A Call for Reconciliation
within the Canadian Christian Church
1. Return to the original teachings before anti-semitism contaminated the pulpit and fragmented the sacred texts.
2. Make a commitment to deliver Indigenous Corporate Training to your congregation
To the First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Jewish reader, as much as I would love to give the tongue lashing that is deserved, I must take the higher road for the sake of all people living in this new cycle; red, yellow, black, and white. A change in direction and heart is my goal. It is my deepest desire to see genuine reconciliation in Canada, and for this to happen, all members need to be at the round table.
Handling Conflict within the Church
Suppose you have already confronted a Canadian Christian church (members or leadership) about your offence and did not see the fruit of repentance. In that case, I make this reproach on your behalf and in the presence of two or more witnesses, in accordance with church protocol, Mt 18:15–20.
15“If a tribal family member wrongs you, go to him alone and tell him. If he listens, then you have won him back.
16If he cannot see the wrong, then go to him with one or two others who have seen the bad, so he can hear them.
17If he still will not listen, take him before the sacred family council. If he will not hear the council, then he will be the same to you as an outsider or a tribal tax collector.
18“I speak from my heart, what has been decided in the spirit-world above is what you will decide on earth. 19–20 From my heart I will say it again this way: When two or three have gathered together on earth to represent me, I will be there in spirit to guide you. Then, under my guidance, whatever two or more of you agree upon and ask for will be done by my Father from above.” [1]
To the white Christian reader, a new age is upon us, and we are the cog in the wheel of reconciliation. As one of your people, long have I witnessed your self-righteous personality. You are a valley of dry bones (not THE valley), stagnant and apathetic towards God’s people. Many of your institutions are self-seeking. You have lost your way, but all hope is not lost. You are physically positioned precisely where you are supposed to be for this very time, but you are spiritually distant, perhaps even absent. A mental and spiritual awakening needs to occur.
To the Christians whose life, church, and ministry bear good fruit, I know you understand the need for unity at this time. Canada needs you more than ever. Stay focused; there is much work to be done. Seek out your roots in the teachings of the Old Testament - the Tanakh, along with the New and be committed to grounding yourself and your family in the awe of your inheritance. Keep your unbending faith and dedication to your purpose and keep on doing what God puts before you to do from an attitude of servanthood.
Here We Go
Let’s start with the obvious question, what the heck is going on with the Christian church? Are you aware that the word ‘Christian’ makes others angry, confused, or indifferent? I have seen people cringe at the word and see that it is a trigger for most. These ‘heathens,’ as you have called them, are not alone. The word ‘Christian’ turns me off as well and sends me into deep contemplation. Something is not right. Long have I heard your excuse that ‘they’ are rejecting God, not us. Well, this is where you are wrong. I am taking a stand against your arrogance and calling you out in accordance with Church protocol in hopes that with a new perspective, you will return to the original teachings and purpose of 'the church'.
Personal Christian Church Experiences
I was raised in a Charismatic/Pentecostal-oriented Christian sect from two until the age of 12. I was immersed in all things religious. I attended their school and many church functions with my mother. I’m sure the original intent was good, but it ended up being an exclusive legalistic club, putting law above the gospel. It was very strict, which I’m sure I would have respected if their actions aligned with what they were teaching. To keep the congregation under control, many rules were set into place and enforced in the name of God.
We were not allowed to have anything to do with the sinful world. I was forbidden to watch TV, listen to the radio or even be alone in a school hallway with a boy or walk in the same direction. There was no make-up, nylons, pierced ears, etc. My studies did not include the outside world, history or geography. It was in today's standards, a reform school. At the age of 12, my heart rejected their god. The hundreds of Bible verses that I memorized were opposite to how I was being treated and were contrary to how many Christian people in my life made me feel; inferior, a rejected sinner, excluded, an inconvenience, unworthy. I was the definition of mentally, emotionally, and spiritually oppressed. It turned out that the pastor was himself, living in sin and the church fell apart. My mother left the church, and I was in line for a rude awakening. I was thrust into the big evil outside world; I believe the saying is, out of the frying pan and into the fire.
The legalism in my upbringing created a performance drive deep within my soul. I had to perform to gain favour or be accepted outwardly and inwardly. I was not accepted as myself, as the scriptures taught I should be. The world was one messed up place for me. I had the law of God written on my heart at a very early age, but I was turned off from it because I associated God with 'the church'. My mind could not and still cannot wrap around a church (an assembly of people) that called themselves God’s chosen people that used the name of Jesus while functioning out of complete control and fear. Everything seemed to have a demon attached to it. Therefore, I was not taught about anything in the spiritual realm minus what was in the Protestant Bible and interpreted from a very closed-minded and anti-Semitic perspective. I felt segregated but not in a ‘God’s Chosen People’ way.
Anyone with true faith knows that any endeavour carried out in the name of God, which is delivered by force or control, is never blessed or of God. Nevertheless, it happened(s)... all the time ... and seems to be the white person's go-to way of doing things. (the crusades, the 4th Lateran council, residential schools, etc.) What is the race for control? Don't get me started on the white person's invention of the term 'race.' The point is, if God is involved, then control is not needed, end of story. I became familiar with the word hypocrisy at a very young age, and because I was taught the wrong gospel, I wanted nothing to do with God, Jesus, or the legalistic people that were associated with Christianity.
Legalism is defined on Wiki, as "the direct or indirect attachment of behaviours, disciplines, and practices to the belief in order to achieve salvation and right standing before God," emphasizing a need "to perform certain deeds to gain salvation" (works) as opposed to the doctrine of justification by faith – the belief in salvation through the grace of God, "bestowed upon the individual through faith in Jesus Christ."
Here’s the deal, though, if you call yourself a Christian and are not of the Ancient Israelites, you are also a Gentile, and the only reason why you are inheriting eternal life is because of Israel’s unbelief. Thus, you gained the extension/graphing in of the olive branch. (Romans 11:13-24). I don't say this to beat you down, I say this to cast light on a dark chapter that has gone on long enough. The church has not replaced ancient Israel in God's plans. Gentiles that are called by God to be a part of the future family/kingdom/royal priesthood are wild olive branches, a peculiar people who need to fully recognize and understand the scriptures from their original context and from the original intent.
Romans 11:30 What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; 31 but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law. 32 Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone.
Most Christians today believe that the Tanakh (translation of the original Hebrew Bible), the Christian Old Testament, is irrelevant and don't even read it. Not many professing Christians read the New Testament daily or even weekly. Their apathy to the absence of Biblical study and values in their lives speaks volumes under the banner of the word 'Christian.' This attitude tells the world that you believe you are 'saved' no matter what and that nothing can come between you and eternal life. The chip on your shoulder is due to your false belief that the New Testament was exclusively written for Christians, the NEW chosen people of God through the New Covenant, making you the NEW recipients of Israel's promises. After all, they deserved it, right? And your version of the religion broadly classified as Christianity is THE WAY. Does this sound about right?
Some of you believe that even though you live in sin, you are still 'saved' because you are now Israel ... if you belong to the right Church...this get's a bit confusing. Perhaps we should dust off Visio and make a flowchart. This thought process is due to centuries of replacement theology preached from the pulpit. Because of this belief, you sin in front of 'the world,' and the Scriptures talk about you (Matthew. 18:6). Replacement theology, birthed out of pride and arrogance, has produced a lackadaisical and convenient type of religion that does not walk the talk. Because of this superior and arrogant mentality, people who call themselves Christians have done despicable things in the name of God and have forced a 'belief' onto people who want nothing to do with most Christians.
So now that you know you are not Israel, you should know that if you are one of God's 'called,' a Gentile, now Christian (new wild olive branch, grafted into the ancient tree or Abraham), you should have God's law written on your hearts. If this law is ignored and we sin anyways, our hearts and minds soon get calloused, and sin doesn't feel much like sin anymore. The hope remains if you are still open to the voice of God. He is calling you back to the beginning to re-assess and re-align your thinking/theology. If you believe that the New Covenant (New Testament) has replaced the Old Covenant (Old Testament), making the New Testament the only source that you draw from, and you don't search out non-canonical information or history or anything outside of acceptable literature, or outside of your cultural background, I believe these are stumbling stones and would like to unravel this theology. When you are done here, please keep reading the main call page and watch a video presentation on the three different perspectives on Israel.
The Belt of Truth – Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, says to wrap the belt of truth firmly around your waist for your spiritual protection. (Ro 11:13-31)
Do not become proud but stand in awe, you are but branches.
The Hebrew people of ancient Israel are the root of the tree.
The New Covenant
The New Covenant between God and His people centers around the cross of Christ securing the gift of the Holy Spirit, transforming hearts, and bringing God’s entire divine plan of redemption to completion. See Appendix 1.
The Greek term καινὴ διαθήκη (kainē diathēkē) ‘new covenant’ is translated into Latin as “Novum Testamentum,” which in turn has produced the English term “New Testament.” (Chou, A., 2016). If the church fathers had named the new section of the Bible from the earlier Septuagint (Judaeo-Greek), it would have been called the “New Covenant.”
“The new covenant is the culmination of God’s saving work in his people. He promises to make an everlasting covenant with his people in which he will write his law on their hearts, bring complete forgiveness of sin, put his Spirit in them to empower them to love and obey his commands, and raise up a faithful Davidic king to rule over them, bring them back into the land to reunify them into one people of God, and cause them to be a light to the nations” (Woodlard, 2019). Many today believe that the Church is the faithful Davidic king but for the church’s sake I hope they are wrong (2 Corinthians 12:20), so they don’t have to answer God when He asks, “What have you done with what I have given you?”. If you are the faithful Davidic King, will you respond to the one who knows all hearts, “We were a light to the nations”? I can hear the silence now. Let us then carefully assess where things went wrong. In trying to move theology back to the beginning, I know that there will be must opposition, but we must start somewhere. Or you can dig deep, read the Dead Sea Scroll text, find a copy of the Septuagint, and search for the truth. Get Logos Bible Software.
Romans 11:28–29 clearly shows that Paul does not regard God’s promises to ethnic Israel as cancelled—only deferred (cf. Deut 4:25–31); God still had a covenant with the fathers (Deut 7:8). “Most readers today subscribe to one of two systems: Israel and the church are separate and irreconcilable entities, and Israel will be restored, or Christians become the true Israel and ethnic Israel has no more purpose in God’s plan. Paul would have rejected both extremes, believing that ethnic Israel as a whole would return to the covenant in the end times, joining the Gentiles and Jewish remnants that already participate in it.”[2]
How can ‘the Church’ be a lamp on a hill while they are scattered and can't agree? All you seem to agree on is that Jesus has a unique significance. Where is the unity that you were called to? A quick Google search has the term "Christian" as an adjective describing anything associated with Christianity or Christian churches. Others have the term as all things noble, good, and Christlike. The main consensus, however, does not believe the modern Christian church to be very Christlike at all.
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ”
~Gandhi
Divide and Conquer
There are so many divisions in customs, traditions, and teachings within the Christian church today. What does ‘Christian’ even mean anymore ... a follower of Christ? So, we are left with the assumption that to be a ‘Christian’ you need to be a follower of Christ. Ok, well, how does that look? There are so many different opinions and translations to back those opinions up.
Question: Is there a way to outwardly judge if one is truly a Christian?
My Thoughts: Not short term but perhap longer-term. Matthew 7:15-20, John 15:1-5, Romans 8:1-17, James 3:13-18, Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Peter 1:5-8, Romans 5:1-5, Romans 14:14-23, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, Colossians 3:1-17, Titus 3:12-14, James 3:13-18 and 2 Peter 1:5-11.
When asked if I’m a Christian, I politely say “no, I’m spiritual”, if they press on, I’ve said, “I don’t like religion”. That usually stops them. I avoid the word Christian if I can. I tell them that I believe the Bible and live my life by it now, finally. So, am I a Christian when I do everything to avoid that word? I am not ashamed of what I believe by any means, I’m ashamed of the Christian church and the actions of people within it. You might be thinking that I’ve lost my salvation, but on the contrary, I’ve never been closer to God than I am now. Whatever your judgment is of me, is not my concern, you are not my master. What’s more important is that it’s hard to ignore the fact that over the centuries and with few exceptions, Christian churches have done more harm than good and are in fact, the biggest cause of people rejecting the gospel. If you are honest with yourself, you know that the Church has become ineffective. You are losing people to Gaia worship and new religious movements that are mixing occult practices with Christianity. You can't do anything about it because you haven't studied these practices nor can you decipher what parts of the luring in doctrine are actually available to God-fearing servants who have a strong foundation. Satan has done well in the area of religion, look at the division he has caused.
Branches of Christianity
Anglican/Episcopal, Anabaptist, Assembly of God, Baptist, Church of the East (Nestorian), Eastern Orthodox, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Non-denominational, Nontrinitarian, Oriental Orthodox (Miaphysite), Presbyterian, Reformed, and Roman Catholic. Have I captured everyone? I’m sure I’ve left out many as there are many branches and movements within Protestantism alone. Here is a handy chart to give you a general overview of the different Protestant branches and their differing viewpoints. What each DOES agree on, however, is that they are the only true Christian church.
Question: Why can’t Christians just agree to disagree and unite under a common goal or function? What is the goal of the Church anyways? To win souls or to reach out to the downtrodden?
My Thoughts: Looking broader, instead of jumping from one group to another (Muslim, Jew, Gentile – Islam, Judaism, Christianity) why don’t we stay true to whom we were born to be, in whatever culture we were blessed within and the practices that go along with them (unless of course, they are in opposition to the Bible). Tolerance would have to come from within the culture as well. Who cares if it isn’t what you believe? They have another master now, no matter what you think. Outward intolerance is not going to change their mind. Encourage them to follow their hearts in accordance with their conscience. Provide a place for them to gather. They are still your people. What then would happen to the churches? Perhaps the Christian leaders could turn the church/assembly into an outreach and gathering center. Turning the main focus from keeping everyone inside happy (so they fund the church), to an outward focus. Listen to God’s heart for His people. Do you love Him?... Feed His sheep, times three. He will provide if you do His will.
It’s time for the Canadian Christian Church to wake up and refocus. Drop your interdenominational points of contention and become one effective body. Get out into the communities that need you to share your resources with them. Put God’s requirements of you over your own. Where has God placed you right now for this time? What is your part in God's plan? Are you actively seeking this out with Him? What sheep are you feeding? His or your own?
First Nations Version - Let this verse sink in:
Romans 11: 1 If you think that I am saying the Great Spirit has turned away from his own people in the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel), you are mistaken. I am proof that he did not. I myself am a Tribal Member, a descendant of Father of Many Nations (Abraham), from the tribe of Son of My Right Hand (Benjamin). 2 Creator has not turned away from ones he knew ahead of time would be his people.[3]
There seems to be an even greater divide with the Catholic Church. The Athanasian Creed, states that “Whosoever would be saved, needeth before all things to hold fast the Catholic Faith”. Ok, so now my fellow Christians are telling me that if I don’t join their Catholic church, I’m going to Hell? As this call is addressing Christianity as a whole, I won’t veer off course. I do have to say that made my blood boil. The question is, how are we all grouped together under the umbrella of Christianity but remain so divided from within? Is it a structure problem or an attitude problem? It seems like the very nature of God and his commission have conveniently been lost in translation as these ‘only true' Christian churches of Canada seem to be lacking good fruit in their communities, cities, provinces, and territories.
The Root of it All
The evident lack of equality in Canada doesn’t seem to phase the Christian church. To the leaders of these churches, stop and listen. Can you hear God’s people suffering? They are all around you. You have eyes, ears, hands and feet; what is stopping you from action? Where is your heart? There are so many different ‘actions’ that the church could and should be taking but the church has grown apathetic to God’s commands and the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. The church is consumed by its own self-righteousness and greed. Where is your treasure stored up? Here on earth, or in Heaven? Who's opinion do you care about, man or God's?
Churches need to work together, bringing big brains into one room - physical or virtual. Such a time is this that multitudes of people can gather without even leaving their homes. Repent for your self-righteous and prideful ways. Your own pride and arrogance have stopped you from obtaining real power. Whatever is holding you back individually will hold you back corporately so at all costs, and for your own soul, Wake Up! Get back into the race. What is your mandate as a wild olive branch grafted into the eternal promise?
Question: Are you associating arrogance with all Christians?
Response: No, there are many Christians in Canada that follow the law written on their heart (Romans 2:15) and the fruit that we can see in their lives bears evidence to the original teachings. The Christians that I am speaking to suit the definition of arrogance, “Proud and unpleasant behaviour towards other people, based on a belief in one’s own superiority or greater importance.” The Bible speaks about these people:
These Christians have not and do not follow the original teachings and have slandered, disparaged, vilified, and greatly tarnished the name of God in such a way to revolt most from wanting to hear the Gospel. They have mucked up the only name by which anyone can be saved. This unfortunately is the larger group of the two.
With This being said and because Heart of the Nations education will be going against the current Protestant Christian status quo, I'll follow in the steps of a spiritual giant, a man that did not shy away from teaching on 'unconventional subjects', Chuck Missler often started his teachings on controversial topics with “don’t just take my word for it, be a Berean!” “These [Berean] were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. ~Acts 17:11
A Berean is anyone who searches the scriptures to test what is true. They didn’t just believe what was being taught. If something does not sit right with you, do your homework. If you wish to share your findings, I encourage you to submit your research with references. Respectful dialogue is strongly encouraged within Heart of the Nations. I'll post all rebuttals publically and in accordance with Heart of the Nation's privacy policy.
As #1. of this Call to Action, Heart of the Nations is asking the Christian Church to return the non-canonical books to their original place in every Bible and to seriously consider revitalizing the original, pre-Masoretic Scriptures and the Samaritan Manuscripts. Martin Luther, the instigator of the Reformation, father of the Protestant movement, and translator of the New Testament published non-canonical books in his original translation of the Bible. More on this specific part of the call can be found on the call's main page.
Question: How can we trust what you are teaching us?
My Thoughts: I have no ulterior motives other than to publicly expose suppressed information for your own further investigation, always using the Bible as your guide. Anything that is in opposition to God’s ‘original’ word/teachings is not of Him.
Question: How can I even trust the Bible?
My Thoughts: I know, I get it, there are more than 900 different English translations of the Bible, how can you put your full weight on someone else’s translation? Did you know that the script that the Greeks used to produce the Septuagint between 300-100 BC was the original Hebrew Bible, written in both Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic? Thanks to the painstaking efforts of the scholars that are working with the Dead Sea Scrolls, we now have a version of the Hebrew Bible that is closer to the Septuagint than it is to the Tanakh (the Christian translation of the Old Testament). You can read more on this and listen to what Chuck Missler has found in his search for the most authentic version of the Bible on the main page of this call, but in a nutshell, the scripture that Jesus would have read from was the Septuagint or LXX, and it's the primary quoted text in the New Testament. The great thing about Greek is that it's a very precise language and would give us a precise rendering of the Hebrew Bible. But instead, our Old Testament was translated from the Masoretic version of the original Hebrew scripts, the version that redefined Rabbinic Judaism into Judaism today. Jesus was either an Essene or a Pharisee, I'm leaning more towards a Pharisee like Paul. What's important is that the Council of Jamnia (90AD), rejected the LXX and the Vorlage, the Hebrew original it came from, since it was the 'Bible of the Christians'. Come 900AD, we now had an edited Tanakh. Mr. Missler says that in comparing the Samaritan Pentateuch (4th century BC) with the Masoretic text, there are about 6,000 differences where 1,000 need to be taken seriously. There are two remaining copies of the Samaritan Pentateuch today. Watch the video to hear more on them and other Aramaic and Septuagint manuscripts that we can draw from. With this being said, Mr. Missler confirms that only 1% of the Bible is under comprehensive review. It is more about things being omitted on purpose.
We want to take the scripture back to its earliest original form because we are looking for Yeshua (Jesus). Where can we find Yeshua (Jesus)? With those whom He chose to hang out with, the early assemblies. We can also find Him in the culture and through learning about the land. How did the first assemblies look and feel? What were the teachings of the time/era that Jesus would have been very familiar with, and why was the power of the Holy Spirit that was unleashed during this time, so powerful? Why could the disciples perform most of the same miracles as Jesus did in these early days? Since the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, we now have the means to seek out these questions. To the readers who have not been released to read this ‘heretical’ material, I introduce to you, the Qumran ‘community rules’, and many other scripts which used to be sandwiched in between the Tanakh (Old) and New Testament. They are called, the Deuterocanonical and or, Apocrypha scripts, and we should be released to seek them out ourselves so as to paint the true canvas of the life and times of Jesus. Of course, we understand that they are not the main guiding document for our lives and the rules thereof. The Bible is the Bible and the only book of spiritual authority; stop treating us like children.
Question: If the Hebrew Bible holds the original teachings in this education, are you teaching us Judaism?
Response: It’s a logical question because before the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) were found in 1947, everyone just assumed that what Judaism is today was the religion of ALL Jews from the formation of Israel. We now know that this is completely false. As we learn more about the content of the scrolls, the more we must realize that we are far from our ancient beginnings. The DSS holds the earliest copy of the Hebrew Bible, dating back to the first century BC. They were well cared for as the scribes that lived in Qumran dedicated their lives to keeping the original teachings pure. They spent their time meticulously making copies for the Essene communities that were scattered throughout the area. All this is just to say that the DSS would be closer to the original Hebrew Bible that Jesus taught from than the one that we have now. Chuck Missler speaks more to this in his video on "How we Got our Bible." This is the big reveal. Currently, we have the version of the Old Testament that was transcribed from the edited MasoreticTanakh. We also know of other scripts that were in the sacred Qumran library that used to be included in every Bible. These once-read teachings of the original assemblies or followers of Yeshua (Jesus) have been removed by the Protestant branch of Christianity entirely. We have been left with little ‘acceptable’ literature to study.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are the only existing copy of the compilation of teachings that were the guiding scripts of the disciples, Jesus, the original assemblies, and the spiritual forefathers read them all. Through careful study, we are now able to learn about Jewish life in the first century, how the Bible took shape, expectations of the end times, conflicts among Jews, Romans, and many others. We have now also learned that we are not using our God-given calendar. What's most important is that we can now see Jewish thought in the period just before formal "Judaism" and "Christianity" were formed. It was simply the ancient faith of Israel as you will learn about in the video on perceptions.
I will have to dedicate a separate education piece to the Dead Sea Scrolls alone. If you’re a strict Christian, like the ones I was raised with, I may have lost your interest, you may even think this education is heresy or at least borders on it. I challenge you to read the rest, get your Bible out and test what is being shared with you. Don’t rely on the leadership of your church to release you to do so. The Billy Graham Evangelical Association (BGEA) steps in for you here when they publicly say, “The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls remains one of the most important archaeological events in recent history.” They also point out that the scrolls contain almost every book of the Tanakh (Old Testament) (all minus the Book of Esther) and vividly demonstrate that the Bible was carefully translated from Hebrew & Aramaic to Greek and then to English, keeping the original meaning. The BGEA confirms that the Dead Sea Scrolls do not contradict the Bible.
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q102 Proverbs a (Lexham Press, 2010)
4Q102 Proverbs a (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2010).
For those that still see a red flag, please know that these non-canonical books have been approved by the National Council of Churches back in 1989 when the old Deuterocanonical and Apocryphal books were once again, printed in between the Old and New Testament as reference material. Although translated from the corrupt Vaticanus and Siniaticus (See Appendix 3), Heart of the Nations commends the New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha for taking it a step further to incorporate “new compelling textual evidence” from the Dead Sea Scrolls. NRS states that scholars made it clear that this new version was not a new translation. I look forward to getting a copy when it is printed, with the apocryphal books in August 2022. “Out of a total of more than 20,000 revisions — made for the new edition, which. Some of the updated wording is based on what Kutsko called “new compelling textual evidence,” including findings in the Dead Sea Scrolls that were located in the Qumran region of the West Bank.
“It attempts to reverse the historic trend in translation history from the 19th and 20th centuries in which some Christian communities and scholars of the Bible were historically excluded from the translation endeavours of our English Bibles.” ~Shively T.J. Smith, a New Testament assistant professor at Boston University School of Theology
For those who are just hearing about these secret texts printed in the Bible for the first time, the Apocrypha is a section of books that were published in the original 1611 King James Bible and were included in every Christian Bible up until 1828. The books that make up the Apocrypha were composed from 400 BC to 1 AD.
Question: What would give someone the right to remove books in the Holy Bible that was considered part of the Bible for nearly 2,000 years?
My Thoughts: There are a few theories, but will we ever know the truth? Nonetheless, this decision and the lack of spiritual depth and understanding that the church is lacking seem to go hand in hand. This old way of decision-making that occurs behind closed doors further reveals a mindset that needs to be challenged. The leaders that decided to take these out, thought themselves superior to everyone and 'the knower' of all things good for their assemblies. Some may think this is not so important,, but for those spiritually inclined and curious, this opens a whole new door to a deeper connection and understanding.
The translators of the King James Bible thought highly of these books, saying that they were written to prepare the people for Jesus in the same manner that John the Baptist prepared the people for Jesus. It's time to reclaim what the church has taken away from us; mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. These non-canonical books, along with the Dead Sea Scrolls, help us understand more about the lost 400 years between Malachi and Jesus, the lost history between the Tanakh and the New Testament.
If this is the first time you have heard about this, you may feel angry, betrayed, and you may need a breather because it will get even more challenging. It was for me. Every wonder what happened to Mark 7: 16? There were many 'holy inspired' verses that were later omitted from the Bible starting in 1881. You can learn more about "How we got our Bible" in a video embedded on the previous page. My motivation for sharing this information with you is for your own critical analysis. Here is an insight for you to assess for yourself.
Mark 7:1-13
Many Christians think Yeshua's answer to the question of v. 5 condemns Pharisaic tradition. In fact, he objects only to those practices of the Prushim that place human tradition above God's command (v. 8). He was not opposed to God's tradition, but to 'their' tradition (vv. 9, 13), the traditions that the Pharisees introduced for their own convenience. The operative word is "your," as shown by His example (vv. 10–12), here, tradition is allowed to nullify the fifth Commandment, "Honor your father and your mother," by letting people devote themselves to Temple worship money which they should use to support their parents. Context is everything, especially when it involves the (Jewish) Holy Scriptures.
I will leave you with the above as a starting point but know that Heart of the Nations is dedicated to further education.
Back in the 1970s, a church leader called my father a heathen and looked down on him like filth. This was my father’s ‘church’ experience. Who can blame him for not wanting any part in this? I say the following on behalf of those whom you have done the same to: You dishonoured him, you dishonoured my family and all those whom you looked down on that same day. Every person you have rejected because "they didn't fit in", "weren't your type", or were too "heathen like", you rejected in the name of God, what type of servant are you? These are the people you are called to serve. What will you hear as you stand before the Throne? Will you hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21) or will you hear, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23)? I humbly ask you to re-align your thinking and be open to this call. Search your heart and come before your Father with a contrite heart (Psalm 34:18-20; 51:17).
A Farewell from Heart of the Nations to the First Nations, Metis, Inuit, Jewish and Muslim readers:
In Saskatchewan, in 2009, I heard the drum in the drum circle for the first time during my university graduation. My spirit heard it again in the last half of December 2020 in British Columbia. The drum beats are stronger throughout 2021, with the rhythm gathering momentum. It is now March 20, 2022, and the drum beats with a continuous rhythm. It’s a beautiful sound that stirs up my spirit. The tide has turned in Canada, and Creator God is moving. Step out from your intentional oppression and take your rightful place; you are protected. “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him for He shields him [and her] all day long.” ~Deuteronomy 33:12
Further Study Material:
The Lexham Bible Dictionary by Lexham Press, 2016
The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition: vol. I: 1Q1–4Q273–vol. II: 4Q274–11Q31
Cheaper Version - https://www.logos.com/product/25702/the-dead-sea-scrolls-study-edition
[1] First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2021), Mt 18:15–20.
[2] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ro 11:28–29.
[3] First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2021), Ro 11.
