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New Moons and Communions in the CSDA Church

Posted: May 28th, 2012, 6:09 pm
by David Aguilar
Some time ago, an individual sent us a message, asking:

My question to you Creation Seventh Day Adventist is why do you keep communion of the new moons?


My reply was as follows:
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:15 pm Post subject: Unity, Judgment and the New Moon Communion
Greetings,

In my article "The Cycle of The Moon" found here: http://www.csda-adventistchurch.to/Binary/essays/emoon.html, I make several points from Scripture, these being:

1) The Church is the Bride of Christ. (2Cor 11:2, Eph 5:25)
2) The New Moon in the Old Testament was considered a "solemn feast" in which it was a time for rest (Ezek 46:1, Amos 8:5), gathering before the King (1Sam 20:5,8), judgment (Psalm 81:3), dedication (Num 28:11) and self-examination. (Num 10:10)
3) The New Testament, rather than denying the continuing validity of the Holy Days (including New Moons) rather emphasizes them for both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 18:21, 20:6, 16; 1Cor 5:8, 16:8), explaining that they continue to be valuable as shadows of "things to come" in the plan of Salvation. (Col 2:16,17) Note that Philippi and Collosae were both predominantly Gentile congregations.
4) The New Moon today continues to have the same significance it always did. It was kept by ancient Israel, it was kept in the days of the Apostles, it will be kept by the Redeemed in the New Heavens and New Earth (Isaiah 66:22,23), and it should be kept by believers today, who consider themselves to be "the Bride of Christ."

Now, of course, there are some who consider themselves "spiritual connoisseurs." That is to say, they are being led by their own impulses and a fear of any kind of organization. Organization, as opposed to popery (which seeks to control the conscience and restrict spiritual liberty), is a very Biblical concept: Acts 6:1-7; 1Cor 12:27,28; Eph 4:11-16; 1Tim 3:1-5; Pet 5:5.

It is also a very Adventist concept. While it is true that "We are not saved in groups," [The Gospel Herald, August 1, 1910] but tested as individuals, nevertheless the faithful are gathered into one Body, one Bride, as the plan from Heaven has always been set before us: "The order that was maintained in the early Christian church made it possible for them to move forward solidly as a well-disciplined army clad with the armor of God." [Acts of The Apostles, p. 95] "Many do not realize the sacredness of church relationship, and are loath to submit to restraint and discipline. Their course of action shows that they exalt their own judgment above that of the united church; and they are not careful to guard themselves, lest they encourage a spirit of opposition to its voice. [...] When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the early church, 'the whole multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.' The Spirit of Christ made them one." [The Remnant Church; Its Organization, Authority, Unity, and Triumph, pp. 10, 48, etc.]

This unforced unity is a KEY aspect of Communion and the New Moon ceremony. Those who reject the Word in this matter set their judgment above the Bible and dishonor Christ, whose plan is to have one Church, and not a multitude of people grabbing their doctrines "here and there" from a number of different bodies of professed believers (e.g. some doctrines from Messianics, some from Adventism, some from "Reformation" Christianity, and so on). This is, of course, contrary to the Spirit's leadings, which will have "One Lord, one faith, one baptism," (Eph 4:5) and to which it is written, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Yahshua the Messiah, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1Cor 1:10) Without the concept of Christian Unity (John 17:21 - not united by the sword, by a solidified "creed," or by anything else other than a common faith and a common love), the very ritual of "Communion" is meaningless, no matter when it is practiced.

Although I do go into why we have Communion on New Moons a little in the article, the basics of it are as follows: Although some groups teach that communion should be had only on the annual occasion of Passover/Feast of Unleavened bread, we understand that the Messiah changed both the mode and the timing of the ceremony, for there is now no longer a lamb to be sacrificed; and rather than solely pointing backward to the Cross, it points forward to the Tree of Life. As all Bible students know, the Lord's supper represents eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the sacrifice, and this is nothing but foretasting the fruit of the Tree of Life in the Redeemed Creation. As Ellen White wrote in more than one place: "Christ is the source of our life, the source of immortality. He is the tree of life, and to all who come to Him He gives spiritual life." [RH Jan. 26, 1897] "Here is presented before us a rich banquet, of which all who believe in Christ as a personal Saviour may eat. He is the Tree of life to all who continue to feed on Him. . . . " [This Day with God, p. 292]

Even without this inspired commentary, it is clear from Scripture that the "Communion" for the time after which sin is finally destroyed will take place once a month. This will be on the New Moon, which is the meaning of the Greek phrase kata men, translated as "every month" in Revelation where it is said, "In the midst of the street of [New Jerusalem], and on either side of the river, was there the Tree of Life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the nations." (Rev 22:2) Strong's Concordance gives the meaning of "men" [3376] as: "1) a month 2) the time of the new moon, new moon (the first day of each month, when the new moon appeared was a festival among the Hebrews)."

It is also only by a full understanding of the Feasts of Israel that one can appreciate the "self-examination"/judgment aspects of the New Moon Communion. Each New Moon in Israel the trumpets were blown with short blasts (Psa 81:3). On the Feast of Trumpets, which was the New Moon of the 7th month, the trumpets were blown with long blasts as a summoning to judgment for the time of affliction before the Day of Atonement 10 days later. (Lev 23:24-28) Each of these monthly New Moon days was a continual reminder of the judgment to come. As Adventists, we understand ourselves to be currently experiencing the Judgment that preceeds Christ's return (Dan 7:10, 1Tim 5:24, Rev 22:11); therefore being in the Day of Atonement, we have already been summoned to stand in the Judgment by the acceptance of the Victory over Sin. This great gift of grace, also represented by the Marriage of the Lamb (Matthew 25) is the only means by which a human may be judged "righteous." It is to accept Chirst's own righteousness by faith (the message of 1888 to the Church) and to proclaim the living testimony of our Savior.

Every New Moon, we do exactly as earthly Israel did. As Spiritual Israel we examine ourselves, we reflect on the fact that without the sun (Christ our righteousness) to shine upon us, we are dead, dark and lifeless. As the Bride of Christ (for she is a "Woman") we have a monthly "cleansing," and the symbolism is not arbitrary. It is at this time that all members come together as a family to express appreciation and humility before each other (foot washing) and a communion with our Husband (the Lord's supper) to foreshadow the Day that He will drink anew with us the "wine" of the harvest in His Father's Kingdom (Mat 26:29). The only time this is spoken of as taking place in the Redeemed Creation is not the Passover (annually), not on the 7th Day Sabbaths (weekly), but rather it is the New Moon (monthly), when the Tree of Life bears its fruit. This fruit is the symbol of the Savior's continuing love and mercy for, although we are Redeemed, like Adam our immortality is completely dependent on the Son of Yah, for it is He "who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto." (1Tim 6:16)

May Yah bless us as we grow in grace and power for the days ahead,

Re: New Moons and Communions in the CSDA Church

Posted: June 14th, 2013, 12:21 am
by siamon
You have indicated that several of your friends are feast keeping Adventists, so I would hope that they have attempted to explain some of this to you already. And yet, you only say that they are “sincere,” not that they have Biblically grounded reasons for their position, even if you – personally – do not agree with their conclusions. In this, I think you do your friends a disservice. Furthermore, when you dismiss their faithfully held activities as merely “works of the law,” just as most of Christianity dismisses our keeping of the Sabbath as merely a work of the law, you do them again a disservice that you would not like done unto you. I ask that you consider, with a spirit of love, what I have said.

Re: New Moons and Communions in the CSDA Church

Posted: June 14th, 2013, 10:59 am
by David Aguilar
Hello siamon,

Thank you for posting to our forum. I am wondering, however, if you made your post in error, since it is simply a paragraph from another thread:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=73

In this one, I share with Mr. David Clayton (a non feast-keeper) the Biblical support for those who continue to observe our Father's appointed times, continuing this practice into the New Covenant (as Christ's followers did). Although I did not go into it in that reply, New Moons also fall under the appointed times that our Father has given to His Son's people (i.e., Christians).

Do you agree with this? I look forward to hearing from you again.