[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

What Is the Christian Passover?

Is it possible for there to be a Christian Passover, or is that a contradiction?

Most people think, “Jews keep Passover, Christians keep Easter. Case closed.” No further discussion. But there IS such a thing as a Christian Passover. And that’s revealed in the pages of the Bible.

If you are surprised by that, then stick with us, as we ask—and answer—three questions about the Christian Passover.

I’ll be right back.

God’s Holy Days vs. Pagan Holidays

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

There are more than 2 billion people on this earth who identify themselves as Christians, and most of them observe the holidays usually associated with Christianity, such as Christmas and Easter.

But a growing number of people are discovering that the Bible has something different to say about Christian holy days, and it may not be what you think. You see, most people today think of the biblical holy days as exclusively Jewish. But are they?

Let’s examine that topic today as we explore three questions about the Christian Passover. We’ll start with the first question:

1. Did Jesus keep and teach the Christian Passover?

When we speak of religious observances in the springtime, the Jews keep Passover as a remembrance of their sojourn and deliverance from Egypt. On the other hand, most Christians keep Easter to commemorate the resurrection of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let’s talk briefly about the Old Testament Passover. Actually, it wasn’t just the Jews who kept the Passover—they were just one tribe in the nation of people called the Israelites, the children of the patriarch Israel. God gave the Israelites instructions in Exodus 12:3 and 5–8.

Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: “On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb…. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it” (Exodus 12: 3–8).

The Passover Lamb Takes on New Meaning

You see, the Passover in ancient times was kept as a memorial of how God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians. God struck the firstborn of the Egyptians on the night of the Passover. But the Israelites marked their doorposts with some of the blood from the Passover lamb, and God “passed over” the households of the Israelites, and protected them from harm.

Fast forward to the time of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah, Who observed the Passover during His lifetime. But as our Savior, He not only came to earth to live the life of an obedient Jew, He also came to die for our sins and establish His Church.

But on the night before He died, notice something very special that Jesus did with His disciples. He instituted the New Testament Passover, which we may also call the Christian Passover. In Luke 22:14–15 we read of that last Passover He observed with His disciples.

When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:14–15).

Yes, Jesus kept the Passover. And that involved a meal including roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs, in keeping with the Old Testament statute.

Three New Passover Symbols for Christians

But He also did something new that night. He instituted New Testament Passover symbols. Let’s read in Matthew 26:26–28.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26–28).

Unleavened Bread and Wine: Symbols of Jesus’ Broken Body and Blood

What Jesus did was take the two elements of the bread and wine, and institute new symbols.

The unleavened bread represented how His body would be broken in the beating He would suffer through, leading up to His crucifixion.

The wine represented how He poured out His blood, and died, from a spear wound while hanging on the stake.

As the true Lamb of God—which the Old Testament Passover was foreshadowing—He was going to give His life for the salvation of all mankind. These symbols He established had tremendous meaning—and awesome significance for the future of every human being.

Now, before we go any further, don’t be confused by the language. The bread did not mysteriously become Christ’s literal body. And the wine did not miraculously become His literal blood. No, both were symbols, representing His broken body and His shed blood. And again, those symbols have tremendous meaning.

Foot Washing: A Symbol of Servant Leadership

But let’s notice one thing more. As He taught His disciples that night, He introduced one more element. And this is found in John 13:3–5.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded (John 13:3–5).

Here Jesus instituted another element in the Christian Passover, the washing of your brother’s feet. This was designed to teach Jesus’ disciples to humble themselves and serve one another, as Christ had served them—notice in John 13:12–15.

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:12–15).

Follow Jesus’ Example

All three symbols—the bread, the wine, and the foot washing—would constitute a new observance, a New Testament Christian Passover. And He instituted it on the night before He died.

Jesus explained the importance of this new observance in John 6:53–54.

Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:53–54).

Again, not ingesting His literal body and blood, but taking the symbols that represented His dying for mankind.

So, did Jesus keep the Passover? Yes. He kept the ancient Passover observed by the Jews and all the Israelites. But even more significantly for us, He also instituted a New Testament Christian Passover for His followers. And He specifically told them, “Follow My example and do as I have done.”

Gentile Christians Kept Passover

After His death and resurrection, as the Church grew, Gentiles were called into the Church as well. And so that brings up a logical question—our second question about the Christian Passover. And we’ll address that in the next section of this program.

2. Were Gentiles expected to observe the Christian Passover as well?

This is an important question. Because many people believe as the Church grew, God allowed the rules to change, so to speak. They believe that somehow the Gentiles coming into the Church didn’t have to follow the same rules and laws as the Jews who were in the Church already.

The Apostle Paul’s writings are often used to try to show that the rules changed for Gentiles coming into the Church. But let’s examine what Paul taught about the Christian Passover.

Jesus said, “Do This in Remembrance of Me”

In 1 Corinthians 11, we find a quite enlightening passage about what Paul taught about the Christian Passover (1 Corinthians 11:23–25).

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:23–25).

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, who supposedly did away with all the Jewish laws, was describing the Christian Passover. And he was describing this in his letter to a Gentile church, the Corinthians. Notice further, in verse 26:

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Some believe this means we should take the symbols of the bread and wine multiple times a year, or perhaps every time we worship God. But notice, that’s not what He said. He just said, when you take it, you are proclaiming or memorializing the death of your Lord, until He comes.

Now, there’s a lot in there. For one, it’s a reminder that Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth. And we are approaching that time; it’s closer than ever.

Passover Is the Anniversary of His Death

But the other thing we note here is he explained the Passover is a memorial of Christ’s death. It’s the anniversary of Christ’s death.

Now, why would you keep an anniversary on any old day you want? On a different day from the day in which the original event happened?

• In the United States, we celebrate July 4 as Independence Day, going back to the publishing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
• In France, Bastille Day is July 14. It’s the national day of France because it hearkens back to the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.
• In Mexico, September 16 is observed as independence day, the day the Catholic priest and patriot, Miguel Hidalgo, delivered his famous summons to his parishioners to rise up in revolution. It’s observed on September 16, the very day these events happened.

Most other countries also have specific days to honor a special event that happened on that day.

Married couples often celebrate the anniversary of their wedding. When do they do it? Well, on the day when they were married. Every man knows that his wife would not be very happy if he forgot the day of their anniversary.

God’s Timing Is Perfect—and Jesus Died on Passover

So, why would we think God would be pleased if we take symbols representing Christ’s sacrifice on any old day we want, regardless of the timing?

Timing is very important to God. And in this case, the timing of the Christian Passover reminds us of the importance and significance of the event that took place on that day—the crucifixion and death of Jesus on the stake for our sins.

Passover Preparation: Self-Evaluation of Your Christian Character

Going further, Paul even described how to prepare for taking that Passover. Notice 1 Corinthians 11:27–28.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup (1 Corinthians 11:27–28).

Paul said there’s even a proper way to prepare for taking the Christian Passover. That is:

• Self-examination
• Self-reflection
• An honest evaluation of how one is living his life in light of God’s laws and God’s direction
• And an acknowledgement of the need for Christ’s sacrifice and God’s forgiveness in our life

Passover Reminds Us to Become Like Jesus Christ

Remember, Paul was writing to the Corinthians, who were Gentiles, not Jewish. This Passover was not just for the Jews or Israelites. It was for all Christians—notice in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7).

When the ancient Israelites were keeping the Passover, they were actually, without knowing it, foreshadowing the Lamb of God dying for the sins of mankind. And that’s exactly what Paul was explaining. Notice then, in verse 8 Paul said:

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8).

So, we’ve already seen that the disciples were taught to keep the Christian Passover. Now, we see the Apostle Paul taught the symbolic significance of the Passover and explained how to prepare for it.

How can we come to any other conclusion, than this was intended for all New Testament Christians to keep?

Why Easter and Pagan Holidays? The Bible Teaches Passover and God’s Holy Days

But with all of that in mind, let’s look at our third question.

3. Why do most professing Christians keep Easter instead of the Christian Passover?

Isn’t it remarkable, that there is no single instruction or command to keep an observance commemorating the resurrection of Christ? On the other hand, the Bible speaks a lot about the Christian Passover.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the resurrection is extremely important. We base our hope of eternal life on that fact. We read in Romans 8:11,

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

The resurrection is supremely important. But you can search the New Testament from beginning to end, and you will find no instruction or command to keep it as an observance or a holy day. So, why do so many people observe Easter?

Pagan Holidays and Their Pagan Symbols Usurp God’s Purpose

Longtime Tomorrow’s World viewers know that most of the holidays of mainstream Christianity today come from blatantly pagan roots. Such is the case for Easter. In the booklet Easter: The Untold Story, Tomorrow’s World presenter and evangelist Gerald Weston explains this:

The Oxford Companion to World Mythology explains this about Easter: “The holiday comes in the early Spring and is clearly related to ancient fertility myths of reborn heroes…. For many, Easter is synonymous with fertility symbols such as the Easter Rabbit, Easter eggs, and the Easter lily” [“Easter,” p. 111] (Easter: The Untold Story, Gerald Weston, pp. 2–3).

So, why do people keep Easter, if it comes from ancient pagan traditions?

The facts of history reveal that after the Church was founded in the first century, the mainstream visible church underwent profound changes.

As new generations arose, the pressure to conform to the pagans around them grew immensely—including keeping the springtime fertility festival to the goddess Ishtar.

By contrast, faithful Christians held to the doctrines of Christ and the apostles.

Tomorrow’s World writer Dexter Wakefield explains this in his article in the March–April 2013 issue entitled, “Are You a Quartodeciman? Should You Be?” Notice:

In the second century ad, a controversy raged in early Christianity. The Roman church under Pope Sixtus I had established the keeping of an early version of Easter on a Sunday. But it had long been the practice of the Middle Eastern (Asiatic) churches to keep the Christian Passover as Jesus and the apostles did on the 14th day of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish calendar (Leviticus 23:5)… (“Are You a Quartodeciman? Should You Be?” Tomorrow’s World, March-April, 2013, p. 18).

He mentions the Christian Passover was on the 14th day of Nisan. The term Quartodeciman is Latin for “14th.” It would come to be a name for those who continued to keep the Christian Passover on the 14th of Nisan, as Jesus did, even as many in the visible church had abandoned it for Easter.

Mr. Wakefield continues:

The Catholic Encyclopedia reports, “While Anicetus was Pope, St. Polycarp, then in extreme old age, came to confer with him (160-162) about the Paschal controversy; Polycarp and others in the East celebrating the feast on the fourteenth of the month of Nisan, no matter on what day of the week it fell; whereas in Rome it was always observed on Sunday” [article: “Pope St. Anicetus”] (“Are You a Quartodeciman? Should You Be?” Tomorrow’s World, March–April, 2013, p. 18).

A Disciple of the Apostle John Refuses to Exchange Passover for Easter

Polycarp was a direct disciple of the Apostle John. Anicetus and Polycarp did not come to an agreement on the subject, and several decades later another bishop in Rome, Victor, attempted to force all the churches of Asia Minor to reject the Christian Passover on the 14th of Nisan. But they did not buckle to the pressure.

Mr. Wakefield continues:

The early church historian Eusebius wrote: “But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him: ‘We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep… Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles… moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord… All these observed the fourteenth day of the Passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith’ … Thereupon Victor, who presided over the church at Rome, immediately attempted to cut off from the common unity the parishes of all Asia, with the churches that agreed with them, as heterodox; and he wrote letters and declared all the brethren there wholly excommunicate” [Life of Constantine, ch. XXIV] (“Are You a Quartodeciman? Should You Be?” Tomorrow’s World, March–April, 2013, p. 23).

So those keeping the Christian Passover were excommunicated from what was becoming the mainstream church.

Mr. Wakefield concludes:

But the practice [that is, the keeping of the Christian Passover] continued with the Asiatic churches, and in the year 325 ad at the Council of Nicea, those who were faithful to the Quartodeciman Passover were declared anathema. The Catholic Pasch—Easter—was set as the orthodox practice of the Catholic Church (“Are You a Quartodeciman? Should You Be?” Tomorrow’s World, March–April, 2013, p. 23).

So, the practice of keeping the Christian Passover didn’t disappear. It just was dwarfed by the more common practice of Easter, because Constantine decreed that Easter should be the official doctrine of the Roman Empire.

True Christians Should Keep Passover

Jesus didn’t abandon the Passover. On the contrary, He, His disciples, and others that followed continued to observe the Christian Passover for centuries. And a growing number of Christians still keep that same biblical observance today.

So what about you? Maybe you’ve never considered the New Testament Christian Passover before. Maybe you assumed the Passover is only Jewish. Maybe you’ve always been taught that Christians should keep Easter.

You need to study this and prove it to yourself. It concerns the very life and death of our Savior, and our obedience to following His instructions. It even concerns our being forgiven of sins, and our hope of eternal life.

Find Other Christians Who Keep God’s Holy Days

You might even be interested in how to observe the Christian Passover for yourself. Many thousands of people just like you have come to the same conclusion and have learned to faithfully keep this important feast day each year.

And if you have questions about the Passover you’d like to ask directly, Tomorrow’s World is sponsored by the Living Church of God. And the Living Church of God has representatives who would love to talk with you. They will be happy to answer any questions you might have about this fundamental practice of the faithful first-century Church, a practice that is still done today, the Christian Passover.

Hey, everyone, thanks for watching. We hope you found this video helpful.

We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

So if you found it helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free copy of our study guide, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. Just click the link or order online at TWTV.org/Plan. It will be sent to you completely free of charge.

And remember to like and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss another video.

See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Which Religion Is Right?

Our world is home to several major religions with a multitude of factions within them. Christianity is the most diverse, with various forms of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant, and each of these three has a plethora of differing denominations.

The next largest belief system is Islam, with Shia and Sunni factions. Then we have Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Atheism, and more.

Many people openly confess they have their own personally-devised faith. “Spiritual, but not religious,” is a common refrain today. It’s impossible to accurately number the endless proliferation of belief systems in a world of over eight billion human beings.

For any thinking person, no matter what his faith, a question must arise: “How do I know that what I believe is true?” After all, doesn’t everyone think that what he or she believes is true? But how can this be when we all believe something different? Can we all be right?

This is not a question from which we should shrink.

If there is a God, does He accept any and all forms of belief systems? Can we dictate to Him that which He must accept? Think about it, my friends.

Be Brave Enough to Face the Truth

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World, where today I am asking and answering the critical question: How can you know that what you believe about God is true?

Think about it, dear friends. Do you want to come to the end of your life only to find out that you were in error about the very purpose of your existence?

Yet, that must be the case for the overwhelming majority who have ever lived. What other conclusion can we come to when we look at the diverse and contradictory ideas of all the major, minor, and obscure religions extant in our world?

Some people contend that all roads lead to heaven, but have you ever applied that logic to Detroit, London, or Beijing? And consider—not all religions agree on what the final destination is, nor on what one must do to get there. Sheer logic tells us this is nonsense.

Be Honest with Yourself

So what makes you think that you have the right answer?

I’ve had to ask myself the same question, and frankly, I marvel at how easy it is to find out. However, there are two obstacles we must overcome up front.

1. Am I willing to sincerely face the question? And…
2. Where do I start to find the answer?

Let’s be honest with ourselves. None of us likes to admit that we’re wrong. Christians believe truth is found in Christianity. But within Christianity, Catholics and Protestants believe their faith is correct. Muslims believe Islam holds the truth. Hindus believe Hinduism is the way. And atheists reject the very idea of God.

Ask the Tough Questions

So whatever you believe, what makes you correct and others wrong? Have you taken a serious and objective look at the question and proved it for yourself? Because if you sincerely question your long-held beliefs, you might not like the answer. And if you don’t like the answer, what are the implications? What do you do about it? Will you admit error? Will you make difficult changes?

If you’re willing to question your long-held beliefs, where do you go to find the answers? In the remainder of this program, I’ll give three keys to finding the answer to this vitally important question.

Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists

Belief is one thing. Proving your belief is something entirely different.

If there is no all-powerful, all-knowing Creator, there is no need to go further. Each of us is left to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong and what temporal meaning there is to life.

However, if the preponderance of the evidence demands an intelligent Creator, then it behooves us to seek to know Him and discover what He expects of us.

Atheists assume they have the answer in evolution, but have they truly questioned that theory?

Proof of God in Our World

Frankly, the evidence of God is all around us.

• Why is the moon 1/400th the size of the sun, but at the exact distance to allow for a total solar eclipse? Quite a “coincidence!”
• Why is 70% of this planet bathed in water, which brings a multitude of benefits—some obvious, some not so obvious, and some of which we are still discovering?
• Why is water the only substance that commonly exists on earth as a liquid, solid, and gas?
• And why does freezing water defy the norm by expanding rather than contracting, allowing ice to float rather than sink?

When we look at the perfection that abounds in creatures great and small, we recognize design, functionality, and beauty.

• Did—as evolutionists assert—vegetarian, mammalian hippopotami and egg-laying, carnivorous crocodiles truly evolve from a common ancestor 55 million years ago?
• Why is it that these common ancestors, so vital to evolutionary theory, only exist in artists’ imaginations and not in the fossil record?

Then there is the whole subject of microbiology and proteins, the building blocks of life.

• How did DNA—the most sophisticated code known to man—evolve?

Steve Jobs needed intelligent humans to write code, but all code writers together cannot match the sophistication, precision, and conciseness of DNA.

• And how could evolution occur when DNA needs proteins, yet proteins do not exist apart from DNA?
• Which came first, and how did one survive while waiting for the other to evolve?

In living cells, proteins are assembled by little “machines,” which themselves are made of proteins.

• Again, which came first, the assembly line or the proteins that make up the assembly line?

Mathematically, it’s impossible, as even evolutionists admit, for life to spontaneously arise from non-living material. The chance of it happening staggers the mind. It’s estimated that the number of atoms in the known universe is 10 to the power of 78 to 82. That is a one followed by 78 to 82 zeros.

Yet, as evolutionist Bill Bryson explains, the odds of a typical protein self-assembling are one in ten to the power of 260. That’s a one followed by 260 zeroes.

Now friends, do you understand what that means? Every time you add a zero, it multiplies the number ten times. So, the odds of just one type of protein self-assembling are—and let this sink in—not just larger, but literally trillions upon trillions upon trillions of times greater than the number of atoms in the known universe. No wonder Bryson admits:

By all the laws of probability proteins shouldn’t exist (Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, 2003, p. 288).

It’s clear that matter came into existence at a point in time, and there has not been enough time for even a single cell to have evolved.

• Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists.

The evidence of God’s existence is all around for anyone with an open mind and eyes to see.

In the previous segment, I didn’t even scratch the surface of all the proofs that God exists. Even apart from microbiology, proofs of God are everywhere. And this is why ancient King David rightly declared:

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

And the Apostle Paul wrote these stern words in Romans 1:18.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:18–20).

If you want to know whether your belief system is correct, you need to prove God’s existence.

That is the first key.

Key #2: Prove for yourself whether the Bible is truly the Word of God

Is it not logical to believe that, if God exists, He has a purpose for mankind and that He has not left us in the dark as to what that purpose is? How, if at all, has He revealed Himself to us?

Are we, who are so marvelously and wonderfully made, left to fend for ourselves with no revealed purpose for being? Or has our Creator given us a means by which His purpose is revealed?

Time does not allow me to explore every holy book, but I will take time to address the Bible.

Fulfilled Prophecy: Proof the Bible Is Inspired by God

One unique trait of this amazing book is fulfilled prophecy. No other book so accurately and clearly foretells events that have taken place, events that are currently taking place, and events to come.

We have covered many biblical prophecies in past Tomorrow’s World programs and in our literature, but let me focus on one of the most remarkable prophecies—found in the book of Isaiah. Here God mocks all pretenders, beginning in Isaiah 44:24.

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness” (Isaiah 44:24–25).

He then projects into the future, after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, to the time when Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt. God then names the Gentile king who will release the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, and He does so 200 years in advance.

[God,] Who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,” to the cities of Judah, “You shall be built,” And I will raise up her waste places…. Who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure,” saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid” (Isaiah 44:26–28).

The account continues into chapter 45, explaining that Cyrus would subdue nations, and become very rich through his conquests—something that history supports. Let’s pick it up in verse 3.

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me (Isaiah 45:3–4).

Yes, through the prophet Isaiah, God called Cyrus by name and declared what he would do, well before Cyrus was born.

Bible Prophecies Happening Now

Viewers of Tomorrow’s World know there are many other very specific prophecies for the end-time that are being fulfilled, even as I speak.

• Jerusalem will be a troublesome stone for the world (Zechariah 12:2–3)
• All nations will be gathered together against the Jews (Zechariah 12:3; Zechariah 14:2)
• A Jewish state will wield great military power (Zechariah 12:6; Genesis 49:1; Genesis 49:8–9)
• There exists instantaneous worldwide communications at the end of the age (Revelation 11:9–10)
• Humanity is able to destroy all life from planet earth, so says our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:21–22)

Doesn’t everyone think his religious views are correct? Yet how can everyone be right when there are so many different ideas about God and religion in the world? Is there objective truth? And if so, how can you know that you have that objective truth?

Thus far, I’ve given you two of three keys necessary to answer this question.

1. Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists.
2. Key #2: Prove for yourself whether the Bible is truly the Word of God.

These two keys prepare the way for the third vital key, which can give you certainty that you have the truth, something that eludes so much of humanity.

Key #3: Prove from the Bible What Jesus Taught and How He Lived

Now on the surface, most people think they already know, but do they?

The late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith asked:

If Jesus of Nazareth were to return to the earth today, would He recognize the religion that is using His name? Would He be shocked to find that… His professed followers believe doctrines totally contrary to what He taught, observe different days of worship and different customs, and—most importantly—have a totally different concept of God and of His purpose than Jesus and the original Apostles did (Restoring Original Christianity, p. 1)?

False Christianity: Refusing to Obey Jesus Christ

When we compare modern professing Christianity, we find a religion in many aspects different from Jesus, His Apostles, and the early Church of God. No wonder Jesus gave false Christianity as His first sign of the end of the age.

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name [that is, claiming they represent Him], saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ [in other words, admitting Jesus is the Christ] and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5).

Jesus challenged the people, even in His day (Luke 6:46),

But why do you call Me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do the things which I say?

Yes, people call Jesus their Lord or Master, but do they really do what He taught? Or do they reason around clear statements, such as this one found in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17–18?

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

What Did Jesus Teach?

Since time is limited, let me ask some serious questions for serious students of the Bible.

• Why don’t professing Christians observe the same seventh-day Sabbath that Jesus and His Apostles did?
• It is recorded three times that Jesus is “the Lord of the Sabbath,” so why do people call Sunday the Lord’s day, when the Bible never does?
• Why is the birth of Christ celebrated on the birthday of the sun god, Mithra?
• Why is the name of a pagan fertility goddess, Ishtar (or Easter), attached to a most sacred Christian holiday?
• Why is Easter celebrated with fertility symbols such as eggs and rabbits—something absolutely missing from the New Testament?
• And why are holidays originating in paganism substituted for the holy days Jesus and His Apostles kept?

Just because we have believed something from an early age does not make it true.

True Christianity Rejects Pagan Traditions

My guess is that if you are a viewer of Tomorrow’s World, you believe in one form of Christianity or another. Probably only a very small percentage of our audience identifies as non-Christian. That’s why I have focused on the God of the Bible. Nevertheless, that does not negate my first two keys to know whether what you believe is true. You must:

1. Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists.
2. Key #2: Prove for yourself whether the Bible is truly the word of God.

But when we come to key number three for a professing Christian audience, people become emotional and defensive. Pride gets in the way. Most people would rather believe their long-held beliefs are right than admit error and change.

Satan Deceives the Whole World

But do you realize that God tells us that Satan has deceived the whole world, and Christianity, the most diverse of all world religions, is the largest belief system in the world. According to one source, it is estimated that Christianity will have over 2.63 billion adherents by the end of 2024.

Which form of Christianity do you subscribe to? With so much diversity within this largest of all religions, how can they all be right? Would it surprise you to know that according to many scholars, very few people today follow the founder of Christianity?

Respected mainline Protestant scholar Jesse Lyman Hurlbut points out that it didn’t take long for Christianity to take a wrong turn

For fifty years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church-fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul (Hurlbut, The Story of the Christian Church, 1970, p. 33).

More pointedly, philosopher and theologian Søren Kirkegaard wrote:

The Christianity of the New Testament simply does not exist…. What has to be done is to throw light upon a criminal offense against Christianity, prolonged through centuries, perpetrated by millions (more or less guiltily), whereby they have cunningly, under the guise of perfecting Christianity, sought little by little to cheat God out of Christianity, and have succeeded in making Christianity exactly the opposite of what it is in the New Testament (Kierkegaard’s Attack Upon Christendom, translated by Walter Lowrie, 1946, pp. 32–33).

And as noted historian Will Durant explains:

Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it (Caesar and Christ, 1944, p. 595).

Those are strong words, and they are far from the only ones written by historians and biblical scholars.

3. Key #3 is prove from the Bible what Jesus taught and how He lived.

True Christians Must Follow Jesus

Every denomination in professing Christianity claims it has the truth, but the Apostle John wrote:

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:4–6).

Are you, dear friends, walking in the steps of Jesus? Are you sure?

I hope you profited from this video.

If you found it helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free booklet titled The Bible: Fact or Fiction? by clicking the link or going to TWTV.org/Bible.

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Thanks for watching! See you next time.