Paul, in a letter to the Hebrews, written around 65-68 A.D., is exhorting them with divine authority to have faith in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and to go on to perfection. "Therefore leaving the principals of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God" (Heb. 6:1).

Perfection is only going to come through believing and putting into practice what is written in God’s Word. "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins" (Heb. 10:26). Sin is coming up short, and a failure to renew the goal of perfection. Sin is like an arrow falling short of the target. The archer may have done his best, but lacks strength to bend the bow sufficiently to give the arrow the power to reach the target. He came up short. We are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Romans, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Sinning is transgressing God’s law!

With that said, what part of God’s Word or laws, do you not believe in doing? Is there something we need to be remembering? We just read in God’s Word, "If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sin!"

Now I want to bring to your attention how God’s calendar, out of God’s Word, lost its identity! "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (II Cor 11:3). Are the instructions in God’s Word too simple for us? "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether" (Psa 19:7-9). "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever" (Heb 13:8). "For I am the LORD, I change not" (Mal 3:6).

Isaiah, whose name means salvation of the Lord, wrote: "Hearken unto me, ye stout hearted, that are far from righteousness: Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isa 46:12, 9-10).

What does God mean when He says, My counsel will stand, and I will do all my pleasures? "The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" (Isa 14:24, 26-27).

Isaiah repeatedly set forth this argument of God's supreme authority and power. He was told to "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (Isa 58:1).

We have to learn to submit to that authority. God ordained a series of events, designed to demonstrate the wisdom of His ways, not man's ways. "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right" (Isa. 45:19).

What are some of those things God declared to be right? One is the 10 Commandments! "Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them" (Deu. 5:1). You can read the rest of that chapter and find the commandments of God, and in Chapter 6 it further states: "Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged" (Deu. 6:1-2).

We have to ask ourselves, are we going to follow the laws of God, or the laws of men when it comes to keeping the days on which we are to worship? Should we postpone a Holy Day for a preparation day? Should we keep the Babylonian crescent moon for the first day of the month? These are serious questions we need to ask ourselves.

If you choose to do it God's way, from His Word, you are not going to be very popular! That is what some of the Major and Minor Prophets found out. You can read about three of them in II Chron. 36:14-16, how Jeremiah, Habakkuk and Zephaniah were mocked for delivering a message from God. The message depressed Jeremiah! "O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not refrain. For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my friends watched for my falling, saying, Perhaps he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him" (Jer. 20:7-10).

Elijah felt he alone was supporting God's truth! "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers! And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." God answered Elijah: "I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him" (1 Ki. 19:4,14,18).

YOU AND I ARE NOT GOING TO BE VERY WELL LIKED, IF WE STAND UP FOR GOD'S TRUTH! But God tells us "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets" (Luke 6:22-23).

As God's chosen servants we are going to be falsely and maliciously talked about. WHY? Because we are growing in knowledge and going on to perfection, just as God tells us we must, in Heb. 6:1. Another reason is because we are Studying to show ourselves approved unto God and Proving all things, relying on God's Holy Spirit to lead us into His Truth! We are being separated like the wheat is from the chaff, like a pillar that is separated from the walls of a building. Yet that pillar supports the main structure. An angel told the Philadelphia Church, "him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God" (Rev 3:12).

In Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, he wrote: "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions (from the O.T. and N.T.) which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle" (2 Thes 2:13-15).

Let's go back where Moses was inspired by God to write the books of the Law. "The LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons" (Lev 23:1-4). Then Moses goes on to explain all the Holy Days that are to be kept, explaining to Israel that they are a commanded statute, and a memorial to be kept for ever.

Let's go to another scripture, but this time we can read in detail, the order of the offerings made on the Sabbaths, New moons and Holy Days. Be careful to notice that Numbers 28 and 29 are speaking of the offerings for all special days and NOT, specifically, listing Holy Day convocations. "The LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season" (Num 28:1-2). Noticeably absent, is the command to do no customary work, or have a Holy convocation on both the Passover and the new moons (c.f. Lev. 23:3).

We can see these were commanded sacrifices from the Lord, to be performed in their due season (time). It starts with the Sabbath in verse 9; then in verse 16-17 it refers to the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread; then Pentecost is talked about in verse 26. Then in chapter 29 of Numbers, verse 1 is Trumpets, verse 7 is Atonement, verse 12 The Feast of Tabernacles; then verse 17-32 is telling the priest and Levities what sacrificing there is to be on each day of the Feast of Tabernacles, and verse 35 is The Last Great Day. If you read both chapters you will find the sacrificing that accompanied each Sabbath and each Holy Day that we are commanded to keep. Each being a day of holy convocation except Passover. Remember what verse one and two of chapter 28 said? Each one of these are commanded, and to be observed in their season (time). Christ sacrificed His life, replacing those physical rituals that were performed on these commanded days.

Now go back and read another order of offering, one I left out. This one is lumped right along with all the Holy Days. "AND IN THE BEGINNINGS OF YOUR MONTHS ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;" (Num 28:11).

This is talking about the first day that occurs every month! " This is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year" (Num 28:14 last part). Was it to be a day of physical rituals? YES! Was it or is it a day for the worship of God as is the Sabbath and the Holy Days? NO! We have already seen that Moses, by God's direction, included the new moon offerings in Numbers 28 and 29.

David, a man after God's own heart, is shown to be making Solomon his son King. "So when David was old and full of days he made Solomon, his son, king over Israel. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levities." (to tell them) "To stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even: And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the Sabbaths, in the New Moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:" (1 Chron. 23:1-2, 30-31).

Did King Solomon continue to practice what he was taught? "Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the New Moons, and on the solemn Feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel" (2 Ch. 2:4). You can read, starting in I Kings Chapter 11 through Chapter 14, how Israel lost sight of God's true calendar, when Jeroboam changed the Feast at Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan, setting the eighth month for the Feast of Tabernacles, instead of the seventh month, and ordaining himself to appoint priests over the work of the temple. (Starting the traditions of man's calendar, and losing sight of God's true calendar!)

Did Hezekiah obey what was written in the Law of the Lord? "He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD" (2 Ch. 31:3).

The Apostle Paul was concerned about the Church in Colosse, it was mostly made up of Gentiles, not understanding all the ramifications of keeping God's law. The Apostle Paul told them, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Col. 2:16-17).

This is the verse where Mr. Armstrong came to see, that the Sabbath and the Holy Days have not been done away! I want to quote from a letter forwarded to me. This letter was written by Mr. Armstrong to a person, who at that time was a member of the Worldwide Church of God. The letter was in response to a question about the New Moon.

"God led me to check very carefully into the exact timing of His Sabbath and Feast days fifty-two years ago. In fact, Colossians 2:16 came into special in-dept study early in 1927, due to the fact that Seventh-Day used this passage to do away with the annual Feasts and Sabbaths, by saying this verse was speaking of the Sabbath days, or the new moon, or the annual Sabbath days. However God gave Israel under Moses special burnt offerings and sacrifices on the annual feasts and on the new moons or beginning of months, on the weekly Sabbaths, beside the daily offerings morning and evening. The Fact that these days are mentioned together in a number of O.T. Scriptures proved that Col 2:16 was referring to annual Sabbaths as well as the weekly Sabbath. Otherwise you might not be observing God's annual Festivals now, for this was the clincher on opening my eyes to the observance of these annual Feasts.

"No church then observed the annual Feasts, and the Jews did not observe the Passover or Pentecost properly. But God did use Judah (not Israel), to preserve both the O.T. Scriptures and the sacred calendar. These were preserved in writing. Israel, prior to rejecting King Rehoboam, and Judah after, did on occasions observed God's weekly and annual Sabbaths, but not continually, and they disobeyed in just about everything--but they did preserve what was in writing.

"All these days were observed on the same day everywhere that they were observed at Jerusalem, when that day reached them. Days are always calculated as of Jerusalem. If we live in a time zone that begins ten hours later than the same day does at Jerusalem, we observe that same day when that day comes to us, whether one or more hours before or after.

"New Moons were not holy days, or days set apart for religious service, but for special sacrifices and offerings that ended at Jesus' death. Colossians 2:16 does not set the new moons apart as being holy days or days for special religious service. Nor is there any example of such, although they did (When they did) blow trumpets on the first day of each month, beside the special sacrifice offerings.

"We did, at Pasadena, when the Church was still young, hold a special Bible study on the eve of each new moon. But later we moved that at Pasadena to Friday nights." (This is a direct quote from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong’s letter, sent from his home in Tucson, Arizona in 1979).

Mr. Armstrong at one time held a special service on the first day of each month as prescribed from Col. 2:16. You just read in the letter from Mr Armstrong that new moons were not Holy Days, or days set apart for religious service. "Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the Sabbaths and in the new moons" (Eze. 46:1,3). "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD" (Isa 66:23).

What is the definition of worship? 1. Bow down 2. homage paid to a superior being 3. reverence 4. meditation 5. submission to God's will 6. service by showing obedience to all of God's laws, commandments, statutes and judgements.

This day of the new month is not a Sabbath day or a Holy day. That is why you don't see evidence of it in Leviticus 23. Leviticus 23 shows us God's Holy days, that we are to keep. Numbers 28 and 29 show us a complete list in the law of all the days on which we are to worship our Creator. Deuteronomy 16 and Exodus 23---Numbers 28 and 29---Leviticus 23 are all complimentary of each other. "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" (Isa 28:10).

When studying God's word we will find frequent associations of the Sabbath and new (moon) month---Sabbath, new moons and Holy days, set feasts, or solemn feasts, just as we have seen in Col 2:16 in the New Testament.

In our everyday calendar (called the Gregorian calendar), we would easily be able to tell someone, if asked, the month and the date! But ask someone in The Church to tell you what month and date it is by using God's calendar and I doubt you will get a correct answer. In 1997, March 9th was the first day of the 1st month (that started in the Jerusalem time zone) in God's calendar. (Request our free article: "WHY DO WE COUNT TIME FROM JERUSALEM." Every Sabbath you keep is calculated from the Jerusalem time zone, from sunset to sunset, observing it when it comes to you. Just as the Holy Days have been calculated from sunset to sunset from the Jerusalem time zone. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:33,40).

The new moon (New month) keeps the Church of God in unity around the world, on the same day. "God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be FOR SIGNS, AND FOR SEASONS, AND FOR DAYS, AND YEARS" (Gen. 1:14).

Observing the new moon (new month day) is a sign of God's true Church. Jerusalem is the city of the Living God and Church of the first born who are written in Heaven. The new month keeps us in remembrance of God's calendar. When Israel stopped worshiping God on the new month day, they lost track of God's true calendar. No, I do not believe scripture teaches the New Moon Day should be kept like the Sabbath or Holy Days! I do believe we should keep it a special day so we can remember God's true calendar! There is no indication of a holy convocation called for the new moon day in Leviticus 23 or in Numbers 28 and 29, where the Holy convocations are listed!

We need to make the first day of each month a special day by making more time for worshiping God through prayer, meditation and thanking God for your calling and for blessing us with His Holy Spirit. Try and do more Bible study on that day, have a special meal like you do on the Sabbath and the Holy days. Invite a family or someone over, of like mind, on that day showing hospitality. You can probably think of many more ways to make it a special day to remember God's true calendar. "BUT THE HOUR COMETH, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS SHALL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: FOR THE FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM. GOD IS A SPIRIT: AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH." (John 4:23-24).