Are we obey the law or are we under grace? Well... both. As Apostle Peter has stated in 2 Peter 3:16 "as also in all his [Paul's] letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction." Many Christians will quote Paul in saying that the law is gone away and grace is all we need. After all the Yahushua ha'Mashiach (Jesus the Christ/Messiah) died for our sins and we inherit eternal life as a free gift, right? Well, right. Messiah did die and was resurrected on the third day as prophsied, and atones for our sin. But let's look at some things our Messiah said prior to His death (and subsequent resurrection).

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.5:18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.5:19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. NAS95" So then what law was taken away, if our Messiah, Yahushua, says that not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished?

The law that has been done away is refered to as "handwriting of ordinances (KJV)." Colossians 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NAS95" This law was the ceremonial law of sacrifices of bulls and goats which were never meant to be sufficient, but were a mere shadow of our Messiah's final sacrifice. Hebrews 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. NAS95"

We are told by Yahushua ha'Mashiach that if we love him we will keep His commandments (John 14:15) and we are also told by John "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.1 Jn 5:2 NASB95" What are His commandments? Does he mean the Ten Commandments (Torah)? We live under grace, right? (still right). But, you say, "I've been tought that we don't have to obey the Law anymore." Well, it's time to start listening to our Saviour and looking in scripture rather than take a man's word for it. But, the Ten Commandments is Old Testament (Tanakh), right? Surely that stuff doesn't matter...

So, let's use the New Testament (Brit Chadasha/Renewed Covenant) to try to understand what is going on. We are told if we love Yahushua we will obey His commandements (John 14:15). But Yahushua says that His command is that we love one another, right (John 15:12). Right, but this "love" is also defined by our Messiah “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’“This is the great and foremost commandment.“The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”Mt 22:37-40 NASB95.

But these are only two commandments! But, the Commandments can be summarized by these two statements. So, if Yahushua ha'Mashiach, the Son of Elohim (God) is quoted as saying a)the until heaven and earth shall pass away the law will not pass away, b)if we love Him we will keep His commandments, c)His command is that we love one another, d)to love one another (and to love YHWH--"the LORD") is to obey the Law... then we might ought to pay attention, get to it, don't you think?

But, brother, that's legalism! Negative. Legalism is following the Law for the means of salvation. Yahushua is the ONLY way to the Father (John 14:6), the ONLY means for salvation. So, what happens with this Law once a person receives Yahushua as their Savior? The Law is written on our hearts (Rom 2:15, Heb 8:10, 10:16)! This is the NewTestament/Renewed Covenant! “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.“They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”Je 31:33-34 NASB95

The point of the Renewed Covenant is that He will put His law within us and will write it on our heart! How can it have been done away? The opposite if obeying the Law (Torah) is lawlessness, in fact sin is defined as lawlessness (1 John 3:4). “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.Mt 24:12-14 NASB95"

BEWARE

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’Mt 7:21-23 NASB95

But take heart...

Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.Re 14:12 NASB95

Christian, take this seriously. Do not practice lawlessness. Endure until the end. Receive Yahushua and take His yoke upon you, which is easy. Let Him write the Law on your heart (this is the Renewed Covenant!). If you love Him, obey His commandments.

A current struggle of mine is the state of the "church." First, I would like to break down the word "church" and take it back to the Greek word ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía) Greek Strong's Number 1577. The basic meaning is "called out." What exactly are we called out of? We, the ekklesia, are called out of the world system. We are called out of a life of sin. We are called out, into the Kingdom of YHWH through Yeshua the Messiah. We are called to come out and be separate (2 Cor 6:17).

The "church," as well as other Americans, was recently polled, the results are found in Associate Press article entitled Religious Americans: My Faith Isn't the Only Way. "....57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching. In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion." "...By many measures, Americans are strongly religious: 92 percent believe in God, 74 percent believe in life after death, and 63 percent say their respective scriptures are the word of God. But deeper investigation found that more than one in four Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Orthodox Christians expressed some doubts about God's existence, as did six in ten Jews. Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with eight percent "absolutely certain" of it."

Some (57%, perhaps 'majority' would be more appropriate) members of the "church", or ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía), or "called out ones," believe that many religions can lead to eternal life. There is a truth there. EVERY religion leads to eternal life, of some sort. Which religion leads to eternal life in the Kingdom of the Creator? Only One. Is this a 'religion?' No, and that is the difference. Christianity is the only 'religion' where a person can have a relationship with the Creator, through His Son, Yeshua, who was executed on a cross to fulfill the law that blood must be shed for the remission of sins (Lev 17:11,Heb 9:22). He also rose again, being seen of many witnesses. Seated at the right hand of the Father, He is our Advocate with the Father.

A man calls himself "a Christian" and is suposedly identified with Christ, accepting His sacrifice on the cross as payment for his sin, yet denies He is the only way to heaven... Is this the mark of a true "Christian." Is this someone who is "called out?" The answer is NO. Does it sound harsh to say that Evangelical Church goers who do not believe Christ is the only way will not inherit the Kingdom? Sure. And? Sorry? He, Yeshua, Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living Elohim (God) says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Did He stutter? He who calls himself a Christian and does not believe this truth is no Christian.

So, who are the true Christians? Who is the church? Are you called out? Do you believe that Yeshua is "the Way, the Truth and the Life?" Can anyone come to the Father through any other way but through Him?

I challenge you to give up your petty excuses for why you can't come out and be a true Christian. Is it hard? Sure. Will you be different than the world? I would hope so. Will you be different than "mainstream Christianity?" Most definitely. Are you worried about being identified with Christ? Are you worried about being persecuted for your belief, even from among the pews? Now that's something. Being persecuted from within the "church." Get ready for that.

Seek YHWH. Abide in the Messiah. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pursue knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Walk in agape-love. Come out from among them and be separate. Be a peculiar people (1 Pet 2:9). The world will not understand you, will not receive you. It did not receive Yeshua, either (John 15:18). Marvel not (1 John 3:13). Even some of the "church," or more appropriately "nominal Christianity" will not receive you.

Rom 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."


Take it seriously, Christian. Persecution will come. If not for you, for your kids. If not for your kids, for their children. Where does it start? Right now it starts with you. Are you ready?

'Tis been quite a while since my last post. Perhaps I have just been so busy! I have been a daddy for 8.5 months. Levi is doing so well! Crawling, pulling up... He even likes his daddy much more! Check out more on him and Onna at afamilyexperience.blogspot.com. Rather that duplicate what Onna has, which would be an injustice, I have decided to go a different route on my blog. I would like to write about church things, Christian things. Not that my son and wife do not matter, but Onna already has that covered. I want to write about things that have eternal consequences. I want to talk about abiding in Yeshua, being yielded to the Holy Spirit, walking in agape love, building on the foundation with gold, silver and precious stones and worshipping YHWH forever. Since we are already in eternity, might now be a good time to pick up these things?

But, here is a more recent picture of Levi...