…In
Defense of God…
…A
loving rebuke of the numerous detractors of the Hebraic Roots Movement…[1]
Psalm 119:136 (Tanakh)
136My eyes shed streams of water because men do not obey Your teaching. צ [2]
136My eyes shed streams of water because men do not obey Your teaching. צ [2]
Proverbs 28:9 (NET)
28:9 The one who turns away his ear26 from hearing the law, even his prayer27 is an abomination.28 ([4])
Hosea 4:6 (Hebraic Roots Bible)
My people perish for
lack of knowledge. Because you rejected
the knowledge, I also rejected you from being priest to Me.
Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I
will forget your sons, even I.[5]
An open letter
To the many who write about the
things of God and the "evil" of the Hebraic Roots Movement:
It is with a heavy heart I write this. I find so many of
your articles to be enlightening, edifying and worthwhile that when I came upon
those that decry the Hebraic Roots Movement (HRM), I am taken aback. You
see, I am one of those that you would probably consider to be “legalistic”, for
I not only am a follower of Yeshua Ha’Machiach (or if you prefer Jesus the
Messiah – to me either way is correct) but I also am Torah Observant – and I
see no contradiction between the two. As one of you had stated in an
article, “...We do not put much stock in denominational affiliation or
encourage it in others...”; of this I heartily agree; but I am also in
agreement with Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul):
“...And receive him who is weak in the faith, but not
to judgments of your thoughts. For indeed one believes to eat all things; but
being weak, another eats vegetables. Do not let him who eats despise him who
does not eat; and do not let him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God
has received him.
Who are you that judges another's servant?
To his own
master he stands or falls. But he will stand, for God is able to make him
stand.
One indeed esteems a day above another day; and another esteems
every day alike.
Let each one be fully assured in his own mind.
He
who regards the day regards it to the Lord; and he not regarding the day, does
not regard it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God
thanks; and he who does not eat, does not eat to the Lord, and gives God
thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For both
if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore
both if we live, and if we die, we are the Lord's. For this Christ both died
and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.
But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For
all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, "As
I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall
confess to God." So then each one of us will give account concerning
himself to God. Then let us not judge one another anymore, but rather judge
this, not to put a stumbling-block or an offense toward his brother. I know and
am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing by itself is common; except to him
who esteems anything to be common, it is common. But if your brother is grieved
with your food, you no longer walk according to love. Do not with your food
destroy him for whom Christ died. Then do not let your good be spoken evil of,
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is
well-pleasing to God, and approved by men. So then let us pursue the things of
peace, and the things for building up one another. Do not undo the work of God
for food. Truly, all things indeed are clean, but it is bad to the man eating
because of a stumbling-block. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink
wine, nor anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made
weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Blessed is he who does
not condemn himself in what he approves. But, the one doubting, if he eats, he
has been condemned, because it is not of faith; and all that is not of faith is
sin...” (Rom 14:1-23)
I
can go onto the web and find entire websites devoted to the bashing of the
“Heretic Hebraic Roots Movement”. I see my own pastor, Pastor Mark Biltz of El
Shaddai Ministries in Tacoma WA, being declared a wolf in sheep’s clothing and
then have those who claim to be Christians denouncing him as going to hell
right alongside those of us “stupid or duped” enough to put ourselves under
“legalism” by people who have never heard his sermons or those who take what he
teaches out of context. I am a teacher of the Hebraic Roots myself and have had
“peace-loving, God Fearing” Christians spitting in my face, waving their bible
6 inches from my nose and balling up their fists, all to “correct” me of my
misguided ways. All of this because we read the Bible differently: we see it as
what it is, an ancient near east document, a Jewish document, penned by men
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, and delivered to a nation whose duty was to inform the rest of the world
about the one true God. When they failed, God had to correct them; in their
fear of continued failure, they withdrew into themselves and locked up the
knowledge of God in their “religion”; to save them and the rest of mankind God
sent His only begotten Son to remove the man-made wall that separated Jew and
Gentile and to correct the man-made traditions of the elders of Israel and to
bring back the ancient paths so that all men could walk in love toward one another
and with a Holy God – the Torah through faith in the Son of God. We who observe
Torah do so not because of any salvational issue – for salvation is of Messiah
alone – but because we understand that the Father gave us a way to walk and
because we love Him, we want to do what he says.
I
have lost no "freedom" in my walk, I in fact have been set free and
delivered from 40 years of addiction and the cycle of violence that accompanied
it by my faith and obedience to the Word of God. So you see, I have issues when
people call God's word bondage, or equate the commandments of God with the
doctrines of devils (I’ll expound on this momentarily). This also becomes an
issue with me because when any come against the Torah, they are in fact calling
my Savior a liar, for did He not say in Matthew 5:17-20 DRB:
"..Do
not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. (18) For amen I say unto you, till heaven
and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be
fulfilled. (19) He therefore that shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom
of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. (20) For I tell you, that unless your justice
abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into
the kingdom of heaven.."
Last time I checked heaven and
earth were still here, and all things have not yet been fulfilled and won’t be
until this has happened:
1 Cor 15:21-28
DRB “…For by a man came death: and by a man the resurrection of
the dead. (22) And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall
be made alive. (23) But every one in his own order: the firstfruits,
Christ: then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming.
(24) Afterwards the end: when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God and the Father: when he shall have brought to nought all principality and
power and virtue. (25) For he must reign, until he hath put all his
enemies under his feet. (26) And the enemy, death, shall be
destroyed last: For he hath put all things under his feet. And whereas he
saith: (27) All things are put under him; undoubtedly, he is
excepted, who put all things under him. (28) And when all things
shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all..."
So either our Messiah lied or
maybe those who claim Torah observance is “legalism” just don't have as firm a
grasp on the word as they believe they do.
I commend you and respect you
for your stance and your defense of what you believe though; my intention is
never to try to convince you of anything different, that isn't my place. That
belongs to the Holy Spirit alone to bring all into the truth; so you are free
to accept and reject any part of God's word that you please; that issue is
between you and God.
So what are we to say? Yes, there are problems
within the Messianic movement. We ourselves make mention of it as a “Messy –
anic” problem. There are many in the movement who have swung the pendulum too
far to the other side, but then, there is nothing new about that is there?
These so-called "fringe" elements of the Messianic movement may need loving
correction just as in some elements of "fringe" Christianity do. For those I
fellowship with, we know we are saved only by the blood of the Lamb and
we serve God and prove our love for Him by keeping His word out of love, not
duty or obligation. What child doesn't want to please their father by obeying
the instructions a loving father has set before them? That is what we do for
the word also says in 1 John 2:1-6 LEB:
"... My little children, I am writing
these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one, (2)
and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world. (3) And by this we know that we have come
to know him, if we keep his commandments. (4) The one who says
"I have come to know him," and does not keep his commandments is a
liar, and the truth is not in this person. (5) But whoever keeps
his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we
know that we are in him. (6) The one who says that he resides in
him ought also to walk just as that one walked..."
Truly to walk as Yeshua did means
we have to be what He was –Torah observant. If He wasn’t, He cannot be the
Messiah for the word says:
Deuteronomy 17:15 (HCSB) 15 “...you are to
appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. k Appoint
a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who
is not of your people...” [6]
To be King of the Jews, and to be King of Israel, He
had to be a Torah observant Jew...
Also:
Deuteronomy 17:18-19 (HCSB):
18 “...When he is seated
on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a
scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to remain with him,
and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to •fear n the
Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these
statutes...”
Our walk with God is our
sanctification (not our justification which is Yeshua alone), our becoming holy unto Him. God calls us to be holy as He
is Holy, for Heb 12:14 says:
"...Pursue peace with everyone, and
holiness, without which no one will see the Lord..."
Now if one picks and
chooses their way through the word of God, and casts off this here and
disregards that over there in favor of that which fits their comfort zone,
lifestyle or in other words, a "theology" that limits the amount of
change they should be bringing into their lives, how can they then tell
the sacred from the profane if they do not God define it for them in His holy
word?
1Jn 3:1-8 LEB "...See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him. (2) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. (3) And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure. (4) Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. (5) And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (6) Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. (7) Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. (8) The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil..."
Sin is lawlessness. Those who live strictly on "grace" live in lawlessness and thus they are under mercy, not true grace. As Messianics we understand that grace is from Genesis to Revelation and we also understand what true grace is; true grace is what gives us the ability to obey God the Father's and Jesus' words (commandments, statutes, ordinances). We can then walk upright, righteous before God for we walk in obedience. And what have we lost by doing so? Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not the Law of God or God's words. By keeping His word, we have lost nothing. Maybe I don't eat pork, or shell fish; so I keep the Feasts of the Lord instead of the man-made traditions of Easter and Christmas; so I hold the Shabbat (the 7th day Sabbath, Friday sundown to Saturday sundown) as God commanded and I love His people the Jews and the holy land Israel... I love my Messiah, I am saved by His blood, so what have I lost? Unfortunately, there is much vitriolic attention turned toward to the elements of the Hebraic Roots movement while those within whatever "flavor" of religion be it denominational or other devour us for our holding to the written word of God. It would be better for us all if they who denigrate us would pull the beam out of their own eye, then they could see clearly enough to remove the speck in ours.
1Jn 3:1-8 LEB "...See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him. (2) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. (3) And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure. (4) Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. (5) And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (6) Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. (7) Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. (8) The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil..."
Sin is lawlessness. Those who live strictly on "grace" live in lawlessness and thus they are under mercy, not true grace. As Messianics we understand that grace is from Genesis to Revelation and we also understand what true grace is; true grace is what gives us the ability to obey God the Father's and Jesus' words (commandments, statutes, ordinances). We can then walk upright, righteous before God for we walk in obedience. And what have we lost by doing so? Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not the Law of God or God's words. By keeping His word, we have lost nothing. Maybe I don't eat pork, or shell fish; so I keep the Feasts of the Lord instead of the man-made traditions of Easter and Christmas; so I hold the Shabbat (the 7th day Sabbath, Friday sundown to Saturday sundown) as God commanded and I love His people the Jews and the holy land Israel... I love my Messiah, I am saved by His blood, so what have I lost? Unfortunately, there is much vitriolic attention turned toward to the elements of the Hebraic Roots movement while those within whatever "flavor" of religion be it denominational or other devour us for our holding to the written word of God. It would be better for us all if they who denigrate us would pull the beam out of their own eye, then they could see clearly enough to remove the speck in ours.
I
told you early I would expound upon some saying the HRM follows the doctrines
of devils: this is what I mean...
In Christianity there are about
22,000 Independent denominations; about 9,000 or so Protestant denominations;
“Marginals” (those including Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, etc.) make up about
1600 denominations; those with the “Orthodox” label total around 781
denominations while those that call themselves Roman Catholic include around
241 different denominations! Add up the Anglicans and whatever little splinter
groups you can find and the numbers are staggering. [7]
There is by one count 44,689 different Christian denominations in the world
today. [8]
Now, multiply that number by the individual congregations that make up each
denomination and the numbers are staggering. If the number of congregations is similar
to just the number of congregations in my area (Seattle, WA – a web search
reveals around 2,000 denominations with over 22,000 congregations…)
then there is on the conservative side around 500,000 different congregations
meeting today, and that is probably a low, very low number.
You can go to any number of websites and find similar statistics, but I think
you get my point: you have approximately 44,689 denominations all with their
own spin on Scripture, and probably very few of them with a favorable view of
the Hebraic Roots movement. While this may seem as an unfair generalization, if
you have access to the world wide web, just go look. There are a lot of sites
out there just waiting to “debunk” the Hebraic Roots movement. Depending on how
you word the question into a search engine, you can come up with between 2,000
and 20,000 responses, some for, a whole lot against, and the rest asking
questions. But to be fair, type in “Christian denominations”… on Google® you
will get about 2,570,000 results.
You will find website after website
denouncing the Hebraic Roots movement as a cult at best and teachers of the
doctrines of demons at worst, with all kinds of opinions in between. Yes, the
Messianic movement has some “Messy-anic” elements to it; some might say we are
our own worst enemies. We have the “One Law” proponents[9],
the “One House” group[10],
“Two House”[11]… lions and tigers and bears oh my…
I am not out to convert anyone to
my way of thinking or my belief in the One True God and His Messiah. I am not
out to convert Christians into Messianics (though this is my hope and prayer
for them, that they leave a powerless, dead “religion”[12]
and come into true faith…), or to convince Jews Yeshua is the Messiah (and
subsequently try to convert them into “Christians”… I want them to remain in
what I believe is the only true “religion”, which is the form of Judaism that
was practiced, preached and taught by Messiah Yeshua and to come to faith in Him, the true Messiah of Israel…) or to challenge anyone
on what they hold as truth. That is not my call, or my job. The act of
salvation, justification and sanctification is the providence of God Almighty alone, it does
not rest in men like me or any other. All I can do is present what I believe to
be truth; it is then up to you to ponder it, to test my words against the plain
meaning of Scripture, as admonished in Romans 12:2, and again in 1 John
4:1. I am teachable and correctable as long as any reproof comes from Scripture
(all of Scripture, not just favorite verses of the New Testament, for God
says He doesn’t change... let’s start there. We either believe that or we don’t...)
and the Scriptures used are not used to distort and twist the context in which
they are found. The Word of God is not a menu, letting us pick and choose from
it as we please. It has to be taken as a whole, and examined carefully, not
“cherry-picking” our way through it so that we can justify our pet doctrines
and beliefs. To do so is to manipulate the Word; when taken in context, you cannot
manipulate the Word and make it say whatever you want it to say.
That being said, this is why I have
such a problem with the all the different sites and folks that bash and
denigrate the Hebraic Roots movement. A careful examination of most of the
various sites reveals to me a pattern of “cherry-picking” Scripture; a little
Paul here, a lot Paul there; throw in some Peter and John and shake well.. What
you usually end up with then is a hodge-podge of Scriptural references all
taken out of their proper context and then used to justify and “prove” that
those of us who believe in the WHOLE word of God are in fact as stated in 1
Timothy 4:1-2:
1 But
athe Spirit
explicitly says that bin
later times some will 1fall
away from the faith, paying attention to cdeceitful spirits and ddoctrines
of demons,
Does this make sense? Does it
seem right to anyone who has a mind to reason that because a person holds that
all of God’s word is truth (Psalm 119:160, Psalms 19:9, John 17:17, 1
John 2:27), that they believe that God’s whole word is light (Psalm
119:105, Proverbs 6:23, John 8:12, John 9:5, 1 John 1:5), that it is pure
and perfect (Psalm 19:7-8), that it is the way (Psalms
119:25-40, Psalm 1, John 14:6), that in it is life (Psalm 19:7,
Psalm 16, Psalm 23, Psalm 119:1, Proverbs 3, Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 19:17,
Mark 10:17-31, John 3:36, John 5:18-47, John 6:26-65), that through the
shed blood of Yeshua (who is the way, truth and life) and in obedience
to the word, we find salvation (1 John 1:1-7, 1 John 2:1-6, 1 John 3),
can anyone with a mind and a heart to reason say that we who believe these
things follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons? When did God’s
word, the holy word become the teaching of demons? Before anyone can say I’m
“cherry-picking”, any single scriptural verse I give you it must be understood
that I expect you as one who should be schooled in the proper way of reading
Scripture to hold that verse in its proper context: read 5 above and 5 below
that verse, or 10 above and 10 below! But read it in its context, understand what
you read. The Epistles of the Apostles were written as letters, not as chapters
and verses, they were written to be read in their entirety, and understood in
that context. When you do so, you cannot manipulate the words to fit your
“bent” on the Word; you have to accept the Word as it is intended.
One fine example of defending the
Word of God comes from a ministry called 119 Ministries. I am going to site an
excerpt of an article that had been posted on their website http://119ministries.com/.
For those seeking truth, I encourage you to examine their site, and test
yourself..
BEGIN QUOTE:
“…[Note: For the sake
of the reader, quotes from the original “Anti Hebrew Roots” article will be
quoted in blue text. The119response will be in standard black text. Like the “Anti Hebrew Roots” author does (though we
are not fond of labels and boxes) we will also use the term “HRM” to generally represent those that hold to the validity and
truth of all of Yahweh’s instructions in the faith.]
Anti-HRM Quote:
"In recent years, I've had
quite a bit (too much) interaction with several groups within what might be
called a "Messianic movement" or a "Hebrew roots movement."
Just as you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, don't just a movement by its
name. After all, the Christian faith does have Hebrew roots, just as we do
follow the Messiah, but these movements are a distortion of the Christian
faith, a change from "the faith." (cf. Jude 1:3).
The
Anti-HRM author begins by attempting to establish a notion that those that
believe in following all of God’s instructions in the Bible, have "changed the faith," or in essence, hold to a different faith.
The author elevates and
attempts to inject credibility into this concern, by quoting a verse from Jude:
Jude 1:3
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
How many
realize that context is the most important tool to use when studying your
Bible?
Here,
AntiHRM is implying that “lawfulness” is a change from the faith. What we are about to
discover, is that Jude is actually warning against the very teachings and
doctrine of AntiHRM. In reality, this could not be any more ironic, and was
in fact, a very interesting way for AntiHRM to begin his warning against
practicing all of God’s Word.
Let’s
determine who Jude is referring to in verse 3 by reading verse 4:
Jude 1:4
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Thus,
those that have “changed the faith,” as AntiHRM put it, are those "who turn God’s grace into licentiousness," and actually "deny Jesus"
(Y’shua) in the process.
“Licentiousness”
is another word for being “carnal” or “after the flesh.” The Greek word being
translated is “aselgeia”. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon renders “aselgeia” as “of carnality” here
in Jude, as well as in 2 Peter 2.
Let’s examine the usage of this word in 2 Peter
2, which is in the context of “False Teachers.”
2 Peter
2:7-10
…and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy (aselgeia) conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
…and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy (aselgeia) conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
In verse 7, the Greek word
“aselgeia” is used in the context of lawless deeds, uncleanness,
despising authority, being presumptuous, and self willed. Those who
are “aselgeia” even comfortably speak evil against dignitaries (those
belonging to God).
All of these negative things of “aselgeia”
are contrasted with the “righteous” (Lot).
The Greek word for “righteous” in 2 Peter
2 is “dikaios.”
Strong’s defines “dikaios” as the
following:
1)
righteous, observing divine laws
a) in a
wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God
Note how the righteous keep
God’s commandments, which is why those that are “aselgia” are contrasted
against the righteous. Peter is literally declaring those that are “aselgia”
to be the opposite of the “righteous.”
Before we continue, the Greek
word “aselgia” occurs again in 2 Peter 2:
2 Peter 2:18-19
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness(aselgeia), the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness(aselgeia), the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
The
false teachers that are “aselgeia” (teach against keeping God’s
commandments) promise “liberty” but are actually in bondage themselves,
slaves of corruption.
If the “aselgeia”
(anti-law) preach that they promote “liberty/freedom” and really do not,
then it may benefit us to determine what the Bible defines as freedom.
What is “liberty” according
to the Bible?
James 1:25
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Did you
notice how James refers to the Law of God as “liberty?” Not only that, but James
specifically notes the blessings that comes from “doing” the law of
God. Only someone that
practices the whole Word of God, with a desire to love God and seeks His
instructions, is the one who will fully grasp what James is saying. However, if we believe the whole Bible to be true,
then keep in mind, the Bible already said that blessings come from doing the
law of God (Deuteronomy 11:26-29). That is why the law of God is freedom. The reality is that breaking the law of God is sin
(Numbers 15:22;27, 1 John 3:4). As
Paul said, sin leads to death and curses. We should not want to sin. Sin is bondage. Again, this is also why obedience to God’s law is
freedom, as it is the opposite of sin.
James also says it is the law
of liberty by which some day we will all be judged:
James 2:12
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
What James is stating about the
Law of God is problem to common mainstream Christian theology and doctrine, for
James is sounding very pro-law in his statements.
Quite often, this is where the Christian theologian will have to invent terms such as “moral law” (not in the Bible) verses “mosaic law” to try to explain away what James is teaching.
To consider that what Moses wrote to be liberty and freedom is just too much for the indoctrinated seminary graduate to grasp. It makes them uncomfortable, and suggests that they might be wrong.
Quite often, this is where the Christian theologian will have to invent terms such as “moral law” (not in the Bible) verses “mosaic law” to try to explain away what James is teaching.
To consider that what Moses wrote to be liberty and freedom is just too much for the indoctrinated seminary graduate to grasp. It makes them uncomfortable, and suggests that they might be wrong.
However,
that is what the Bible clearly teaches. What Moses wrote is indeed freedom for God’s people:
Psalm 119:44-45
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
Thus,
James is simply just quoting what his Bible (the Old Testament) already established. James was one of the first
books of the New Testament, and Paul’s letters were not even around yet to be
confused into the error of lawlessness (2 Peter 3:14-17))
Thus,
those that are “dikaios” (righteous), meaning walking in the Law of God,
were walking in freedom.
Those that are “aselgia”
(anti-Law of God), according to Peter, teach and speak of liberty, but actually
teach bondage and lawlessness.
We now have two groups in context:
1) “Dikaios” – The
righteous – those desiring to keep the commands of God.
2) “Aselgia” – Those
that are “in carnality” that teach against the commandments of God.
As
Thayers Greek Lexicon states, those that are “aselgia” are “of
carnality.”
Paul agrees with Jude and
Peter’s warning on those that are carnal, they simply do not like the law of
God. They do not want the law of God to be 100% truth (Psalm
119:142; Malachi 2:6).
Romans 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
It is the carnal mind, the “aselgia,”
that is not subject to the law of God, the law of liberty.
It is those who are “spiritual”
that go after and desire the Law of God (Romans 8), because the Law of
God is “spiritual” (Romans 7:14).
Let us read Jude 3-4 again, referring to those that are “aselgia.”
Let us read Jude 3-4 again, referring to those that are “aselgia.”
Jude 3-4
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness (aselgia) and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness (aselgia) and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
How many times have we heard that we are under grace, thus
obedience to the law of God is made void?
Does that even make sense?
Does that even make sense?
Grace
removes us from the curse of our breaking of the law of God, our sin, not from
our responsibility to keep the law of God, or not sin.
Paul
calls the law we are no longer under, the “law of sin and death.” (Romans
8:2). The Law of Sin and Death is the consequences of breaking the
"Law of God." Doesn't that sound more like the purpose of the
cross...to take away sin, not to take away the Law of God?
Jude
warns us of such a mistake. We are not to use the “grace card” to teach
against the commandments of God.
To do so is actually denying our Savior Himself. By His own definition, our
Savior is the Word of God. If
we are to say that something in the Word of God is no longer of no effect, then
we are denying is very own established truth, its liberty, its freedom.
It takes us from the law of God (liberty) and places us back under the law of sin (bondage).
Jude, Peter, and Paul all warn us to beware of such teachers.
It takes us from the law of God (liberty) and places us back under the law of sin (bondage).
Jude, Peter, and Paul all warn us to beware of such teachers.
To deny the Word of God, is to deny Christ.
The
starting claim by AntiHRM is that HRM has “changed
the faith.” Yet, when we read Jude in
context, and even pull in Peter’s writings on the same matter, we find that
those that have “changed the faith”
are those that are “of carnality.” They “change the law of God” using the excuse of “grace.” They
crept into the Church unnoticed, and were marked out long ago for condemnation,
as even Ezekiel 22:23-28 declares regarding the coming "Day
of Wrath," or "Day of
the Lord":
Ezekiel 22:23-28
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken.
The
irony is that Jude 3-4 is actually against the very position AntiHRM holds to,
and sadly, he does not yet see it. What we will see in further
examination of AntiHRM's article, is that this will be the common pattern.
Scripture that is cited is often against his position, and not for
it.
It is never too late though, to come back to the whole faith, the whole Word of God…to experience the liberty and blessings that Yahweh, or Creator, intended for His people. The same liberty and blessings that our Messiah Y’shua practiced and taught, and commanded us to teach all nations to obey (Matthew 28:19-20) in His “Great Commission.”
It is never too late though, to come back to the whole faith, the whole Word of God…to experience the liberty and blessings that Yahweh, or Creator, intended for His people. The same liberty and blessings that our Messiah Y’shua practiced and taught, and commanded us to teach all nations to obey (Matthew 28:19-20) in His “Great Commission.”
If we really want to know who “changed the faith,” then perhaps we should quote Paul, as perhaps he might
carry more weight than the Old Testament, our Messiah, Jude, James, or Peter.
Romans 3:31
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Romans 3:31
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
It is
time to “uphold” the law in the faith, instead of teaching against
it…instead of breaking it, and calling breaking the law of God liberty.
Notice
how Jude 3 clearly states that the faith was "for once for all" handed down to the saints...this is very important to
understand. There has always been just one faith, and it has never
changed. The Jewish messiah did not come to start a new religion with new
ways, but teach us the same faith that has always existed. It is the same
faith that Adam and Eve had. It is the same faith that Abraham had (Genesis 26:5). It is even the same message and faith that those at
Sinai had (Hebrews 4:2). The same faith that Paul preached was
the same that was taught and practiced at Sinai (teaching).
We need to establish our Creator’s perfect instructions (Psalm 19:7) in our lives. He intended them for us for a reason. We simply have to believe the Word of God, to commit to it, to call on its truth and authority. We should believe and do the same thing our Messiah Y’shua (Jesus) also did, which is why He was and is called, the Word of God. He did not come to be our excuse (“grace card”) for not walking the Word of God, He came to take away our sin and teach us how to walk the Word of God…
We need to establish our Creator’s perfect instructions (Psalm 19:7) in our lives. He intended them for us for a reason. We simply have to believe the Word of God, to commit to it, to call on its truth and authority. We should believe and do the same thing our Messiah Y’shua (Jesus) also did, which is why He was and is called, the Word of God. He did not come to be our excuse (“grace card”) for not walking the Word of God, He came to take away our sin and teach us how to walk the Word of God…
Let us
pray for our brother’s and sisters who are walking in deception, who fail to
understand where men are leading them. May they transfer that trust and faith from the
doctrines of men, and back to the full faith in the whole Word of God. May we realize that so many of us were once also
walking in deception, and that by His grace and spirit, we found the blessings
and liberty of His whole truth. May the same be extended to all.
The last thing any of us should want to do, as Jude 3 warns, is to turn the grace of God into aselgeia (of carnality/lawlessness).
The last thing any of us should want to do, as Jude 3 warns, is to turn the grace of God into aselgeia (of carnality/lawlessness).
In fact,
this exactly what HRM opposes. Sadly, it is mainstream Christianity that
Jude 3 is speaking to, who use grace to teach that we can and should set aside
certain commandments, consequently changing our faith, and changing the Word of
God that is to stand forever.
This is why this is all so important. This is not contention over silly matters. These are important matters. This is all about how we define sin, or breaking the Law of God. If keeping the commandments of God is man's whole purpose (Ecclesiastes 12:13), then anyone trying to minimize the importance of these matters and discussions is in serious misguided error. They do not even understand their purpose, their sole reason for existence. If we cannot Biblically establish what sin is, then we cannot be in agreement with our created purpose. Our whole purpose is to believe on and follow the Messiah, who is the Word of God. We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Messiah we want to follow. We either believe and practice what He believed and practiced, or we deny Him, and the Word of God He stands for, who He claimed to be.
This matter deserves our full attention and study, as long as our agenda is of serving Yahweh, and not man…”[14]
This is why this is all so important. This is not contention over silly matters. These are important matters. This is all about how we define sin, or breaking the Law of God. If keeping the commandments of God is man's whole purpose (Ecclesiastes 12:13), then anyone trying to minimize the importance of these matters and discussions is in serious misguided error. They do not even understand their purpose, their sole reason for existence. If we cannot Biblically establish what sin is, then we cannot be in agreement with our created purpose. Our whole purpose is to believe on and follow the Messiah, who is the Word of God. We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Messiah we want to follow. We either believe and practice what He believed and practiced, or we deny Him, and the Word of God He stands for, who He claimed to be.
This matter deserves our full attention and study, as long as our agenda is of serving Yahweh, and not man…”[14]
END QUOTE.
Well, enough said. I am sure I haven't changed your take on anything,
but ponder this:
What
is our proper attitude to God and His word? Is it one of thankfulness, of
gladness that in His infinite wisdom He has provided for us a model and a
blueprint of how to walk holy with Him, how to love our Messiah and our fellow
man? Or do we approach His word with scorn, disdaining that which He lay before
us, in order for us to keep what we only feel is
appropriate in our lives? Yeshua/Jesus is our model of a life that was spent in
obedience to God the Father and His word. Why do we treat His (Messiah’s) words
as if Paul’s or the other disciples’ words (or at least some other man's
interpretation of the Apostles words) carry more weight than what He
said? O man, justify this before God! I would rather keep and follow all
the word of God (and I include the Apostles' words here as from God - just
let us understand what they are saying; they never contradicted Yeshua's words
or the Father's) and be told at the end that this wasn’t necessary, than
have to stand before a Holy, Terrible, Almighty God and be asked why I
discounted His word, why I held it in disdain.
Why is there this need to
disrespect God and His written word for words and interpretations and opinions
penned by men?
Why do those who claim to follow God hold His word in contempt
of what is written and deny the lead of the Spirit to bring them into the
knowledge of the truth?
My heart is saddened, but I pray that all of us will
heed the words of God, repent and not bash one another but come together in
unity as one body, loving the Father and His Son, Yeshua (or Jesus if you
prefer…) as it is written…
That's all I've got to say; I ask your forgiveness if I have
offended you in anyway, which not my intention, and I forgive you for anything
you have said that I may have been offended by, for I really have no right to
be offended. If I have made mistakes, they are mine, not my teachers... Put
credit where credit is due..
Shalom in Jesus' name, amen. I can be reached at david_seedofabraham@hotmail.com.
[1] [Author’s
Note:] Throughout these studies I have used the notes that come
along with the passages I cite from the sources that I cite: these need a bit
of a disclaimer though. As in all things, not everything that is footnoted is
something that I necessarily agree with, especially if it contradicts what I
believe pertains to any matters of the Torah or the commandments of God. I
give you the notes as they are
written by the authors of the material I cite from, so that you
can see the information contained within them. It truly is not my place to edit
or correct them; if they state anything that is in opposition to what I teach,
then so be it. I will address these issues if requested, but for the sake of
brevity (as if any of these posts of mine are brief ☺ ) I insert them and let them stand as they are.
If I don’t agree with them, why do I include them you might ask? I don’t
believe in censuring anyone’s opinions; as I would not want mine censured, so I
will not do to that to another. As Rabbi Hillel once stated, “What is hateful
to you, do not do to another. That is the whole Torah. Go and learn it.” Torah
leads me to respect others, even if I disagree; it leads me to present
both sides of the coin, even if it could mean I’d lose part of the argument.
That is not to say I should not challenge something I believe contradicts the
truth of God’s word; that I will do in the main body of my epistles; that is
where my gentle dissent belongs. Most (but not all) of the differences will
come when I quote from the NET® Bible; it has a decidedly Western/Greek mindset
(though I do commend them for the work they have tried to do) to it, but as a
wise man once said “How do you eat chicken? Swallow the meat and spit out the
bones..”
[2] Jewish
Publication Society. (1997, c1985). Tanakh:
The Holy Scriptures : A new translation of the Holy Scriptures according to the
traditional Hebrew text. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
·
[The following notes are taken from the
NET Bible® footnotes, copyright (c) 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press
L.L.C. All rights reserved. Used by permission from www.bible.org, n.d.
Numbering system is unique to NET® Notes..]
26 sn The expression “turn
away the ear from hearing” uses a metonymy to mean that this individual will
not listen – it indicates a deliberate refusal to follow the instruction of the
law.
27 sn It is hard to imagine how someone who
willfully refuses to obey the law of God would pray according to the will of
God. Such a person is more apt to pray for some physical thing or make demands
on God. (Of course a prayer of repentance would be an exception and would not
be an abomination to the Lord.)
28 sn C. H. Toy
says, “If a man, on his part, is deaf to instruction, then God, on his part, is
deaf to prayer” (Proverbs [ICC], 499). And W. McKane observes that one
who fails to attend to God’s law is a wicked person, even if he is a man of
prayer (Proverbs [OTL], 623).
- End “NET®” notes
[5] Hebraic Roots Bible. 2nd edition; electronic version,
e-Sword v. 10.2.1 by Rick Meyers. Word of Truth Publications, 2012.
k 17:14–15 1Sm 8:4–22
l 17:15 Gn 17:6,16; 35:11; Nm 24:17–19
[6] The
Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009. Nashville: Holman Bible
Publishers.
n 17:19 Dt 14:23
• No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear
in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe,
and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.
[7] From
the article “…The Facts and Stats on "33,000 Denominations" The
20,000 30,000 numbers and David Barrett's statistics Part II…” at http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/a106.htm
[8] http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/a106.htm ;
website described as “...a personal web site from Phil Porvaznikcontaining
many discussions, debates, and articles on Catholic Apologetics, Philosophy,Spirituality
and Conversion Stories…”
[9] [Note:
In identifying these different factions, to be honest with you , I’ll let you
know if I have any theological leanings toward the basic premises of the
different groups or not..] “One Law” proponents are those that believe God’s
Torah is the privilege and obligation of all His people, Jew and non-Jew alike.
I probably identify myself more with this basic tenant than with any other,
though my walk or halakah is based upon the interpretation of
the Torah as expressed by Yeshua and His disciples and not necessarily those
espoused by rabbinical sources. Where the two agree, I agree.
[10] Those
that believe that God is calling forth His people as one family (whether Jew or
Gentile) being reunited and restored as the house of Israel. (Eph
2:11-22) [Note: again, part of my theology agrees with the “One House”
basic premise, but not necessarily all they espouse.]
[11] “…Generally
speaking, the so-called “Two House Theory” (sometimes called the “Ephraimite
Movement”) thinks that Christians are actually members of the “lost tribes” of
Israel (Ephraim is used as a synonym for the Northern Kingdom of Israel that
was taken into captivity in 722 BC). Based on readings from the prophets
Ezekiel (Ezek. 37:15-28) and Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31), this doctrine maintains
that one day the lost tribes (i.e., the church) will be reunited with the
“house” of Judah (i.e., the Jewish people) under the terms of the New
Covenant…” From the website developed and maintained by John J. Parsons at www.hebrew4christians.com, the article: “Two House Theology: Are Christians
the “lost tribes” of Israel?” [Note: No offense to my “Two House”
brethren, but my identity revolves around my Messiah, not with the “lost
tribes”. This is my take and I mean to disparage no one for their belief
system, Messianic or Christian, for if we can unite on one theme and that is
our love and respect for the Savior of Israel and of all mankind, Yeshua the
Messiah, then maybe we can end this “failure to communicate” at last and unite
as one..”]
[12]
Just a note: I have no axe to grind against Christians, only the system
of religion called “Christianity”. If a person identifies themselves as
“Christian” and what they mean is they follow the living “Christ” or Messiah,
then hey, if you call me a “Christian” in the confines of that definition, I’m
okay with it. But the system of religion as practiced
today called “Christianity”, O come out of her O my people, for you sit in the
seat of Babylon; a very dangerous place to be indeed.
[13] New
American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman
Foundation.
[14] This
article , I believe, is no longer available (at least as far as I can find) in
119 Ministries Archives. If you would like the whole article, email me at the
address listed at the end of my epistle and I will send it to you. Shalom.
