Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture has published another new book. That is two books in one month period! This time the subject is the Sabbath. As of this writing it can only be ordered on Amazon but a free PDF will soon be available at Restcase.org.
Once again we are told, on the cover no less, that no one can dispute what Tim has to say about the matter. In this article I only want to look at the foreward which was penned by a man I have written about twice now, BGen. Bienvenido Gerardo C. Casis, Jr., AFP (Ret.).
Look closely at the epaulettes on his shoulders and the rank of Colonel, noted by the three medallions, can be clearly seen. That is because Bien Casis retired as a Colonel and not as Brigadier General. Here the lie is exposed for all to see. So, why is he referred to here as a retired Brig. Gen.? Is it because in the Philippines when you retire from the AFP you are retired at a rank above your current rank? Here is the law from the webpage of the Office of the Provost Marshall General, AFP:
SECTION 10. An enlisted man or officer below the rank of colonel who is entitled to the benefits of this Act shall be retired or separated from the service one rank higher than the permanent rank he holds at the time of retirement or separation. Colonel and Brigadier Generals shall be retired or separated from the service in the rank they hold at the time of their retirement without any promotion in rank. But the gratuity, retirement and separation pay due them or their beneficiaries under this shall be computed on the basis of the base and longevity pay of the of the rank next higher than the permanent rank they hold or hold at the time of their retirement.
https://www.otpmg-afp.com/OTPMG/Policies/References/BudMan/Chapter%203/RA%20Nr%20340.pdf
According to this law Casis is not entitled to being retired at the rank of Brig. Gen. since he retired as a Colonel. He is only entitled to the retirement benefits of that rank. There is no indication that this law has been repealed since it is actually an amendment to RA 340 enacted in 1959. Section 10 was again amended in 1963 but the provision regarding Colonels and Brigadier Generals remained unchanged.
Even Presidential decree 1638, which was put into effect by Marcos in 1979, does not allow a Colonel to retire at a higher rank.
Sec. 9. Military personnel covered under the provisions of Title III shall be retired in the grade next higher than the permanent grade last held except officers in the permanent grade of Colonel/Captain (PN) or higher.
https://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno1638.html
This decree was still in effect in 2012. Casis retired a mere three years later in 2015. There is no evidence this decree was amended except for sections 3 and 5, with 5 being the most important as it lowers the retirement age from 60 to the current 56. This amendment was declared by Marcos in Presidential Decree 1650.
There are also several articles covering an event in 2018 where Casis is referred to as a retired Colonel.
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| https://www.zigzagweekly.net/gulayan-projects-on/ |
CDRRMC BUILDING INAUGURATION - Mayor Mauricio Domogan assisted by city councilors and guest of honor, AFP military historian and retired Army Col. Bien Casis Jr., cut the ceremonial ribbon during the inauguration of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council building located at Motorpool, Lower Rock Quarry Barangay last may 18. ** By Bong Cayayab
How did Bong Cayayab know Casis is an AFP military historian and retired Army Col.? Did Bien tell him? Did someone else tell him? If he is actually a retired Brig. Gen. then why was the photographer told he is a retired Colonel? It is because Casis is a retired Colonel of course.
All this is to say there appears to be no reason why anyone should be referring to Casis as a retired Brigadier General. So, why is he now being referred to as this rank? His picture in a uniform bearing the rank of Colonel next to a headline declaring him to be a retired Brigadier General is ludicrous.
As far as Bien Casis' foreward goes, it is a cautionary tale against the slightest bit of Judaizing and the need to be fully prepared to give an answer for the faith. The issue of the Sabbath is a huge camel which will destroy any semblance of Christianity one it has once its nose is inside the tent. As Bien Casis testifies, it has lead him into all kinds of heresy.
He begins his story by telling us:
It has been approximately three years since a Pastor friend in the USA asked me for my opinion about the Sabbath Day. I vividly remembered that it was the start of my journey in the most important topic in Scripture next to the name of the Creator.
Sabbath, pg.9
Remember, this is Casis reflecting with three years of hindsight and what does he now believe? That THE MOST IMPORTANT TOPIC in Scripture is the name of God with the Sabbath following close behind. That is a very steep fall for this man who was once a Baptist minister. The most important topic in all of Scripture is, of course, Jesus Christ. Everything in the Scripture points to Him. That is such a basic and fundamental truth that it should not have to be pointed out to a man who was a Baptist minister. Even the Sabbath and the names of God point to Jesus Christ. The Sabbath is fulfilled in Him because in Him we find our rest as is so clearly stated in Hebrews 4 which Tim mangles in his introduction. As a Baptist minister Casis should have known all that but sadly he did not. He was not well-equipped for the ministry.
He continues:
I did not immediately respond to his inquiry because I was apprehensive that it would embarrass me if I sent him the wrong answers. What I did was search through my electronics gadget for the word Sabbath in the KJV Bible which I had downloaded. In order to be sure of a correct response I read not only the verses containing the word Sabbath, but also read the whole chapters with those Sabbath verses hoping to get their proper contexts as to what Sabbath meant. As I read further, the topic Sabbath had captured my interested more and more. Isaiah 58:13-14 really struck me very profoundly! I concluded then that Sabbath Day is the Right Worship Day (versus Sunday which had ben taught to us). Then I sent my response to my Pastor friend. Hence, I am forever grateful to Dr. Alberto Nuñez , of Vallejo, California, USA, for (humanly) bringing my consciousness to the topic of Sabbath.
pg.9
What an incredible testimony. Casis goes on to say that even though had read his Bible 42 times he was "oblivious to the Sabbath since we had been in the Baptist Church for decades already." Keep in mind that Casis was a Baptist Pastor. He is telling us that he, as a Pastor, had been oblivious to the Sabbath. He had no idea why Christians worship on Sunday and not Saturday. He had no idea about the Sabbath being fulfilled by Jesus Christ and that we find our rest from all our works in Him. He, as a Pastor, was completely ignorant of one of the most basic truths of Christianity, that Jesus fulfilled the law for us. And all it took was a question from a friend to shake his foundation. Incredible!
Casis continues by telling us how observing the Sabbath lead to an entire overhaul of his faith.
From then on Saturday became our worship and rest day! We also ceased attending Sunday church services; instead we began to conduct our own Sabbath services by reading the Scripture from Genesis 1 and 2, and other chapters containing Sabbath verses. Such a simple start brought us to a deeper conviction on the Sabbath observance. We started learning more Truths about Sabbath. Observance of the Sabbath Day led us to overhaul our "faith and worship." It was a re-birth into the correct, right, turn, deeper, and Scriptural relationship with our Creator YHWH!
p. 10
Casis learned about the Sabbath, started observing it, and essentially began his own cult by conducting his own Sabbath Day services. His group can be found on Facebook and is called the Sabbath Believers Congregation. As a result he was "branded as cultic and heretic."
Learning more about Sabbath compels me to share it patiently and diligently to the rest of my family, friends, relatives, former church-mates, and to all people as far as practicable. I suffer persecution. I am scorned and branded as cultic and heretic. Some relatives, friends, and brethren have even chosen to disassociate from me. It is sad but I know that YAHUAH is on my side. Sabbath (Gen. 2:1-3) is the very gateway to a truly holy relationship with Our Creator. Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11), #4 in the Decalogue, led me to the Mo'edim or Appointed Times (Leviticus 23), and to the Dietary Law (Leviticus 11) which is very crucial in order to be holy. The RUACH HA'QDESH has taught me many more Truths because of Sabbath observance.
p. 10-11
Casis tells us that observing the Sabbath led him to the dietary laws which are "very crucial in order to be holy." Is it any wonder then that people would call this man a heretic? Saying that the dietary laws are crucial to being holy is a total repudiation of the necessity of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is our union with Him and participation in His righteousness that makes us holy, not observing the laws.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians completely overturns the claim that observing the dietary laws are necessary for holiness as well as the entire thesis of this book which is that we must still keep the Sabbath. Besides that, Jesus himself made all food clean!
Mark 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
No food can defile a man because it goes in one end and out the other. Again, this is basic Christianity that Casis apparently did not and still does not know. And he got here all because he started observing the Sabbath like a Jew.
His Sabbath keeping also lead him to keeping the feasts including Passover. Here is a bizarre guide to keeping the Passover posted by his wife on April 15, 2020.
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| https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158138296553875&set=a.10158138284428875 |
April 8 The Passover SupperThings to do:
- Examine yourself. Eat the passover worthily. If you are in contention with this observance, then don't follow it.- Bible Reading/Story Telling about the Passover of the Lamb in Exodus and relevance to Yahusha's death- Prepare the Lamb before hand (4-2 days before)- Roast the lamb on the night of the Passover- Prepare unleavened bread, wine(red grape Juice), bitterherbs (romaine lettuce, green onions, parsley). - No left overs after eating. Throw it immediately.- We will observe this supper together online in Bible reading, breaking the bread and drinking the wine.
1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
We do not need to keep the Passover anymore because Christ fulfilled it in Himself by dying on the cross. The Passover is also a sacrifice. It's not just roasting a lamb and eating it.
This foreward is only 3 pages long but it's short enough to adequately convey how far Casis has fallen from the faith. He started out as a Baptist preacher and now he is a Judaizer who has rejected the grace of Christ in exchange for keeping the law. And all because a friend asked him a question he was not prepared to answer. It just goes to show that anyone who wants to be a Pastor, indeed every Christian, needs to be well-equipped. As Peter admonishes us:
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear
A full review of Rest: The Case for Sabbath can be found at this link.
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