Tag: sin

Understanding Repentance and Return in Faith

Understanding Repentance and Return in Faith

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of Adonai.” Acts 3:19

Repent: repentance is not only seeking forgiveness but also turning around. It is a 180 degree life course correction, from a life of sin. Peter in his second sermon found in Acts also states return, return to what? It is a return to righteousness, it is the opposite direction of sin. If sin is the transgression of the law, one can have confidence that to return means to return to the instruction of God. A return not to law as we define it today but to what the word law means, Torah, Instruction, the things commanded by God to be obeyed by man. Perhaps this point could be debated if we only read this verse however, Peter continues.

“And that He may send Yahoshua (Jesus), the Messiah appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Acts 3:20-21

Peter is giving continued validity to the Tanakh and its teachings on repentance. From the pages of Torah to the writings of the prophets, the message is “IF”, if you will turn from your wicked ways and follow Yahweh’s commandments, He will bless you and the land. As Peter says, “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of Adonai.” You see Peter is referring to the time between Yahoshua’s coming, his death, resurrection, and His ascension into the heavens, until He returns in the clouds to rule and reign from Jerusalem as King.

What did Yahoshua declare to Pilate? “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37). What is truth? His Word is Truth! And therefore if we are of His Word then we hear His voice, and if you hear His voice do not harden your heart but repent of your sin. What is sin? John writes in 1 John 3:4 – “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” Lawless, without or outside of Torah, the instruction, the things commanded by God to be obeyed by man.

For the entirety of my ministry I preached repentance, and to believe in the Name of Jesus for salvation. Although, now I use His Hebraic name Yahoshua, the message is still the same. However, with one major change, ‘IF’. For roughly three and a half years Yahoshua taught repentance and walking in humility with the Father. What does it mean to walk in humility? It is to set aside yourself and live for Him, by His instruction. Yahoshua came to present the Torah as a living, breathing, instruction manual of how to live righteously, set apart for the kingdom. One must ask the question, “What is one to repent of?” The answer of course is sin. That begs the question, “What is sin?” If sin is Torahlessness which John states than repentance is by its very definition observance of Torah.

In Luke 13 Yahoshua tells this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ And he answered and said to him, ‘let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'” Luke 13:6-9

If we compare this parable and the scene Mark tells in 11:12-14 we will see something striking. “On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.” This scene takes place at the end of Yahoshua’s earthly ministry just after His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He went straight to the Temple looked around and departed.

What is the significance you ask? There was no fruit in the lives of the Pharisees or other ‘Religious’ leaders. They had replaced much of Torah with their own traditions of man. It is the same thing the western church has done today. The Word calls us back to Himself throughout its pages from Genesis to Revelation. Yet, most will separate the ‘Old’ from the ‘New’ and miss the whole point of the story. The Torah was not found in the people. They were void of righteousness i.e. the righteous acts of the saints, which is obedience to the Ways of God. “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7 – The whole passage is on gaining and keeping wisdom, about faith and the heart. It is and always has been a heart issue!

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? I, Yahweh, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doing.” Jeremiah 17:9-10

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23-24

We have a promise in all of this spiritual battling that rages for our very souls. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

We read in Act 5:32 – “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him.” To whom is the Holy Spirit given? To those who obey Him. Are you obeying God or man? Are you seeking His ways or are you trapped in a man made religion that is on the wrong side of the spiritual battle?

“If you love Me, you will obey My commandments.” John 14:15

“So you shall keep My commandments, and do them; I am Yahweh. You shall not profane My Holy Name, but I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel; I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.” Leviticus 22:31-32

“So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14

We who are under grace are not devoid of Torah, by no means! We are to put on Messiah who is the Word made flesh. The one who sanctifies us and puts us on the good path. As the Proverb states: “He who turns away his ear from listening to the Torah, Even his prayer is an abomination.” Proverbs 28:9 – Psalm 119:53 states, “Righteous indignation has seized me because of the wicked, who forsake Your Torah.” Those who know God’s commands but choose not to obey them, that is the one being described here. As a reminder again 1 John 3:4 tells us what is sin. “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is Torahlessness.“

My hope is that you will be challenged in heart and mind to search out the Scriptures. To seek what the good way is and to walk in it. That you will desire good works that have been prepared for you to do and that you will do them. Deuteronomy 6:17 “You should diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.” To put to death the old self and put on the new self, this is repentance, turning from sin (outside of Torah) to righteousness (in Torah).

“All who sin apart from the Torah will also perish apart from the Torah, and all who sin under the Torah will be judged by the Torah. For it is not the hearers of the Torah who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Torah who will be declared righteous. Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the Torah, do by nature what the Torah requires, they are a Torah to themselves, even though they do not have the Torah. So they show that the work of the Torah is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Messiah Yahoshua, as proclaimed by my gospel.” Romans 2:12-16

“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Messiah Yahoshua, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Adon Yahoshua Messiah.” 1 Timothy 6:13-14

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3

The lawless one, the deceiver of nations, the prince of this world, is a lier and a thief. Yahoshua came to present Himself the living Word and as He declared to Pilate, “and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the Truth.” Yahoshua already told us what Truth is; “Your Word is Truth.” (John 17:17; 18:37) – Yahoshua said, “I am door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

“IF My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 – Wickedness is being outside of Torah, sin is Torahlessness, the repentant heart will humble itself and pray and seek the Face of God through Yahoshua, turning from wickedness and sin (rebellion to the Torah for those with Torah and for the Gentile born outside of Torah but by nature turning and doing the work of Torah as it is written on the heart through faith) to righteousness in Messiah by faith that He who began a good work in you will see it through to completion.

Humbly return to His Ways, this is the Way of the Rabbi.

You are loved,
cj

The One Story: God’s Covenant and Instructions

The One Story: God’s Covenant and Instructions

It’s one book, not two or sixty-six, it is a three act play in which the beginning is also the end. It’s one continuous story of redemption, of hope, pointing to a time to come that goes beyond anything we could ever imagine. It’s a love story, it’s an adventure novel, it’s a history book, it’s a prophetic look into the future. It is a collection of writing by many authors but inspired by the same Spirit. It should be read as if it was written to you and your family from your dad. Because, every word of it, was inspired by your Heavenly Father. It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. It is intended to equip you so that you can be competent in all that the Father has for you.

That page that is found between Malachi and Matthew that says, “New Testament”, rip it out. It has done more harm to the body of Messiah than any other page in your Bible. Not because there isn’t a new or renewed covenant. Because of the separation it has caused the church from Elohim’s people and the covenant. It has put up a dividing line on both sides. There is one God, one story, and one people, one covenant and one way to enter in.

The law of sin and death, death for sin, has been done away with for those who are in Messiah. It is not a license to sin but rather the removal of a sacrifice for sin. Since by one mans death and resurrection the debt of sin has been paid. Repentance, however, has always been and still is a returning to God’s ways. A return to the Fathers instruction. The door remains the same Yahoshua, the Word made flesh is that door. Obedience to the Word, obedience to Yahoshua, is obedience to the Father.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Messiah Yahoshua were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:1-4

What is sin? Sin as defined by the Apostle John is violation of the Torah. We read in 1 John 3:4 exactly what sin is: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” Again as we have discussed in previous posts the word law is better translated Torah or instruction. Thus lawlessness is being without Torah or without the instruction of God. If this wasn’t enough what does John go on to say in this passage?

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.“

The word righteousness means; ‘The things commanded by God to be obeyed by man.’ Whoever practices obedience then is righteous and those who do not are without instruction. They are practicing lawlessness. The very thing Yahoshua accused the Pharisees of doing when He said, “you are of your father the devil.” Why? Because they had added to and taken away from the instructions of God. They were putting on the appearance of walking in Torah but it was a show as they were more concerned with their own ways than that of God’s. Indeed they were practicing lawlessness and therefore were of the devil.

So one must ask themselves, “what exactly am I practicing?” If repentance is turning from sin and sin is the breaking of Torah. Then one turns from breaking Torah to following it. This is repentance. It is not legalism to be obedient, to seek out those things God delights in and do them. That label is given by hypocrites who in the same breath will say one should obey God. In the end when Yahoshua is separating His people from those that are not he will say to many, “Depart from Me, I never knew you. You who practice lawlessness.”

What are you practicing? How are you reading? Who are you following? Who are you listening to? These are important questions that only you can answer. And you need to answer them because if you call yourself a believer but are following the traditions of man over the instruction of God . . . things will not end well. Are you walking the Way of the Rabbi?

You are loved,
cj

Grace, Law, and the Timing of God’s Instruction

Grace, Law, and the Timing of God’s Instruction

Timing is everything. Some decisions are worth waiting on to make, some need immediate attention. Wait too long and you may miss your opportunity, rush in and even if it was the right decision the timing might be wrong. Failure is inevitable. Not all failure is bad, yet there is a failure that is so great one can never recover. “Depart from Me, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness.” It is the failure to recognize, lawlessness.

The verse that I am referencing should cause one to pause. Yet, many read over it, stop just above it, or ignore it outright. It is found in Matthew 7. Perhaps the most frightening verse in all of Scripture when read in context. Therefore, it is easier to ignore it than to grapple with it. First, let us define the word lawlessness. In modern speech according to Dictionary.com it means: the quality or condition of being without regard for the law; behavior that is contrary to or shows indifference to the law.

Many look at it as if it were simply being a law abiding citizen. They wouldn’t be wrong, however, they wouldn’t be right either. The word when broken down means, without law. The question then becomes what law? The word here is Torah, to reference the Mosaic Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Torah by definition is simply instruction, or God’s instruction. So when Yahoshua says, “. . . you who practice lawlessness.” He is literally saying, you who are without Torah. I am not making this up it is right there in the text.

I have coached several sports teams. With each of them I always made them practice at game level. The reason, “you will play as you practice, so always practice to play.” It is what Paul was writing when he said, “run to win.” He emphases the idea of competing to win not just to participate. If you are reading this it isn’t too late to start training to win. Timing is everything and now is the time. This decision needs immediate attention. Especially given world events.

Some will say that we are saved by grace! They aren’t wrong. None of us are worthy of forgiveness, salvation, even a thought. Yet, here we are. Some will say if we try to keep the instruction of God we dishonor “Jesus”. Now say that out loud to yourself and tell me it doesn’t sound dumb. Yahoshua said, “Why do you call Me Adonai, Adonai, and not do as I command?” What does He command, well a lot but one thing to highlight would be Matthew 5:19. “Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands and techs men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom. He who does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom.” This isn’t about earning salvation, it is about honoring the King.

Some will say that mans traditions are now acceptable over God’s instruction. Yet, they will call out the Pharisees, as Yahoshua did, for placing their laws and traditions over God’s instruction. Make that make sense. Hypocrisy at its finest. The same God who said He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, who said He never changes, never changes. Some will say its impossible, but then will quote Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Messiah, who strengthens me.” Either that verse is true or it’s not, the way you choose to live will determine what you believe.

The followers of the Way are called to be separated. To be a city on a hill for all to see. For others to see the way we live and love, move and breathe. And through our witness, in both, word and deed, come to know Messiah. This is the way of the Rabbi. It is what Paul teaches, “imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” Grace is not a free pass. The preceding verses in Matthew show not a man trying to justify himself by his works but a man trying to justify his lawlessness. If it weren’t so Yahoshua would have said something along the lines of “depart from Me, you who are trying to pay your way into the Kingdom.”

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Adonai, Adonai, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Yahoshua’s response points out that they were living two lives, they were saying the right things but they were practicing lawlessness, living without Torah, without God’s instruction. Do we need grace? Yes. Are we going to fall short at times? Probably. Did Israel fall short? Yes. It was expected that they would or there wouldn’t have been given them the instruction of how to make atonement for their sin. The same is true today only Yahoshua is our atonement. Even better, he exchanged himself for us, taking on our punishment. Still this doesn’t excuse sin.

John writes in his first letter a defining way to understand life and sin. “No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Messiah is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.”

To bring this home let’s define sin. Again let’s look to the Word of God to define it for us. 1 John 3:4 says, “Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness.” To bring it home let’s write this the way it is defined. Everyone who sins, lives outside of God’s instruction, for sin is rebellion against God’s Torah. These are not my words they are the words written in the book, Christians say they believe in. “Why do you call Me Adonai, Adonai, and not do as I command.” Yahoshua (Jesus), is the WORD made flesh.

Timing is everything! Now is the time to decide for time is growing short.

You are loved,
cj

Return to Your First Love: Rediscovering Faith

Return to Your First Love: Rediscovering Faith

Greetings in the Name of Yahoshua ha’Mashiah. i hope that this letter finds you well and flourishing in your spiritual journey. That you are daily seeking ways to act justly, be merciful, and walk humbly with Elohim. The reason i write to you is of no little importance but one of grave concern. As in the Revelation of John and his note to the Ekklesia in Ephesus. The church today has left its first love.

You have been lulled to sleep by lazy preaching and you have become lazy yourself. No longer do you test the prophets, and teachers. But with itching ears you seek out those who will not convict you with the word. You would rather sit in filth and be told you are clean than to wash yourself in the word. You have become more concerned on how the church makes you feel. Rather than living in a way that is pleasing to Elohim. This is not intended to be mean but to stir up in you a desire to look at yourself.

i was in an uncomfortable place too. Instead of receiving a letter to encourage me, i had to hit the wall. Oh how i wish someone would have come to me and said, “Wake up oh sleeper! Return to the love you had at first!” But like those in Ephesus i was reminded that God does know me. “I know your works, and your labor, and your endurance. That you are not able to bear evil ones. You even tested those who say they are prophets and are not, finding them false. You have endurance, and have labored for My Name’s sake. Even still you are not weary.”

In the note to the gathering in Ephesus Yahoshua says, “So remember from where you have fallen! Repent and do the first works. Or else, i shall come to you speedily and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent.” When i first came to know Adonai for myself and not through others i was hungry. i could not eat enough of the Word. i could not get enough of fellowship with like minded people. i could not out do the grace given me in doing for others.

Somewhere, i lost that, somewhere, i grew selfish and lazy. i checked the necessary boxes each week but my heart was not in it. i was more concerned for life in the world than seeking the Kingdom. We are told in the Word, “Seek first the Kingdom . . . and all these things will be added to you.” But we seek the world and what is in the world. Then we complain and wonder why we don’t see the Kingdom. We are then fooled into thinking our ways are better than God’s ways. That our traditions are better than His. We then selfishly declare, He will like the way we worship Him for His ways are dead.

Return! Return! Awaken and return to the Ways of Yahweh! For His ways are better than our ways. His ways are a declaration we make that we are His. The Sabbath day is a wedding ring. Eating clean (kosher) is obedience. Honoring the Feast Days are so much more enriching than any man made tradition or holiday. His Days are HOLY, our days are disobedient. He said, “Do not learn the ways of the people around you and worship Me in that way.” Yet that is precisely what the church has done. They say His ways are dead and they have invented ways not found in Scripture to Worship Him. Stolen ideas of pagan practices, and call it redeeming. He says, “tear them down.”

This is not legalism, this is obedience. This isn’t a burdensome yoke, this is freedom from the world and the wrath to come. Soon, i might add. His ways are better than mans. In the end many will stand before Yahoshua (Jesus) and hear these words. They will hear, “depart from Me, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness.” What law are they not practicing? You will see that they were not practicing the Torah. It doesn’t save us. We are saved by grace but what flows from that grace is a desire. A desire to live a life of obedience. “Observing all that I have commanded You and teaching others to do the same.”

Yahoshua said, “I only do what I see the Father doing.” He only spoke the Words written. He lived it, taught it, and calls His people, called by His Name to walk in it. The Word is Truth. What Word? The Tanakh, the Torah and the Prophets. It is the very Word that Paul instruct Timothy to remember and study and use. For it is good for teaching, reproof, correction, in all righteousness. Righteousness here is defined, “Things commanded by God to be obeyed by man.” If this is true, and surely it is, how can it then be done away with? It simply cannot be.

But some will say, “it is impossible to keep all the law that’s why Jesus came.” Yahoshua came to do the will of the Father. He then says, in every instance of rebuke and correction, “It is written.” What is written? The instructions on how to live, honor, and worship God. This is the Way of the Rabbi. This is how He lived, and this is what He instructs us to live. “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” For what is sin? “Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness (being without Torah). But you know that Messiah appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.”

“So remember from where you have fallen. Repent and do the first works. Or else I shall come to you speedily and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent.” And His return draws ever closer!

This is the Way of the Rabbi,
You are loved,
cj

Insights on Prophetic Authority and Scripture

Insights on Prophetic Authority and Scripture

An on going email conversation with two Mormon Missionaries. Part 3.

Hello friends,

i fear we are spreading out into too many topics to truly focus in on understanding. i will do my best to address each one of these topics with fairness of attention. With that said, i also want to let you know that i appreciate our email conversation. It feels good to talk about what i love most.

Let me begin with the topic of Prophets. Since that was the main topic of my last email in response to your question. i would agree with you on the definition of a prophet for the most part. Our differences are mostly inconsequential to address. However, on the point, “determine scripture.” i would have to disagree on this point. As Scripture clearly determines scripture. Man as we see with Rabbinic tradition and the modern Church, has deviated from Scripture. This was identified by Yahoshua during His ministry. In fact, when Yahoshua said, “If you believed Moses then you would believe Me for Moses wrote of Me.” Yahoshua, testified of Himself through the Word. Do prophets have insight, yes. Do they determine, absolutely not. For interpretation, and testimony have always been established by two or three witnesses. One witness is Scripture and that Scripture is the Torah and the Tanakh. If it isn’t there . . . it isn’t worth the time of day. Is there good writings worth study? Sure, i would hope that even my writing leads others to study Scripture for themselves. 

Yahoshua said, “Do not be called Rabbi, for you have one Rabbi.” The idea he was presenting is Scripture is our teacher. The Holy Spirit, leads us into all truth. i know you believe this as you hold to the idea of the “burning in your bosom.” i want to stress again the test of a Prophets authority. That is do they adhere to what has already been written. We are told not to add to or take away from His Word. If that is truth than there is no room for extra books of Scripture. Devotionals, study guides, thoughts, etc? Sure, of course again this clearly is acceptable as i expressed in my last response. Although, i would point out that perhaps John believed what he was writing was indeed going to be canon. The evidence of this would be his final statement in Revelation. “If anyone adds to the prophecy of this book, Elohim will add to him the plaques written herein. Likewise if anyone takes away from the prophecy written in this book, Elohim will take from him their part of the tree of life.” (Revelation 22:18) A pretty scary warning if you ask me. 

This warning written by John isn’t a stand alone passage. He is simply repeating from the Torah and the portion for the Tanakh called the wisdom books. Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32 Here Moses instructs the Israelites not to add to or take from the commands of Elohim. Proverbs 30:5-6 tell us, “Every Word of Elohim is pure and flawless, acting as a shield to anyone who takes refuge in it and trust in Him. Do not add to His Word lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Jeremiah writes in 6:16 – “Ask for the ancient paths: ‘where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they say, ‘we will not walk in it!’” Later in 8:8 he writes, “How can you say, ‘we are wise, and the Torah of YHWH is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?’” 

The entirety of Jeremiah’s writings are to call back the people of Elohim to the ways instructed. This was Messiah’s message as well. The sermon on the mount is a call to Torah. He begins with the call to walking in it wholly and holy as intended since it was given. Messiah walked in Torah. He did so without error or His walk would not have been blameless and therefore His sacrifice insufficient, worthless even. Paul tells us, “imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” 

Matthew 5:17-20 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish it but to bring its fullness. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot , will pass from the Torah until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

Has heaven and earth passed away? Has Revelation 21 already been fulfilled? If the answer to that is yes, than everything i have said and am about to say is wrong. If the answer is no, which i believe to be the right answer. Everything i have said, and will say, should at the very least, be considered. There is not one thing within the sermon on the mount that cannot be found within the Torah. The difference is it is given in practice. This is how you walk it out. Not in man made traditions and extra laws which the Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of. This is the point of our righteousness exceeding theirs. It was because they honored Elohim with their mouths but their hearts were far from Him. They read from the Torah but they taught from oral traditions. 

Jeremiah puts it this way – “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from the prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is not peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abominations? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,’ says YHWH.” Jeremiah 6:13-15

Yahoshua later in Matthew says this: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” Matthew 23:2-5

The seat of Moses is where the Torah was read from in the Synagogue. This is why they were instructed to do whatever they tell you, as they were instructing them in Torah. It was their practices and their self-righteousness that was being rebuked by Yahoshua. The fruit of their lives was success. They were sitting in the seats of authority, a counsel to the emperor of Rome even, to a certain extent. One could say the fruit of their lives were good on the outside. Which again is what Yahoshua was pointing out if we had continued to read Matthew 23. However, we understand the fruit we are to be judged by is that of the spirit – for we will be judged by the acts of the flesh. These two stand in contrast to one another. So those who walk in the Way will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. Of which we will be able to tell who is and who isn’t walking in the Torah.

We know that Yahoshua was not talking about the Torah being a heavy burden because we read, “For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3. Also in Deuteronomy 30:11 we read, “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.” This was written after Moses wrote the covenant renewal in Moab in the previous Chapters. We also read throughout Scripture that the Torah is perfect. Psalm 19:7 “The Torah of YHWH is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of YHWH is sure, making wise the simple…” Romans 7:12 says, ‘So the Torah is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”

Paul draws the comparison for us in Galatians of which he also expounds on in his letter to the Ephesians. That the flesh and the spirit are at war within us. The flesh is deceptive, the spirit is longing. As all of creation longs to be redeemed. So how will we know what are the signs or the fruit of the Spirit? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Messiah Yahoshua have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:23-24. 

The Gospel message that Yahoshua has brought is the braking of the yoke of the Rabbinic tradition. As well the need for atoning sacrifice, and the temple role of the Levitical Priesthood. Although that role will one day be reinstated for the sacrifice of offering. When one understands the fullness and reason for the sacrificial system and the role of the priest. It becomes clear that it has a designated purpose. Of which for the time being is not necessary or even able to occur. Knowing this before hand, is a major reason for Yahoshua’s death and subsequent resurrection. He became the Atonement the exchange in order that our sins may be forgiven. Paul’s major focus and that of the disciples was spreading the good news. What good news? The once and for all atoning sacrifice of the Messiah. (Another topic all together).

Moving on. i have not yet read all of 3 Nephi. However, i do find it interesting. a good portion of what i have read thus far is simply a reiteration. And that of what we already have written in Scripture. Making it interesting but more historical, this is what was taught to them from the Scriptures themselves. For example 3 Nephi 14:21-23 says: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of the Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day; Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

What is the will of the Father? Did He not instruct us to follow His Torah? And interestingly the word here being translated “iniquity” is also rendered “lawlessness”. We would both agree that the reference is sin. However, the word being translated is better defined “being outside of Torah.” Essentially Yahoshua is saying, “. . . ye that work Torahlessness” John writes about what sin is and how to define it. 1 John 3:4 – “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” Again the word here for lawlessness is Torahlessness, sin is Torahlessness. The Torah is defined also as being in the light and out side of Torah as darkness. Understanding this Hebraic idiom we can see that “You once were in darkness, but now are of the light.” Is best understood, “you were once outside of Torah and now have come into Torah.” 

This seems a good stopping point. i wish you both a blessed week as we study and grow in maturity together. 

Keep Reading – Part Four, 4th Email Response

cj

Are We Encouraging Weak-Willed Christianity?

Are We Encouraging Weak-Willed Christianity?

Warning: This post is going to sound very judgmental, cynical or snarky, it is not my intention. i don’t know how to ask the questions without them sounding so. Or perhaps it’s just me. i came across a post recently that touted 45,000 person attendance at a crusade. Impressively 5,500 came forward for the altar call. In a later post the idea of a fresh spiritual awakening may be occurring. They mentioned other points for why they believe this way. Notably, two of the current top ten secular songs in the nation are Christian. One of which is a collaborative effort between the current top Christian artist and a very popular secular artist. Which in my opinion takes some of the mystique away from its popularity. It’s not a terrible song, certainly not as heretical as some of the Christian songs out there have become. Heretical might be too strong a word, maybe lyrically challenged is better. Still are these signs of a true spiritual awakening?

Of the 5,500 who responded to the altar call at the crusade, the attendees were panned by the film crew. Many didn’t look like first-timers. Now, i admit this is a judgment call but as you look at them this was a familiar occurrence. Many wearing the attire of a nominal Christian, with religious symbolism adorning their bodies. Was this their yearly trek to Mecca or Jerusalem? Did they go there to pay their respects? Were they seeking forgiveness for the past years’ failings? Perhaps the altar call had feeders to initiate participation. This setup encouraged those hesitant participants. They might have been waiting for someone else in their area to ‘go first’? i am not suggesting here that altar calls are bad or unnecessary or even unproductive. i simply want to see genuinely passionate people. Who seek to truly repent of their way of life and seek to walk with Yahoshua.

Before i continue let me express this thought. i understand struggle. Sin isn’t foreign to me as Scripture says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim.” i even understand the idea Paul writes so passionately about in Romans 7:15-20. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. But the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it. But it is sin living in me that does it.”

The question i have is this, have we as a church fostered a pattern of weak willed Christianity? And have we done so based on poor interpretation of Scripture, and lazy reading. In Romans 6:12 Paul writes: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. Do not let it make you obey its passions.” Later in chapter 7:7 he writes: “What then shall we say? That the Torah is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the Torah, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the Torah had not said, ‘You shall not covet.‘” We have become too dependent on Chapter and Verse, and Sectional headlines. For example in Romans, in the ESV, Chapter 7 has a heading, “Released from the Law.” If you read that then read the passage where will your mind go? It is like those suggestive recordings where the line you read is what you hear the recording say. If you read it another way then you will hear what you read. I don’t understand how that works exactly but it is by the power of suggestion.

Remove chapter and verse, remove headlines and what will you read Paul saying? Sin is bad. The law (Torah) tells us what sin is. It should be avoided at all costs. The struggle is real. Thank Elohim through Messiah Yahoshua for revealing to us and granting us His grace and mercy. We should do our best at keeping the Torah. Perhaps if we were intellectually honest with ourselves and with Scripture, we wouldn’t be in such a state. The interpretation affects the Church, the Nation and the World.

How do we get to a real faith awakening. An awakening in which the Ekklesia, and those desiring to join themselves to it, want to be obedient. Desiring what the Word of Elohim says, “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” How do we recognize genuine heart change? We know through Scripture that seed lands on many different types of ground. Let’s look at the Parable of the Sower from Luke 8:4-8. “A large crowd had gathered. They came from town after town. Yahoshua saw the crowd and told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path and was stepped on, and the birds flying around ate it up. Some fell on rock; and after it sprouted, it dried up from lack of moisture. Some fell in the midst of thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. But some fell into rich soil, and grew, and produced a hundred times as much as had been sown.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear with, let him hear!”

In this parable what is the manageable aspects? First, we can’t know the ground of someone’s life so like the sower, we plant seed everywhere. We water everywhere. We seek the good everywhere. Second, if we are the seed that finds the rocky ground, we must adjust our surroundings. If we find weeds, it is crucial to change our environment. “If you love Me, obey Me.” Yahoshua said. We must express the importance of following the Way. Only then is importance placed on shielding oneself from the world. Am i thankful for an Elohim who forgives? Who looks at the heart of repentance and judges them based on the actions of Yahoshua? Yes, one million times YES! However, this does not excuse me to then continue in sin. Even Paul writes, “So then, are we to say, ‘Let’s keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace’? Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it?”

Let me be clear, i am not against Christian music, nor am i against evangelistic crusades. What I am questioning is, at what compromise are we doing these things? At what expense do we undertake these actions under the guise of Christianity and inclusion? If we are unwilling to preach the whole of the gospel. Of which Paul himself teaches in Romans. Yet it is hid under the faulty headlines like, “Released from the Law.” If we began to teach the importance of Torah. Along side the amazing gift of grace, would we see the hundredfold increase Yahoshua said of the good soil? If we called those who responded to the message out of worldly living. Would we see them flourish rather than whither? This is the Way of the Rabbi.

When Yahoshua ate with sinners he didn’t join in their sin, he called them to repentance. He said, what you are doing is wrong, here is a better way. A way that leads to life. On a popular national Christian radio show a DJ said, “Jesus partied with sinners.” This error wrapped in some truth, like pigs in a blanket. Yes, he was ridiculed by the religious leaders for socializing with sinners. However, He didn’t condone their sin. He pointed them to a more excellent way. We, as scripture says, are to mingle with sinners. We are all sinners. However, we do not condone or excuse sin. When we leave Scripture open ended, we don’t tell the whole truth of Elohim’s Word. We are helping no one, least of all, ourselves.

The world is going to hate us. Why? Because we condone their practices? We say nothing of their high places? We party with them? No, it is the opposite. They are going to hate us because we set ourselves apart. We do this morally, and for lack of a better word, religiously. Not to say we are better than them but to say, the Elohim we serve is a better WAY. We say if it isn’t of Elohim, we don’t want it. If Elohim condemns it, we don’t want it. Yahoshua said, “Your sins are forgiven, now go and sin no more.” He said, “Follow Me.” He said, “The things that you have seen Me do, even greater things you will do. When I go to the Father.” Don’t you desire a more excellent way? Paul said, “Imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” In other words we are to Imitate Messiah. This is the Way of the Rabbi.

What should one do then? Seek Yahoshua. Read Scripture from the beginning to the end as ONE body of work. Understand that as gentile believers we are grafted into the people of Elohim and with that perspective read the Word. Find a Torah friendly Ekklesia that teaches that our foundation and root is Torah even as followers of Yahoshua. Who was the WORD made flesh. Desire a better way, the Way. Yahoshua said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me.”

Remember: Sin is bad. The law (Torah) tells us what sin is. It should be avoided at all costs. The struggle is real. Thank Elohim through Messiah Yahoshua for revealing to us and granting us His grace and mercy. We should do our best at keeping the Torah.

This is the Way of the Rabbi,
You are loved,
cj

Every Wind of Doctrine ~ conclusion

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of Elohim appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of Elohim makes a practice of sinning, for Elohim’s seed abides in Him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of Elohim. By this it is evident who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of Elohim, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:5-10

In all my reading, in all my study, no one i know would disagree with the idea presented here by John. John who was the only one of the twelve to be at the foot of the cross. Yahoshua, as He hung on that stake looks down at him as he stands next to his earthly mother, Mary, and said, “‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to (John) His disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple (John) took her to his own home.” This relationship between Yahoshua and John was a special bond it cannot be denied. Therefore, we should consider his words. Many will say that they do that it is Scripture but proceed to hold the letters of Paul above the letters of John. Mainly because it is easy to interpret Paul as excusing sin. Which Peter himself recognized, Peter another of the twelve writes in one of his letter, “And count the patience of our Adonai as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Adonai and Savior Yahoshua Messiah.” 2 Peter 3:15-18

Paul himself writes to the Ephesians, “So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Messiah.” Ephesians 4:14-15 — So, therefore let us conclude the matter by defining two words, sin and truth. What is sin and what is truth? In order to not be blown about by every wind of doctrine we must understand what sin is and what truth is . . . Without these definitions the warnings given about following false doctrine become increasingly more dangerous. This is why we cannot expect any definition that is outside of Scripture itself.

To drive this point home lets look at what Paul writes to Timothy a young pastor. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Messiah Yahoshua. All Scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of Elohim may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The things learned from childhood within the sacred writings is the Torah, the Tanakh, the books of the law and prophets. It is also these books that Paul tells Timothy, “All Scripture . . . Profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” He wasn’t referring to his letter or any of his letters for that matter. Do i hold to the teachings in what is known today as the New Testament, Yes, but i hold them in light of the Tanakh, as they point to the same Messiah that is revealed in the sacred writings.

This brings us to the definition of truth as Paul says, “Speaking truth in love.” What is truth? In John 17 we read the Highly Priestly prayer of Yahoshua and He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is TRUTH.” Who’s word? Elohim’s word is Truth, Yahoshua was praying that we be set apart by the WORD of TRUTH, the writings of the Torah, and the Prophets. And so then what of sin? Sin is as John writes, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” The word law is Torah so the word here is sin is Torahlessness. So if speaking truth is speaking the Torah and living without Torah is lawlessness than the doctrine we are to live by is found in the Torah.

Some will raise the idea that the Jerusalem council, the earliest council, gave the gentiles only a few things to observe. “Abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.” They see this as a final seal of approval on the gentiles. We, however, need to consider the entirety of the meeting. What was going on in its totality. The debate was to put upon them a yoke that they nor their fathers were able to bear. Much of the discussion was on extra things added on by the Priests and Rabbi’s over time. As is summed up by James final statement, “For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (For context you will find the full entry in Acts 15:1-33) — It was assumed, that these new gentile believers would be attending synagogue on the Sabbath. And in deed they did and formed the Sect of the Nazarene. These Nazarene’s were later persecuted, and kicked out of the synagogue because of their belief in Yahoshua as the Messiah. To which they formed house churches that still held to the Sabbath until the 2nd or 3rd century.

Because of this misunderstanding many wrongly say that the Torah is too hard to keep. Well, then Elohim is a liar, “For this commandment I give you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.” Deuteronomy 30:11 — And John is a false teacher, “By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and obey His commandments. For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:2-3 —

So what then shall we do as believers in Yahoshua Messiah? “Abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.” As well we should, “For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” Attend a church that proclaims the whole of Elohim’s word and holds true to its teachings. You should begin to honor the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You should begin to look at the difference between man’s tradition and Elohim’s instruction. It is an exciting journey. However, be warned, it is also difficult and narrow but in the end completely worth it.

This is me speaking the truth in love, Love Elohim with your whole heart and do your best to obey His commandments. Grow in grace and knowledge by studying the whole of Elohim’s Word, tear out that dividing page in your Bible that says New Testament on it and read it as one collection of divinely inspired books that point to one Elohim and one Savior Yahoshua Messiah.

You are loved,
cj

Every Wind of Doctrine p5

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” (Torahlessness) 1 John3:4

For the majority of modern churches in our westernized culture you will find circuses entertaining the masses. Seeking new ways to wow and attract crowds with watered down messages of tranquility, prosperity, and lawlessness, since in the majority of churches the law is done away. This might be a bit harsh but even a little dip into history reveals not too long ago a different church existed. In the book “The Fisherman and His Friends,” Louis Albert Banks writes in a sermon titled; ‘Cornelius, the Truth Seeker,’ from 1896;

“If your house were on fire and your property in danger of being consumed, and the fire company which had been summoned should come and locate the engine in the street before your house, and instead of pouring a stream of water upon the fire and trying to drench out the flames as speedily as possible, should go through a dress parade drill in the street for your entertainment, and seek to amuse you and excite your admiration by showing you how high or how far they could throw a stream of water in some other direction, how indignant you would be! You would rush up to the superintendent in a frenzy of despair, and cry out, ‘Man, are you crazy? Don’t you see my house is being consumed. What do you suppose we care for all this parade? Turn your stream of water on the fire before it is too late!’”

Caring on from our look at Melchizedek, and the idea of the High Priestly Order of which Yahoshua is in line. We can see this as being before Mt. Sinai, before the official commandments were given, yet, we understand through Genesis and to Abraham, Yahweh, revealed Himself in such away that it was without doubt, He was the creator of the all things. The commandment to which is of greatest importance, “…Love Adonai your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Is a direct reflection of the first three, even four commandments. Beginning, “Thou Shalt have no other Mighty Ones before Me.” (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7; Matthew 4:10; John 4:24; Revelation 19:10).

The thing of utmost importance seems to be relationship with Yahweh, through fellowship with Yahoshua and faith therein. To be a follower of the Way, a member of the Ekklesia, one must act justly, love mercy and walk humbly. Some will say, “it is as easy as faith!” Yet, even faith requires Shema! Modern translators render ‘Shema’ as Hear. They aren’t wrong, but they aren’t completely right either. Shema means, to Listen and Obey. There is a response to believing. To Shema is to hear, listen, and put that which you received into practice, obey.

In the afore mentioned sermon by Louis Albert Banks, he later states, “He (Cornelius) at once accepted Messiah as his Savior, and made the most public and open confession of Yahoshua that he could make. There is your consistent and honest truth-seeker! Many men pretend to be seeking after the truth made free by the truth because the moment he came to know it he accepted it and acted upon it.” (For the full sermon in audio form check out my podcast cjwillpodcastit on your favorite podcast platform).

Too many, today, are more concerned with being entertained then they are to Shema. Too many, are concerned with what they can get away with now under the blood of Messiah then to Shema. Too many, aren’t concerned about Yahoshua’s words, “If you love Me, obey My commandments” and more concerned about the traditions of man. If sin is lawlessness, which is Torahlessness, what are we being saved from?

Louis Albert Banks concludes his sermon with these words: “The great lesson of all this story of Cornelius is to act at once obediently to all the light Elohim gives us. I am sure there is no one of you that can go up to the judgment seat at last and say, ‘I would have been saved, but no one was faithful enough to my soul to warn me of the danger of my sin, and tell me the simple story of salvation through faith in Yahoshua Messiah.’ You have light enough. If you never heard the Gospel before, hear it now: ‘The wages of sin is death, but the gift of Elohim is eternal life, through Yahoshua Messiah our Adonai.’ ‘Except ye be born again ye can not see the kingdom of Elohim.’ ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ ‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hearth say, Come. And let him that is athrist come. And whosever will, let him take the water of life freely.’”

i don’t know a lot but i do know this . . . There is forgiveness in Yahoshua, and the simple message of His yoke, is, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your Elohim.


You are loved,
cj

Journey Update (part 2)

What i have come to understand about shadows and prophecy, fullness and fulfillment. In part 2 of my Journey update i want to explore these things and encourage you to be a Berean and explore them for yourself as well…

There was a time that i worked at DIA (Denver International Airport) as a ramp agent, affectionately known among peers as ramp rats. We made a song, don’t ask me to sing it, not that it was vulgar, they all knew of and respected my faith. First, i don’t remember most of it and two i was once asked if i was tone deaf after singing. Anyway, it was a pretty cool gig. Besides all the cool benefits it was just fun work, physically tiring, but fun. One of the cool parts of working there was all the sights of various planes taking off and landing. The shadow of a plane on the ground as it came in getting larger and larger until it merged with the wheels on the runway as if Tinker Bell had sown them together. Revealing the fullness of the shadow in the presence of the plane.

The shadow of the plane on the ground looks like a plane. You can hear the plane, and see its shadow, an image of what is to come. As the object gets closer, the shadow grows in size until the fullness of the image casting the shadow arrives. The shadow doesn’t change it becomes more full when the substance of the shadow, the plane arrives. The planes shadow is an image of what is to come and when the substance arrives it reveals the fullness of the casted shadow. The shadow becomes something that you can enter into in its complete form.

John 1:1-3

“In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with Elohim,
and the Word was Elohim.

He existed in the beginning with Elohim.

Elohim created everything through Him,
Fore nothing was created except through Him.”

Yahoshua is the fullness, He is the substance of the shadow of what was to come. The Word casted its shadow on humanity, through Israel. Yahoshua, the Word made flesh, was the arrival of the Torah. The instruction (Torah) known as the Word, a shadow of things to come, arrived as the Word became flesh, Yahoshua Messiah. As Paul writes to the Colossians: “which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah’s.” (Colossians 2:17)

Yahoshua is the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s Prophecy in 31:31-34– “Behold, the days are coming, declares YHWH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares YHWH. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares YHWH: I will put My law (Torah) within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘know YHWH,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares YHWH. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” In Hebrews this is brought up as fulfilled in Messiah. (See Hebrews 8)

The Word didn’t change. The Torah didn’t change. Elohim didn’t change. His instruction didn’t change. The method of delivery changed. The Holy Spirit is the written Torah, the written WORD, on the hearts of those within the Nation of Israel, whether by birth or by adoption, grafted into . . . There is one Torah for the native and for those who adjoin themselves to the people of Elohim. When we enter into the fullness of Messiah we are no longer Gentiles or Jews but we are one people, the people of Elohim, we are the bride. As gentiles (any nation of people not of the 12 tribes of Israel) can not live outside the foundation and root of the Hebrew Nation which is founded on the Word of Elohim, who was made flesh and dwelt among us, and now resides in the heart of the believer through the Holy Spirit. The written Word on our Hearts does not free us from Torah but empowers us to live it!

Yahoshua didn’t come and die for our sin so that we could live a life of sin. Sin as defined by 1 John 2:3-6 —
“This is how we know that we know Him: if we keep his commands. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His Word (Torah), truly in him the love of Elohim is made complete. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked.” He came to reconcile us to the Father, take the punishment of our disobedience, and show us how to live. Paul, says, “imitate me as I imitate Messiah.” We also need to understand what John was referring to when he says, the word, and His commandments. As Paul instructs Timothy in his 2nd letter to him: “All Scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Neither Paul or John were in anyway referring to their own letters or the Gospels, but the written Word of Elohim of the day, the Tanakh, which includes the Torah, or instruction, which has been translated, Law.

The shadow of things to come, has come in fullness through Yahoshua. And in the millennium, we will continue to live these instructions of Elohim. We will observe the Sabbath, the Feast Days, and the commandments of Elohim. As we have been taught to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” May we through the power of the Holy Spirit begin to live our lives in the pattern of Yahoshua Messiah, imitating Him as Paul demonstrates.

You are loved,
cj

Signs . . . Pt 4

Persecutions and the Increase of Sin

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

We must seek to do the WILL of the Father, love Elohim with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength; likewise our neighbor as ourselves. Love our enemies, “Forgive them for they know NOT what they do” (Said, Yahoshua on the cross and Stephen under a pile of rubble). It is going to become increasingly hard to love others, to love our enemies. Especially, once they begin to turn on us in spite of the love we have shown. They will assume they are doing what is right. Much like the brown shirts of Germany. They thought they were doing what is right by turning in the Jewish people and those who would help them. Even Paul admitted that he thought his zeal for YHWH gave him the right to persecute the Believers of the WAY.

It will come first from within. We see it already within the Church as it splits into the right, left, paradigm. False teachers have sprung up and are tickling the ears of many and in the midst of them are the ignorant. Persecutions are nothing new. We in the west don’t understand fully the weight because we have been blessed to live in the freedom of religion capital of the world. The early church wasn’t as lucky. The Apostles with the exception of John were all murdered for their belief. Some will say that John being exiled on the island of Patmos was a sever punishment, if only i would be exiled on an island. i would go in a heartbeat, but that’s a different story.

i recently saw a story about Christian persecution around the world and how it is increasingly common. India surprisingly, with only a single digit percentage of Christians is under increasing persecution. Of course China, but places like Ireland are also on the list. Of course the many countries on the African continent is a hotbed for persecution against Christians. So what will happen when that persecution really turns up on believers around the world? Well, Yahoshua said, many will be offended. i am one that believes this isn’t just those outside the “Church” i believe those who think of themselves as Christians will be offended by the Truth of the Word and turn on their fellowship thinking they are doing a service to the greater good. For the sake of coexisting, of course.

Even now we have believers who relish in the fall of other believers. They point fingers, laugh and applaud, rather than weep, and pray for them, reaching out in love as the word declares, in order to restore them. We treat them like a hot-potato and the sooner they are gone the better. Few things hurt more than having those you love, cheer your biggest struggles. The question is this; Can one forgive and live under true persecution? Like many around the world, can you stand up in the face of death? Can you endure to the end, even if that end is a martyr’s death? Because of this persecution, the love of many will grow cold. Not just the persecution, but the lawlessness.

Yahoshua, also talked about the increase in lawlessness. Who’s law? Man’s law or Elohim’s law? As the world increasingly decriminalizes things it certainly can’t be man’s laws that lawlessness abounds in . . . Certainly, Yahoshua was referring to the increase of lawlessness to the Word, to the laws of Elohim. But what laws is He talking about since many in the Church believe the old covenant is gone? This is a slippery slop for the church and they don’t even realize they are on it. Yahoshua, said, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness, this is the same lawlessness that is increasing in the world.

We need to get back to the fundamentals of walking with Yahoshua. Follow His example, which will ensure that we are counted worthy of persecution. That seems counter intuitive but it is truth. We must walk in love that says, go and sin no more. We must walk in love that picks up the broken-hearted, helps the widow and the orphan. We must walk in love that puts others first. We must walk in love that does justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with YHWH.

Endure to the end, do not stop loving and sharing the good news of salvation in Yahoshua who takes away the sin of the world. This message will reach the ends of the earth . . . Endure to the end!

Do no let your love grow cold.

You are loved
cj