“If I did would you say that invalidates everything you believe and what your church teaches?”
Unlike Christian churches, the UCG is very insular and encourages total disengagement with the world, and total dependence on the “true” church of God:
“While United Church of God boldly claims: “no one is ever asked for donations”; “no offering is collected at services” and “we do not solicit the general public for funds,” these are the exact same words HWA used for years through his “free” Plain Truth, World Tomorrow and Bible Correspondence program. However, once ensnared within Herbert Armstrong’s “one true church,” members were commanded to save more than a first tithe. There was a second and third tithe to be paid, plus seven holy day offerings a year, as well as numerous other “needs” such as a building fund and emergencies. UCG members likewise are told it is biblical to pay headquarters a first tithe on their net income (along with offerings) for the “furtherance of the Work.” To fail to do so is considered “stealing from God,” yet, in the same breath they go on to say that they are “free to tithe on gross income if they so choose” and can even “give contributions above their tithes.”7 (This is nothing more than manipulation.) A 2nd tithe is saved for the purpose of spending it during the Feast days (most specifically the Feast of Tabernacles). A third tithe is paid every 3rd year out of seven, and while they will give a lengthy explanation about who is ineligible to pay this tithe, members are still “encouraged” to give a third tithe to the “Church’s Assistance Fund.” (Ministers claim they are part of the Levitical priesthood and do not have to pay 2nd or 3rd tithes.) In addition, generous offerings are taken up on all the O. T. feast days.
Members are not to observe Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc., calling them “pagan” (similar to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teachings, which is one group that HWA plagiarized from). However, birthdays are an exception.
Members are to expected to observe Sabbath, which they say is “a sign of God’s people.” (HWA also plagiarized from Seventh-day Adventism (co-founded by Ellen G. White who plagiarized from others yet claimed the “Truth” was revealed to her directly by God.)
They frown on marrying someone who is not a member of UCG.
They teach that voting in public elections, while not in itself considered a “sin,” nevertheless, should not be done. (More double-talk.) It’s the same with the military. They are encouraged not to join.”
From the same link from before: http://www.exitsupportnetwork.com/artcls/ucg.htm#15
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone other than members of fringe groups comparing “abuses” within the Presbyterian churches of the world, the RCC, the Southern Baptists, Methodists, etc, with the UCG, or the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or the Moonies, as if they can be compared.
“You did so by suggesting that 400 years AFTER the death of Christ”
OK, from the Didache, which dates between 50 to 120AD. It places communion once a week, on the Lord’s Day.
“But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.”
Also, the specifics:
“Now concerning the Eucharist, give thanks this way. First, concerning the cup:
We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine of David Thy servant, which You madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever..
And concerning the broken bread:
We thank Thee, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Thy kingdom; for Thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever..
But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, “Give not that which is holy to the dogs.”
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html
Doesn’t sound like the annual Passover of the Jews.
Justin Martyr (100AD-167AD), likewise, defines the day of meeting on the Lord’s day (Sunday), and this, not annually, but every week:
“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read ... then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs.... Then we all rise together and pray, and ... when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings ... and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each.... Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead.” (First Apology, LXVII)”
John Chrysostom (Born 347, died 407), in his rebuke of those who receive it unworthily, mentions it as occurring “daily.”
“I observe many partaking of Christ’s Body lightly and just as it happens, and rather from custom and form, than consideration and understanding. When, says a man, the holy season of Lent sets in, whatever a man may be, he partakes of the mysteries, or, when the day of the Lord’s Epiphany comes. And yet it is not the Epiphany, nor is it Lent, that makes a fit time for approaching, but it is sincerity and purity of soul. With this, approach at all times; without it, never. For as often, 1 Corinthians 11:26 says he, as you do this, you proclaim the Lord’s death, i.e., you make a remembrance of the salvation that has been wrought for you, and of the benefits which I have bestowed. Consider those who partook of the sacrifices under the old Covenant, how great abstinence did they practise? How did they not conduct themselves? What did they not perform? They were always purifying themselves. And do you, when you draw near to a sacrifice, at which the very Angels tremble, do you measure the matter by the revolutions of seasons? And how shall you present yourself before the judgment-seat of Christ, thou who presumest upon His body with polluted hands and lips? You would not presume to kiss a king with an unclean mouth, and the King of heaven do you kiss with an unclean soul? It is an outrage. Tell me, would you choose to come to the Sacrifice with unwashen hands? No, I suppose, not. But you would rather choose not to come at all, than come with soiled hands. And then, thus scrupulous as you are in this little matter, do you come with soiled soul, and thus dare to touch it? And yet the hands hold it but for a time, whereas into the soul it is dissolved entirely. What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. And why so? Because those vessels are made so for our sakes. They partake not of Him that is in them, they perceive Him not. But we do—yes, verily. Now then, you would not choose to make use of a soiled vessel, and do you approach with a soiled soul? Observe the vast inconsistency of the thing. At the other times you come not, no, not though often you are clean; but at Easter, however flagrant an act you may have committed, you come. Oh! The force of custom and of prejudice! In vain is the daily Sacrifice, in vain do we stand before the Altar; there is no one to partake. These things I am saying, not to induce you to partake any how, but that you should render yourselves worthy to partake. Are you not worthy of the Sacrifice, nor of the participation? If so, then neither are you of the prayer.” (John Chrysostom, Third Homily on Ephesians)
“Do you observe it every day in accordance with the quote you posted?”
I certainly would enjoy it, but I do not. That said, whether it is once a week, or daily, it’s no help for the UCG’s claims of it being an annual event, practiced as the Passover according to the Jews.
Blah blah..my eyes are glazing over from the sheer ignorance of this statement.
It sounds like not one of these "sources" you're posting has ever even set foot in a United congregation. And everyone of them just regurgitates the same tripe.
Look here's a challenge...you're in what...California?
Find the closest local congregation and then just show up for services. Face your fears. Slay those monsters in your mind. If you do go though let me give you some advice...DO NOT act like you do here. You do that in any public place and they'll likely haul you down to crazytown. :-)
OK, from the Didache, which dates between 50 to 120AD. It places communion once a week, on the Lord’s Day.
“But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.”
It's questionable that this actually referring to the Lord's supper. The didache discusses it in a different section. This seems to be more concerned with fellowship.
But even if accurate then so what? They got it wrong.
And they got it wrong because when this was written it was the height of Roman persecution against Jews.
Anybody that was doing *anything* that even looked Jewish was being persecuted because of the rebellions of the Jews against Rome. There were a large number of Christians that, to save their skins, abandoned the things that made them look too Jewish. The feasts, the food laws, the sabbath....ALL are distinct markings that can't easily be hidden.
That's why I don't debate tradition when it comes to this. I readily acknowledge that the traditional church abandoned certain practices for fear of persecution from the Roman government.
I certainly would enjoy it, but I do not. That said, whether it is once a week, or daily, it’s no help for the UCG’s claims of it being an annual event, practiced as the Passover according to the Jews.
Then next time don't tell me I'm doing something wrong when you're not doing it at all.
There are two examples of timing of the lord's supper in scripture:
Luk 22:15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
Luk 22:16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
Luk 22:17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;
Luk 22:18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
Luk 22:19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
Luk 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
This happened on PASSOVER. Jesus wants to eat the PASSOVER.
The Passover is an annual holy day, instituted and created by Christ himself in Leviticus 23:
Lev_23:5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD's Passover.
It's not weird to keep the Passover and to replicate what Christ said to do on his day....Passover...it's weird NOT to.
The other example that shows the timing of the "Lord's supper" or the Passover ceremony is in 1 Corinthians:
1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
Stop for moment...what night? Passover!
1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
Do you suppose Paul is giving instructions about the Passover ceremony for a reason? Of course...because PASSOVER is close...look what he wrote earlier in his letter:
1Co 5:7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
What feast is he talking about?? Why, the feast of Passover and apparently unleavened bread. And the greek is clear here. Paul is instructing his congregations to OBSERVE a feast of God. That's what the greek word means. There is no other meaning.
So going by scripture the Passover ceremony, the Lord's supper, is done ON PASSOVER. It was done that way by the Lord Jesus Christ and by his disciples.
Tradition....well...we know what happened there.