In this issue:
Liberated By Truth
The following are testimonies taken from correspondence we have received over the course of the past year. We have not given the names, only the initials in most cases, because we did not obtain permission from those who wrote to publish their letters.
We believe these testimonies will be a source of great encouragement to our readers. They demonstrate that God is working in uplifting people and changing lives through the message of Christ and his righteousness as he has opened it up to our understanding. These testimonies are published to His honor and glory.
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Regina – Maharashtra, India.
I was like every other nominal Christian girl until I was 23. I was born into an Adventist family but grew up with my granny who is Protestant. I spent many years with her going to Sunday churches and meetings, but still, when I look back now it’s hard to tell with certainty if I believed in God, but one thing is sure and it is that I didn’t know Him.
It was while I was away from home, doing higher studies that for the first time I personally tried to talk with God. It occurred one day when I was extremely upset with life and everything overall. I started questioning Him, “do you really exist? and if the answer is yes then you must have some good reason for creating me if I’m not born just accidentally!” I was struggling inside when I looked at the world and everything seemed to be just going in cycles, people growing up and chasing after things, then getting old and dying. I thought, “is that all to life?” Not sure how it came to my mind but I felt there must be something greater that I was missing, so I asked Him, “if you’re really there and have any specific purpose for my life then you must show me because if I live carelessly and anything (bad) happens to me then I won’t be responsible for it but you will be!” I didn’t get any answer immediately, so eventually those thoughts kind of left my mind as I went on with my education.
Then almost after two years later when I was home for the holidays, I got the opportunity to attend an SDA Church for the first time since I was grown up (this church had not been there when I left the town but had been established later). The local pastor had invited two SDA preachers named Pr. Thompson and Pr. Chitle for special meetings and they taught us the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. They also said something about two men in Adventism whom the church hadn’t listened to at a certain time in history. They said that if the church had listened to these men the second coming of Christ would have taken place a long time ago (Later on after studying the history of Adventism I found out they were talking about the message of 1888 by E.J Waggoner and A.T Jones). They didn’t give their names or the information about the message at that time, but it made me curious and fearful at the same time. I wondered what these men were talking about and what kind of message it could have been that such a big event as the second coming of Christ would have occurred already because of it! It occurred to me that I might not have had the chance to see God as I wouldn’t even have been born.
So the thing stirred my thoughts and made me extremely curious to find out what it was, and who those two men were, and what they had said which the church had not listened to. I began looking for information as I didn’t had much information about Adventism except that they worshipped on Sabbath. So I searched on the internet and also joined the SDA groups and pages on Facebook, and at the same time started reading the writings of Ellen White and a few other materials. it sure created a lot of questions in my mind but also inspired me and brought me closer to the knowledge of God, I was surprised to find myself all the time learning more about God and I completely lost interest in everything else.
Then after a few months I came across the videos of brother Nader Monsour and heard the messages on the Godhead, it just blew my mind as I had never heard anything like that before so I began studying it more and as conviction grew, I instantly recognized that this was God answering my questions that I had asked him, and giving me even more than I had asked. Almost 24 years of my life and religion had given me nothing but confusion and it took God himself to intervene and help me to get to know Him for what He really is, and to enlighten me about what he has done for us in giving His only begotten Son. Even though I had heard it thousands of time before I had not known what it meant because I didn’t know God.
After that it wasn’t long before I surrenderd my life completely to Him and asked him to make me able so I can share this truth with all who are living in confusion as I was before. I still had to unlearn many things and grow more in Him, so I was continually praying, learning at the same time and eventually through Facebook, I was led to your website as well.
It’s hard to express in words, I felt like God was talking directly to me through you every time I listened to you and read your books. Before this, my former theology and ignorance made it hard for me to understand some of the clearest things and sometimes it used to upset and frustrate me, but I kept on praying, asking, studying and you along with brother Nader have been a huge blessing on my journey. I always pray for your ministries as I’m sure many like me are being immensely blessed by them.
So that’s the odyssey in short. I’ve skipped many small details and struggles in between otherwise it would have been extremely long, but by His grace if I get the opportunity to meet you face to face someday I’d love to share everything in detail.
I am specially requesting you to remember us in your prayers as the enemy is attacking quite furiously here. Three years ago a few of us believers in the faith, started a non-trinitarian group in a village. But the ones who were the main pillars in the establishment unfortunately apostatized as time passed by. One of them gradually went back to his former lifestyle while the other one has gone back to the mother church. It has been extremely discouraging for me and even more so for the ones who were new and weak in the faith and we had to question whether or not these people had been really converted. I tried to talk with these men who had turned back many times, but all in vain.
Because of our Godhead message other churches are already opposing us strongly, and these men have caused more trouble by their course. In addition, they have left the responsibility of taking care of the flock entirely upon me. Because the few remaining members are farmers with less education, I have to bear the burden of leading, but they’re rich in faith unlike the men who left. Being a girl it was extremely hard for me and I hasitated at first but I was left with no choice, I couldn’t turn my back on the situation and let the course of those men bring shame upon the name and cause of God and I knew that this was what the enemy wanted. So with prayers I decided that as long as even one person was coming to listen I would keep going to church and sharing the message. It has been a few months now and we need fervent prayers as the enemy has not stopped attacking, but I am adamant to resist him as long as the Lord is sustaining and leading us.
I have been longing to share the burden and to seek Divine aid through your prayers, but I found it very hard to express because my situation is unusual and extremely discouraging and disheartening so I avoided saying anything for a while. But I always sensed the need of help through prayers and emotional support to move forward stronger in the Lord, to face the attacks of the enemy more fervently and advance in the cause of God. I’m grateful that He provided the opportunity and also thankful for your appreciative and understanding nature, it has helped me very much to open up about this in the way I have done.
OG – Romania
May our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and in you! Thank you very much for your clear explanations. We (me and my wife) know that the spirit of God leads you, we’ve never heard the Gospel of the Kingdom so clearly explained as you, brother Howard, brother Nader, brother Imad and brother Vlad teach. Thank you!
AC – Philippines
I pray that all is well with you and your family. I thank God for leading me to
your presentations. I am truly blessed. Never before have I understood the plan
of salvation as clearly explained by you, Bros. Nader, and Imad. I thank God
immensely for teachers like you. Again, thank you for all of your efforts in
explaining difficult passages. Now I’m beginning to see a clearer picture and
understanding of righteousness by faith.
India
Last night I have watched your video – “The law of life”. I have been blessed by your message. I have read through your book – “The Good News Is Better Than You Think,” and I have found that this good news is always good, even today. I always like your examples and illustrations from your experience with your grandson, tears just fill my eyes and I cannot contain myself, the holy spirit just comes powerfully upon me. Thank you so much. Praise God.
I like the way you stand, Bible only. You stand like the Apostle Paul in the movement. Brother Imad sowed the seed in my heart in 2015 here in India, you are one of the messengers that waters me, God gives the increase to grow from glory to glory to the height and stature of Christ.
I pray that God will teach us here, how to teach with power.
KB – Vancouver, Washington.
I am not sure you remember, but I talked with you in Wenatchee this last summer and asked for your prayers. Your ministry has changed my life and I finally feel I have the truth about God and Jesus. I feel His Spirit growing stronger in me as I pray, read His word, and listen to the ministries daily from you, Brother Nader, and the other ministers.
I look foward to your webinars each week and hope to see you again when you return to the states.
I pray God continues to speak to your heart and blesses you always.
TM – Washington DC
This morning I’m just so blessed that God used David to literally save my Christian life. I was truly a follower of my denomination and not a servant of Christ until I came to this truth. Nothing in my life has been the same since coming to the truth through Open Face ministries. I’ve never been more confident in my ability to teach and preach the gospel of the kingdom and God has truly been faithful.
Today I am grateful for all of you who are also on this journey but definitely praised God this morning specifically for David, Howard, Imad and Nadar. There is much divine intervention in the movement outside of our control but as David said in a sermon I listened to recently, “I am confident that the final move of God will be a move led by the spirit of God and not by a denomination.” I believe these two ministries are prayerfully leading that charge. (Theo)
JM – South Africa
Greetings Pastor Clayton … I couldn’t believe it when I heard you giving your whatsapp number on your YouTube clip we were watching this morning, dealing with the thousand years and the lake of fire.
I discovered the Truth about God from listening to your clips early this year and it has been an amazing journey since then. I am a third generation Adventist but now I feel like I am learning from scratch.
I live in Pretoria South Africa. Do you have plans to visit South Africa in the near future? I am not sure if you’ve ever been here. Thank you very much for allowing the Lord to use you so mightily, you will be shocked when we get to heaven and you meet so many people that you have touched, but never met. My name is Joel Thanduxolo Xola Mkefe. Stay Blessed
LA – Mozambique
I met you recently through the testimony of two brothers on Brother Nader’s channel on Youtube. I’ve been a Seventh-day Adventist since December 2014. I’ve never been much focused on the Bible, Religion, or Faith. I’ve always been rational, and critical.
But the grace of Christ has reached me and completely changed the course of my life. I am now a young man of 23 years, a university student, but with a life troubled and complicated because of all truth that I received from God. My mind is now agitated by issues such as the nearness of Christ’s return, the need of workers in the field and the truth about the Father and the Son, which was almost totally erased.
I have always admired the “perfect” and unequaled understanding of prophecies of Seventh-day Adventists; The writings of Sister Ellen White, and everything, But I never embraced the dry, formless, powerless religion I was experiencing with them and I always thought I was missing something. I believed that it had to be perfect, that Jesus came to show me that it is possible to obey the Law, etc., but I was never able to attain such perfection. I was looking for something else and it was then that God revealed to me Jones and Wagoner of Minneapolis 1888. I discovered the message of Justification by Faith, not perfectly, but I realized that faith can bring me to the place where I experience Jesus in me. . . .
I saw that Brother Clayton does not use the Spirit of Prophecy much in his presentations (which is good, for the Bible is all we need to present and all else must be subordinate to it). The relation that the brother makes between the Mark of the Beast and the gay movement, I confess makes sense to my mind. But the question is the prophetic, understanding of Sister Ellen G. White of the Sunday Law issue, the beast as the Roman Church, and so on. I believe God inspired you, but how to deal with it brother? I confess that when I saw your point of view in this matter I almost fell ill and thought that I was being led astray by a deception by Satan; but I kept watching your videos for something told me to continue and I had peace after I saw the video “Q & A session”, where you clarified a lot.
Much has changed dramatically. I understand that the Adventist Church is not God’s organization, that the concept of sin as presented by various self-supporting ministries needs to be revised; Justification by faith; the truth of a God and His Son; etc.
May God, the Father and Jesus the Lord keep you!
NB – Mississauga, Ont. Canada.
Hello Bro. David, a very pleasant good morning to you in the name of Jesus.I am from Mississauga, Ont. Canada. I have actually spoken to you on the phone several months ago. Yes, I have read and reread your book, “The Good News Is Better Than You Think”. I come from the Gen. Conf. SDA church and the truth of Christ has awakened my hungering and thirsting soul. Does your Church live stream your Sabbath Service? I have tried connecting with xxxx but I can not seem to get an answer. If your church does live streaming of your Sabbath service, please give me the info. I am so blessed listening/watching your sermons.
Bless your heart and soul Bro. Clayton and may the outpouring direction and guidance of our Almighty God and His dearest Son Jesus be forever upon His soldiers like you, Bro. Nader, Bro Imad etc. etc.to spread His irrefutable truth.
Manishka
I’ve been studying the prophecies for a couple of years. The Lord brought me down to the Advent movement but I found you and I’ve been listening and although I was taken back by the difference I am certain you are correct. I watched “Who is the beast,” and “The Mark of the beast”. At first I was trying to reconcile the two thoughts, the Adventist way and your way. But today the Lord revealed something I hadn’t noticed.
I was listening to David Westwood yesterday who was talking about getting out of the cities and how sister White wanted us to get out of the cities. It goes back to the Sunday law and it made a lot of sense what he was saying and I got nervous. Then I started watching your videos again and got a new perspective. First I noticed the Sunday message was pieced together only by Ellen White writings. He placed together letters from her writings only. Then in your video I noticed you only used the Bible. Then a voice said “precept upon precept line by line here a little there a little.” So I realized what I have been led to believe is that if I wasn’t Adventism God could not reveal the prophecies to me?
That didn’t make sense.
SD – Ontario, Canada
Dear brother! Both my husband Dave and I are eternally forever grateful and thankful to Our Heavenly Father for your sincere hunger and thirst after His righteousness in wanting to know the truth concerning the plan of salvation that God wrought through and in His Only Begotten Son.
There are many all over the globe that are seeking to know the truth and nothing but the truth!!!!THE REAL TRUTH unadulterated, without mans’ own ideas and concepts.
I have a younger brother and his wife…. who came a week ago today with questions and tears in their eyes, I realized their own struggles and mental anguish at wanting to know what truth is concerning the law of God. I tell you we have all at some point in time been brainwashed with the law, the law, the law!
I have a diverse background of Christianity from Catholicism to Pentecostalism, Evangelical with SDA being the latest, then being disfellowshipped 10 yes ago on the basis of being non trinitarian which was a true blessing in disguise. But it sent us down a path of questioning our faith and belief in God.
My mother is 86 now and remains true to the organized SDA church although she sees and is experiencing the shaking. My brother attended the Pentecostal church I attended back in the 1970’s but then stopped attending church but always continued reading the Bible and listened and read sermons or literature from the SDA and Church of God. He has heard many sermons by Stephen Bohr, Walter Veith and recently Andrew Henriques who stated he is an SDA non trinitarian. My husband and I have continued to remember the Sabbath and have been blessed by your webinars and sermons on Openface….
I know my brother and his wife are struggling concerning the Sabbath which I only found out a week ago. He is hung up on a verse from Isaiah that Andrew Henrique shared that says “if you do not keep my law your prayers are an abomination to God and will not be heard” now he shared this with us and said he had stopped praying because he does his own thing on Sabbath. He sometimes works and also does house chores or work that he says he can’t do any other day. I realized his conscience is bothering him as with tears in both their eyes they are telling us all this. Having come out of legalism I attempted to say to them first and foremost to redirect them to God’s plan of salvation through the Son of God.
I know you are wondering why am I sharing this with you. My husband and I were thinking of coming to Jamaica … but then we have been thinking about it for quite a few years. If you could come up here … we are just the two of us but I know that my son and his wife, and most likely some of our neighbors and other family members would be interested and I pray God brings more. We feel inadequate in expounding on the Gospel. My husband is just in the last little while grasping the plan of salvation. It was more a head knowledge then anything, tradition but not experience. I also thought I had an experience in Christ but am relearning and we areboth unlearning what we thought was right but wasn’t .
There are no words to say how much God has blessed us and given us hope by your presentations and webinar…it always stirs me to tears but I am very passionate, I know Dave is also understanding the Gospel better and grasping what was accomplished in Christ ” the transfer”
We are very happy that God has put you in our lives and not only ours but countless others!!!!Please let us know if in any way there is the slightest possibility that you could travel up here to north eastern Ontario Canada.
RD – Italy
I’m an SDA from Jordan, currently living in Italy, I accepted the truth about the one true God and His Son a few years ago, and since then I regularly read and watch sermons only from pastors sharing this same belief.
Recently I have watched many of your presentations about sin and human nature, in fact I was really amazed! And I could understand many of the subjects that puzzled me for years.
I noticed how similar your way of thinking is, compared to mine! How the exact questions and imaginations that troubled me, you also thought of and discussed.
I’m also a son of a pastor, and had hundreds of discussions with my father but couldn’t reach a satisfying explanation of what was troubling my mind.
I really benefited a lot from the truth that God had revealed through you, but I still have a few questions in my mind, and I wonder how and where can I share them with you and the rest of the brethren.
BR – Boise, Idaho
As many people probably start their e-mails to you … “I’m not sure if you remember me” …. but we met in Wenatchee, WA in June this past summer at a campmeeting.
Meeting you had a profound impact on me, and I’ve taken too long to share with you. My husband, xxxx, has been e-mailing you regarding sending money via paypal, etc. He is mailing a check today, but that is beside the point.
My husband and I do not have any family in Idaho. Any family I have who are still alive are back in South Carolina, and we are not very close. My husband only has one cousin still alive that he hardly knows who lives in Southern California. So we’re pretty much alone. Since learning about and accepting the One True God message, we have also lost what we thought was a loving church family. We have been abandoned. I don’t want this to sound like a sob story, but I did want to provide a little context and why meeting you had such an impact.
I’ve never had an earthly father or mother who I could talk to and get godly wisdom or advice from. I grew up with a mother and father who loved me the best way they knew how. They provided excellent shelter, clothing and food. I never lacked at all for those things. But they were not able to provide much else due to the circumstances in which they were raised. In addition, both of them grew up in homes that lacked love, they also both grew up extremely poor. So I feel blessed that they provided for me with all that they could and in the only way they knew how.
But after meeting you, I realized what it would be like to have someone who I could talk to about things that affect the heart and my eternal salvation. You may not even remember sitting on the edge of the concrete step in the courtyard of the church where the meetings were being held and talking to me. And that’s okay. You were having trouble with a tooth, and yet you were there sharing the message that God laid on your heart with all of us at the meetings.
John and I started watching your Thursday evening LIVE stream just two weeks ago (but not usually on Thursday – we watch it on Sabbath since we do not have a church or small group to attend). But when I watched those two broadcasts, I felt like I was sitting in front of a father who was sharing Godly advice and instructions with me. Even though you are not old enough to be my father (I’m 52), the care and concern and passion with which you shared, made me feel like I finally had someone who I could trust to provide me with sound wisdom like a father would. I hope you don’t mind that I look upon in this way.
So in case you ever doubt that your studies and your work are in vain, I want you to know that they are not. I know that I’m not the only one who has been touched by your ministry. God is using you in a very powerful way to not only share truth, but to share God’s love and to represent Him as a father should be portrayed.
My husband and I have shared the One True God message with many people from our church with no positive outcome. But we did share this truth with a couple from another local church about a year and a half ago. They came to the Spokane, WA meetings with us. They have in turn shared this message with a couple they know. We all got together last week and shared Bible Study and videos. They seem to be completely accepting of this truth. Both of these couples, plus a couple from Twin Falls who are definitely well-grounded in this truth, are coming to our home this Sabbath for worship. Pray for us that God and Jesus will be in the midst of our meetings and will grow each of us in truth. And hopefully grow our group, too – as God leads!
Anyway, I really wanted to express to you how much your ministry means to me. And that I really do feel like I have an earthly representative of what a father should look like. God has held me up in so many circumstances. And I truly trust Him. Now I feel like He’s given me a glimpse of Him in a new way through your videos and instructions.
You and your family and your ministry are in our prayers. You mean a great deal to us.
May God continue to bless you abundantly!!
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Jamaica Campmeeting Report
Well, it is over. We have come to the end of another camp meeting and what can we say about the great fellowship we had this year? It was a time of unusual brotherhood, with much thanksgiving and praise to our God and his son.
As usual those who attended came from all parts of Jamaica. There were brethren from St. James, Saint Elizabeth, Kingston, St. Catherine and Manchester. But as always our fellowship was enriched by the presence of visitors from overseas – this year, all from the United States. Of course brother Ken Corklin was with us as usual, he has become an integral part of our camp meeting and it would feel very strange if he were not present. But we were also blessed with the presence of a group of young people who were the main organizers and conductors of our program. Brother Delron Cowan came with his wife Renee and his two children Esaias and Amariah, from New York, Brother Hengelh Ramirez and his wife Rachel came from Washington DC, while Sister Kayla Williams came all the way from Alabama.
Brother Howard Williams and I had met with these young people last year when we had meetings in Washington DC. We had been so blessed and impressed by their zeal and enthusiasm for the Lord and his truth, that we had invited them to take charge of our camp meeting program this year. They happily agreed and entered wholeheartedly into the task. Our camp meeting was very different as a result. For one thing the joy and zeal of these young people infected everyone, they integrated fully into the camp lifestyle and immediately we felt like they were long time members of the family. But they also brought a different flavor to the messages; the theme was, “Walking by Faith,” and they focused mainly on themes related to Faith, praising God and fellowshipping with him.
The ladies who came with the group from America, sisters Rachel, Kayla and Renee, dedicated themselves to the children and I believe that the children more than anybody else were happy for this camp meeting.
Our camp meeting is usually held during the Easter weekend. It is the time when we have two holidays. Good Friday is a public holiday and Easter Monday is also a public holiday in Jamaica, so all the children as well as the adults are free for those two days plus the weekend. So we always plan our camp meeting for this time so we can have as many people as possible attending. However, there is a disadvantage; the Easter season is one of the rainy seasons in Jamaica and very often we have torrential rains at this time. As you can imagine, because of this we usually are praying for the rains to stay away at camp meeting time. Over the years God has blessed us wonderfully in answering these prayers. This year was no different, we had a few drizzles once or twice but nothing significant. By and large we had beautiful weather, sunny, warm, and everything went well as far as the weather was concerned. It is noteworthy that the day after we left camp it rained torrentially for several hours! If this had happened while we were at camp it is almost certain that some of those who were staying in tents would have had a hard time of it, so we were grateful for this and all the other blessings we enjoyed during our time at camp.
This camp was also overshadowed by an outstanding evidence of God’s providence. A little more than a month before the camp meeting, while brother Howard and I were away in the United States the campsite was broken into and robbed of many pieces of equipment. The thieves removed much of the equipment and utensils from the campsite which were vital for the operation of the camp. They stole the solar equipment including the batteries, the panels, the inverter, the charge controller, the generator, the water pumps as well as several items of furniture and even the pots used for cooking in the kitchen! This was a huge blow as most of those equipments are necessary for the successful running of the camp because of course we are out in the bush and not connected to city electricity or water. Our campsite is self-sustaining and off the grid.
But as soon as news of this burglary got out, brethren and sisters all over the world started praying and through most remarkable circumstances the thieves were caught and most of the items were recovered and made available for us to use for the camp meeting! You can hear the whole story by going to our YouTube channel and listening to brother Howard’s testimony from the camp meeting.
Each year through the faithfulness of interested brethren we have been able to improve the facilities at our campsite and we now have a very nice facility. We now have the ceiling put in and we have bunkbeds for both the male and female dorms. All in all we have been wonderfully blessed and we look forward to using this facility for many more meetings and seminars, and not just for camp meetings once per year.
We did broadcast the messages live this year but our Internet connection was not the best, we were trying to stream using mobile data and the feed was very choppy and at times broken. But we do appreciate the feedback we have from friends and supporters who assured us that it was a real blessing being able to join us even if the broadcast was not always of the best quality.
It is our prayer that our father will continue to bless and to direct all of us and to bind us closer to each other and to him, as we continued to study his word and to commit ourselves to the task of preparing ourselves and others, for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Commandments and Sin
It is a very popular idea that all sin is covered by the Ten Commandments, but is this the truth? Is this what the Bible teaches? Why is it that so many insist on this? It arises from the false idea that the only definition of sin is that “sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4). However, the Bible teaches us that sin is far more than the way we behave, it has more to do with the way we are by nature, before we are born again into the life of Christ. Nevertheless, in order to stand by the legalistic idea that sin is exclusively limited to how we respond to the legal law of ten commandments, Some of us have taken the position that every single sin that a person may commit is covered by the Ten commandment law. We can all agree that the 10 commandments can be seen as a summary of broader principles, however, the problem with the 10 commandments, as with any other set of laws, is that they are extremely limited in their ability to cover the spectrum of behaviors that may fall within their principles.
When we take a close look at the various kinds of sexual sin described in the Bible, it is clear that this idea cannot stand up to close examination. The law, as given to Moses, very clearly distinguished between various kinds of sexual sins such as bestiality, incest, sodomy, fornication and adultery. It is very clear that they were not all covered under the statement, “thou shalt not commit adultery,” because there were clearly stated penalties prescribed for each offence and the penalties were not the same. There were some sexual sins that caused people to be cut off from Israel, some seemed to be pardoned, and in other cases, people were stoned to death. Adultery was a serious crime, punishable by death and cannot be seen as the same as some of the other sexual sins. If all sexual perversion was covered by the law, “thou shalt not commit adultery,” then clearly, the penalty would have been the same for all the sexual offences.
Let us consider fornication and its penalty according to the law. If a man slept with a woman who was not engaged, he had to marry her and pay her dowry, there was no fine, there was no punishment. The woman was stoned only if, it was not known what had happened and someone married her later and found out that she was not a virgin. That was the only crime associated with what we call fornication. The only time an Israelite woman was accused of practicing whoredom in Israel was when she played the whore in her father’s house and slept with a man without anyone discovering it. If the act was discovered, they would have to marry. But in Israel, there was no punishment for a man who took a virgin and lay with her as long as she was not engaged. But if she was engaged to be married to someone else, then it was called adultery. It is clear there was a distinction between fornication and adultery.
If a man
find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her,
and lie with her, and they be found; Then the man that lay with her shall give
unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife;
because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
(Deuteronomy:22:28-29)
If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbor’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you. But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die. But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbor, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. (Deuteronomy:22:22-27)
If any man
take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, And give occasions of speech
against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and
when I came to her, I found her not a maid: Then shall the father of the
damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s
virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: And the elders of that city
shall take that man and chastise him; And they shall amerce him in an hundred
shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath
brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he
may not put her away all his days. But if this thing be true, and the tokens of
virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to
the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with
stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the
whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
(Deuteronomy:22:13-15,18-21)
Jesus said that if a man put away his wife except for fornication, he caused her to commit adultery, and that fornication was the only legitimate grounds for divorce. But how can a married woman commit fornication if all the word was meant to convey is sex before marriage? The answer is simple; Jesus did not mean that when a married person committed adultery, it was defined as fornication. No, fornication was distinct and different from adultery. What Jesus meant was that if a man discovered on the night of his wedding that the person whom he had married was not a virgin, then obviously she had committed fornication sometime in the past and that was grounds for divorce, or annulling the marriage.
Notice the difference in treatment. Fornication was not named in the law, but clearly, it was not considered to be the same as adultery because the penalty for each was very different. These were specific instructions. Where adultery was concerned, the penalty was death, immediate stoning of both the male and female involved.
Those who claim that the legal law covers all sins, state that the law of Moses was intended to amplify the ten commandments, so it included things that were not spelled out in the law. However, while we may say that the other laws amplified the ten commandments, it is unreasonable to say that the ten commandments contained the rest of the laws. Laws have to be specific to be enforced, a person cannot be charged with transgressing a rule and punished for breaking it unless it is specifically stated. So, if two things in the law bear a different penalty, they cannot be considered the same crime.
A Better Way
God has given us a far more excellent way of controlling our behavior. He has designed a way to change our very nature so that we will NATURALLY behave according to the much broader principles underlying the law. so if we do it naturally we no longer need the law to tell us to behave that way.
The commandment is a starting point intended to help to draw individuals to Christ. Paul speaks of it as spiritual, so seen in its broader principles, it really describes how love should be practiced in its simplest form. The commandments can be used as a reference point to point out some really basic behavioral expectations, really basic. However, what people need is not so much behavioral expectations, especially when there are no enforceable consequences. What makes it very obvious that the government of the law is done away with is that there are no penalties for breaking them. Laws without penalties are useless. The law of the land is far more effective at enforcing behavior than the 10 commandments. The laws of the land (which are based on similar principles to the 10 commandments) do a far better job of controlling behavior today, because the police are around to enforce them.
The major problem I see, is making the law out to be more than it is. It is a set of rules (holy and good) designed to control Israel’s natural tendency to sin. The ten commandments are written rules (the letter) no more. No matter the principles they are based on, they are no more than external written laws with their attendant penalties. They were a temporary measure put in place till the arrival of Christ. Once He fulfilled the prophecy of the coming seed, the law had to go. No sane person continues to take medication after they are cured, there is a word for that, it’s called addiction.
Defenders of the law usually think that if the law no longer governs Christians, then it means that wantonness and evil will prevail. So the only question is, do we need the law in order that we may walk in a way that is upright and good, or do we need Christ in us?
The root of the problem in this ongoing debate about the law is that some people merge the concepts of “law” and “principle” in their minds. They try to make the letter the same as the spirit, therefore, as soon as someone says that the law is done away with, they THINK principles are done away with.
But there is a fundamental difference between the law and the principles, the letter and the spirit.
There are basically 2 types of laws
1. Natural law – a principle of nature
2. Imposed or legal law
Whether we are dealing with natural law or legal law, one fact remains the same; All laws are referred to as “laws,” because they require a certain type of behavior. Whether we are dealing with natural or legal law, this is the common factor.
The principles of natural law have existed since creation and natural law affects the way everything on earth functions. These laws of physics and chemistry require us all to live with certain limitations known to all of us. For example, the law of gravity compels us all to remain on the ground under normal circumstances. All humans are bound by this law. It is not a written law, but one which exists in nature and requires us to conform to it.
Imposed laws consist of the rules which have been established by someone who has the authority to establish them. One example is the rule that in Jamaica, cars must “drive on the left”. This law governs the behavior of everyone who drives in Jamaica but not in America.
The problem with imposed, or legal law, is that it is often contrary to the nature of those whom it governs and so it must be supported by penalties for those who break it. Natural law does not work like this. Since it is built into nature, it naturally produces the effect which it was designed to produce. Again we use the example of the law of gravity. Gravity simply keeps everyone on the ground without needing to tell anyone to remain there. It is built into nature and quietly produces its effect without any fuss.
The true law of God is what the 10 commandments is based on, but that law is not a legal document, or an imposed set of rules. The true law of God is the principles which are in his very nature, the principles based on the amazing love of God. This is what the Lord has placed in the hearts of his people through the gift of the holy spirit, , so that we no longer need to relate to the legal, imposed law, because the very principles on which that law is based, is now in our hearts. Now, like the law of gravity, we no longer need instructions in order to produce the desired effect. The desired effect is produced naturally by the law of the spirit infused into our spiritual nature, just like gravity is infused into the natural world.
This is why those who are in Christ no longer live by legal law, but by the natural law of the spirit of life. This is the secret to true Christian living and when we understand this, then we will understand why we do not need the ten commandments as a tool to help us to overcome sin.
Seven Dangers of Ultra-processed Foods
Lenworth Frankson
Studies have repeatedly shown that when people switch from a traditional whole food diet to processed foods (foods high in refined flour, processed sugar and harmful vegetable oils) disease inevitably follows.
When ingredients such as oil, sugar, salt and chemicals are added to foods and packaged, the result is processed foods. Some examples are simple bread, cheese, tofu, frozen veggie burgers and canned tuna or beans, just to name a few. These foods have been altered, but not in a ways that are necessarily detrimental to health. At times, they are often convenient and helpful in building nutritious meals.
To be more exact any foods that are not whole foods directly from the vine, ground, bush or tree are considered processed. Depending on the amount of change the food undergoes, processing may be minimal or significant. For instance, frozen fruit is usually minimally processed, while pizza, soda, candy, boxed cake mix, chips, hot dogs, flavored yogurt, fast food burgers, fries, package soups, energy bars, many breakfast cereals, many pastries, breads, buns and microwave meals are ultra-processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods can be defined as food products containing one or more of the following:
• Unnaturally high amounts of sugar, salt, processed industrial oils and unhealthy fats.
• Artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and other additives that imitate the taste or smell of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (including additives that create textures and pleasing mouth-feel)
• Processing aids such as carbonating, firming, bulking, antibulking, defoaming, anticaking, glazing agents, emulsifiers etc.
• Preservatives and chemicals that impart an unnaturally long shelf life.
• Genetically engineered ingredients, which in addition to carrying potential health risks also tend to be heavily contaminated with toxic herbicides such as glyphosate, 2,4-D and dicamba.
These foods go through multiple processes, contain many added ingredients and are highly manipulated.
Danger No. 1:
Artificial Ingredients
Whole foods typically contain one ingredient, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, wild fish, and organic meats and eggs. Processed foods on the other hand may contain ingredients that aren’t in your vocabulary, such as potassium bicarbonate, aluminum hydroxide or glutamic acid. These are only a few of the artificial chemical ingredients, preservatives, flavors and colors that can be found in processed foods. These artificial ingredients can cause long-term health problems such as allergies, heart issues, hyperactivity, diabetes and even cancer.
According to a 2006 analysis published in the International Journal of Cancer, nitrites within processed meats can increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Three studies from the 2006 meta-analysis showed consumption of these nitrates would result in a greater risk of colon cancer. Overall, red meat and processed meat were linked to colon and rectal cancer.
Danger No. 2:
High in Unhealthy Fats
Many processed foods and snacks often contain cheap fats, hydrogenated oil and trans fats. Most people don’t realize they are consuming so much of these “bad” fats and oils and also higher amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. The consumption of too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3 can increase inflammation within the body and increase heart disease risk. A study in the Journal of the AmericanAssociation recommends a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (the healthy fats). This can help reduce the risk factors related to heart disease such as obesity, high levels of cholesterol in the blood, and high blood pressure.
The study put 814 men aged 40 to 59 on a long-term diet rich in healthy fats. The results showed that over time the risk factors were reduced. Try to eat a moderate amount of these healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil, sesame seed oil, cold pressed avocado oil and coconut oil.
Danger No. 3:
High in Sugar
The people in the US consume more sugar than any other country in the world. Germany, Netherland, Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom, Finland and Mexico are in the top ten highest sugar consumption countries in the world. On average, Americans consume 126.4 grams of sugar daily. That is about 31 teaspoons of sugar per day mostly from processed foods. Many people reach for fast, processed foods when hungry because they are readily available but sugar within processed foods can lead to several conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and especially liver issues. The food industry is careful in avoiding the word “sugar” but you often will see sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, dextrose, and high-fructose corn syrup or evaporated cane sugar listed instead. It is the liver’s job to metabolize any sugars, and when too much is consumed, it gets stored as fat. A diet high in sugar creates serious health problems for anyone. The bible tell us in Proverbs 25:7, “ it is not good to eat much honey…”
Danger No. 4:
Weight Gain
The food industry will use distinct flavors you may crave and additives that often encourage overeating. Weight-loss programs come in many forms promising fantastic results but the truth is that they are not practical and sustainable for optimum health. These foods are too often processed with synthetic nutrients. Processed foods have even found their way into the weight loss industry with low calorie microwaveable foods. People focus too much on counting calories instead of eating nutrient-dense foods. We often consider low-calorie foods to be ok to eat, even though it has limited nutritional benefits but the best option to lose weight is to choose unprocessed whole foods high in nutrients as your diet, while practicing self-control.
Danger No. 5:
Low in Nutrients
People think nutrients are still present in processed foods because the nutrition label shows the important macronutrients, but many of the vitamins and minerals typically, are removed and replaced with synthetic nutrients. Consider the nutrient losses with the processing of wheat. Wheat is a major part of the diet in many countries.
Wheat products are a good source of carbohydrates and protein, however in processing, they lose about 88% of manganese, 76% iron, 72% zinc and 60% of calcium among other minerals.
There is also another major nutrient that is missing from processed foods, and that’s fiber. According to the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, the recommended dietary fiber intake for men is about 38 g of fiber, while women require 25 g of fiber. The average person on a processed foods diet will not even come close to these numbers.
Danger No. 6:
Wreck Your Digestion
Digestion starts when you put food into your mouth. Artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners found within processed foods all lead to a toxic digestive system. There is a saying that sums it up well; “food that lacks life cannot give life” Common sense tells us that this is true. The harmful ingredients within processed foods create a toxic environment within the digestive tract, which often kills the good bacteria or beneficial micro flora within the body. Improper food combinations are also known to contribute to poor digestion. Your gut’s micro flora is made up of bacteria and other microorganisms. When the gut is balanced with approximately 80% good bacteria and 20% bad bacteria, your gut can function properly. When we ingest processed foods into our body, our gut flora risks becoming imbalanced with too many bad bacteria. This can lead to serious health issues, such as: inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, food intolerance, aches, pains, bloating, allergies, acne, depression and more. Probiotics (live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you, especially your digestive system) and the consumption of fermented foods (tempeh, kimchi, natto and miso) can help balance the good bacteria in the body.
Danger No. 7:
Highly Addictive
Processed foods can become highly addictive! Food addictions often go unnoticed because people just think they are eating real food; but is processed food to be considered real food? Among the top substances that make processed foods addictive would be sugar, fat and salt. In addition, processed foods lack fiber, real vitamins and minerals. Foods that are high in refined carbohydrates, fat, salt, sugar or artificial sweeteners, triggers the pleasure centers of the brain and releases “feel-good” chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. These foods affect the same area of the brain as drugs, alcohol and behaviors such as shopping or gambling.
Highly processed foods often contain unnatural substances or higher-than-normal levels of natural substances that your body and brain cannot process. This results in your body being flooded with these “feel-good” chemicals. The processed foods stimulate the “feel-good” neurotransmitter in the brain that leads you to crave more of this type of food. Potato chips are known for a high salt content and cookies are a common treat full of sugar. Both of these popular processed snacks can easily get people hooked. Researchers at the University of Michigan studied addictive-like eating in 518 participants. Not surprisingly, most of the foods that were found to be addictive were processed foods. These foods were usually high in sugar, fat or both. Here are some foods on that list: Pizza, Chocolate, Chips, Cookies, Ice cream, French fries, Cheeseburgers, Soda, Cake, cheese, Fried chicken, Popcorn (buttered), Muffins and Breakfast cereal.
In general, the developed world eats significant amounts of processed food daily, and as a result, disease statistics reveal the danger of this trend. Decreasing our sugar consumption should be at the top of the list if we want to experience good health and maintain healthy bodies. For those who are overweight, insulin resistant, or struggling with a chronic disease the abstinence from sugar would be a good place to start your health recovery. We should be concerned knowing that future generations will grow up in a society where they understand processed and ultra- processed foods to be their nourishment.
Obesity among children and teenagers has become epidemic because processed food consumption is now at a record high. The art and pleasure of cooking is replaced with a busy hectic lifestyle. The excuse is that there is no time to make wholesome whole food meals for the family and the cost of whole foods is outrageous. Sadly the norm is to grab foods that are pre-prepared, cheap, processed and tasty. But adults as well as young people would certainly benefit from holistic nutrition classes as well as caregivers taking the time to educate themselves, plan and prepare delicious healthy wholesome meals instead of making a quick stop at a pizza or burger joint for meals. Always remember this saying: “food that lacks life cannot give life”
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Open Face
May 2019
Open Face is dedicated to the promotion and the restoration of apostolic Christianity. In particular to the restoration of those truths which have been cast down to the ground and trampled underfoot by the papacy, and adopted by her daughters.
Our purpose is to motivate our readers to commit themselves wholly to the task of personal preparation for the coming of the Lord, and to the taking of the final warning message to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
Open Face is published bi-monthly, and is sent free of cost to all who desire to receive it.
Editor: …….. David Clayton
Publishing committee: Howard Williams
………………. Karleen Williams
………………. Jennifer Clayton
………………. David Clayton
P.O. Box 23, Knockpatrick
Manchester, Jamaica W.I.
Phone: (304) 932-4543
Jamaica: (876) 603-0821
email: vidclay@gmail.com
Website: http://www.restorationministry.com
