Q&A – Page 93 – Church of the Eternal God

Q: Please explain Matthew 5:20, where Christ says that we will not enter the Kingdom of God if our righteousness does not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees.

August 3, 2006

A: For an in-depth Bible study as to HOW, exactly, our righteousness must exceed the “righteousness” of the scribes and the Pharisees, including their actions, thoughts and motives, please look up and study carefully all the Scriptures quoted in this Q&A, especially those passages in which Jesus Christ condemns the scribes and the Pharisees for their concept of “righteousness.”

We need to understand the types of “righteousness” Christ is referring to in Matthew 5:20. The Bible says that all of God’s commandments constitute righteousness (Psalm 119:172), and that we sin if we transgress just one of His commandments (1 John 3:4, Authorized Version; James 2:10-12). However, Christ was not saying that we will never enter God’s Kingdom if we occasionally sin. If that were the case, then NO ONE would be able to enter God’s Kingdom, as WE ALL sin from time to time (Romans 3:9-10; James 3:2; 1 John 1:8-10). But we can obtain forgiveness for our sins through repentance and faith in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who died FOR US, and who can and will make us righteous, by living in us, as we will explain.

You are teaching that the Holy Spirit is not a God being or a Person. What then, exactly, IS the Holy Spirit?

July 28, 2006

God’s Holy Spirit is foremost the POWER of God, emanating from both the Father and the Son. But it is also the MIND of God, including all the characteristics of God Himself. When God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us, we are to change, by replacing our human nature with the nature of God (1 Samuel 10:6; Romans 8:13), enabling us to follow God and to be obedient to Him (Numbers 14:24; Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:27; 1 Peter 1:22).

Let us notice several Scriptures which describe in detail God’s characteristics, which are being conveyed to us through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Please consider that all of these characteristics are GOD’S–that is, when we read that God’s Spirit is a Spirit of Power, it is actually GOD’s Power that is emanating from God (both the Father and the Son) through the Holy Spirit:

You state in your booklet, "Jesus Christ–A Great Mystery," on pages 83 and 84, that the word for "Sabbath" in Matthew 28:1 is derived from the plural form of the Greek word (i.e., "sabbata") and should be translated "Sabbaths." However, the Greek Interlinear Translation shows that the Greek word is in the singular–"sabbaton," not "sabbata"–and it should therefore be translated in the singular ("Sabbath," not "Sabbaths"). Also, in the same phrase in Matthew 28:1, the Greek word for "week" is "sabbaton," but it seems to have nothing to do with the weekly Sabbath.

July 21, 2006August 22, 2016

You are referring to the following statements in our above-mentioned booklet:

“In addition, Matthew 28:1 also reveals–correctly translated–that there were actually two ‘Sabbaths’ during the crucifixion week, a weekly Sabbath and an annual Sabbath. Cockrell points out: ‘Matthew makes it plain that two Sabbaths had passed since Jesus was crucified. The KJV [Authorized Version] has this rendering: “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher” (Matth. 28:1). On this verse nearly all translators have allowed tradition to control their translation. It is not “Sabbath” but “Sabbaths” in the Greek text (the genitive case and the plural number). The verse properly translated would read: “In the end of the Sabbaths…” This allows for an annual Sabbath on Thursday and a regular Sabbath on Saturday.

Would you please explain Christ's statement in John 8:51?

July 14, 2006

In the passage in question, Jesus made the following comment:

“… if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

He
elaborated on this statement in additional passages, such as John 8:52:
“… If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.” In referring
to our participation at the annual Passover service, He stated, in John
6:50, 58: “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may
eat of it and not die… He who eats this bread will live forever.”

We
also read, in Hebrews 11:5, that ancient Enoch “was taken away so that
he did not see death.” But this does not mean that Enoch did not die.
We are told, in Hebrews 11:39, that all the spiritual giants of faith,
including Enoch, have not, so far, received the promises–including the

Who are the modern-day Gibeonites?

July 7, 2006July 24, 2019

The Gibeonites, who belonged to the Hivites (who were descendants from Canaan, the son of Ham, 1 Chronicles 1:8, 13-15), were one of the peoples which had occupied the Promised Land, prior to Israel’s arrival (Exodus 3:8). God had commanded the Israelites not to make a covenant with any of these people. Rather, He wanted them expelled from the land (Exodus 23:28, 32-33). However, under Joshua, the Gibeonites, pretending to be a people from far away, tricked the Israelites into acting hastily by making a covenant with them to let them live amongst them (Joshua 9). In fact, the capital of the Gibeonites or Hivites was “Gibeon,” a town situated on a rocky eminence, about six miles northwest from Jerusalem and four miles from Bethel, where the modern village of El-Jib now stands (Commentary on the Whole Bible, by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, page 174; Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible, under “Gibeon”).

Would you please explain the procedure for conflict resolution between brethren, as set forth in Matthew 18:15-20?

June 30, 2006

If there is one command by Christ which has been more often violated
in the Church than most others, it is perhaps the procedure for
conflict resolution between brethren, as set forth in Matthew 18. We
might think that in a given situation this procedure might not apply,
or that there are other ways to deal with a perceived or real problem.
However, experience has shown time and again that circumventing the
godly-inspired procedure for the purpose of resolving problems between
members has ALWAYS caused unnecessary harm.

Let us therefore
carefully and prayerfully review the procedure, and let us make every
effort to apply it, as instructed in God’s Word:

When a member
thinks that there is a real or perceived problem between him and
another person in the Church, which is either caused by the other
person or by the member himself, what should the member do?

Step #1:

Matthew
18:15 instructs the member: “Moreover if your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him ALONE.”

As we can
see, at this stage, there is no minister, close friend or even a mate

Why don't we see more spiritual gifts in the Church of God today?

June 23, 2006

It depends what is meant by “spiritual gifts.”

Some equate
“spiritual gifts” with magnificent spectacular miracles and wonders,
such as public healings or the calling down of fire from heaven. It is
true, of course, that Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth,
performed many spectacular miracles (Acts 2:22), and that some of the
early apostles of the New Testament Church were able to do likewise
(Acts 2:43: 5:12). We read that Christ did many more miracles than have
been recorded in the Bible (John 21:25). We are also informed that
people were even healed when Peter’s shadow fell on them (Acts
5:14-16). We are told that at the very end time, just prior to the “Day
of the Lord” and Christ’s return, His Church will be given the power to
perform spectacular miracles (Joel 2:28-31), and the Two Witnesses will
have the power to call down fire from heaven, when and if necessary
(Revelation 11:3-6).

We should also realize, however, that God
has wisely decided not to grant such spectacular powers to the Church
or His disciples all the time, because of very important reasons. We
read that John the Baptist, even though he was the greatest of all men

What does the Bible mean when it talks about the "synagogue of Satan"?

June 16, 2006

Actually, the term “synagogue of Satan” is used only twice in the
Bible, namely in Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9. Before analyzing
these two passages in detail, let us first get some background:

The
word “synagogue” is used in several places in the New Testament. The
word is derived from the Greek word “sunagoge” and means, literally, a
“bringing together.” The Greek word “sun” means “together,” and the
Greek word “ago” means “to bring.” (Compare “Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words,” by W. E. Vine). Young’s Analytical Concordance to
the Bible defines it as a “place where people are led together.”
Although originally used for religious or other gatherings of Jews, the
word was later also applied to religious or other gatherings of

In 2006, the Church of God and Orthodox Christianity kept Pentecost on the same day. Does this mean that all have been obedient in keeping the annual Holy Day of Pentecost, as instructed by God in the Bible?

June 8, 2006

It does not mean this at all.

This year, the Church of God and
the Orthodox Catholic and Protestant world kept Pentecost (meaning:
count 50) on Sunday, June 4. But this is merely coincidental. There are
many years when the Church of God and the Orthodox Christian world
celebrate Pentecost on different days. Why? Because the Church of God
determines the correct date for Pentecost by counting 50 days from the
Sunday [after the weekly Sabbath] which falls within the annual Holy
Days of Unleavened Bread, as instructed in the Bible (Leviticus 23:11).
In other words, we are not to count from the weekly Sabbath that falls
within the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, but from the SUNDAY on which
the wave sheaf was offered — and it is that SUNDAY, that must fall

Is it true that Christ's message to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation applies to all of us today? If so, what are the points of encouragement and admonitions to take note of? Are those "safe" who belong to an organization which does "the Work of God"?

June 2, 2006

As we point out in our free new booklet, “The Mysteries of the Bible,”
Christ’s “message pertained to the Church of God for all times,
including seven historic Church eras… [and] also… seven local
Church congregations at the time of John” (p. 23). In this Q&A, we
will strictly address Christ’s timeless message to individual
Christians.

Christ’s message INCLUDES a warning and admonition to
all Christians throughout the existence of the Church. This can be seen
by Christ’s repeated admonition to ALL seven churches, to “hear what
the Spirit says to the churches” (compare Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29;
3:6, 13 and 22).

We should, first of all, take note of the fact
that Christ addresses true Christians in the Church of God, who have
received God’s Holy Spirit! He is not talking to people who are not a
part of the Church! Still, we find that Christ is warning ALL OF US not
to lose God’s Spirit. He is admonishing ALL OF US to make every effort
to succeed–to “make it into the Kingdom of God.” His warning is real
and stern. He utters His warning to awaken Christians out of sleep and