the old covenant requirements that He referred to in the prior passage. He spoke in John 19:28 of this fulfillment. 

With the Old Covenant being thus ended, the metaphorical old wine that the Jews thought was just fine was no longer acceptable to God. There was a new Priest and that required new laws, Hebrews 7:11-12. In another place we see God's stated purpose that led to this. Christ was born at the appointed time, of a woman, UNDER the law (Gal. 4:4). He obeyed the Law of Moses perfectly without sin, without transgressing even the least of the laws or commandments during His life. Christ told the disciples that He had fulfilled all of the above in Luke 24:44. 

Before Christ's last breath the sour wine was lifted to His lips and without accepting the  offered drink, He uttered His last words which were, "It Is Finished."  The old wine had become sour wine, or vinegar, and no longer acceptable. The old wine had gone bad, and was replaced by the new wine of the new covenant and of the Kingdom of God that would dwell in the hearts of the believers from then on for all who would accept Jesus Christ as their Atonement.

In the beginning of this article I mention several verses in Matthew 27,  verse 51 was the rest of this story; “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the  top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

Immediately after Christ said, "It is finished" there was a violent earth quake and the veil in the Temple was rent. The veil refers to a curtain that blocks the entrance to the most holy place, or holiest place in the Temple where the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord is kept and upon it the mercy seat. (see Exodus 26:33-34 for details) Only one time a year on the old testament Day of Atonement did the High Priest enter to sprinkle the sacrificial blood there as a very special offering. No one else could go in because the presence of God was there on that day. Anyone else entering at that time or any other time was killed. 

The veil being torn at Jesus' death represents a change in access to God. Now saints, the baptized believers in Christ, may freely approach the spiritual mercy seat in heaven at the throne of God where Christ is now the full time High Priest performing intercession for us continually in a spiritual sense. He hears our prayers continually. Believers are no longer required to go through the  old  priesthood to petition and worship God the Father. Now we have direct access. This is what Hebrews 4:16 explains: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." 

Also Hebrews 7:26-28: 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; ...but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Thus marking the end of the Old Covenant, the end of the Priestly system of sacrifices, the end of  first fruits and tithes,   the end of the annual Sabbaths and all other aspects of the Law of Moses and now beginning the new covenant of Grace.  All being fulfilled by Christ, consecrated for evermore, as our new High Priest. The sour wine that was offered to Christ on the cross before He died was a metaphor for the old wine or the Old Covenant which now ended at the cross. It is now the New Wine, the New Covenant,  that He will drink again with us in the Kingdom.

[1] The Decalogue also known as the ten commandments are found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.The statutes and Ordinances are found in various places in the first five books the old testament known as the Law, the Torah, or Pentateuch. These books are believed to have been written by Moses. Places in the Pentateuch where the statutes and ordinances are found; Numbers ch.28-29, Exodus ch. 20-40, Numbers ch 17-19, Deuteronomy ch. 5-8, 12-34.
[2] Translations used in this article; King James Version, New Living Translation, 21st Century King James Version.

UCG member on sabbatical writing a book on Law and Grace to Begin UCG Doctrinal Shift, Just Another ShiningLight Blog Hoax!

Michael Maynard , Publisher of this blog is the "Prime Suspect." James REALLY! Fact Check before you publish, Please.


  
A misleading commentary titled, Watch For: The New Direction, appeared in The Shining Light Blog February 26, 2011 in response to a personal and private email message I sent to James Malm, the writer and publisher of the Blog. He asked that I keep his response confidential, which I did. Subsequently I became an unwitting subject and by-product of James’ korah-rupt  keyboard, lumped into the heap of carnage spewed daily from the SLB writer - though being in good company  with  many other devout  Christians who have come into James’ cross hairs. Those unwashed, miserable, blind fools who may hold to different modes of worship of the one true God and his Son who James claims to know (about) who have been ridiculed, slandered, mocked, and libeled.
As such, I thought it imprudent and irresponsible to form any decent response and pointless to clear my otherwise respectable name and defend my documented and sincere writings. But....I just can’t resist, so against better judgment here I go...
 

First here is what James Malm  wrote directed at me (The Red Letters are Not Christ speaking but James’ misleading rhetoric):

“This is what happened in the WCG with the Tkach era and it is what is now happening in the UCG.  In May there will be another Conference and election: WATCH the direction that is takn after that.  The fruits should become clear by the fall Feast.
 
I received a message from a man in the UCG, who is now taking a sabbatical to write a book on Law and Grace in preparation for the coming changes. His Blog is an excellent placce to see the subtlty of the new take on the Covenants, and Law and Grace; that are slowly being inserted into the UCG.

Michael Mynard’s Blog  will put right before  your eyes in a  nutshell; what will be done subtly over many months in the UCG. His web site is now under construction.  By all means look through this Blog and its pages to see the subtle errors. See how he says that the sons of the King are “above the law” subtly twisting a scripture on the temple tax to somehow include all the law.  Be sure to notice how many “New Age” quotes and translations he uses.

Read through this Blog and then take a listen to the New Covenant series of audios by Robin Webber.  Look for the subtlities, the inferences, the allusions and the little twists, as he uses a six or seven part series to put over the new UCG agenda and bury it in a multitude of words.  “Church family is to love one another; we obey God because we love him and for no other reason because we no longer have to obey, only love.”

Double speak to confuse and distract as the subliminal message of “love trumps law” is entrenched in this phsycologiocal warfare of the spirit. Teaching us that we should just wink at and tolerate sin; and compromise with God’s law anytime the going gets difficult.

Teaching that “love” is the “easy way” and that when the going gets tough we should just push the “easy butten” and compromise with God’s law because he is love and will understand and forgive. This series was started on 1 Jan in Los Angeles.  The New Covenant and Christian Responsibilities.  Be sure to notice how many “New Age” quotes he uses.”

In Response I write...

I could thank James for the considerable promotion bestowed in his piece, elevating me to the Doctrinal Committee of the United Church of God (UCG). Unfortunately, I am not in attendance with the UCG and not presently an employee of UCG nor ever was. (OOPS JAMES) Alas, I would gladly do the work of adjusting their doctrines to come into unity with Apostles Paul, Peter, James, John, not to leave out Christ, all of whom they blaspheme in a routine and most methodical way. Much as the Tkach led Grace Covenant Church (or whatever they are now), and fell into the ditch of  Catholicism/Paganism, Armstrongism falls into the other  ditch of  Pharisaical laws and rituals. Both equally wrong and leading followers AWAY from Christ  and Fallen from Grace. (OOPS JAMES)

James, The reason I left the UCG and Armstrongism is because I DO NOT see them abandoning the doctrines of Armstrong (OOPS AGAIN) ....why would they? Why would they kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? Just look at Geraldean’s  (my pet name for Gerald Flurry) PCG.  Herbert W. Armstrong’s mug is nearly their copyrighted corporate logo. Why? Cash Flow! Armstrongism at it’s finest....except there are too many of us sheep who have educations.  Empire building while ignoring the True Doctrine of Christ exemplified in Acts 2:43-47 that resulted in, “...the Lord adding to the church DAILY those who were being saved,” (OOPSIE DAISY)

“I am the door,” says Christ, “any who attempt to enter into the kingdom another way are thieves and robbers.” One Door, One True Shepherd, One straight and narrow path one narrow gate into the kingdom, and wide is the way to destruction.  

James apparently sees little need for love as he clearly promotes “deeds of the law” as the way to salvation, oh yeah and the Jesus person is cool too! Right James?  Maybe he thinks like HWA and his discipleship that Christ was just all gushy when He said, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, AS I   HAVE   LOVED   YOU. (OOPS AGAIN)

Now lets see the LAW TRUMP that in the  LOVE realm James! (OOPS) Did the LAW of Moses ever bring that to the table? NO I don’t think so! Did the Torah ever  successfully lead the Israelites to “Love their neighbors as their selves?” No I don’t think so! (OOPS)

If this kind of love equals your “EASY BUTTON” then we will see if you will be willing to stick with your beliefs and burn at the stake, for a fellow Christian, one you don’t even know...or stand in front of a firing squad...for a SINNER like me? That is a standard I bet most Armstrongites never consider...take the Law James, all of it! I will gladly take your portion of  Love since it will just be left on your plate and tossed into the trash.  Why waste it if you don't want it? (OOPS)

Peter warns you Judizers...You who TEST GOD! You who try to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither we nor our fathers could bear. And that was not just clipping off a tad of  skin from a baby boy! That was the WHOLE LAW OF MOSES.  (OOPS) The Apostle James says to you, “ We gave NO SUCH COMMANDMENT!”(OOPSIE) Do you James? The UCG teaches in their doctrinal paper , The Two Covenants of God, this was only physical circumcision, the fleshly removal of a males foreskin.  I do not agree! Neither did James (not you), Peter, Paul,  Barnabas, or the others there in the meeting in Jerusalem (except maybe James Malm, and the Pharisees in verse 5, who were still hopefully growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ). They all knew how Paul and Barnabas stood because that is why they were there. Paul taught Christians throughout Asia, Jew and Gentile, to FORSAKE THE LAW OF Moses!  (Acts 15, and 21, please! read it all)

Galatians 5:
   1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (OOPS AGAIN) (personally I am getting tired of oopses)
   2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
   3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (OOPS)
   4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
   5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
   6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
   7Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
   8This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
   9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
   10I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
   11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
   12I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
   13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
   14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (OOPS AGAIN JAMES)

Did the creator give his only begotten Son...His ONLY SON, who came willingly to do the will of the Father and FULFILLED EVERY ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW WITHOUT EVEN ONE SIN AND WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED FOR ALL HIS GOOD DEEDS....FOR US. No Love there James?(OOPS) I think so!!

James, you want law? You be my guest...just remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in
Galatians 3; 

1 O foolish Galatians, (JAMES) who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (OOPS)

and verses 9 - 14;

 9So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
 10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
  11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
  12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
  13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Did you ever read all of the verses and not leave just a few out? I know you do, you do  it all the time in your articles.
You learned it from HWA and his disciples....twist it to fit, if it won’t fit...make it up! If all else fails...IGNORE IT!

I write because I have made a decision to read and believe only what Jesus Christ and the Apostles of the Church of Jerusalem taught and discard all other. I was a “Pharisee” as strict as they come in Armstrongism. Would have made Paul proud! Paid my three tithes, at Sabbath Services every week, observed all of the Holy Days with zeal. Held many positions of responsibility in The WCG, PCG, and UCG. In charge of the Information table and printed the weekly bulletin, Gave Bible Studies, President of Spokesmen Club and Graduate Club. Married for 33 Years and blessed with two beautiful children, now grown.

I have been blessed with every blessing imaginable, a successful business, great income, boats, RV, home with a pool. But then I was always internally in turmoil, and it came through in harshness toward my wife and children. I had rules, Armstrong has rules and regulations.

I was one of the first to resign from the WCG in 1993, even before most even realized there were a changes in the wind. And they were about to blow the church away! I saw them coming in subtle way in 1988. Small things said from the pulpit and in the publications, in the Hymnal. Even the Pastors and elders didn’t see them. (Or the Pastors wouldn’t admit they did.)

So James Malm, I was probably more self-righteous and presumptuous than you ever dreamed of being... if that is possible!?! But I was sincere, because I grew up in the WCG and only knew this way of life. And ‘in the day when terror gripped’, (fear of a false prophet I mean) one dared not  question the Apostle and Profit (yes sp ok) Herbert W. Armstrong.

Every year before the Feast days I would study. I would get out my library of reference Books, Study Guides, Concordances, Cross references, Commentaries, Greek Translations, Hebrew Translations...you get the point. I was THOROUGH, I intended to come into a closer relationship with God and Christ through knowledge and preparation. When the Feast of Tabernacles rolled around, I was ready, plenty of second tithe, luxury Condo reserved, New Custom Van Loaded with new clothes for the family...had to look good..appearance, attire I mean, at the Feast was paramount.

At the Feast we dined on the finest, Porterhouse Steaks and Prime Rib, fine wines and liquors. Had loads of fun, family activities, side trips to cool places for the kids. The obligatory feast gifts for sure!

While enjoyable,  nothing spiritual accomplished except cutting ourselves off from Christ and falling from Grace. Now I see how much time and money was wasted that could have been utilized elsewhere rather that furnishing HWA’s mansions and financing his lavish life style.

I will conclude the matter for the readers and for our beloved James Malm.  One must have the Holy Spirit to perceive why Grace and Love is a stone of stumbling for you. Those who understand that the Holy Spirit transforms the believer such that the Law of Moses is of no consequence since the LAWS are WRITTEN in OUR HEARTS as David said, and Now We Hear.  James I would NEVER break God’s Holy Sabbath, because I love my neighbor! If you love your neighbor as yourself then by default you love God.  I Jn. 2:8-10 explains your challenge with Grace and Love. And the FULFILLMENT of THE WHOLE LAW is just that. AND NO more than that DO WE OWE TO ANY MAN.. Not To You, Not to Armstrong, Not to Flurry, Not to Rodman (another pet name, Rod Meredith), Not to Pacman (you figure that one) to no man.  

We who are under Grace through Faith live thus:
I Peter 4:8, "And above ALL things have fervent LOVE for one another, for love will cover a multitude of Sins." At least it is our goal! And of course we fall short of the mark.
We worship at the Altar before our High Priest at the most Holy Place where He is continually hearing our prayers and sprinkling his shed blood for the sins of the repentant. Continually 24/7 until his return as our King.    AMEN!


Watch for my upcoming article; Christ at the Well Of Jacob which opens up the signifigance of  John chapter four. In my view one of the MOST PIVOTAL teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The very point where Christ himself VERIFIES the END of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the New Covenant.  Christ’s use of the historical symbolism of Sychar and the Well of Jacob is MindBlowing! You will have few questions left concerning the two covenants of God after reading this article.

What Is Abolished in the New Covenant? A Study Challenge For TTDOCF Readers.

OLD COVENANT VS. NEW COVENANT
 

This is a reference list of key scriptural passages compiled during my extensive eight month research on the Law in preparing for my book. My question is: What of the Law is Abolished in the New Covenant and what remains for Christians today?

Book   Chapter     Verse     Relevance:


John 4 Entire Chapter - Crucial and Pivotal! Jesus announces the end of Old Covenant and beginning of the New Covenant at the Well of Jacob in Sychar.
Eph 2 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
Phil 3 9 not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law
Eph 2 16 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments
Phil 3 2 Look out for those dogs [Judaizers, legalists], look out for those mischief-makers, look out for those
Col 2 14 Having canceled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note
I Cor 6 12 you were justified [pronounced righteous, by trusting] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
I Jn 2 27 but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things
I Jn 3 22- 24 love one another, as he gave us commandment
Heb 8 13 When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete
Heb 9 27 He will come again, not to deal with our sins
Heb 9 9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer
Heb 10 29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God,
Rom 7 6 But now we are delivered from the law,
Matt 11 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Matt 12 5- 7 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Matt 5 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Matt 5 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from
Rom 8 3 4 For what the law could not do
Heb 9 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament,
Heb 10 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Gal 4 9 how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, Ye observe days, and months, and times, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
II Cor 3 6 ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth Eph 1 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of Eph 2 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Gal 3 10 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
13 And the law is not of faith
Eph 6 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, Lk 16 16 The law and the prophets were until John:
Gal 2 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
Lk 5 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Matt 12 28 34 ut the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Lk 5 36 38 No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old

Jn 5 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom
Jn 5 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.
Deut 18 15 he LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto
Jn 8 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
Jn 13 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also
Matt 5 18 19 Law to be Fulfilled (Lk.24:44)
Matt 5 20 48 Commandments Magnified
Acts 18 21 Paul to Keep Feast only one time mentioned
Cor I 5 7 8 You are unleavened
Jn 7 19 Jews at Feast, not keeping the Law
Heb 12 2 Jesus, Author and Finisher of our Faith.
Heb 13 9 13 Established by Grace, not Foods.
Lk 24 44 Christ Had Fulfilled All.
Matt 12 1- 6 Son of Man Lord of the Sabbath
Matt 16 11 12 Laws Pharisees taught a Yoke of Burden
Matt 15 16 Not what goes into mouth defiles(1TM 4:4)
Matt 15 52 Kingdom: Treasure New and Old.
Matt 13 41 All who practice lawlessness
Matt 13 35 Christ utters Things kept secret
Matt 17 23 26 Sons of King Free from Taxes, above the law.
Heb 12 24 Blood of Abel
Jn 1 17 Law:Moses, Grace and Truth:Christ
Ezk 37 26 Everlasting covenant of peace I will make
Ezk 44 No Temple or Levites needed in Kingdom
Heb 10 9 9 Takes AWAY the first covenant
Heb 10 11 Offerings and Sacrifices never took away sins
Heb 10 14 Perfected by One Offering
Heb 10 18 Where remission of Sin no longer by offerings
Heb 10 29 Insulted the Spirit of Grace
Heb 12 23 Jesus Mediator of New Covenant, Better things
Heb 9 9 The Temple worship was Symbolic for the present
Heb 9 10 Ordinances Until the time of Reformation Until Matt. 11:13.
Heb 9 11- 12 Having obtained eternal redemption
Heb 9 15 Jesus Mediator of New Covenant
Heb 10 1 The Law was a Shadow of good things to come
Heb 8 7 If First Covenant faultless no place for a second
Heb 8 9 Not according to the Covenant made with fathers
Heb 8 13 He has made the First Obsolete
Heb 9 1 First covenant of earthly Tabernacle
Heb 9 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while
Jer 3 16 They shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind