Herbert W Armstrong

Jesus and the apostles observed the sabbath, the annual festivals, and other customs of the Mosaic Law because they lived within the Jewish world and Jesus was born under the Law (Gal 4:4). Some submit that believers today must do the same. Scripture certainly records how Jesus and the apostles did things on the weekly sabbath, as well as annual holydays.  These passages may reasonably be described as things Jesus and the apostles did as Jews living under the Mosaic system. But the real question is not what they did - it is what they commanded . Many discussions focus on whether sabbath‑keeping or festival observance occurred in the New Testament; my concern is whether Jesus ever required His followers to replicate those practices. In my view, the evidence shows that He did not. Please follow this link to my Post in Quora wherein I examine this subject. 

There are some - including Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God and its many offshoots - that make the claim their observation of such days, and of the ten commandments including sabbath, are important identifiers of their system being special. So special one also reads claims it is the one true church. There are booklets where they link themselves all the way back to the first century wherein the observation of such days be an important part of the aforementioned claim. There are others such as groups in the Jewish Messianic movements and various other who also argue festivals be required. In t his link to a Post in Quora I examine whether Armstrong's claims are supported in scriptures.   To be clear, people are of course free to observe any days they choose, and that choice deserves respect. The problem arises when the claim is made that such observance marks their system as the one true church. Many of the offshoots still publish booklets tracing their lineage back to the f...

Matthew chapter 5 in verse 19 we read of Jesus's words.  19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” In context of this verse, Jesus states in verse 20 : 20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Pharisees were extremely strict in their interpretation and keeping of the law, enforced and extending to all kinds of rules - concerning Sabbath and other laws; food matters; wearing religious phylacteries and the like. Jesus says our righteousness must  exceed  that of the Pharisees. Was Jesus referring to a need to strictly abide by rules as did Pharisees? Is he demanding believers must keep the ten commandments of Exodus ch 20, the annual festivals o...