When we talk about the Levitical Laws, and consequently the dietary laws, the landing point for these conversations is nearly always Leviticus chapter eleven. And since it is found in Leviticus the argument then becomes, “Jesus, did away with the law, we are now under grace.” Yet, as the caption above shows, the designation of clean and unclean predates the Law of Moses by hundreds if not greater than a thousand years. For Noah had to know which animals were clean and which animals were unclean before the flood since he loaded the ark as instructed, seven of every clean animal and two of the unclean. Moses simply clarifies this and writes it down for future generation’s education.

Why do i mention this? Clearly, there are more substantive points to be made. Yes, however, i start here because this stems from an earlier post of mine in which we discussed Melchizedek, mentioned in Genesis 14 and again in Hebrews. (You can read the post here.) The idea of clean and unclean go back to the earliest days recorded Biblically, therefore, it should be considered of historical value. When i was steeped in denominationalism one of the tenants of belief derived from this saying, “The Word, History, and Tradition.” First, what does the Word say, second, what does history show, third, what of tradition. Yet, as we have discussed, time and time again, history shows that we have a propensity to sway from the Word, make our own history and thereby making mans tradition superior to Elohim’s Word. What i have come to understand and believe is simply, what does the Word say, and leave it at that.

Two points in what is considered the New Testament many will raise are these: Jesus’ proclamation and Peter’s vision. Let’s first look at Peter’s story, found in Acts 10. Here in the town of Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion. He was also a devout man who feared Elohim as did all his household. He prayed continually and gave generously to Elohim. Elohim instructs Cornelius, to seek out Peter, and so he does. Peter, being an Israelite, a proud one at that, and zealous for Elohim would be a tough nut to crack. He was zealous for Elohim towards Israel and thought it wrong to include gentile nations, Greeks, Romans, Italians, Spaniards, etc. So while the men Cornelius sent to seek out Peter were yet traveling Peter has a vision. It says he was hungry on a roof top praying at the 6th hour or noon as was customary. In his hunger ridden vision he sees a sheet descending from the sky full of animals, reptiles, and birds. A voice pronounces, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Peter being a devout Hebrew refuses, “By no means, Adonai; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” (This would indicate that nothing within the sheet was considered food, but a sheet full of unclean things) The voice a second time declares, “What Elohim has made clean, do not call common.”

If the story stopped there i would be in full agreement that the vision was in reference to food and therefore all animals, even ones marked as unclean were made clean by Yahoshua. However, this isn’t the end of the story. Remember the men sent by Cornelius, a Centurion, and an Italian? An unclean gentile of the ruling class that took part in the crucifixion of Yahoshua, has sent men to Peter, might the vision have something to do with that? Well lets check in with Peter. “While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” The men arrive, explain the situation, and the next day Peter and a few friends travel with the men back to Caesarea to meet with Cornelius. After Peter preaches the message of the good news of Yahoshua, the Word made flesh, the gentiles believe and are filled with the Holy Spirit. At the time Acts was written, roughly 60 AD, the Church was about 30 years old give or take. This story is found somewhere in the middle of that, so lets say 15 years into the life of the Church. There were already factions or as they were known Sects that had arisen within Judaism. Much like Denominations today. When word of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit reached the council back in Jerusalem, the circumcision sect was outraged! “This can’t be! The sign of the covenant is circumcision and gentiles are not circumcised, therefore something isn’t right!”

Peter, then describes and interprets his vision. “. . . This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three gentile men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, and making no distinction.” He concludes, “If then Elohim gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in Adonai Yahoshua Messiah, who was I that I could stand in Elohim’s way? When they glorified Elohim, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also Elohim has granted repentance that leads to life.’” You can read the whole account in Acts 10:1–11:18. If this had anything to do with food, anything at all, don’t you think Peter would have mentioned they ate a roast pig or something? The fact is it had and has nothing to do with food but the redemption of humanity through Yahoshua Messiah.

Many will sight Mark 7:19 as a verse in which Yahoshua declares all foods clean. “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?“ (Thus he declared all foods clean.) Notice the parentheses, if your translation has the addendum at all, “Thus he declared all foods clean,” the parentheses indicate that this was added much later, not found in all manuscripts, most likely added erroneously by a pagan convert scribe who enjoyed eating pig. i don’t mean to pick on the pig exclusively, all unclean food for that matter is still unclean and should be avoided. Yet, even still i can hear the voice of some, “But Colossians!” Let’s take a look at Colossians in (my first) conclusion.

“Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Messiah. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, courtships and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from Elohim.” Colossians 2:16-19

Who were the Colossians? First, Colosse was in the Roman province of Asia which is modern-day Türkiye (Turkey). Although, there were Hebrews living in Colosse, they were assimilated into the surrounding culture and therefore considered gentiles to orthodox or Torah observant Israelites. There were of course actual gentiles also living in Colosse, and many had converted to the sect of the Nazarene, or followers of the Way of Messiah Yahoshua. These converts were mainly from pagan traditions of the Greek Culture which was adopted by the Romans. Pagan culture is full of religious overtones, festivals, and feast days, including holy days or modern-day translated Sabbaths in Hebrew, Shabbat.

With this context and understanding, as these pagan converts and assimilated Israelites converted to The Way of Messiah or the Sect of the Nazarene within Judaism it is easy to see why Paul wrote to them to not let anyone pass judgement upon them for their new found ways of living, as Messiah, the Word made flesh, and walk in the dust of the Rabbi. Imitating Him in His obedience to Torah and the Commandments of Elohim. Again, context matters, had Paul been writing to Jews in Jerusalem, one could perhaps take it that Paul was stating do what makes you happy Yahoshua paid the price. But that isn’t the case. These converts were facing persecution for their new found ways and the culture around them was chastising them for observing Torah.

Let me make my second conclusion of this matter with this analogy. Messiah Yahoshua is referred to as the Bridegroom, and likewise His followers are referred to as the Bride of Messiah. In a marriage relationship, if your spouse has grace for you in a matter do you exasperate that grace or do you attempt to change or compromise in order to honor your spouse? It’s not appeasement if it is done in love with the idea of mutual respect and honor. In Revelation 14:12 we read this: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yahweh, and the faith of Yahoshua.” John when writing the commandments of Yahweh is referring to the Torah and he couples that with the faith of Yahoshua, faith of, not faith in, which we can gather by his use of language to mean; to walk as the Rabbi, to walk in the dust of the Rabbi. Or as Paul states, “Imitate me as I imitate Messiah.”

Now my final conclusion from Pauls writing to the Philippians (Phil 3:15-19). “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, Elohim shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, where to we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the stake of Messiah: Whose end is destruction, whose mighty one is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” We are to be driven by our love for Messiah unto obedience, not out of rule but out of a marital covenant. We are to stand out among the nations, set apart, following the ways of Yahweh. Messiah didn’t come to give us license to live in sin but to show us a more perfect way bound in love for Yahweh, and for His people. And we live this out by loving everyone, we judge those only within the body of Messiah, while we proclaim the truth of salvation to those outside of Messiah. There is a more intimate life that awaits for those who are found in Messiah when He returns.

John 14:15 “If you love Me (Yahoshua), keep My commandments.” i realize this post is a bit all over the place, my apologies, but my heart is for you and my mind is faster than my fingers. my next post will attempt to complete this thought and this series of sorts on Every Wind of Doctrine. However, this is my heart, Messiah came to reveal that there is simplicity in following Him not more burden. He came to reveal and remove the many traditions of man that were heaped on the Israelites and the observers of Torah, to declare, “Come Follow Me! (The WORD made flesh) For My burden is easy and my yoke is light.” He didn’t come so that man could live lawlessly or in Torahlessness, which is of the working of the lawless one himself. And his doctrine which is preached, “Do as though wilt, shall be the whole of the law.” His lie is the same, “You won’t die, for Elohim knows that when you eat of it you will be like Him, knowing both good and evil.” The lawless one twists truth in order to convince humanity to live as him, Messiah Yahoshua, the Word made Flesh, says, “Follow Me.”

Until next time, Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with Elohim.

You are loved,
cj

Paul writes to the Philippians, “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Some translations render this, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” So many today are reliant upon others faith, others religion, others understanding, that they fail to search the Scriptures daily, to see whether or not what they are being taught is true. Of course there is a grain of truth in everything which makes discerning untruth more difficult. The devil knows this and therefore has been tempting man from the beginning with truth, wrapped convincingly in a lie. “You will be like the Most High, knowing good and evil.” “Did Elohim actually say . . .?” “You won’t surely die . . .”

When Paul and Apollos were in Ephesus, they came across some disciples, recent converts to the Way, and Paul asked them, “‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said to him, ‘No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ And they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Yahoshua.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of Adonai Yahoshua.’ And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.” Acts 19:2-6

Being a follower of the Way is simpler than some have made it and still more difficult than many believe. Yahoshua said, “He who would follow Me will lose his own life.” He said, narrow is the Way, and few find it.” He said, “let the dead bury their own and come follow Me.” He said, to James and John, “Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” And they at once left their nets and the family business and followed Him. He said, “Many will say to Me Adonai, Adonai, and I will tell them depart from Me, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness.” He also said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” He said, “Ask of Me and I will give you living water.” He said, “If you lose your life for My sake, then you will find it.” He said, “I will not leave you alone, I go to My Father, and will send you a Helper, the Holy Spirit.”

When we take into consideration our part in being in relationship with Yahoshua it runs a bit deeper than merely believing. We begin to grow in that relationship. We don’t earn our salvation, we cannot out holy others in order to some how achieve the reward of salvation. Salvation is a gift, given by means of grace, to the heart open to receive it. But as Yahoshua called His disciples, they had to leave something behind, themselves, their old selves. They were made new in Messiah. Given new life, new purpose, a new Way of living. Many will say, that i preach a works based salvation, no, i do not work for nor can i earn my salvation. However, because i am saved, because i have been given new life, with new purpose, i choose to walk the new life, the new Way.

This new Way is as easy as it is hard. “‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Yahoshua knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and chose not to walk in the Way any longer. So Yahoshua said to the twelve, ‘Do you want to leave and go your own way also?’” (John 6:64-67)

There are only two ways in this life, The Way, Elohim’s Way, or your own way, the way of Satan. The satanic temple has a saying, “Do as thou wilt, shall be the whole of the law.” This is the lie the devil has been telling many even within the Church today and they are believing it. But this is the working of the lawless one. For Yahoshua, is the Word made flesh, He is the Instruction. i met someone today who said, “Yahoshua is the Word made flesh, and it is our job as flesh to become like the Word.” This is so very true! We are to become like Him, to walk in the footsteps of the Rabbi Yahoshua, who walked in the fullness of the Word of Elohim. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. He was in the beginning with Elohim. All things came into being through Him, apart from Him nothing can be.” . . . “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among man, and man saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3, 14) What is truth? His Word is Truth.

If we are going to walk in the Way, the Way of the Rabbi, the Word, then we must know the Word. We must seek Him, for when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. When we ask Him for wisdom He will give us wisdom. When we desire understanding, He will give us understanding. He will bring along those who will ask, “Have you received the Holy Spirit?” And if we have not heard, if we do not know, but we seek through the Scriptures as the Berean’s did daily, He will show us, revealing His truth. Which way do you want to go? On what path will you find yourself, on the broad way, easy, do as thou wilt; or will you take the narrow Way, the Way of instruction, “If you love Me, you will obey My commandments.” This word will, is a choice. Choose this day whom you will serve, Elohim Most High, or yourself. Only one leads to life, choose wisely.

You are loved,
cj