The apostle speaks of a Testament or Will, a final disposition, which, as soon as it came into force, could no longer be altered or added to subsequently (Gal. 3: 15). Upon the death of our Lord, the New Testament came into force. How could men have dared to make all the changes? In Hebrews 9: 16-17 reference is yet again made to these circumstances, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead.”

There is often strife over the estate of a person. The possibility is however excluded, that a last will set down in writing could be completely changed, yet in an inconceivable way that is exactly what has happened with the Testament of the Lord. On the one hand people rely upon Christ, on the other they have made out of Him and His Testament something completely different. That which He left behind was made of no effect, and completely foreign ideas were inserted in place of the Word of God.

Every church community has the right to believe and do what it wishes. When however anyone asserts the claim to be the church of the living God or of Jesus Christ, then the Word of God and the Testament of Jesus must be taken in their entirety exactly as they have been left to us. Where is there room for all these dogmas and traditions, which in the course of church history have been inserted? They certainly do not belong to the Testament left to us.

In the consciousness of mankind the thought has become entrenched, that the organised churches are an establishment of God, teaching and practising in the place of Christ here on earth. What, however, are they in reality? In the little catechism we read under the title “The Com­mandments of the Church”, last part: “Christ has bestowed upon the representatives of the Church the right to make commandments. He desires that we obey the commandments of the Church out of love for Him.” When and where did Christ say anything of the sort? God’s Com­mandments were given a long time previously and should be familiar to all. But regrettably mankind has regarded the commandments of the Church as Commandments of God and is thus gone into error.

At the time of Constantine the secular populace was recognised as the church. In A. D. 313 he commenced by means of political chess moves to win both Christianity and heathenism for his own purpose. It was upon his instigation that the Council of Nicea was called.

After A. D. 325 he supported the construction of both churches and heathen temples. Under his domination, secular Christianity assumed a firm shape, and thereby it became a spiritual world power within the Roman empire. Eusebius saw in him a saviour from the depth of a predicament. After the cruel persecutions of Christians from Nero to Diocletian, man now began to breathe a sigh of relief.

In A. D. 380 universal religious freedom was brought to an end by Theodosius and Gratian. Until then there were still assemblies of various beliefs which existed alongside the Christian church recognised by the state. From now on the civil population was forced with the power of the state to become “Roman” Christians. This process was brought to completion under Justinian (527-565). The church was now finally the recognised State Church, and the priests were civil servants. With the disintegration of the heathen Roman empire, the religious predominance of Rome became established. The cruel Middle Ages began; and about a thousand years were to pass until the outbreak of the Reformation. The autocracy of church and state, in which the church was almost always victorious, had as a consequence that all who believed differently were persecuted. Whole nations were Christianised by force. Millions suffered a martyr’s death, among them hundreds of thousands of Jews, who were branded as “Christ-murderers” and “God’s enemies.” The church became a factor of political power.

Already in the first two centuries after Christ, various fabricated doctrines had been introduced. However, in the 3rd Century the general use of force began. Adherence to new doctrines and practices was demanded. The crucifix, the sign of the cross, wax candles and incense were introduced. More and more things that were new were added; the veneration of the saints, the daily sacrifice of the mass, and much else.

In A. D. 431 at the Council of Ephesus, the worship of Mary as the Mother of God was proclaimed. About A. D. 500, the priests (as they were now called) began to clothe themselves uniformly. The festival in honour of the Virgin Mary, the kissing of the foot of the pope, the vene­ration of statues and relics, the veneration of Joseph and fasting on Fridays followed. Celibacy of the priests was introduced in the year 1079, then the rosary, the sale of indulgences, the doctrine of transubstantiation, the festival of Corpus Christi, etc., etc., until the announcement of the dogma of the physical assumption of Mary; also the confessional, of which one knew nothing in the time of the apostles.

The list can be continued ad libitum. At this point it must be clearly stated that these dogmas have nothing in common with early Christianity and with the teachings of the Apostles. With what justification have they been introduced? Generally speaking every original doctrine has been changed and much added to it, so that nothing is correct any more.

The Lord said, for example, “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Mt. 23: 9). Who can comprehend the way this saying is completely ignored, and that all the world falls to the feet of a man to do homage to him and honours him as “Holy Father”? Thus saith the Lord, “… I will not give my glory unto another!” (Isa. 48: 11). Jesus Christ taught us to pray, “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name …” Is it not blasphemy simply to disregard and use this form of address to a man? Who is then the Holy Father, Whose Name should be hallowed? Is He in heaven or on earth?

Where in the early church are reports of the appearance of Mary? Where of places of pilgrimage or of the worshipping of saints? On the contrary, the Bible warns expressly against any communication with the dead. That is a matter of spiritism and occultism. Also the worshipping of beings for protection is absolutely unscriptural; yes, and more: it goes back clearly to the cult of idol worship in heathenism.

It is equally impossible to find in the Scriptures even the slightest hint that Mary is a mediatrix between God and man. It is written, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Tim. 2: 5). The same is true regarding her supposed role as intercessor. In the Word of God it says quite clearly, “… we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2: 1-2).

Likewise the Scriptures of the New Testament report the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ only, “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Lk. 24: 51). Not one apostle knew anything about the bodily assumption of Mary. Not until the year 1951 was the legend that Mary had been taken up, body and soul, into heaven made into a dogma. There is no Biblical foundation for it. The commandments of men have never given any salvation, but rather have kept millions from salvation.

The apostle speaks of a Testament or Will, a final disposition, which, as soon as it came into force, could no longer be altered or added to subsequently (Gal. 3: 15). Upon the death of our Lord, the New Testament came into force. How could men have dared to make all the changes? In Hebrews 9: 16-17 reference is yet again made to these circumstances, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead.”

There is often strife over the estate of a person. The possibility is however excluded, that a last will set down in writing could be completely changed, yet in an inconceivable way that is exactly what has happened with the Testament of the Lord. On the one hand people rely upon Christ, on the other they have made out of Him and His Testament something completely different. That which He left behind was made of no effect, and completely foreign ideas were inserted in place of the Word of God.

Every church community has the right to believe and do what it wishes. When however anyone asserts the claim to be the church of the living God or of Jesus Christ, then the Word of God and the Testament of Jesus must be taken in their entirety exactly as they have been left to us. Where is there room for all these dogmas and traditions, which in the course of church history have been inserted? They certainly do not belong to the Testament left to us.

In the consciousness of mankind the thought has become entrenched, that the organised churches are an establishment of God, teaching and practising in the place of Christ here on earth. What, however, are they in reality? In the little catechism we read under the title “The Com­mandments of the Church”, last part: “Christ has bestowed upon the representatives of the Church the right to make commandments. He desires that we obey the commandments of the Church out of love for Him.” When and where did Christ say anything of the sort? God’s Com­mandments were given a long time previously and should be familiar to all. But regrettably mankind has regarded the commandments of the Church as Commandments of God and is thus gone into error.

At the time of Constantine the secular populace was recognised as the church. In A. D. 313 he commenced by means of political chess moves to win both Christianity and heathenism for his own purpose. It was upon his instigation that the Council of Nicea was called.

After A. D. 325 he supported the construction of both churches and heathen temples. Under his domination, secular Christianity assumed a firm shape, and thereby it became a spiritual world power within the Roman empire. Eusebius saw in him a saviour from the depth of a predicament. After the cruel persecutions of Christians from Nero to Diocletian, man now began to breathe a sigh of relief.

In A. D. 380 universal religious freedom was brought to an end by Theodosius and Gratian. Until then there were still assemblies of various beliefs which existed alongside the Christian church recognised by the state. From now on the civil population was forced with the power of the state to become “Roman” Christians. This process was brought to completion under Justinian (527-565). The church was now finally the recognised State Church, and the priests were civil servants. With the disintegration of the heathen Roman empire, the religious predominance of Rome became established. The cruel Middle Ages began; and about a thousand years were to pass until the outbreak of the Reformation. The autocracy of church and state, in which the church was almost always victorious, had as a consequence that all who believed differently were persecuted. Whole nations were Christianised by force. Millions suffered a martyr’s death, among them hundreds of thousands of Jews, who were branded as “Christ-murderers” and “God’s enemies.” The church became a factor of political power.

Already in the first two centuries after Christ, various fabricated doctrines had been introduced. However, in the 3rd Century the general use of force began. Adherence to new doctrines and practices was demanded. The crucifix, the sign of the cross, wax candles and incense were introduced. More and more things that were new were added; the veneration of the saints, the daily sacrifice of the mass, and much else.

In A. D. 431 at the Council of Ephesus, the worship of Mary as the Mother of God was proclaimed. About A. D. 500, the priests (as they were now called) began to clothe themselves uniformly. The festival in honour of the Virgin Mary, the kissing of the foot of the pope, the vene­ration of statues and relics, the veneration of Joseph and fasting on Fridays followed. Celibacy of the priests was introduced in the year 1079, then the rosary, the sale of indulgences, the doctrine of transubstantiation, the festival of Corpus Christi, etc., etc., until the announcement of the dogma of the physical assumption of Mary; also the confessional, of which one knew nothing in the time of the apostles.

The list can be continued ad libitum. At this point it must be clearly stated that these dogmas have nothing in common with early Christianity and with the teachings of the Apostles. With what justification have they been introduced? Generally speaking every original doctrine has been changed and much added to it, so that nothing is correct any more.

The Lord said, for example, “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Mt. 23: 9). Who can comprehend the way this saying is completely ignored, and that all the world falls to the feet of a man to do homage to him and honours him as “Holy Father”? Thus saith the Lord, “… I will not give my glory unto another!” (Isa. 48: 11). Jesus Christ taught us to pray, “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name …” Is it not blasphemy simply to disregard and use this form of address to a man? Who is then the Holy Father, Whose Name should be hallowed? Is He in heaven or on earth?

Where in the early church are reports of the appearance of Mary? Where of places of pilgrimage or of the worshipping of saints? On the contrary, the Bible warns expressly against any communication with the dead. That is a matter of spiritism and occultism. Also the worshipping of beings for protection is absolutely unscriptural; yes, and more: it goes back clearly to the cult of idol worship in heathenism.

It is equally impossible to find in the Scriptures even the slightest hint that Mary is a mediatrix between God and man. It is written, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Tim. 2: 5). The same is true regarding her supposed role as intercessor. In the Word of God it says quite clearly, “… we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2: 1-2).

Likewise the Scriptures of the New Testament report the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ only, “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Lk. 24: 51). Not one apostle knew anything about the bodily assumption of Mary. Not until the year 1951 was the legend that Mary had been taken up, body and soul, into heaven made into a dogma. There is no Biblical foundation for it. The commandments of men have never given any salvation, but rather have kept millions from salvation.