There is no error more convincing then that of error mixed with truth. Our newest critic, Bishop TD Jakes, has launched an attack upon God’s commandments, and indirectly insults those who decide to follow in the steps of Christ in observing it by basically saying that Sabbath keepers have a “stinking-thinking attitude,” and should be “fought off.”
We noticed a great deal of errors in his presentation, but it became more evident what his intentions were when we slowly examined every minute of these clips in order that we may respond to every incorrect point. We will leave this for the reader to conclude, but will point out some things we’ve noticed, and then proceed with the responses.
1:
CHANGING THE MEANING OF SCRIPTURE: At least twice we have seen our critic misinterprete scripture. For example, at
Time in Video 00:57-00:58 in the second clip, the word “walking” in
Genesis 3:8 was quickly and almost unnoticeably changed to “working.” This, of course, is not how the verse reads, but this misinterpretation sets the foundation for the error of an “eternal sabbath” which he emphasis throughout the rest of his sermon. For some odd reason, he touched his face when he did this. The same was done in
Time in Video 04:09-04:11 of part 1 when he quickly changed the word “things” (actually
Jeremiah 17:22 says “burdens” not “things”) into the word “issues.” And yes, he also touched his face here. Coincidence? Maybe.
Now some might argue that Mr. Jakes simply mispoke. This might be true. But consider why we had to bring this point up. Just before he said "working, walking," at
Time in Video 00:47-00:53 of part 2, he said:
"... and there is no mention of days
or works or labors anymore until Adam sinned..."
Then after the "working, walking," in
Time in Video 01:08-01:18, he says these words:
"Sin
caused God
to get up from his rest and move out
and find an innocent lamb
and slay the lamb
and cover Adam from his nakedness..."
So he says there is no mention of works before Adam sinned, but then after Adam sinned there is mention of work, for God had to work by getting up, searching for a lamb, slaying that lamb, then covering Adam's nakedness. In the midst of all this, the word "walking" was changed to "working." And that change would fit quite well, for according to him God had to do just that after sin...
work. In other words, the context surrounding his "mis-speaking" seems to indicate that he mispoke on purpose, for that (the working) was the very point he was trying to lead his audience to believe.
But... maybe not. You decide.
2:
NOT READING IN CONTEXT: In
Time in Video 01:24-01:31, in part 2, TD Jakes says that “remember” in the fourth commandment somehow means to remember that “sin breaks rest.” In order to remember that "sin breaks rest" one must remember also the "sin," for it was "sin" that broke the rest... of course. But in context, what God is saying to “remember” is that he is the creator and that because of this all praise and worship belongs solely to him. Take a look for yourself:
Exodus 20:8-11 (8) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(9) Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
(10) But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
(11)
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Simple. Its just a matter of reading things in context.
3:
AN APPARENT CONTRADICT: Towards the beginning of the second clip, at
Time in Video 00:18-00:21, he says very clearly that when God had finished everything, he announced “to all the created things that the creation was completed, that he had set in motion a cycle that was sufficient…” We do agree here, God did set up
a cycle… a weekly cycle, for the word “cycle” implies “rotation,” or, “series, sequence, etc.” But then throughout the rest of his sermon he leads the hearer to believe that the seventh day was somehow “unending.” If the seventh day was an eternal day of rest, how then did God set up a cycle? What cycle could TD Jakes have been referring to except that of the weekly cycle?
One might argue that he is talking about a cycle of “creating” so that creation can continue on its own, but God did not create everything so that it could create itself… otherwise man could also bear the supreme title of “creator” and “life-giver” as God does. What God did was “command” not “program” his created beings to, not create, but “multiply” which in the Hebrew means to “increase, become great.” (see
Genesis 1:27). Yet it is God who “creates” us even while we multiply:
Jeremiah 1:5 (5) Before
I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Isaiah 49:5 (5) And now, saith the LORD that
formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
Then there is the heavy merging of truth with error. There is a special rest the believer has when he comes to Christ. The Lord took upon himself my sin and my punishment when he hung on that cross, and though this act he set me free from my guilt, my sin, and helped me avoid punishment. In this way I rest my soul in his hands. This is why, just before Jesus invited all to come unto him for rest (
Matthew 11:28) he warned of the coming punishments upon the rejecters of his truth (verses 21-23). This punishment for sin will be avoided, if we chose to find rest in him. All who rest in Jesus are resting from the punishment they deserve because of their sins!
Now TD Jakes mixes the rest of the weekly Sabbath, which is a commandment by God, with this spiritual rest. We agree the Sabbath has its spiritual application, and does teach the believer about this rest. But this does not mean that the seventh day Sabbath is now abolished. Much like Marriage. It too was instituted before sin, and it also has its spiritual applications. However, the honest bible student will agree that the New Testament does not teach that marriage is abolished every time a person unites with Christ. (More on this point in our responses below).
Things to keep in mind while you read 
