But continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned [them]; And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:14-17 KJV Rev)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2 KJV Rev)

If you love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15 KJV Rev)

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:23-26 KJV Rev)

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw yourself. (1 Timothy 6:3-5 KJV Rev)

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9-10 KJV Rev)

[What you are about to read can only be fully understood by those who are spiritually minded.]

"But as it is written:

   "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

   Nor have entered into the heart of man

   The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”" (1 Corinthians 2:9-16 NKJV)

[Have you accepted Jesus and received the Holy Spirit?]  "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:6-7 NKJV)

[If you have the spirit of God within you, then read on, if you do not have God’s spirit of understanding, then read no further as you will be wasting your time!]

"Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." (Genesis 2:1-3 NKJV

[Jesus recognized the Sabbath Day,] "Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” And they could not answer Him regarding these things." (Luke 14:1-6 NKJV)

[Is the Sabbath day one of the "Ten Commandments Given by God?"] "And God spoke all these words, saying:

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:1-11 NKJV) [Here again, as in Genesis, God repeats the fact that He blessed the Sabbath and made it Holy.]

[Did Jesus keep the commandments of his Father, which included the Sabbath Day? Jesus states that:] "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love." (John 15:10 NKJV)

[Do you love Jesus?] "If you love Me, keep My commandments. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:15 & 21 NKJV)

[Did Jesus give us an example to follow?] "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

       Who committed no sin,

Nor was deceit found in His mouth." (1 Peter 2:21-22 NKJV) [Christ did not sin.]

[Was Jesus accused of breaking the Sabbath?] "Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."" (Mark 2:23-28 NKJV)

[We see in 1 Peter 2:21-22 that Jesus did no sin, yet Jesus did not follow the traditions of the Jews! Did Jesus say that keeping the commandments of men is vain worship?] "Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"'— 'then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

    'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

    And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." (Matthew 15:1-20 NKJV) [Can you see the spiritual parallel of those who choose to keep another day for worship, a day that God did not set aside as holy? Men have a tradition of Sunday worship, Jesus calls it vain worship.]

[Are you called of Jesus? Are you called to be a saint?] "among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:6-7 NKJV)

[Are we judged by whether we keep the commandments? Do saints keep the commandments of God?] "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12 NKJV)

[Commandment keepers are blessed and may have right to the tree of life:] ""And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:12-14 NKJV)

[Will you base your salvation on the tradition of "Sunday keeping"? Or will you reject the traditions of this society and faithfully observe and keep the Creation Sabbath as kept by Jesus and inspired to be kept by the holy scriptures?]

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Mathew 7:21 NKJV)

[Are you subject to the law of God and can you please Him?] "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." (Romans 8:5-9 NKJV)

Remember: God Made the Sabbath Day Holy at Creation!

NKJV quotes from, The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982, emphasis by the Ekklesia Church of God.

God Made the Sabbath Day Holy at Creation ©2009 Ekklesia Church of God

Ekklesia Church of God Beliefs and Doctrines

We, the Ekklesia Church of God, are always examining our beliefs to see if what is revealed unto us by The Holy Spirit is understood as it pleases God. The following is a brief inconclusive summary of what we believe the word of God teaches. We urge you to study and examine these doctrines carefully by scriptural research and remember, God will continue to open your mind to and reveal more of His Truths and Principles as your understanding, and the proper application of God’s way in your day to day life increases.

Comment on Tolerance

We do not expect everyone to see, understand, nor agree with what we understand the Bible teaches. As such we respect the right and freedom of others to have different views, beliefs and practices which they have chosen to adhere to as their way of living. Jesus said, “No man can come to Me, except the Father which has sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44 KJV Rev) Following God's way of life is your choice: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your children may live:” (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV Rev)

Judgement Reserved for God

We feel that you will be individually judged by what you do with the knowledge you understand. “For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified…” (Romans 2:11-13 KJV Rev) “Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 KJV Rev)

Having just stated the foregoing, we are to be judged by God according to God’s word not by our fellow human beings. God sets the standards of conduct acceptable to Him and is very capable of enforcing those standards when He deems the time is appropriate. Therefor Revelation 22:12-15 states: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. (KJV Rev).

People are set apart (sanctified) by God: “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.” John 17:17 (KJV Rev). If your life style or conduct is contrary to God’s word, then you are “living a lie.” God Himself will judge you accordingly in His time.

Your relationship with your Creator is a personal matter that you alone must decide: “Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed [God's word], not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12 KJV Rev)

Biblical Teachings and Insights

1.  In the beginning God [Hebrew: Elohiym uni-plural word means Gods] created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). “And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created He them.” [Male and female are created in the image of the God family] (Genesis 1:26-27 KJV Rev)

2.  “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.” [Creation Sabbath made holy] (Genesis 2:2-3 KJV Rev)

3.  And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the LORD [Jehovah or Yhovah Hebrew, exact pronunciation is in dispute] your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above; or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. (Exodus 20:1-17).

This section from: The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) ©1982 unless otherwise noted.

4.  Hear, 0 Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

5.  You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:18). (Quoted in Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-3 1.)

6.  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

7.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

8.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8).

9.  Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4).

10. Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ [Iesous or Yeshua the Messiah], through whom are all things, and through whom we live (1 Corinthians 8:6).

11. For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

12. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

13. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

14. Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

15. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:10).

16. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

17. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (l John 1:8-2:1).

18. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3-4).

19. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).

20. Let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment (Hebrews 6: 1-2).

21. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:2 7).

22. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

23. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

24. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever! (Revelation 11:15)

25. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resur-rection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6).

26. “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father; when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:24)

27. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:3-5).

28. We know that as we are led to more understanding by the Holy Spirit, as we study the Bible, our Understanding of Biblical Doctrines will change as we become more attuned to God’s word and His will; therefor this is subject to revision.

Further Biblical Teachings and Insights will be e-mailed upon request.

Comments welcomed click on ecog@live.com e-mail your requests.

Document Revised April 25, 2010 CE

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