Apostleship vs. Apostolic Succession

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

A question was presented to me concerning the Apostleship...my Apostleship in particular.

"Regarding you being an Apostle, can you trace your apostleship back to the original 12 Apostles? If you can please start a new blog, listing all the men in your spiritual genealogy back to one of the 12.

Of what significance is it if the authority behind the hands laid on you, cannot be traced by, man to man to man, through the centuries to the original 12? Black people probably can't trace their spiritual genealogy back past slavery. Then you get into Protestant Europe, then back to the Roman Catholic church.

If you cannot list your spiritual lineage, I suggest that you refrain from using the term "Apostle".

The doctrine/idea this individual has set before me and us all to see is one called Apostolic Succession. This comes from a thought on the Papacy/Bishopric being able to trace its origins all the way back to the original twelve Apostles as a lineage/family tree.

There are several problems with such a doctrine, but for the sake of this conversation, I am going to approach it from the office of the Apostle. We Apostles do not trace our line all the way back from person to person, Apostolic fathers ordaining us along the line as time passes and people die. The Apostleship is not gained by such. Such an idea derives from the thought of a "monarchy", and not from the origin of the office. A king chooses his successor after him to fill the place of rulership.

Contrary to such, the Apostles do not choose who will be the next Apostle down the line. It is the LORD GOD the FATHER, the LORD JESUS, and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT who decide the next Apostle. Only in the case of the 12 did the LORD choose one to replace a fallen Apostle. This Apostle was Matthias (Acts 1). By definition, Judas has to be the Apostolic father of Matthias. This is heresy because Judas was dead already, so there was no "succession", but a replacement. Each Apostle is elected and ordained directly by the LORD JESUS Himself. Man cannot ordain an Apostle, only "affirm" his Apostleship. Paul was not ordained by any man on Earth. James, Peter, and John gave him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, thus affirming their Apostleship (Galatians 2:7-10). If Paul was to trace his Apostleship back to the 12, then he wouldn't have said what he said in Galatians 1, or 1st Corinthians 9:1-2.

It was the Papacy and the "Episcopal Monarchy" that brought about the heresy of Apostolic Succession.

[James Pierce]

Trevor,

Read Matthew 15 in context. You will see that Yashah, a Torah-observant Jew, from the tribe of Judah, was not telling His fellow Jews to disregard the Torah by eating unclean foods. The chapter in context, concerning what you posted is about man's heart condition.

THIS is why Yashah said what He said. He quoted Isaiah,"This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." Yashah is not defiling Torah here. Only the wicked man would believe, say, and live as such lawlessness.

I gave you an article on Romans 14. I suggest you read it.

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

Your articles are contradicting at best, James, as is all of your doctrine.

[Anna]

Trevor:
I'm SOOOOO glad you brought up the act of homosexuality as being an abomination. Because in the very same book of the Bible your eating swine is described by YHWH, as an abomination too. The very same word!!!


ABOMINATION

Lev 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which [is] in the waters, they [shall be] an abomination unto you:

Lev 11:11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

Lev 11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that [shall be] an abomination unto you.

Lev 11:13 And these [are they which] ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they [are] an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

Lev 11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon [all] four, [shall be] an abomination unto you.

Lev 11:23 But all [other] flying creeping things, which have four feet, [shall be] an abomination unto you.

Lev 11:41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth [shall be] an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Lev 11:42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon [all] four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they [are] an abomination.

Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination.
Lev 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.

Also in Deut 14:
Deu 14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.

Paul said DON'T TOUCH IT.

YHWH said DON'T EAT IT, or YOU become ABOMINABLE...

These are PLAIN texts. You choose to refuse the plain word of YHWH and rationalize your disobedience using texts which when one understands does not mean what you suppose. Otherwise the Bible contradicts itself. It doesn't. Only man's desire not to obey the word of YHWH, drives him to find some support for his disobedience.


Biblically, rats are not food.
Roaches are not food.
Cats are not food.

To the people at your church those items are not food either, but due to your being influenced by the European church, you accept the white man's interpretation of the Bible rather than going back to the closest church to the first century church we can research.

Let's look at the scriptures through the historic Ethiopian eyes, rather than European eyes.

Are you willing to do that?

Remember the Ethiopian church was started by the official of Candece in the book of Acts.
They retained the Apostles Doctrines (until the 1600s). The European church did not. That is why you have so much paganism in the European churches, which they brought to American and gave to the slaves, our forefathers. Most black churches, such as yourself, today continue a European heritage rather than an Ethiopian one, which was the purest church

[Anna]

Trevor:
I decided to present to you the Apostolic teaching about the Sabbath which you reject. None of the Apostles broke the Sabbath did they. Here is the testimony from areas where the Messianic faith began early and they were all Sabbath keepers, because of the influence of the Apostles:

2nd Century. Early Christians

"The primitive Christians had a great veneration for the Sabbath, and spent the day in devotion and sermons. And it is not to be doubted but they derived this practice from the Apostles themselves, as appears by several scriptures to that purpose." Dialogue on the Lord's Day, p.189. London: 1701. By Dr. T.H. Morer (Church of England).

3rd and 4th Centuries. Orient and Most of the World

1. "The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of Saturday, or the seventh day. . .It is plain that all the Oriental churches, and the greatest part of the world, observed the Sabbath as a festival. . . . Athanasius likewise tells us that they held religious assemblies on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism, but to worship Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath; Epiphanius says the same." Antiquities of the Christian Church, Vol. II. Book XX, chap 3, Sec. 1 66.1137, 1138.

2. Council of Laodicea. "From the apostles' time until the council of Laodicea, which was about the year 364, the holy observation of the Jews' Sabbath continued, as may be proved out of many authors; yea, notwithstanding the decree of the council against it." Sunday a Sabbath, John Ley, p. 163. London: 1640.

3. "Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s Day they shall especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ." Catholic Church Council in Laodicea, 364AD, Canon 29.

5th Century. Constantinople

"The people of Constantinople and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria." Socrates, Ecclesiastical History, Book 7, chap. 19.

6th Century. Rome

"About 590, Pope Gregory, in a letter to the Roman people, denounced as the prophets of Antichrist those who maintained that work ought not to be done on the seventh day." James T. Ringgold, The Law of Sunday, p. 267.

7th Century. Scotland and Ireland

"It seems to have been customary in the Celtic churches of early times, in Ireland as well as Scotland, to keep Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, as a day of rest from labour. They obeyed the fourth commandment literally upon the seventh day of the week." Professor James C. Moffatt, D.D., Professor of Church History at Princeton, The Church in Scotland, p. 140.

8th Century. India, China, Persia

"Widespread and enduring was the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath among the believers of the Church of the East and the St. Thomas Christians of India, who never were connected with Rome. It also was maintained among those bodies which broke off from Rome after the Council of Chalcedon namely, the Abyssinians, the Jacobites, the Maronites, and Armenians." Schaff-Herzog, The New Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, art. Nestorians; also Realencyclopaedie fur Protestantische Theologie und Kirche, art Nestorianer.

10th Century. Church of the East. Kurdistan

"The Nestorians eat no pork and keep the Sabbath. They believe in neither auricular confession nor purgatory." Schaff-Herzog, The New Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, art. Nestorians.

11th Century. Scotland

They held that Saturday was properly the Sabbath on which they abstained from work. Celtic Scotland, Vol. 2, p. 350.

12th Century. Wales

"There is much evidence that the Sabbath prevailed in Wales universally until A.D. 1115, when the first Roman bishop was seated at St. David's. The old Welsh Sabbath-keeping churches did not even then altogether bow the knee to Rome, but fled to their hiding places." Lewis, Seventh Day Baptists in Europe and America, Vol. 1, p. 29.

13th Century. Waldenses of France

1. "The inquisitors. . . [declare] that the sign of a Vaudois, deemed worthy of death, was that he followed Christ and sought to obey the commandments of God." History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, H.C. Lea, Vol. 1.

2. Revelation 12:17 & 14:12. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.". . . "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

15th Century. Norway

1. "We are informed that some people in different districts of the kingdom, have adopted and observed Saturdaykeeping. It is severely forbidden - in holy church canon - one and all to observe days excepting those which the holy Pope, archbishop, or the bishops command. Saturdaykeeping must under no circumstances be permitted hereafter further than the church canon commands. Therefore, we counsel all the friends of God throughout all Norway who want to be obedient towards the holy church to let this evil of Saturdaykeeping alone; and the rest we forbid under penalty of severe church punishment to keep Saturday holy." Catholic Provincial Council at Bergen. 1435 Dip. Norveg., 7, 397.

2. Daniel 7:25, "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws."

16th Century. Council of Trent

1. "On the 18th of January, 1563, the Council of Trent ruled that Tradition is greater than Scripture, after a powerful speech by the Archbishop of Reggio, in which he said that the fact that the Church had changed the Fourth Commandment clearly proved that Tradition was greater than Scripture." H.J. Holtzman, Kanon und Tradition, 1859 edition, p. 263.

2. Matthew 15:3, 6-9. Jesus replied "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?", " Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

3. Holland and Germany: Babara of Thiers, who was executed in 1529, declared: "God has commanded us to rest on the seventh day." Martyrology of the Churches of Christ, commonly called Baptists, during the era of the Reformation, from the Dutch of T.J. Van Braght, London 1850, 1, pp. 113-4.

4. Russia: "The accused [Sabbathkeepers] were summoned; they openly acknowledged the new faith, and defended the same. The most eminent of them, the secretary of state, Kuritzyn, Ivan Maximow, Kassian, archimandrite of the Jury Monastery of Novgorod, were condemned to death, and burned publicly in cages, at Moscow, Dec. 27, 1503."(Council, Moscow, 1503). H. Sternberf, Geschichte der Juden (Leipzig, 1873), pp. 1117-122.

5. Sweden: "This zeal for Saturdaykeeping continued for a long time; even little things which might strengthen the practice of keeping Saturday were punished." Bishop Anjou, Svenska Kirkans Historia efter Motet i Upsala.

6. Europe: About the year 1520 many of these Sabbathkeepers found shelter on the estate of Lord Leonhardt of Lichtensein, "as the princes of Lichtenstein held to the observance of the true Sabbath." History of the Sabbath, J.N. Andrews, p. 649, ed.

7. India: "The famous Jesuit, Francis Xavier, called for the Inquisition, which was set up in Goa, India, in 1560, to check the 'Jewish wickedness' (Sabbathkeeping)." Adeney, The Greek and Eastern Churches, p. 527-528.

8. Abyssinia: "It is not therefore, in imitation of the Jews, but in obedience to Christ and His holy apostles, that we observe that day." (Abyssinian legate at court of Lisbon, 1534). Geddes' Church History of Ethiopia, pp. 87-8.

17th Century

1. England: "Here in England are about nine or ten churches that keep the Sabbath, besides many scattered disciples, who have been eminently preserved." Stennet's letters, 1668 and 1670. Cox. Sab., 1, 268.

2. Dr. Peter Chamberlain: Dr. Peter Chamberlain was physician to King James and Queen Katherine. The inscription on the monument over his grave says Dr. Chamberlain was "a Christian, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, being baptized about the year 1648, and keeping the seventh day for the Sabbath above thirty-two years."

3. America: "Stephen Mumford, the first Sabbathkeeper in America came from London in 1664." History of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference by Jas. Bailey, pp. 237-238.

4. England: "It will surely be far safer to observe the seventh day, according to the express commandment of God, than on the authority of mere human conjecture to adopt the first." John Milton, Sab. Lit, 2, 46-54.

18th Century

1. Rumania (1760): "Joseph II's edict of tolerance did not apply to the Sabbatarians, some of whom again lost all of their possessions." Jahrgang 2, 254.

2. Bohemia and Moravia: "The condition of the Sabbatarians [from 1635 to 1867] was dreadful. Their books and writings had to be delivered to the Karlsburg Consistory to become the spoil of flames." Adolf Dux, Aus Ungarn, pp. 2889-291. Leipzig, 18880.

3. America: "But before Zinzendorf and the Moravians at Bethlehem thus began the observance of the Sabbath and prospered, there was a small body of German Sabbathkeepers in Pennsylvania." Rupp's History of Religious Denominations in the United States, pp. 109-123.

19th Century to Present

1. America: The Seventh-day Adventist movement was formed around 1844.

2. Orient: "In many of the Oriental churches the Sabbath (Saturday) was still observed like Sunday, while in the West a large number, by way of opposition to Jewish institutions, held a fast on that day." George Park Fisher, History of the Christian Church, (New York: Scribner, 1900), 1 18; quoted in Bible Students' Source Book (Washington D. C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1962), 866

3. China: "The Taipings when asked why they observed the seventh day Sabbath, replied that it was, first, because the Bible taught it, and second, because their ancestors observed it as a day of worship." A Critical History of the Sabbath and the Sunday.

4. Sweden: "We will now endeavor to show that the sanctification of the Sabbath has its foundation and its origin in a law which God at creation itself established for the whole world, and as a consequence thereof is binding on all men in all ages." May 30, 1863, p. 169. Evangelisten (The Evangelist) Stockholm, May 30 to August 15, 1863 (organ of the Swedish Baptist Church).

5. The following is a quote from a Catholic magazine, The Catholic Mirror: "The Catholic Church for over 1,000 years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day [of worship] from Saturday to Sunday. . . . In the Old Testament, reference is made 126 times to the Sabbath, and all these texts conspire harmoniously in voicing the will of God commanding the seventh day to be kept, because God Himself first kept it, making it obligatory on all as 'a perpetual covenant.' Nor can we imagine any one foolhardy enough to question the identity of Saturday with the Sabbath or seventh day, seeing that the people of Israel have been keeping Saturday from the giving of the law 2514 BC to the present . . . Examining the New Testament from cover to cover critically, we find the Sabbath referred to 61 times. We find, too, that the Savior invariably selected the Sabbath (Saturday) to teach in the synagogues and work miracles. The four Gospels refer to the Sabbath (Saturday) 51 times. . . . Hence the conclusion is inevitable . . . that of those who follow the Bible as their guide, the Israelites and the Seventh-day Adventists, have the exclusive weight of evidence on their side, whilst the biblical Protestant has not a word in self-defense for his substitution of Sunday for Saturday. . . . They have ignored and condemned their teacher, the Bible . . . and they have adopted a day [instituted and] kept by the Catholic Church." Official publication of Cardinal Gibbons and the Papacy in the United States, published in Baltimore, Maryland, September 1893.
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Tell us Trevor, which Apostle broke YHWH's Sabbath, and substituted Sunday as the Holy Day?
Give us the book chapter and verse.

If you have no reference for the Apostles breaking it, or teaching others to break it, why do you claim to be an Apostle and teach contrary to YHWH, Yahshua and the Apostles???

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

I see alot of quotes from all these places, but lets see some key things:

-I seen only ONE document quote about the second century, but not one quote from the writers of the second century. That was just a study done, and a poor one at that. How about direct quotes from the Apostolic Fathers and the Apostles concerning such?

-I see quote concerning the Seventh Day Adventists, but they are a cult! How about finding out who came up with that cult and where their doctrine and revelations are deemed authoritative?

-I see mentions of the Sabbath in the Gospels, but we tend to forget that the 4 Gospels are technically still under old covenant law. The new covenant didn't start until JESUS rose from the dead. How about quotes from the Epistles in the NT that back up the Sabbath?

[James Pierce]

Trevor,

Here is one from one of your favorite "Church Fathers"....

Ignatius Bishop of Antioch (98-117A.D.) – Epistle to the Magnesians

For if we are still practicing Judaism, we admit that we have not received God’s favor…it is wrong to talk about Jesus Christ and live like Jews. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity.

NT scriptures on the Sabbath....

Acts 13:14,"but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down."

Acts 13:27,"For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him."

Acts 13:42,"As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath."

Acts 13:44,"The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord."

Acts 15:21,"For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues."

Acts 17:2,"And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures."

Acts 18:4,"And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks."

Hebrews 4:9,"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God."

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

1) The Book of Acts, by any and all standards, is not a book of doctrine, but a book of history.
2) Why not quote the rest of Hebrews 4 for us?
3) The Apostle Paul said, "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ" (Col. 2:16-17).

You worship the day more than you respect the Sun of Righteousness.

[Anna]

Trevor:
What you are not realizing is that the quote you referred to from the 2nd century about the Sabbath, was given was an ADMISSION from someone who wrote a book, promoting not Sabbath but Sunday sharing with his readership, that the Sabbath was still being kept in the 2nd century!
Think about it Travis, if you are going to follow our Messiah, which day would YOU keeep? Is it sin to keep the Sabbath? or is it a SIN to break it?

Here are some more quotes from the earliest records:

"It is certain that the ancient Sabbath did remain and was observed (together with the celebration of the Lord's day) by the Christians of the East Church, above three hundred years after our Saviour's death."
"A Learned Treatise of the Sabbath," p. 77

Early Christians
"The primitive Christians had a great veneration for the Sabbath, and spent the day in devotion and sermons. And it is not to be doubted but they derived this practice from the Apostles themselves, as appears by several scriptures to the purpose." "Dialogues on the Lord's Day," p. 189. London: 1701, By Dr. T.H. Morer (A Church of England divine).

Early Christians
"...The Sabbath was a strong tie which united them with the life of the whole people, and in keeping the Sabbath holy they followed not only the example but also the command of Jesus." "Geschichte des Sonntags," pp.13, 14

2nd Century Christians
"The Gentile Christians observed also the Sabbath," Gieseler's "Church History," Vol.1, ch. 2, par. 30, 93.

Early Christians
"The primitive Christians did keep the Sabbath of the Jews;...therefore the Christians, for a long time together, did keep their conventions upon the Sabbath, in which some portions of the law were read: and this continued till the time of the Laodicean council." "The Whole Works" of Jeremy Taylor, Vol. IX,p. 416 (R. Heber's Edition, Vol XII, p. 416).

Early Church
"It is certain that the ancient Sabbath did remain and was observed (together with the celebration of the Lord's day) by the Christians of the East Church, above three hundred years after our Saviour's death." "A Learned Treatise of the Sabbath," p. 77

Note: By the "Lord's day" here the writer means Sunday and not the true Sabbath," which the Bible says is the Sabbath. This quotation shows Sunday coming into use in the early centuries soon after the death of the Apostles. Paul the Apostle foretold a great "falling away" from the Truth that would take place soon after his death.

2nd, 3rd, 4th Centuries
"From the apostles' time until the council of Laodicea, which was about the year 364, the holy observance of the Jews' Sabbath continued, as may be proved out of many authors: yea, notwithstanding the decree of the council against it." "Sunday a Sabbath." John Ley, p.163. London: 1640.
~~~~~~~~~~~

Trevor: why are we seeing primative Sabbath keepers, because like the Bereans, when they searched the Scriptures, they PLAINLY SAW SABBATH KEEPING, as part of the Commandments of YHWH, and practiced by our Messiah! They UNLIKE you folowed in His steps in obeying His Father's commandments.

Didn't our Messiah Himself say to His disciples regarding what they would be taught, would be "WHATSOEVER' He commanded:

Matt.28
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Is there any indication in the text, that when He said "WHATSOEVER" He meant to teach ONLY what He commanded AFTER He rose from the dead?

If so, where are those "post resurrection" commands written?

I don't see any in my bible that indicate HE authorized a different day for corporate worship, do you?

You obviously have to TWIST His words to fit YOUR tradition of breaking His Father's commandments, since you do not "LOVE (HIS) LAW" nor do you LOVE Him since you do not 'KEEP HIS COMMANDMENT, to
"KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of YHWH"!

Our Messiah confirmed His Father's commandments, telling you when to expect them to pass away, and it wasn't at His Death! This would have been the ideal place for Him to indicate what you are saying if it were true:

Matt.5
[18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, *till all be fulfilled.*

Trevor, there remain yet many prophecies in the First Testament that are NOT yet fufilled.

The "New Testament" as proven to you earlier had not begun even during the writing of the book of Hebrews.

It has not been made with Israel and Judah, and even then it is the TORAH/ H8451 of YHWH that is written in their hearts of the New Testament believers, which includes the Sabbath.

Regarding those testifying about the "first day of the week" in the 2nd centuries, don't you remember when Paul in Acts 20 stated the following:

Acts 20:
[29] For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.[30] Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them

To teach others to BREAK THE SABBATH, is a perverse thing, It is Different from what Messiah taught and observed, is it not?

He said to do such made you "least in the kingdom". Why do you wish to fit into that designation? That is the curse you bring upon yourself by breaking and teaching others to break the Commandments of YHWH.

These "wolves" of which Paul spoke, were Satan's forces influencing men, perverting the truths which YHWH and His Messiah gave to His church.

The Believers in messiah, were given the Sabbath and all the commandments which YHWH wrote on the tablets of stone, He now wants to write on your heart. Paul even in 1 Cor 7, stated that "keeping the Commandments of YHWH was what counted". Can you say that Trevor???

Why don't you want YHWH's law written on your heart?

It is your call, Trevor, You can either be like the Messiah, in keeping His Father's commandments, or you can "keep the commandments" of the wolves, the Harlot church, which the Father, our Messiah NEVER COMMANDED.

Which one do you choose???

Whose commandments will you teach? The commandments of the wolves with their perverted doctrines, or the true Biblical teachings of our Messiah?

The truly appointed Biblical Apostles, unlike you, understood and KEPT THE COMMANDMENTS OF YHWH.and the Faith of Messiah. Evidence of that is that their names will adorn the gates of the Holy City. If they broke YHWHs commandments, like you do, they would not be there...

I urge you to REPENT today, and believe and Keep our Messiahs teachings.....

[Anna]

Trevor:
This makes my point - Similarities to Judaism

The Ethiopian Church, Jerusalem:
The Ethiopian church places a heavier emphasis on Old Testament teachings than one might find in any of the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic or Protestant churches, and its followers adhere to certain practices that one finds in Orthodox or Conservative Judaism.

Ethiopian Christians, like some other Eastern Christians, traditionally follow dietary rules that are similar to Jewish Kashrut, specifically with regard to how an animal is slaughtered.
****Similarly, pork is prohibited****
~~~~~~~~~~
Trevor, you simply have not been taught the truth. That is the problem when people are decieved. The don't realize that they have fallen for a set of lies!

The Ethiopians never adopted the European practice of eating "pork". They continued to believe what the Bible, Yahshua and the Apostles taught!

They retain the teaching of the Apostles in the dietary laws, unlike those who have bought the lies of the European Church, who teach that the Bible contradicts itself, saying that it is no longer an abomination to eat pork, but it is still an abomination to engage in homosexual acts. That is purely "shopping cart" religion...

Our Messiah didn't die to make the hog clean for you to eat.
He died to pay the sin debt we owed, to pay our ransom so that we might be reconciled to the Father, and recieve eternal life.

All the other things men try to attach to His death is simply a "false witness" against HIM so that man may fuflill, the lusts of their flesh, reslting in "every man doing what is right in his own eyes". Eve lusted after the fruit on the forbidden tree and ate it.. You lust after swine, and eat it.

YHWH forbid the consuming of both of them......

[Anna]

Trevor:
Here is an excerpt from another article:

"...Moreover, the Ethiopian Church's relations to Judaism are a result of the antiquity of the church and Ethiopia's deep and longstanding relations with Jerusalem. We follow dietary customs similar to Judaism's Kashrut: ***pork is absolutely prohibited*** and animals must be slaughtered in a specific way.

"....We also celebrate both the Sabbath and Lord's Day although the Lord's Day is emphasized more since our Lord and Savior was resurrected on Holy Sunday (Easter)."

You see Trevor, they do NOT break the Sabbath for Sunday!
They KEEP THE SABBATH, and have Added Sunday to it.

You see, you have taken the European teaching of REJECTING the Sabbath.
Which one is more Biblical, more like our Messiah and His Apostles?

The European way or the Ethiopian way?

Obviously the Ethiopian way, honoring YHWH"s Holy Commandment in Keeping the Sabbath Holy and rejecting eat things YHWH says are ABOMINABLE....

[Anna]

Regarding your Apostleship NOT being from Yahshua but from man, is that the doctrines you promote are not Biblical.

Consider this, you probably have no clue that you do keep FEAST DAYS!

Yes, the Roman Catholic Church from which your faith is rooted, bequeathed to you the following days SHE calls FEASTS, which you KEEP, rather than keeping YHWH's/Yahshua's Feasts:

Here is an excerpt from one of the Catholic councils:

ECCUMENICAL COUNCIL OF FLORENCE (1438-1445)

Therefore....we decree that.... the following ***FEASTS*** on the following days: the annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary on 25 March, the birth of blessed John the Baptist on 24 June, *the birth of our Saviour on 25 December*, his circumcision on 1 January,
http://www.ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/FLORENCE.HTM#5

Now Trevor, did Yahshua or any of His Apostles teach their followers to observe the Roman Catholic feasts of December 25 or Jan 1 as a day of any significance?

Of course not!

It was the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH that proclaimed these days to be significant, and for her PRIESTS to teach this to the people!

You, Trevor, if you teach, proclaim these Roman Catholic feasts to be of importance to the people you minister to, are simply serving as a unknowing Protestant Apostle/ prelate/pawn of Mother Rome! Please please learn something about your church history. Otherwise you will never come to the knowledge of YHWH's/Yahshua's truths.....

SHE, Mother Rome, sent you to teach these thing!nd you teach them as any slave who obediently follows their master! Yahshua never sent His Apostles to teach such observances, so why do you. You know, the Bible says that whomsoever you obey, that is whose servants you are. You are not serving YHWH, but teaching the observance of Catholic FEAST DAYS.....

Therefore my original statement is confirmed, your being sent, based on your teachings was from the breast of Mother Rome. And those dates, December 25 & Jan 1,
are CATHOLIC FEAST DAYS!

You see, you will either observe YHWH's feast days or the Catholic Feast Days.

Yes by the 'law of first mention' Christmas and New Years Day (Jan 1 celebrating Jesus' circumcision) are FEAST DAYS!

You need to decide which, who YOU will serve...

Right now you are only observing the Roman Catholic Feast Days. I am suggesting that you, as the Biblical Apostles proclaimed of themselves, that YOU begin obeying YHWH rather than men.

Why are so many Christians, all over the world keeping Sunday, Christmas on
Dec. 25, and Jan 1 of the Catholic Church?

If you were a true Apostle of Yahshua you would know the reason why.....

[James Pierce]

I am in agreement. It depends on the "line of Apostles" one descends from. Obviously, Trevor has not descend from Yashah's Apostolic line. Why? Because Yashah's line lived, and taught Torah. Trevor descends from a line that broke off from its root, and began its own teachings, laws, and decrees.