Raymond McNair

Raymond McNair dies

TEMECULA, Calif. -- Raymond F. McNair, 78, died Oct. 11, 2008, in Southern California.According to early reports, Mr. McNair, a 1953 graduate of Ambassador College, Pasadena, and an early evangelist in the Radio/Worldwide Church of God, died after an illness that had lasted about two and one half years. He had suffered with prostate cancer.Mr. McNair in recent years was founder and president of the Church of God 21st Century, headquartered in the San Diego area.

A Church of the Eternal God elder visiting Mr. and Mrs. McNair from his home in Summerland, B.C., Canada, Rene Messier, was present at the time of Mr. McNair's death and referred to Mr. McNair as another of the "old lions" of the Church of God movement who are passing from the scene.Another Canadian friend of the McNairs, James Ludvigson of Penticton, B.C., spoke fondly of his friend.

Mr. McNair's death "saddens me," Mr. Ludvigson said, and "it just seems we're at that stage in the work where several of the old leaders are having severe health problems, as are the members. The natural attrition in the Church of God speaks for itself. It's a sad testament, but we just have to bond together and continue praying that the developing of the work will go ahead in God's orderly plans."

Mr. McNair's survivors include his wife, Eve.

Write Mrs. McNair at:
P.O. Box 893909,
Temecula, Calif. 92589,
U.S.A.

Visit the COG 21st Century's Web site at www.cog21.org.

Raymond McNair rejects God's government

I preface my comments by giving credit where credit is due, showing a great love and appreciation for Raymond F. McNair being blessed to serve as one of the pioneers of the Worldwide Church of God and to serve in such an active and important role in the holy Work of fulfilling the Great Commission under God's apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong, blessing thousands of brethren over the years. I want this on record since he is an elder and deserving of biblical respect, while I respectfully and strongly disagree with him on the sacred calendar, as a brother in the Lord.

I am very happy to see Raymond McNair acknowledge the Jews have a God-given authority to include postponements in the sacred calendar. Some Church of God members reject this plain truth and go off the deep end, creating their own calendars in the confusion of a spiritual anarchy, a Laodicean everybody-decide-for-himself wrong attitude.

I am grieved to see Raymond McNair assume it's the Sadducees God's Church should submit to on these matters, rather than the Pharisees whom Christ clearly supported on these biblical issues of the sacred calendar.

Quotes from Raymond F. McNair's article, WHAT ARE THE "POSTPONEMENTS"? --

Modern Jews don't observe Pentecost (Shavout) on a Sunday. Instead they observe it on Sivan 6. However the early New Testament Church of God (like the Sadducees) followed the biblical command to observe Pentecost by counting 50 days from the Sunday (the "morrow after the Sabbath") that occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This means that when Pentecost is counted correctly, it always falls on a Sunday-thus creating tandem Sabbaths.

Furthermore, no biblical or historical sources indicate that Christ and His apostles had any calendar disputes with the Jews (the Sadducees were then in control of the calendar and the Temple ritual until a short time before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D!) regarding the calendar that they were using in New Testament times.

What a crying shame that Raymond McNair refuses to submit to the government of God and hear the Voice of the Shepherd who clearly stated THE PHARISEES SIT IN MOSES' SEAT - not the blind Sadducees that some Church members continue to blindly follow. God has restored this truth to His Church, and some have repented of their vain Church traditions, choosing to get back on track like the early Church that followed the correct calculations of the Pharisees, like the Apostle Paul.

For Zion's sake,
David Ben-Ariel


Jewish Holidays are Biblical Festivals for God's Church!
Did God authorize Herbert W. Armstrong to determine when the holy days are to be kept? Did Jesus Christ reject the Jews and decide God's Church would now be the custodian of His sacred calendar?

The Pharisees
Who isn't aware of the sins of the Pharisees? Did Jesus have nothing but condemnation for them? You might be surprised.

Passover and Pentecost Differences Settled!
Why do we differ on dates for Passover and Pentecost? Is it because our Father God left us in the dark? Has the God of law and order left us in chaos and confusion? Are we unable to "prove all things" from the Scriptures?

The Oracles of God
God's empowered the Jews - despite themselves - to preserve His Word. They are the only people on Earth that God has blessed and ordained to fulfill such a calling! God will not retract His Word or renege on this gift and responsibility that He's graciously bestowed upon Judah.