The Changes in Time
Today, over 850 denominations claim their teachings will guide humankind to God and to the place of righteousness. Then, how can we discern between the true and false doctrines of churches today? Every day it is easy to notice many different churches on the sides of the street, but has one ever come to think, why has this come to be the case?
God’s Doctrine Shown in a Parable
Two thousand years ago, Jesus, who is God, gave one parable about a farmer and his field. At first glance, it just looks like a random farming story. However, when you continue reading through the parable, one can understand that it is not precisely that. Instead, this is a parable given to the people of God to show how the truth that Jesus taught two thousand years ago will slowly fade away without a trace.
Mt 13:24-30 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
As previously mentioned, it seems like it’s talking about a farmer. However, we need to look at the parable and understand that this parable is not talking about a farmer, but the hindrance that will come after Jesus and the apostles.
Jesus used weeds and wheat to distinguish between the two. Even if we look at a weed and a wheat stalk with our physical eye, it may be hard to tell the difference immediately. However, as it continues to grow, you can see the differences between the two. Physically, no farmer or gardener would want weeds to grow in their field with their crops; however, Jesus explained to the workers in the fields to leave them alone and let them grow together until the harvest. Why did Jesus tell the servants that? In the parable, there will be two different destinations. The barn and the destination to be burned.
Jesus gave this lesson so God’s people can distinguish between the two entirely. First, we have to understand what the weeds represent now that we know that this parable is not simply a farming story. It allows us to realize the actual teachings of God versus the false teachings of God.
Mt 13:36-42 “…Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.”
Here, the reader can understand the interpretation of the parable given in the previous verse. The interpretation of the weeds in the parable represents those who continue to commit lawlessness against the will of God. The parable explained this, stating that the weeds would be pulled up and burned in the fire. Then, why is it essential to know the true meaning of the weeds and wheat? The weeds allow us to see the characteristics of those who commit evil. In other words, the weeds represent the devil who will be lawless after Jesus and the apostles return to heaven.
Then, as time goes on, there will be a rapid decline of Christianity and an increase in lawlessness that infiltrates the Church. They will be filled with different doctrines and false teachings that do not follow God’s basic instructions. The Bible explicitly states that in the last days, there will be those who continue to commit lawlessness, forgetting God’s teachings and following the false teachings of God. Due to this situation, unfortunately, Jesus already foretold what would happen to them.
Mt 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Bible states very clearly that this is what will happen in the last days in which we are now facing. Left and correct, there are many people who practice lawlessness, and indulge in many different activities that are not from God. In other words, those who continue to call out to God despite doing the complete opposite of what God is asking them to obey, are following false teachings that were never taught by Jesus nor kept by the Apostles.
This is why Jesus says in the last part of the verse, “I never knew you, Away from me, you evildoers.” If Jesus, who is God, is telling us away from him, we ultimately cannot approach God. Can people say they are true Christians if they do not come to God? A faithful Christian is someone who follows the will of God.
In the same way, the farmer did not want to bring the wheat into his barn but have them burned instead. Many churches today disguise themselves as wheat-like churches. Instead, they have characteristics like weeds and have false teachings.
In the upcoming verses, we can understand what teachings of God must be kept versus what must not be maintained and is false.
The Teachings of God Given in the Time of the Apostles & Jesus
For the people of today to be called followers of God, we have to go back to the time of Jesus and the apostles before the devil hindered the gospel. To better understand God’s instruction, we have to see precisely what Jesus taught the apostles and follow their example (Eph 2:20).
The Rest Day God’s People Should Worship On
Lk 4:16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom…
Here, we can see Jesus keeping the Sabbath as his custom. A custom is held habitually, not just once or twice. Even though the Bible, Jesus taught his disciples who followed him with faith to keep the Sabbath as was their custom. Let’s see the case of Apostle Paul.
Ac 17:2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.
Two thousand years ago, the apostles did just as Jesus commanded them to; they kept the Sabbath as their custom. However, this teaching wasn’t only for the apostles. The learning is to be held until the day we go to heaven. If we want to follow the proper instructions of God, we must find a church that keeps the Sabbath day. He has taught us that the Sabbath is on Saturday, the seventh day, as seen in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:8).
However, after Jesus and the apostles died, as we know, Satan sowed lawlessness and therefore arose. Sunday worship was sown into the Church in AD 321 by the Council of Nicaea and has since then been kept as a tradition by many families due to not discerning between actual teachings of God versus the false teachings of God.
God’s Enlightenment Through The Last Supper
Mt 26:17-19 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
Mt 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Many people might know this scene as the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. At the same time, many religious people understand the scene as Communion, Sacrament, or the Holy Eucharist. It is clearly stated in the Bible many times as the Passover. This feast was given to the apostles as a promise to receive the forgiveness of sins. However, it was abolished in 325 AD at the Council of Nicaea by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Since then, no one has been able to keep the true Passover which gives true forgiveness of sins until now.
We can see another clear difference between true and false teachings in today’s church teachings.
Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Church of God in Corinth to see and hear that he was addressing the women in the Church concerning the order of worship. In the Bible, women must cover their heads while men must not cover their heads (1 Co 11:1-6). However, we look at today’s churches again, and many do not teach this due to the lawlessness sewn after the time of Jesus and the apostles.
Lastly, let’s look at a few more verses about the truth taught in the early Church two thousand years ago.
Ac 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Jn 7:2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,
Jn 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
These are the scenes of the Apostles keeping the feasts per the regulations of the New Covenant taught by God, and that must be held in the Church following the actual teachings of God. Each of these feasts was given different promises and blessings.
However, these feasts cannot be seen nowadays because of the lawlessness after the time of Jesus and the apostles. Through this, we can see that all the critical laws and regulations were given to those with ears and eyes to see God’s valid law and divinity.
God wants his people to become like the weeds who keep the truths of the New Covenant and engrave the precious laws on our hearts and minds so we can have conviction to enter the kingdom of heaven.