“The Son of God became man to enable men to become the Sons of God.”

—C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Merry Christmas from the Jones Family!

The more I attempted to “be me” the more “me’s” I found there were. I now see that “being me” means acknowledging all that I feel at the moment, and then taking responsibility for my actions by consciously choosing which level of my feelings I am going to respond to.
– Hugh Prather

Many of us seem to be on a search for the “real me”. The problem I have with this is that it implies that that “you” you are now is incorrect, or not real, or that something is inherently wrong with “you”.

I can’t believe any of you would spend our lives walking around as a fake “you” yet we spend time trying to find the “real you”. I like Prather’s insight that we are a complex series of emotions at any given moment. It is up to us to look at the full range of what we are, what we feel, what we like or do not like and then choose which of these we want to respond to.

It means we are actually conscious of what we are portraying to the world rather than thinking “Oops, the little real me is somewhere inside but he/she does not get to respond right now so the fake me will take action.” I believe this line of thinking allows us to postpone responsibility for our actions until a more convenient time – which usually ends up to be never.

So – there IS a real you. There are many real you’s. The many faces of you get to come forward and retreat based on the specific situation. I think the goal is to stop long enough to actually witness what side of you YOU ARE CHOOSING to portray and figuring out if that is really the side of you that is most appropriate at that time and place.

Simple, but not easy.

What is “Under the Law” (Part 4)

Last week I told you we were going to take a look at Galatians 4:1-7. Galatians chapter 4 begins with a very misunderstood thought process, the concept of adoption. This is intimately related to our current subject so I do not want to gloss over it. I have decided to talk about this next time. Our concern for now, however, is to remain focused on whether the believer is under the law.

In Galatians chapter 4:5 it states,

“To redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

This verse says no more or no less about what it means to be under the law then what we have seen all along. Anyone who strives to please God or be reconciled to God by obedience to commandments is under the law and needs to be redeemed. Old Covenant and New Covenant believers must be redeemed the same way. BY THE BLOOD! As long as anyone desires to remain under any legal system of any kind, whether God’s law or Roman law or natural law, they are under a curse because of their inability to keep it and the blood of the sacrifice is of no use to them. As I have shown so many places, Paul has taught us that we are all under a curse, we are all under the law, and we all need to be redeemed. Only then can we call God, Abba Father. So, once again, there is absolutely no teaching here that Jesus died to end God’s instructions for mankind, only that those instructions were not designed to redeem man, but to guide man, to teach him what is right and good and what is not. The new man or the inner man that Paul refers to is guided by trusting faith in the Messiah to listen to Him, follow Him and obey Him that the outer man may live long and prosper. Without that inner trust in God, man aimlessly obeys rules that eventually lead to rationalizing away the very words that are designed to guide him. This is a very real part of the history of Judaism. Their lack of trusting faith in God eventually led to manipulation of His word and the casting away of God’s real intent or spirit as well. Without the power of God (Ruach HaQodesh – Holy Spirit) man has no ability to sustain his relationship with Him, The “rules” (Torah) soon become a burden rather than a joy and man drifts away, soon followed by generations of faithless children.

Galatians 4:21-31 teaches us this very same principle. Struggling to obey God without the benefit of His presence produces that body of sin that Paul talked about in Romans 6. This places a person in constant bondage, never coming to trust in God and to rely on His power and righteousness. Paul begins this short lesson by assuming that the reader is not only familiar with the story of Hagar and Ishmael, but has knowledge of scriptural interpretative methods. In this case he uses a Midrash, (see note at bottom of page) which is translated as allegory in the English. Midrash draws a personal, moral or ethical meaning from the text. Paul is going to teach us from Genesis chapter 21 how to understand his constant attempt to explain under the law. In verse 24 he states that there are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing children of bondage, who is Hagar.

“For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all”.

“Jerusalem from above” is the other covenant. As a sidebar, notice where Mount Sinai is. It is not in what we call the Sinai Peninsula, but in Arabia. We will save that for another time. Now for a brief review of the Hagar story. Abraham and Sarah are given instructions by God that Sarah will bear the child of promise to Abraham. All they had to do was trust in God and take Him at His word. But no they had to take it in their own hands (or works) and go to Hagar for the promised child instead of trusting God. Now Hagar was a servant given to Abraham to serve him. She was not the means by which the promise was to be fulfilled. Hagar’s purpose was to serve Abraham and Sarah. So Abraham goes to Hagar to fulfill the promise and ends up producing a child that will forever stalk his people and keep them in bondage. Why is Hagar like Mount Sinai? Because the place where the law was given was precisely that! The law was given to Israel at this place. Its purpose was to serve, not to be served. It is a separate covenant. Notice in Exodus 19:12, that no one was allowed to go up to the Mount or even touch it! Israel was not to be redeemed by going to the Mount, but rather through faith. The design has always been that way. Contained in the law were the instructions for being redeemed, by sacrifice of the innocent, through the blood. God gave Israel the law after He placed them under His wings and brought them unto Himself in Exodus 19:3-4. No one can come to God by going to Mount Sinai, anymore than the promise to Abraham could be found by going to Hagar. If your redemption is reliant upon your own works then you will forever be in bondage to those works because you will constantly fail. If you trust wholly in God to give you His promise by trusting that He can, then he will give you His promise. He will also provide you with His covenant at Mount Sinai, which when obeyed will cause you to be a peculiar treasure unto Him above all people. However if you desire to come to Him by way of Mount Sinai, a mount He does not even want you to touch, then you will become a servant of Mount Sinai and forever in bondage.

The rest of this Midrash is very thought provoking, but my purpose is to teach what under the law means. One more thought about Hagar. If Abraham and Sarah would have trusted God and waited, then Hagar would have continued to be Isaac’s servant rather than the other way around. Please take the time to ponder all this. Paul is continuing to teach that if the law is used lawfully then it blesses, if it is used unlawfully then it curses (1 Timothy 1:8-9).

1 Timothy 1:8-9 (AMP)
⁽⁸⁾ Now we recognize and know that the Law is good if anyone uses it lawfully [for the purpose for which it was designed],
⁽⁹⁾ Knowing and understanding this: that the Law is not enacted for the righteous (the upright and just, who are in right standing with God), but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who strike and beat and [even] murder fathers and strike and beat and [even] murder mothers, for manslayers,

Our last use of this phrase is in Galatians 5 verse 18.
“But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

The works of the flesh are similar to being under the law. Remember that the works of the flesh is the old man of Romans chapter 6 that we discussed earlier. The old man is without the presence of God and only produces the body of sin. It is not guided, directed, sustained or led by the Spirit of God. It is on its own and can never please, according to Romans 6:14 it is under the dominion of sin because of disobedience. When you are led by the Spirit of God, then He guides you, through His instructions (Torah), to do what is holy and righteous and you do not serve the works of the flesh, which Paul lists in verses 19 through 21.

I would like to close this section on this phrase by making a few comments about the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. These two expressions are very well known in rabbinical circles. According to sages who lived before Jesus, when the Messiah comes, He will interpret the Scriptures for us, and He will even interpret the spaces between the letters! What does that mean? The ancient Jewish teachers revered the words of God much more than we in this culture can conceive. The universe and all that is in it was created by the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph-Tav. These letters, through the very breath of God, created all that is. This is also verified in Hebrews 11:3 and many other places in Scripture. These letters created were held together by God Himself. He was the space between the letters. His Spirit holds all things together. After ‘Elohiym rested, creation was considered to be held together by the perpetual reading and doing of Torah. It was taught that if there ever came a time when Torah was not taught or performed that the universe would cease to exist (melt away with a fervent heat?!). We know by New Testament revelation that it is Jesus Himself that holds all things together, for He is the very Spirit of Torah (Colossians 1:16-19). In Hebrew thought, the letter of the law is simply letters on parchment. The letter of the law is Torah without the Spirit. The spirit of the law is Torah engulfed by the Spirit. This is why in 2 Corinthians 3:17, Paul concludes by stating, “Now God is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty.” According to verse 6 of that same chapter it is the Spirit that gives life to Torah, otherwise it is only letters on paper and can never give or sustain life. Can you see this? Can you seriously study all these passages and still conclude that Jesus’ death ended God’s instructions? Do any of these lessons of Paul teach that the commandments of God ceased to exist today?

I hope and pray that these past few lessons have given some insight into this commonly abused expression. The law of God is good, set apart, righteous and true, and is a blessing if it is obeyed and a curse if it is not. The law is similar to a sharp knife. If it is used for what it was designed for, it will serve you. If it is used to murder, then it will be the most damning piece of evidence to stand against you. As believers we should be saying, “God help me to understand through your word how to obey you instructions and prosper.” Instead we are teaching that these instructions are simply not for us. In the past few years a popular acronym has become a part of speech. It is WWJD! I would pray that we would all keep in mind that this does not mean What Would Jesus Say, but What Would Jesus do!

Before we end for this week I would like to explain what a Midrash is.

The Hebrew’s have a four-fold interpretive method they use for interpreting scripture it’s called Pardes and the four parts are Peshat, Remez, Derash, Sod.

• Peshat = the literal meaning of the verse.
• Remez = insight into a deeper meaning.
• Derash= what is the verse teaching me about me.
• Sod      = the things that are hidden

Now a Midrash concentrates somewhat on Remez but mostly on Derash.

See you next week

Shalom Alecheim

PapaJD

What is “Under the Law” (Part 3)

We were continuing our study of being under the law. This is an important subject to me. I believe that it is a foundational phrase used by modern Christian teaching that has ultimately led to the current moral collapse of our culture. As I have stated, there are ten occurrences of this phrase in the New Testament. We have covered three, (Romans 3:19, 6:14-15) and now we will go to a slightly different context in 1 Corinthians 9:20. First, keep in mind that Romans 3 and 6 showed us two clear insights. We are ALL under the law until we are under grace, and to be under the law is to be under the dominion of sin.

In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, we have the popular Pauline discourse concerning his desire to be all things to all men that he might by all means save some. This alone has been used erroneously to justify immoral behavior by some, but that is not really our purpose here. We need to go back to verses 19-21 for our study. Here is how the narration goes:

1 Corinthians 9:19-21 (AMP)
⁽¹⁹⁾ For although I am free in every way from anyone’s control, I have made myself a bond servant to everyone, so that I might gain the more [for Christ].
⁽²⁰⁾ To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to men under the Law, [I became] as one under the Law, though not myself being under the Law, that I might win those under the Law.
⁽²¹⁾ To those without (outside) law I became as one without law, not that I am without the law of God and lawless toward Him, but that I am [especially keeping] within and committed to the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law.

Paul begins by stating that he is not controlled or led by any man, but rather he is a servant to all men that he might gain them. His purpose is to win their trust. He will do this by empathizing with them. He will approach them from their perspective and from their point of view and needs. This in no way teaches that he will take on their behavior or even mystically become them. This is verified by his first statement: “to the Jews I became as a Jew”. Paul states emphatically many times that he is a Jew, or that he has remained a Jew. So he certainly did not become a Jew to win the Jews. He also does not equate the Jew as being the one under the law. This statement is listed separately. These statements cover various situations that Paul in his ministry, confronts. Paul obviously does not run away or shy away from anybody. He strives to understand a person’s circumstances. He is not teaching that he becomes a drunk with the drunks in order to save the drunks, but rather he will not turn away from the drunk because he is a drunk. So Paul will minister to the drunk from the drunk’s world. He will minister to the Jew from his world. He will confront those under the law from their mind set, considering their way of thinking and their kinds of problems. Remember that those who are under the law can be Jew or Gentile and have chosen to reject God’s gift of grace, and chose rather to remain under the dominion of sin because they cannot keep the law. Paul is not under the law because he has confronted the Messiah and has seen his condition and has received His grace. He is unabashed in his zeal to win those who are without the law, who do not know the law for whatever reason. Then he says, “Being not without law to God, but under the law to Messiah.” This is somewhat difficult to understand for Paul has used a double negative here. Paul is simply stating that he is not outside the true Torah of God, which is under the law of the Messiah. Perhaps better stated is that he is not subject to the letter of the law but the spirit of the law. The letter and spirit of the law is a very Hebrew concept that I will explain later. Paul then becomes as weak to those who are weak. This, I believe, is a reference to those addressed in Romans chapter 14:1-12. All Paul is saying here is that he is a witness of the Messiah to all, no matter what their condition. These passages do not teach that Jews are the ones under the law, or that being under the law means obeying Torah. Please put your Denominational theology on the shelf, you know the words of men, and really think about what is being said.

It is now time to address a few of the tough ones. The majority of the occurrences of this phrase are in the book of Galatians. I want to set a basic foundation for the phrase before we get to these very misunderstood verses. First we must keep in mind to whom Paul is addressing his concerns. He is writing to Gentile believers who have been deceived by some Jewish believers into believing that works of Torah are required to enter the kingdom of God or to stay in the kingdom of God. Paul reminds them in the beginning of Galatians chapter three that they did not receive the Spirit of God by works of Torah (Law) and they will not keep the Spirit by works of Torah (Law). Torah (Law) is not and has never been designed to justify man before God, but rather, faith justifies man before God. Paul goes on to say that if man were justified by Torah (Law) then he would have to continue in all things which are written in Torah (Law) which man cannot do (Galatians 3:10-12). Remember that if you reject God’s grace then you are under the law and subject to the law. Paul explains that the law then becomes a curse rather than its intended blessing. Deuteronomy chapter 11 tells us that if you obey the law then you are blessed and if you disobey you are cursed. So the law is a curse only when it is disobeyed. If entrance into the kingdom of God is dependent upon our obedience to the law, which none of us keep, then we are all cursed and doomed. This we have seen in Romans chapter three and will see again in the latter part of this discourse. Paul is re-teaching, if you will, these Galatian believers what God has done for them, and not only them but Paul himself. In verse 13 Paul tells us that we are all redeemed from the curse of the law, remembering that the results of our inability to keep the law is the curse of the law. In verse 14 he tells us that what happened to Abraham has now come upon the Gentiles that the promise of the Spirit is by faith. He then reminds us that this promise was made to Abraham and his seed, and that there is only one seed. Paul then expounds on the fact that the inheritance of this seed comes, not by the law, but by faith, and that the law was given because we sin. The seed is received by faith. For Abraham, it was through the promise of the Messiah. For all Old Testament believers, it was through the promise of the Messiah. For Paul and us it is through the same seed fully manifested, i.e. Jesus the Messiah. To only those of the seed were the promises made, and there is only one seed. There cannot be one way of salvation for the Jew and another way for the Gentile, for there is only one seed and one way, by faith in the Messiah. For the Old Testament saint it is through the promise and for us it is the fulfillment of that promise. We are all kept under the law until faith comes. Verse 22 concludes that all are under sin and that the promise by faith of Jesus the Messiah would be given to those who trust. Paul then states that before faith came, we were kept under the law, until faith is revealed. Paul is not teaching that all Jews were kept under the law until Jesus came, but rather we are all under the law until faith comes, and that the law is our schoolmaster that points us all to that faith or the promise of that faith. Torah teaches us all what is right and what is wrong. It shows us our sinful nature and our need for the deliverer. Paul is saying here precisely what he was teaching in Romans chapter 6. If you have not received God’s grace then you are under the law. If you are striving to keep the law then the law will teach you that you need the Messiah. It will point you to Him and show you your desperate need for Him and your complete inability to do it yourself. Nowhere in these passages does Paul teach that Torah has been cancelled or even temporarily suspended. He teaches its purpose only. If I am relying on obedience to Torah to receive the inheritance then faith has not come to me.

This is not hard to understand if we keep in mind that being under the law is being under the dominion of sin, and being without His grace. Paul takes up a lot of scripture time discussing this subject, yet it is the most taken for granted doctrine in all of the New Testament. (See “Hang’in with the young at heart” series) There is a very fine line between being under the law and obeying the law. Sometimes it seems like an oxymoron. In 1 Corinthians 9:19, Paul makes a casual statement relating to this very thing. He says, “For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all …” He is free from them yet he is a servant to them, as well. Remember that Paul taught us in Romans 6 that we have been set free from the body of sin so that we can be servants of righteousness. Only Torah determines what is righteous.

Next time we will spend a considerable amount of space discussing Galatians 4:1-7. These verses will make a lot more sense when seen from Paul’s culture and not a Greek one.

Shalom Alecheim

PapaJD

To know God and to worship him entails all praiseworthy things. Knowing God means discovering and learning what he has created, knowing his principles and teachings and being obedient to his laws. Since the beginning of knowledge is the knowledge of God, this makes one knowledgeable and not only makes one an admirer in the physical world but it is also commendable spiritually. By being closer to God and loving him unconditionally, we receive happiness but by being closer to God, we are further away from the world and its material things. By being closer to the world, we are attached to these material things and it brings sadness because these physical things are temporary and fade away. With the different people we meet each day, if we see them and approach them with the attributes of God like kindness and love, then we are worshiping God in disguise and this enables us to make friends with anybody since everyone was made in the image of God. It also helps us understand the purpose of tests and difficulties. However since we are closer to God and further away from the world, we are still not exempted from tests. As the saying goes, “where the sun shines brightest, there is the darkest shadow.” But by being closer to God, we are more advantaged in a way that we understand that tests are gifts from God to make us better people and not to punish us. By knowing God, we are accepting that tests are a part of our daily lives, and we welcome them and try to overcome them with prayers. Since excellence in all things is another quality that is commendable in the sight of God, by knowing him and worshiping him, we can practice this which in turn will give us the encouragement to be the best that we can be in our educational lives, in our careers, in the friendships we create and in acquiring spiritual qualities, among many others.

I know it’s still early in the season, but while Louie was preaching the other night, he said something that led me to realize this first thought. Then later that night, my friend Rachel posted the second thought on Twitter…and probably got it from the same thing Louie said. If this doesn’t inspire you to worship throughout the entire Christmas season, I don’t know what will!

“The One who made everything made Himself to be nothing.”

“He became a man and I became a saint.”

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
-Ecclesiastes 9:10

Weary. Exasperated. The feeling of giving up because it seems that discipline produces little effect.

It’s been challenging with the little guys lately. With the boys waking up earlier and having less play time outside due to rain, cold, and fleeting light, everyday life has been tougher on us recently. Things that I thought we were past have suddenly resurfaced. Chronic amounts of whining. Lots of climbing (I found Owen on top of the T.V. as well as climbing into the oven–don’t worry, it was not on). Lots of throwing. Lots of fighting.

I’ve found myself giving up. Subconsciously thinking it doesn’t matter what I do because it’ll never change. Maybe I should just ignore it. Bury my face in the computer screen and pretend I didn’t notice that I’m being disobeyed . . . again.

I have to admit, I’ve not been giving parenting all my might.

I need fresh faith. And I was reminded of this in a recent Morning and Evening reading by Charles Spurgeon who writes:

“Don’t wait for large opportunities, or for a different kind of work, but do just the things we “find to do” day by day. We have no other time in which to live. The past is gone; the future has not arrived; we never have any time but the present.”

I admit I often live in the future. Imagining an idealized future when my kids are older and they start listening, stop whining, and are able to talk better. But I have work to do now, in the present. And in tackling this work I must “be careful as to the way in which I perform what I find to do–’do it with all my might.’ Do it promptly; do not fritter away my life in thinking of what I intend to do tomorrow as if that could compensate for the idleness of today. No one ever served God by doing things tomorrow.”

And so I must face the problems and challenges of the day with all my might. But thankfully, this doesn’t mean in my own strength. There’s help for me, if I seek it.

“Then let’s seek His help; let’s proceed with prayer and faith, and when we have done what our ‘hand finds to do,’ let’s wait upon the Lord for His blessing. What we do in this manner will be well done, and will not fail in its effect” (emphasis mine).

What is “Under the Law” (Part 2)

Let’s start taking a look at the ten verses that have the statement “Under the Law” applied in them.

Romans 3:9-19 (KJV)
(9) What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; (10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
(11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
(13) Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (14) Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood: (16) Destruction and misery are in their ways: (17) And the way of peace have they not known:
(18) There is no fear of God before their eyes. (19) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Many times I have heard these verses used to show the condition of Israel, as they are under the law and we (the church) are under grace. (Here again the rebuttal of replacement theology, made up by men for mans purposes. The church and Israel are one in the same God’s children) but this series of verses begins by stating that all are under sin, Jew and Gentile. All of these verses point to the condition of all of mankind, and that when the law speaks it speaks to every mouth and that all the world is guilty before God. The law tells us that we are all guilty before God. The law in verse 20 teaches us what is right and wrong. We all are guilty of breaking the law, so we are all doomed unless God provides another way to be redeemed. When we are placed under grace by faith, the law still teaches us what is right and wrong. That is its designed function and its lawful use (1 Timothy 1:8).

1 Timothy 1:8 (AMP)
⁽⁸⁾ Now we recognize and know that the Law is good if anyone uses it lawfully [for the purpose for which it was designed],

To be under the law is to be without grace and therefore subject to the law, and therefore guilty. There is no teaching here that law was for Old Testament Jews or that they were redeemed by it. Remember that when Paul taught, the Bereans(Acts 17:11) checked out everything he spoke by searching the Old Testament that these things were so. There was no New Testament to verify his words.

Acts 17:11 (AMP)
(11) Now these [Jews] were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Now let’s move on to the next set of verses:

Romans 6:14-16 (KJV)
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Verse 14 is probably quoted more often than not to explain the doctrine that Jesus died to free the church from the Old Testament laws. This is absurd and what many call cradle hermeneutics. This discussion is one of hundreds of places where a working knowledge of Hebrew idioms and expressions are imperative to understanding the text. But even without that knowledge, you will begin to see that the focus of the next two chapters is the old man of Romans 6:6. Paul begins chapter 6 by telling his listeners, both Jew and Gentile, that they are now dead to sin in verse 2. This was accomplished by identification with the baptism of Jesus, which was the death of the sinful nature, the body of sin, also called the old man. Here, the body of sin was crucified, not the law. If you are not under grace, then you only have law which produces sin when disobeyed. You then become a servant to sin and under its dominion. Not because you obey it, but because you do not obey it. It becomes your only master. This old man is the old nature, the Adamic nature. In Hebrew thinking, it is called the yetzer hara, or the evil inclination. This old man must serve the law because he has no other master, and therefore he is under the dominion of sin because he breaks the law. In other words, he is using the law for what it was not intended to be used. It is said that the English phrase “my old man”, referring to a woman’s husband, comes from this term. In other words, she is referring to a husband that she can never please. So the context here is the crucifying of the old man or the body of sin, and therefore being “dead to sin”. In verses 11 through 13 Paul teaches us not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies anymore. Remember sin, in 1 John 3:4, is transgression of Torah (Law). He also tells us that we are to yield our bodies as instruments of righteousness unto God. When we get to verse 14 we see that being under the law is synonymous with being under the dominion of sin, not Torah (Law). Again, Torah (Law) teaches us what sin is, i.e. Torah (Law) is not sin. To be under grace is to be a servant of that which is righteous and that you are now freed from sin (Romans 6:18). We have the power to serve God now rather than sin.

Romans 6:18 (AMP)
(18) And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action).

In chapter 7, Paul begins by telling us that he is now addressing those who know Torah (Law). To these brethren, it would consist of written and oral Torah, This is very important to understand, the oral Torah (Law) but this is a lesson for another time. He says, “Know ye not, brethren (for I speak to them that know the law), how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?” He is going to relate this teaching now to those who understand the culture. He then begins by using a story common in Jewish parables. “For the woman who hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.” Torah (Law) teaches that a marriage contract is forever or until her husband dies. The law states that when she chooses to marry a man that she must stay married to whom she chose. The law also states that when he dies she is freed from him. Now who is the man? The law? NO! Paul just explained to us in chapter 6 that the old man is the body of sin. So, let’s interpret the parable as understood by the ones who knew the law. The husband is the body of sin, under the law, which can never be pleased. According to the law, she must stay married to him. If she tries to marry another, i.e. grace, while still married to her first husband, the body of sin, she is an adulteress, for she cannot serve two masters. If she, according to the law, dies to sin, i.e. the old man dies, then she is free to marry another.

The law, when disobeyed, is a curse and produces the body of sin, an old man which can never be pleased. To be under the law is to be without grace and under the constant dominion of sin, the old man. In the entire context of Romans 6 we see that there is no teaching here that the Jews were under law and now the church is under grace. Clearly we are all under the dominion of sin until we accept His wonderful grace. I see only two ways to go. If one rejects grace then he is under the law and bound by it. If, however, law was designed to save anyone, then there would be no need for grace.

Before we end for this week I want to talk briefly about the Oral Law mentioned above. First of all let’s talk about the Pharisees and the Sadducees they came about between the end of the Old Testament writings and the beginning of the New Testament there is a period of about 400 years it’s called in biblical circles as the 400 silent years. Now don’t get me wrong there were many writings during that time period but none that ended up in our bible. It was during this period that the Pharisees and the Sadducees came into power. Here is how I describe them, the Pharisees are like the Republican Party and the Sadducees were more like the Democratic Party. The Pharisees also kept the Oral law but the Sadducees did not.

What do I mean by Oral Law? In Rabbinical Judaism besides the Torah (The first five books of the bible) The Rabbis wrote their own laws hundreds of them, they even had the audacity to make them more important than the word of God ( sounds a lot like the democrats and the liberal judges in this country doesn’t it?) This is the dogma of Judaism I guess they didn’t get the message God spoke in Deut. 4:2

Deuteronomy 4:2 (KJV)
⁽²⁾ Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Now you have to keep in mind when studying Paul’s writings that he was a Pharisee, very well versed in their doctrine, many times when he is talking about the Law you have to make sure you understand what law he is talking about, God’s written law or the Pharisees Oral law. This can become very confusing and sometimes very hard to interpret, especially in the books of Galatians and Hebrews. That is what Peter is talking about in 2 Peter 3:15-16

2 Peter 3:15-16 (KJV)
⁽¹⁵⁾ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
⁽¹⁶⁾ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

2 Peter 3:15-16 (AMP)
(15) And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord [His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world] is salvation (that which is conducive to the soul’s safety), even as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the spiritual insight given him,
(16) Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist and misconstrue to their own utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures.

I love the amplified version!

Remember the Old Testament is the Dictionary for understanding the New Testament. The New Testament is not NEW it’s just TRUE!

Next week, we will continue this exposition for the remaining eight verses in which the term under the law is applied.

Shalom Alecheim!

PapaJD

What is “under the Law”? (Part 1)

There is a universal battle cry for those who embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and yet at the same time deny His words. “We are no longer under the law, but under grace.” I meant what I just said. This has been the banner under which millions of Christians for hundreds of years have flown. Humankind, since the days of Adam, has turned away from the word of God. It is a central part of our fallen nature. There are really three kinds of people in the world. Those who disobey the commands of God because they do not acknowledge His existence, those who disobey Him and do it in His name, and those who claim His name and obey Him. Which one are you? For many years I was one of the many Christians that claimed that statement, and disobeyed Him. Did I do it on purpose? Well that might be hard to answer, let me explain.  I never really studied the Old Testament I don’t mean a few passages here and a few passages there I mean book by book passage by passage. How many churches do that in this day and age you would be pressed to find one?  When reading the Scriptures, it becomes quite evident that no matter what “dispensation” you are cruising through, disobedience is rampant, and so is chaos and moral decay. This is not only true today, but it seems to have reached its pinnacle. At least in the times of the Judges or the times of David, Gods people realized that they had turned from His ways and repented now and then. Today, however, the modern church still teaches that Jesus death put an end to law. So we all stand by and watch as our society crumbles, having the peace of mind that it is not our fault. It is Satanism, the New World Order, the New Age Movement, the Catholics, the Democrats, liberalism, Bill and Hillary, Hollywood, Nintendo, Neo-Nazi’s, and Oprah Winfrey.

I hope and pray that this study will begin to open your eyes to the commonly accepted interpretation of being under the law. Like many of the Hebrew words we have defined, this phrase has a background and an Old Testament meaning that is imperative in understanding its New Testament use. This will take a few lessons to get through, but I believe it is very important. Jesus, Paul, and all the writers of the New Testament would have used the concept of law in the framework of its previously established use. This word, or for that matter, the idea of being under the law, was not created in a vacuum. However, the use or misuse of this idea was so misunderstood by “Jew and Gentile” alike, that Paul spends an incredible amount of time to make it clearly understood. Why so much attention to this word? Well, it is because one cannot draw the two usual conclusions to this matter. There seems to be a very fine line between obedience and what we call legalism. I hope to show that Paul’s desire for “Jew and Gentile” was that they lived in God’s glorious grace. He also stressed that God’s people walked in obedience in their newly found life in Jesus, and that these two ideas were not in conflict. Considering the two opposing cultures, (See Hebrew vs. Greek “What’s the difference”?) this was not an easy task. Drawing two such contrary views of life into one would take up a lot of writing space. I believe that the Messiah Jesus was the answer to that enmity created by the law between “Jew and Gentile”.

The phrase under the law is found ten times in the New Testament. If you are familiar with scriptural numerics, then you will quickly notice that the number ten usually speaks of law or judgment for disobeying (10 commandments, 10 plagues, the tithe, etc.). We will look into these ten occurrences. First, however, we must take the time to define what we mean by the law. As I have said many times before, the New Testament writers would have used this word as it has always been understood and defined. Simply put, if law was evil or bad in the Old Testament then it would continue to be understood as evil or bad in the New Testament. If God’s laws were understood as righteous and set apart (holy) in the Old Testament, then they would continue to be defined as righteous and set apart in the New Testament. I would pray that this would not only be in harmony with the very nature of God, but is simple common sense. If God is constantly changing the meaning of these words, then there is no solid rock on which we are to stand. Our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Do you believe that only Jesus was the same? God does not change (Malachi 3:6). There is no explanation of the phrase under the law because it was already understood!

Many times we find modern Christian teachers teaching backwards! The modern church approaches the Scriptures by beginning in the New Testament, forming an understanding of its teachings, and then going back to the Old Testament to understand its meaning. This denies the plain cultural meaning of the text and conforms the Scriptures to the ever changing ideology of the church rather than forming the church around the solid consistent rock of scripture. (This is what I call denominational jibber)When you read the book of Acts, you see that, historically, the followers of Jesus (Acts 17:11) did not simply accept whatever new teaching they heard. They could not have tested established revelation (Old Testament), which they knew to be true, by a new revelation which they did not know to be true. The three sections of the Old Testament were already accepted and established as God’s set apart, everlasting word. God had already commanded, and Jesus confirmed, that a new teaching or claim of Messiah ship was to be tested against what God had already revealed, not the other way around. Interpreting the Scriptures backwards produces a message that is backwards. They could not have justified New Testament teaching by quoting the New Testament! (The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed. The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. The New Testament is not new it’s just true)!

The English word law is translated from the Greek word nomos. It is very important to see how this word evolved because the defining of words changes our image and perception of the full meaning of a sentence when it is formed. The translation process from Greek to English has already changed the meaning of law. In Greek society, the concept of law still held a positive, honorable, and instructive substance. When we peruse the Old Testament, we see that the law was reverently esteemed, and was given many other titles to describe its place in the lives of God’s people. We will discuss those titles later. As this word traveled the translation process, it took on a much heavier, negative connotation. As early as the 3rd century A.D. the so-called early church fathers had already begun to denigrate this word. Law was already being taught as a product of ‘the Jews’. An heretical character named Marcion taught that the entire Old Testament should be removed from the pulpits as well as many sections of the New Testament which put the law and ‘the Jews’ into a more positive light, such as the book of Luke and the book of Acts.

As the western culture progressed, the concept of law grew more and more negative. The whole scriptural concept of law and bondage was reversed. Law was taught as bondage, not sin. Certain clichés and phrases were adapted to express this bondage. What began in God’s word as light, life, righteousness, the Way, the walk, truth, goodness, and holiness, soon became disdained, loathed, and despised. IT’S THE LAW! LAW AND ORDER! THAT’S AGAINST THE LAW! HE BROKE THE LAW! I FOUGHT THE LAW AND THE LAW WON! The law has become the enemy. Today, in many movies the handsome bank robber or jewel thief is actually applauded over the bumbling representatives of the law, the police. Iniquity is actually portrayed as good and the law as bad! Law is no longer seen as good and righteous but is seen as nothing but fear and punishment. This is because the scriptural concept of law has been so twisted and redefined that it is virtually unrecognizable. I have come to at least one undeniable conclusion for a long time now. A nation’s behavior is guided by its philosophy, and a nation’s philosophy is formed by its religious values. All cultures and peoples form their society, no matter how large or small, from their view of whatever they deem to be the ultimate Superior. In this great nation it is supposed to be the ‘God of the Bible’. But is it really?

According to Colossians chapter 1, all things were created by the Word of God. The Scriptures are full of expressions to verify this. The Word is God in John 1:1. The Word is life in Deuteronomy 32 and 1 John 1:1. The Word is light in Psalm 119:105. The Word is the way in Psalms 119:9. The Word is righteousness in Deuteronomy 6 and Romans 6. The Word is wisdom in Proverbs 4:5. The Word is truth in Psalms 119:142. All things were created by this Word, says the writer of Hebrews. The Word is a general term to describe what is spoken and written down. An essential part of the Word is commands, ordinances, statutes, and laws. These are generally placed under the term laws. In the English, the word law is translated from the Greek word nomos, which comes from the predecessor (Hebrew) Torah. Torah, however, does not mean law as we know it. It means teaching or instruction. Torah is another general term that refers to all teaching. Contained within Torah are commands. These are commands from God to His creation. Teaching, instructions, and commands are given by God to creation for its welfare and good. The very laws that brought all creation into existence are also to sustain it, whether it is man or beast, so to speak.

The Scriptures begin with laws or commands. “… let there be light … let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters … let the earth bring forth vegetation … let there be lights … let us make man …” These commands brought forth all of His creation. This is the beginning of God’s Torah or instructions to creation. He placed within living things the ability to reproduce or multiply after itself, including humankind. He continues to give instructions to His creation after they are created to sustain His original commands. Adam, the first man, is created by laws or commands and is then given instructions. “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it … of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat …” Why did ‘God tell Adam not to eat of this tree? Because you are what you eat? In other words, disobedience will result in a separation from God and man will be accountable to choose between good and evil, and because of his now fallen nature, he will generally choose evil over good. This will perpetuate entropy and the eventual extinction of man. So what does God do? He loves man. So, to sustain man, He gives him instructions or laws, not only for man but for all of His creation. All of creation is created by Torah and sustained by Torah.

All mankind will come from Adam, a fallen creature, sustained only by laws. But how is man reconciled back to God if we all break those laws? How could man ever be redeemed? Well, not by the law. Why? Because law, instructions contained within the Word, was not designed to redeem man, but rather to create, sustain, and prosper man. When God’s instructions are obeyed, they separate and distinguish the obedient from the disobedient. The instructions in Exodus 19 separate God’s people as a peculiar treasure above all other people. In Deuteronomy 30, it prospers and causes long life to those who obey. In Deuteronomy 11, it blesses the obedient and curses the disobedient. All mankind was created by law, and blessed or cursed by it. Since commandments do not redeem man, God had to redeem him another way. By grace! If man rejects grace, then he is by nature under the law. All mankind is under law until placed under grace by faith. God’s teaching and instruction (Torah) produced creation and sustains creation. The grace of God through faith redeems man back to Him. His grace redeems man to Him, but will not sustain him unless faith is acted upon through Torah. Torah will sustain man but will not redeem him back to God. Two systems with two different functions, With this in mind, we will now cover all ten verses in which the term under the law is applied.

See you next time! J

Shalom Alecheim

PapaJD

Wouldn’t it really be great if we can predict the future, no ones really knows for sure whether 2012 is really the Dday for all of us. This looks like similar to the hype of 2000 where predictions were high that it was the end of the world.  As Christian’s lets just remember that He will come like a thief to rule the world and He has already forewarned that there will be people who will predict His return but only He knows when He will return to Judge the living and the dead.

Who was Melchizedek and what was his purpose?

Hebrews 7:1-4 (AMP)
⁽¹⁾ FOR THIS Melchizedek, king of Salem [and] priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
⁽²⁾ And Abraham gave to him a tenth portion of all [the spoil]. He is primarily, as his name when translated indicates, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace.
⁽³⁾ Without [record of] father or mother or ancestral line, neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption and without successor.
⁽⁴⁾ Now observe and consider how great [a personage] this was to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth [the topmost or the pick of the heap] of the spoils.

Let’s do a little recap of the verses we just read; Melchizedek the first verse tells us he was the king of Salem and he was also priest of the most high God. Ok, so far so good then at the end of verse one it tells us he met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. This is referring to Genesis 14:18 again as I have stated before the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed, the New Testament is not new it’s just true. Then in verse two it tell us Abraham gave him a tenth portion of all the spoil sounds like a tithe to me, also tells us the name Melchizedek, when translated means king of righteousness and that he was also King of Salem, which means King of Peace. Hum!  Now in verse three it gets really strange Paul tells us that this Melchizedek has no genealogy neither with beginning of days nor ending of life, but, resembling the Son of God, he continues to be a priest without interruption and without successor. What in the world is Paul talking about? Let’s look at this one more time from the New King James version Hebrew 7:1-17

Hebrews 7:1-17 (NKJV)
⁽¹⁾ For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
⁽²⁾ to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”
⁽³⁾ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
⁽⁴⁾ Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.
⁽⁵⁾ And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham;
⁽⁶⁾ but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
⁽⁷⁾ Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.
⁽⁸⁾ Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
⁽⁹⁾ Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,
⁽¹⁰⁾ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
⁽¹¹⁾ Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
⁽¹²⁾ For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.
⁽¹³⁾ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
⁽¹⁴⁾ For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
⁽¹⁵⁾ And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest
⁽¹⁶⁾ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
⁽¹⁷⁾ For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

A reading of this passage that isn’t accompanied by a lot of deliberate study may leave the reader somewhat confused. There is this mysterious man, Melchizedek; he is somehow connected to Christ being High Priest; this is not the same as the Levitical priesthood… What is this all about? To deal with this, we must begin with some background.

A NEW ORDER WAS BEING INTRODUCED

In the days of the apostles, most of the Jews were bothered by the idea that with Christ and His apostles, a new order was being introduced. This means the old order was finished. This was a troubling thing to Jews who heard the gospel. Even some – after being baptized – still raised questions and entertained doubt in regard to this change from the old to the new.

Under the new order circumcision could not be bound as an essential to please God; the sacrifices and rituals of the law were no longer necessary or appropriate and Gentiles were being accepted into God’s favor.

These changes disturbed most Jews. And some who had obeyed the gospel were being tempted to fall back… that is, to return to the old order of things (Old Testament Judaism, based on the traditions and enforcements of the Pharisees). The accusers of Stephen said, among other things, “…we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us,” (Acts 6:14). The very idea of change or the notion of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple — these things were utterly repugnant to the Jews. And militant Pharisees like Saul of Tarsus were disturbed to the point of action (persecution).

So, much teaching and writing had to be done through the apostles to explain these things to the Jews, and fortify them against apostasy. This is the kind of teaching there is in Romans chapters nine through eleven; also, in the books of Galatians and Hebrews. Inspired writers labored to convince the Jews – “there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

THE OFFICE OF HIGH PRIEST

The Jews placed stress on the office of High Priest, for it was through these men that the people had, for many generations, their access to God.

I think it could be said, many of the Hebrew people who had converted to Christianity missed the Levitical priests. No doubt, some of them were being tempted to go back to that old system.

Yet, the Hebrew writer sent them the message: YOU HAVE SOMETHING BETTER! He teaches them that Christ was “made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people,” (2:17). “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus,” (3:1). “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (4:14-16).

In the first ten verses of Hebrews five, the inspired writer shows that in every respect, Jesus Christ is qualified to be High Priest. And, in fact, God had put Christ in this position. God had said: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,” (see Psa. 110:4; Heb. 5:6). [After making this affirmation, the writer went into a discussion about the condition his readers were in; they were "dull of hearing," see 5:11-6:19. He returns to his teaching concerning Melchizedek in chapter seven.]

Thus, the primary affirmation of this section of the Hebrew epistle is: Jesus became high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

BUT, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

It means that Christ was not a High Priest, as in Aaron and the Levitical order (according to the law of Moses). The High Priesthood of Jesus Christ — the writer is affirming — is of a higher order! Christ was and is a High Priest like Melchizedek; not like Aaron or Levi. Note the following:

1. Melchizedek’s position as High Priest was not dependent on ancestry… neither was Christ’s. (7:14).

2. Melchizedek was not in a succession of many priests… neither is Christ. (7:3).

3. Melchizedek’s priesthood was higher than and separate from the Levitical order… so is Christ’s. (7:4-7).

4. Melchizedek was priest and king… so is Christ! (See Zech. 6:9-15).

5. Melchizedek received tribute from Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation; this shows the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood above the Levitical (which came out of the loins of Abraham). {See Gen. 14:18-20 with Heb. 7:4}.

CONCLUSION

All of this was set up, executed and revealed by God, for the purpose of convincing the Jews – their old Levitical priesthood was now history. The broader point of application was: Their old law was now abrogated. For the Levitical priesthood and the old law were bound together; one was a subordinate part of the other. Thus it followed — if the priesthood is changed, “there is made of necessity a change also of the law,” (Heb. 7:12). Hint. Not a new covenant but a renewed covenant.

God created Adam as a priest, and all the first born of Adams line were priests. This was true until Mt. Sinai and the Children of Israel worshipped the golden calf. Remember when Moses came down from the mount and they were worshipping the calf, He broke the tablets and went back up the mountain. When he returned God told him from this time forward the priesthood would come from the line of Aaron so it became the Aaronic Priesthood Exodus 28.  One other comment, Paul wrote his letter to the Hebrews in 65 A.D. in 70 A.D. the Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem for the final time until this very day which made it impossible for the High Priest to perform his duties, a coincidence Hum………….!

For us what does this mean? It means that the Law of Moses is not binding today. And it means that we have a high priest (access to God)! “For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s; for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Heb. 7:26-27).

“Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them,” (Heb. 7:25). Amen!

Next time what about the law, what was Paul really talking about?

Shalom Alecheim,

PapaJD

Written on the walls of my dining room is this verse: “In everything give thanks.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gratitude is something I have to cultivate. Naturally, it’s easier for me to focus on the wants. To compare my life to those I think have it “better.” Better house, better stuff, better circumstances. But the truth is, there’s so much to be thankful for!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, my thoughts have turned to dwell on thankfulness. So often I can rush past Thanksgiving to focus on Christmas. Even as I shop for turkey and pumpkin, the stores have decked their windows with Christmas trees and faked wrapped packages. But I want to stop and focus on giving thanks. To ponder good gifts. To create visual reminders of thanksgiving.

A lot of you fellow bloggers seem to be doing the same. Here’s a few great ways to dwell on thankfulness, that I’ve discovered in various places on blogosphere:

I love the Tree of Thanks over at Domestic Life. A great and simple way to make gratitude a family project.

If you’re more inspired, check out the Thankful Cork Board at Mt. Hope Chronicles. Wow!

Or, you could start your own One Thousand Gifts list and join the Gratitude Community over at Holy Experience. Every Monday Ann continues her list of thankfulness.

If you want to delve into gratitude on a deeper level, check out Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ new book, Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy.

If you want to remember the story behind Thanksgiving, Barbara Rainey’s book Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember is a beautiful resource.

But no matter the method, I hope you choose to cultivate gratitude with me.

I’ve prayed to the lord to speak to me for a long time.  I’ve realized now that he already spoke, and everything that needs to be said is already in his word.  It’s funny though, I actually feel God inside of me when I give a word of wisdom and prophecy to someone.  However, for some reason I cannot do the same for me.  Well, I do look at myself in the mirror and tell myself: “You are the son of the living god, start acting like one!”  It seems to me that I help other people through God, yet I can’t help myself.  How does that happen? what gives? lol.. Sometimes, I just feel like laughing.   Well,  I don’t want to sound arrogant.  I have many things to be grateful for.  I have a roof over my head, a dog that never complaints — except of course when he needs to go out and do his business –, a family that pushes my limits, a church that challenges me to grow, great fresh air to breath, and a bed that’s more comfortable than most beds I’ve ever slept on.

God’s word says that perfect love drives out fear, and that if you have fear then you don’t have perfect love in your life.  Also, in the first chapter of John, Jesus is described as the word that became flesh.  The word of god was the love instructions to drive fear out of our lives, and Jesus became flesh to become the material manifestation of that perfection.  Then he sent to Holy Spirit to give us strength to conquer fear the same way he did.   However, He did suffer the worse death, so that we don’t have to.  His innocent blood was more precious than any other sacrifice.  It was his proof that he could have saved himself, but he chose to save us instead.   He’s at the right hand of the father now interceding for us, and directing the holy spirit to guide us.  Yet why in the heck do I still battle with my flesh? why do I still feel like my voice is insignificant? Why can’t I see my destiny getting fulfilled? Why do I want to rush myself to my destiny?  So many questions.. yet I come back to the same unfortunate answer that questions of the unknown lead to fear and fear to destruction.  I cannot question God’s methods, and God’s ways.

I think I need to learn to forgive myself.  That’s it! I asked God forgiveness, but I didn’t ask myself forgiveness.  I have so much anger and anger ignites more anger.  Why do people pretend to like you, and then ignore your phone calls? why do you tell people three times to stop attacking you and attack the problem, but they don’t listen? It doesn’t fit in my head.  Why do I feel people are scared of me? Nothing without God to me would make sense.  If my eyes aren’t centered in his love and his word I would probably would be cursing half of the world right now.  Well, I’m sorry but there are so many people are so hypocrite, mediocre, and opportunistic it boggles, and disturbs my mind! I heard a good preaching today of Joel Osteen about not to dwell in guilt (tool of the devil) due to the mistakes we have made, but to look at the right things that we have done, because we will do more of whatever we focus on, and meditate on.  It was such an eye opener! Well hope you can do the same…

Lord give me the strength to have self control over the things I know will keep me from falling down.  Give me the hunger to keep me on the things to fall up to unto you; and break any evil spirit of guilt on me in the name of Jesus.  AMEN

“We are not under the law but the New Covenant so the Old Testament laws and ordinances do not pertain to us anymore” REALLY! Hum………….!

For many years I never really thought about that statement, that is what I was taught and that’s what I believed. I never really studied the Old Testament because not many people teach it anymore. What I am talking about is verse by verse book by book and then there is the question; is what I am reading the real truth or through the many translations of the bible has the meaning and thought been changed? Well I believe after making this a priority of mine I am making progress and my answers so far are yes, yes, and yes.

This really became clear to me after studying the early cultures, the Hebrew and Greek cultures specifically and how totally different they were and still are in their customs, language and the way they think. Really the world can be divided into too dominate cultures Western of which we are a part of an Eastern. There are stark differences in these cultures. Why does this matter? Well let’s see the bible was written in Hebrew mostly to the Hebrews and there is a lot of cultural teachings and doctrine in the Old Testament. To really understand the writings we need to understand their culture and thinking.  First of all the bible is made up mostly of letters written to a people to address certain situations that were going on at that particular time in history especially the New Testament writings. There were no chapters or verses it was a letter written with a certain theme intended to whomever the writer was writing to. In the New Testament, especially much of the doctrinal teachings it was the Apostle Paul a Hebrew and a Pharisee writing to the different churches of that time.

To understand the writings you have to understand what was going on at that time in history and who the Apostle Paul was and the problems he faced. Paul had some real obstacles to overcome. First of all Paul was a Pharisee His father was of the straightest sect of the Jews, a Pharisee, of the tribe of Benjamin of pure and unmixed Jewish blood and He also was a Roman citizen very unique combination for that time. It was a valuable privilege, and one that was to prove of great use to Paul, although not in the way in which his father might have been expected to desire him to make use of it.”

HIS EDUCATION AND CAREER – Perhaps the most natural career for the youth to follow was that of a merchant. “But it was decided that… he should go to college and become a rabbi, that is, a minister, a teacher, and a lawyer all in one.” According to Jewish custom, however, he learned a trade before entering on the more direct preparation for the sacred profession. The trade he acquired was the making of tents from goats’ hair cloth, a trade which was one of the commonest in Tarsus. His preliminary education having been completed, Saul was sent, when about thirteen years of age probably, to the great Jewish school of sacred learning at Jerusalem as a student of the law. Here he became a pupil of the celebrated rabbi Gamaliel, and here he spent many years in an elaborate study of the Scriptures and of the many questions concerning them with which the rabbis exercised themselves. During these years of diligent study he lived “in all good conscience,” unstained by the vices of that great city.

After the period of his student-life expired, he probably left Jerusalem for Tarsus, where he may have been engaged in connection with some synagogue for some years. But we find him back again at Jerusalem very soon after the death of our Lord. Here he now learned the particulars regarding the crucifixion, and the rise of the new sect of the “Nazarenes.” For some two years after Pentecost, Christianity was quietly spreading its influence in Jerusalem. At length Stephen, one of the seven deacons, gave forth more public and aggressive testimony that Jesus was the Messiah, and this led to much excitement among the Jews and much disputation in their synagogues. Persecution arose against Stephen and the followers of Christ generally, in which Saul of Tarsus took a prominent part. He was at this time probably a member of the great Sanhedrin, and became the active leader in the furious persecution by which the rulers then sought to exterminate Christianity.

But the object of this persecution also failed. “They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” The anger of the persecutor was thereby kindled into a fiercer flame. Hearing that fugitives had taken refuge in Damascus, he obtained from the chief priest letters authorizing him to proceed on his persecuting career. This was a long journey of about 130 miles, which would occupy perhaps six days, during which, with his few attendants, he steadily went onward, “breathing out threatening and slaughter.” But the crisis of his life was at hand. He had reached the last stage of his journey, and was within sight of Damascus. As he and his companions rode on, suddenly at mid-day a brilliant light shone round them, and Saul was laid prostrate in terror on the ground, a voice sounding in his ears, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” It was at that moment Paul’s life was changed forever.

So what did Paul do after his Damascus road experience.

Galatians 1:11-12 (AMP)
(11) For I want you to know, brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed and made known by me is not man’s gospel [a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standard].
(12) For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through a [direct] revelation [given] by Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

Galatians 1:15-18 (AMP)
⁽¹⁵⁾ But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased
⁽¹⁶⁾ To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone].
⁽¹⁷⁾ Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles (special messengers of Christ) before I was, but I went away and retired into Arabia, and afterward I came back again to Damascus.
⁽¹⁸⁾ Then three years later, I did go up to Jerusalem to become [personally] acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and remained with him for fifteen days.

So here is the situation after the assention of Jesus, the disciples are choosing a replacement for Judas but God has a better idea. He picks Paul, what do you think the disciples were thinking? God this man is a Pharisee of Pharisee’s he has persecuted Christians all over the land. Hello, what are you thinking? Would you be ready to welcome this man into this special group with open arms? Hum……………….!

So after Paul’s conversion the scriptures tell us he goes to Arabia, many people believe to Mt. Sinai for three years and is taught by Jesus. Then he returns and spends fifteen days with Peter. I wish those days had been recorded word for word, because Paul’s teachings were different than the rest of the disciples had heard, because Paul was God’s chosen messenger for this phase of his word for us. Many of the disciples had a problem with Paul and what he was saying. The people were still not buying Paul’s words so he goes back to his home town for four years. So it is all most ten years after his Damascus road experience before Paul begins his ministry.

Peter makes an interesting statement in his writings:

2 Peter 3:15-17 (AMP)
⁽¹⁵⁾ And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord [His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world] is salvation (that which is conducive to the soul’s safety), even as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the spiritual insight given him,
⁽¹⁶⁾ Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist and misconstrue to their own utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures.
⁽¹⁷⁾ Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind].

Very interesting scriptures for Peter to point out, Peter of all the disciples probably understood Paul’s teaching more than the other disciples. Why the warning? Hum……………………! Why all the talk about Paul’s background, because I believe much of Paul’s teachings have been distorted and misinterpreted just like Peter said would happen as this study goes forward you will begin to see what I mean so bear with me. J

It has been my opinion that Romans chapters 6, 7 and 8 are the three most important chapters in the bible concerning how a Christians lives his life on this earth (that’s what my series Hang ‘in with the young at heart is all about, Spirit, Soul and body) but even before that there is one other Phrase that has caused many Christians to take the wrong road in their understanding and I have no doubt Satan had a big part in this. Here is the Phrase “We are not under the Law but the New Covenant”. I have two questions about that statement.

1. 1. Did Jesus dying on the cross, establish a New Covenant or a Renewed Priesthood under the order of Melchizedek?
2. 2. What Law was Paul talking about?

Now let me say this before we dive into these two questions. Many times people become narrow focused because of denominational teachings or beliefs so before you make your opinion be open minded and listen to the teaching, remember my little quote condemnation before investigation will keep man in everlasting ignorance!

Ok let’s begin; first let’s establish a foundation for question #1 look at Jeremiah 31:31-32

Jeremiah 31:31-32 (AMP)
⁽³¹⁾ Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
⁽³²⁾ Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was their Husband, says the Lord.

This verse is also referred to in Hebrews Chapter 8:5-7 we will look at these verses a little later. Looking at the verses in Jeremiah I have a question, who was the covenant made with? I don’t see any mention of “the church” in that verse nowhere does it talk about a third entity. It’s the House of Israel and the House of Judah. Let’s talk about these two houses for a minute. First lets go back to Egypt and Moses and the Children of Israel if you study the book of Exodus you will understand that when Moses brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt they were a mixed people they were not all Hebrew other people that the Egyptians conquered were brought out also if they observed the Passover, check it out. (Look at Numbers 15:15-16 below) God was instructing Moses how to deal with the people.

Numbers 15:15-16 (KJV)
(15) One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
(16) One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

So clearly the text is saying you have to be grafted into one of the tribes before the covenant will cover you. What covenant are we talking about? The covenant God made with Abraham in Deuteronomy 28 the blessings and the curses. How did the people get grafted in let’s look at Romans Chapter 11.

Romans 11:16-20 (KJV)
(16) For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
(17) And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
(18) Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
(19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
(20) Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Now the root in these passages is the Messiah, and the tree is Israel so who are the branches?

Jeremiah 11:16-18 (KJV)
(16) The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
(17) For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
(18) And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
(16) The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
(17) For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
(18) And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.

So after king Solomon died the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two tribes (the northern tribe) tribe of Israel (consisting of ten tribes) and the (southern tribe) tribe of Judah (consisting of two tribes) this you can read about starting in 1 Kings Chapter 12.  Now let’s go back to Jeremiah 31: 33-34

Jeremiah 31:33-34 (KJV)
⁽³³⁾ But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
⁽³⁴⁾ And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

The Covenant was to restore the two tribes back to one, the kingdom of Israel and the church of the New testament are the wild olive branches that have been grafted in to the tribe of Israel we are not a separate people we are one people children of God there is no such doctrine as replacement theology taught in the bible that is purely mans interpretation I believe it is bad theology. Now in the verses above we see the words “After those days” this will not take place until the second coming of our Lord.

Now if this is true are we as Children of God still under the Laws and ordnances of the Old Testament you know God’s word, my answer to that is yes, and let me leave you with this thought. If you really studied the Old Testament and you know in your heart that the Holidays we celebrate today have all been mixed in with pagan celebrations and they have, do your home work, do you think that is what God wants? Think about it!

Next time we will get into the second part of question one.

Shalom Alecheim,

PapaJD

Since Josh has been home more, since being laid off, I’ve had the opportunity to exercise–alone–in probably the first time since the boys were born. This is good, because I’ve not been so consistent in my exercise routine lately. I’m lucky to make it out once a week for a walk, let alone get some strength training in. The boys have gotten pretty heavy to push in their stroller on the gravel and hilly trails, not to mention they don’t particularly like being strapped in long enough for me to get a decent workout in. I would be good to take my own advice, but haven’t been.

But I’m now finding myself more and more free to go out for a walk on my own. And I’ve been even (gasp!) running a bit. Just a bit mind you.

I find it strange to be without the double stroller, to suddenly be able to move at full speed, unhindered.

It’s harder than I thought.

And so I find myself pavement pounding, lungs bursting, breath labored. Pushing myself to my limits and ever so slightly past. Stretching beyond my comfort I keep going, foot over foot. And I feel it: the good ache.

The ache proves I can go farther than I thought. That being stretched isn’t such a bad thing, painful as it can be at times. It is the process of being strained and tested. It’s uncomfortable yet strangely satisfying. Then, when it feels like I can’t go the proverbial next step, my muscles warm and limber. Breath finds it’s rhythm, feet seem to fly. I’ve moved beyond the ache. But the only way was through it.

There’s a gift to be found in the good ache, in the persevering running of my marked-out race:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  -Hebrews 12:1-3

Just my contribution to Tuesdays Unwrapped with Chatting at the Sky . . .

(Image: istockphoto.com)

Who am I and What is my Purpose (Part 2)

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV)
(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (AMP)
(3) For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, (4) And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.

Colossians 2:8 (KJV)
⁽⁸⁾ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:8 (AMP)
⁽⁸⁾ See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

Revelation 22:18-19 (KJV)
(18) For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
(19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Revelation 22:18-19 (AMP)
(18) I [personally solemnly] warn everyone who listens to the statements of the prophecy [the predictions and the consolations and admonitions pertaining to them] in this book: If anyone shall add anything to them, God will add and lay upon him the plagues (the afflictions and the calamities) that are recorded and described in this book.
(19) And if anyone cancels or takes away from the statements of the book of this prophecy [these predictions relating to Christ’s kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions or warnings pertaining to them], God will cancel and take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the city of holiness (purity and hallowedness), which are described and promised in this book.

God gives us many warnings about His word, but after studying history from the beginning of time God’s word has gone through many transitions. Many believe as I do that the original word of God was written in Hebrew and even that has changed from the beginning of time because the meaning of words has changed over the centuries. Because of that fact we have Etymology (1 : the history of a linguistic form (as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language). Translation; tracing a word back to its original meaning from the beginning, very true way of interpreting the word often called Hebrew roots.

Have you ever wondered why the Old Testament is in Hebrew and the New Testament in Geek well that was done during the reign of Alexander the Great because at that time the whole world spoke Greek so the Septuagint was created. Greek is a beautiful language but many meanings of words from Hebrew to Greek change; because there is not a direct word exchange this has caused many errors in translating some passages. Even the Jewish people after they went into captivity and were dispersed during the Diaspora didn’t speak true Hebrew, I never knew that, that’s why when Israel became a Country in 1948 they set up Hebrew language schools to teach their own people the Hebrew language again. Satan has been very busy deceiving the masses.

Then during the reign of Constantine the Great around 300-340 A.D.; He made Christianity the law of the state. This ushered in many non-Christians into church positions of stature and this is when many of the different denominations were formed. Denominations created by men for men’s purposes, who do you think was behind this great idea? Over the centuries this has caused strife and dissention among Christians and much confusion for the people. Do you think that is what God wanted? No neither do I, man added to and took away the words and meaning of God’s word for his own purposes. This has been going on throughout the centuries, now we have hundreds of translations of the bible and dozens of  bible commentaries again mans translation of God’s word is it truth or what we all have become accustom to in recent times “spinning the word”? I would venture to guess a little of both. Now we come to a time in history that really has got me wondering!

Deuteronomy 4:2 (KJV)
⁽²⁾ Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

The Great Pre-tribulation theory “truth or fictions or perhaps a little spinning for prosperity?

I never gave it much thought because that is what I had been taught since I became a Christian, that we as Christians were going to be raptured out of this world before the seven year tribulation started along with dispensational and replacement theology. Dispensationalist believe that there are seven dispensations since the beginning of time and we are now in the seventh dispensation called the Church age, along with that goes replacement theology which states that the gentiles (that’s the church of today) and the Jewish people have separate destinies in the end times. We the church will be raptured before the tribulation starts but the Jewish people will have to go through the tribulation because they have denied Jesus as their Savior.  It all sounded logical to me because all the bible teachers I studied under taught that theology. I thought that was taught all through the ages until I started studying Hebrew and the principles of etymology and begin to see that what the ancient Hebrew was teaching me and what I learned was not the same message, as I dug a little deeper I was amazed to discover that all three of the theology’s I talked about were relativity new and all stemmed from a handful of people. That made me very curious and a little upset after all I had just spent six years going through the bible with a person who I believed to be very reliable and skillful in his teachings. I still believe he is but was his theology wrong also? So let me relate my finding so far about what I discovered.

As I was think about what I was learning from the original Hebrew of the Old Testament this verse came to my mind 1 John 2:26-27

1 John 2:26-27 (KJV)
⁽²⁶⁾ These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. ⁽²⁷⁾ But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

1 John 2:26-27 (AMP)
⁽²⁶⁾ I write this to you with reference to those who would deceive you [seduce and lead you astray].
⁽²⁷⁾ But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].

The amplified version really touched my spirit and brings me back to God’s reality; the Holy Spirit is the ultimate teacher not man.

Well here is what I discovered, the theology’s I talked about earlier were never taught until the mid 1800’s it all started with a book written by a man called Manuel Lacunza then the rest of the people involved, a fifteen year old girl named Margaret McDonald, Edward Irving, John Darby and last C.I. Scofield. A brief synopsis on how all this transpired; Manuel Lacunza who was a Jesuit priest wrote a book and in the book he talked about some views he had on the book of Revelation, He never really talked about a pre-tribulation but some of his ideas or theories swirled all around the subject. Then not to long later a fifteen year old girl named Margaret McDonald had a vision and the rapture was revealed to her in this vision. About the same time there was a preacher in England named Edward Irving he was a very charismatic person and he had a pretty large following for that time period. Margaret McDonald wrote him and shared the vision she had with him. Edward Irving started preaching that message in his church, people were intrigued by the message and his church grew to over 1000 that was quite large for those days. At the same time an Anglican minister by the name of John Darby came up with the idea of Dispensationalism while studying the Book of Revelation during a time of recovery after falling from his horse. Even though many have wrongly credited John Darby of the Brethren with originating the pretribulation rapture doctrine, he was still defending the historic posttribulation rapture view in the December, 1830 issue of “The Christian Herald.” As late as 1837 Darby saw the church “going in with Him to the marriage, to wit, with Jerusalem and the Jews. And we now know that he didn’t clearly teach the pretribulation rapture doctrine before 1839. It was not until 1839 that Darby finally began to clearly teach a pretribulation rapture. Later on in the nineteenth century Darby incorporated the idea of the any-moment secret into a last-days scheme which has come to be known as Dispensationalism.

A little over a half a century later, C. I. Scofield took a fancy to the doctrine and thought up the plan for a reference Bible that would help to explain the complicated structure of Dispensationalism to the masses. He constructed his reference Bible to include Darby’s dispensational theory, which included the doctrine of pretribulation rapture. The Scofield Reference Bible introduced Dispensationalism into the American church shortly after the turn of the 20th century. It was first met with great resistance, and caused much confusion and conflict among professing Christians. Throughout time, it has gradually become accepted and defended by many as true, Biblical doctrine.

That is a short synopsis of the story for a more in depth analysis of this whole theory there is a web site  http://www.truthkeepers.com He has written a book questioning the theory. He makes some good points. According to the teachings I’ve been learning through my Hebrew this is not what the bible teaches either I am still learning but remember my quote “condemnation before investigation will keep man in everlasting ignorance” If you are interested go to the site and read his book it’s all online.

There are some dangers in this theory if you believe it, according to the pretribbers I think I just made up that word but that’s ok, The pretribbers believe the church will be raptured before the anti-Christ is revealed, if this is your belief and you are wrong when he comes you will not believe it. This has some ramifications that can be very disturbing in many ways think about it. So educate yourself don’t rely on what you hear, you are responsible for your decisions. Christians have been Sheep for too long! The time I believe is getting close. Prepare yourself.

Next time well will take a look at the Statement that many Christians recite “We are not under the law but the New Covenant so the Old Testament laws and ordnances  do not pertain to us anymore” REALLY! Hum………….!

Shalom Alecheim,

PapaJD

I have decided that fall and autumn are not synonymous.

The fall is the few weeks in which snot drips from my nose and my eyes want to fall out of my head.
Autumn is the beautiful time when the air is crisp and cool, but not yet cold or frozen.

Autumn is everything good.

Autumn is the spirit — redeemed by Christ.
Fall is the flesh — broken by sin.

Autumn is something beautiful.

It’s been busy around here lately. Busy and a bit disorienting.

Josh got laid off this past week; his last day was Tuesday. We knew it was coming and tried to prepare the best we could. Still, no matter the preparation, adjustments must be made to a new lifestyle. Like being down to one vehicle. Josh had a company truck, so we must say good-bye to it.

With Josh being home now, the rhythm of the day is different. We had to put aside normal activities one day to file for unemployment and other government aid. That means long forms. Josh has a priority need to use the computer for job searching and resume sending. But I still need the computer for photo session proofing.

Speaking of photo sessions, I’ve been blessed by a sudden influx right at the perfect time. So thankful for that. My first engagement shoot was Sunday. Can’t wait to share it with you!

And the coolest thing that happened last week. In the midst of waiting everyday for the news of being laid off, Josh brought home some good news one day.

We’ve been wanting to install recessed lights in our living room since April. But our car ended up needing several thousand dollars worth of work, so we delayed until the fall. Well, the fall arrived and we decided that if Josh was going to lose his job, it probably wasn’t the time to install the lights. We’d have to put it off until a more stable time.

I was bummed. It’s so depressingly dark in our living room. Plus, it does not make it easy to host friends.

Our living room is like a cave. The boys had busted our two floor lamps a while ago (no surprise there). In the winter months it gets little natural light with the front door having to stay closed and the brown paint doesn’t help matters. I figured I’d have to buy a lamp at Target or something, and even so, lamps and lamp shades aren’t exactly cheap.

But Josh came home from work one day with the exact amount of recessed lighting we needed for our living room! He just happened to be at a job site where they were going to throw them away. Under usual working conditions he’s not on the job sites, but since his company had stopped bidding, Josh was helping out in the field. The lights had been demoed and were going to be trashed. Thus, the lights that we’ve wanted for the past six months were gotten for free!

How cool is that? It was nothing we couldn’t have lived without, but what a special reminder God cares about the little things?

How ’bout a little show and tell . . .

Before (all we had was that little desk lamp!)

After

Now the boys can see to play with their toys and I don’t have to hand guests flashlights!

Who am I and what is my Purpose?

This is a special edition every once in a while I like to stir up a little controversy!  It’s good to exercise the mind once in awhile.

Have you ever asked yourself that question? When you do be prepared because you might not like the answer, that’s what my wife and I did, we asked God to show us and He has led us on an awesome journey and many of the answers we received from Him have been life changing. We began to devour Gods word and read Christian books by the dozens (some good and some not so good but the Holy Spirit helped us zero in on the right ones for us). One of the first statements in a book I was reading that had a big impact on me was A.W. Tozer’s book “Born after Midnight”, in it he writes:

“ The flaw in current evangelism lies in its humanistic approach. It struggles to be super naturalistic but never quite makes it. It is frankly fascinated by the great, noisy, aggressive world with its big names, its hero worship, its wealth and its garnish pageantry. To the millions of disappointed persons who have always yearned for worldly glory but never quite attained it, the modern evangel offers a quick and easy short cut to their heart’s desire. Peace of mind, happiness, prosperity, social acceptance, publicity, success in sports, business, the entertainment field, and perchance to sit occasionally at a banquet table with a celebrity-all this on earth and heaven at last. Certainly no insurance company can offer half as much.

In this quasi-Christian scheme of things God becomes the Aladdin lamp who does the bidding of everyone that will accept His Son and sign a card. The total obligation of the sinner is discharged when he accepts Christ. After that he has but to come with his basket and receiving the religious equivalent of everything the world offers and enjoy it to the limit. Those who have not accepted Christ must be content with this world, but the Christian gets this one with the one to come thrown in as a bonus.

Such is the Christian message as interpreted by vast numbers of religious leaders today. This gross misapprehension of the truth is back of much ( I almost said most ) of our present evangelical activity. It determines directions, builds programs, decides the content of sermons, fixes the quality of local churches and even of whole denominations, sets the pattern for religious writers and forms the editorial policy of many evangelical publications.

This concept of Christianity is in radical error, and because it touches the souls of men it is dangerous, even deadly, error. At bottom it is little more than weak humanism allied with weak Christianity to give it ecclesiastical respectability. It may be identified by its religious approach. Invariably it begins with man and his needs and then looks around for God; true Christianity reveals God as searching for man to deliver him from his ambitions.

Always and always God must be first. The gospel in its scriptural context puts the glory of God first and the Salvation of man second. The angels, approaching from above, chanted, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This puts the glory of God and the blessing of mankind in their proper order, as do also the opening words of the prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Before any petitions are allowed, the name of God must be hallowed. God’s glory is and must forever remain the Christian’s true point departure. Anything that begins anywhere else, whatever it is, is certainly not New Testament Christianity.

The Tragedy of Wasted Religious Activity

There is probably not another field of human activity where there is so much waste as in the field of religion.

It is altogether possible to waste an hour in church or even in a prayer meeting. The popular “attend the church of your choice” signs that have lately been appearing everywhere may have some small value if they do not more than remind a materialistic civilization that this world is not all and that there are some treasures that cannot be bought with money. Yet we must not forget that a man may attend church for a lifetime and be none the better for it.

In the average church we hear the same prayers repeated each Sunday year in and year out with, one would suspect, not the remotest expectation that they will be answered. It is enough, it seems, that they have been uttered. The familiar phrase, the religious tone, the emotionally loaded words have their superficial and temporary effect, but the worshiper is no nearer to God, no better morally and no surer of heaven than he was before. Yet every Sunday morning for twenty years he goes through the same routine and, allowing two hours for him to leave his house, sit through a church service and return to his house again, he has wasted more than 170 twelve –hour days with this exercise in futility.

The writer to the Hebrews says that some professed Christians were marking time and getting nowhere. They had had plenty of opportunity to grow, but they had not grown; they had had sufficient time to mature, yet they were still babies; so he exhorted them to leave their meaningless religious round and press on to perfection. (Heb.5:11-6:3) It is possible to have motion without progress, and this describes much of the activity among Christians today. It is simply lost motion.

In God there is motion, but never wasted motion; He always works toward a predetermined end. Being made in His image, we are by nature constituted so that we are justifying our existence only when we are working with a purpose in mind. Aimless activity is beneath the worth and dignity of a human being. Activity that does not result in progress toward a goal is wasted; yet most Christians have no clear end toward which they are striving. On the endless religious merry-go-round they continue to waste time and energy, of which, God knows, they never had much and have less each hour. This is a tragedy.

Back of this tragic waste there is usually one of three causes: The Christian is either ignorant of the Scriptures, unbelieving or disobedient.

I think most Christians are simply uninstructed. They may have been talked into the kingdom when they were only half ready. Any convert made within the last 40 years was almost certainly told that he had but to take Jesus as his personal Savior and all would be well. Possibly some counselor may have added that he now has eternal life and would most surely go to heaven when he died, if indeed the Lord does not return and carry him away in triumph before the unpleasant moment of death arrives.

After that first hurried entrance into the kingdom there is usually not much more said. The new convert finds himself with a hammer and a saw and no blueprint. He has not the remotest notion what he is supposed to build, so he settles down to the dull routine of polishing his tools once each Sunday and putting them back in the box.”

Wow I thought to myself after I read that, is that really true? Then I started examining my own experience as a Christian and asked myself many questions I could not answer. That bothered me so my first priority was to learn the bible from Genesis to Revelation not just read it but learn it and the History lessons that went along with it. I did just that for the next five years I studied every book of the bible verse by verse, some books like Daniel and Revelations two or three times. My mentor had been teaching the bible for thirty years and very well versed in the history. The experience was awesome I learned so much, but I believe I’ve only scratched the surface. The learning experience continues to this day, which I will touch on a little later. What I would like to say now is A.W. TOZER was right on the mark.

Most Christians are like sheep, they believe whatever they hear, because they are too busy or lazy to read anything for themselves. I am not ripping on all Christians, but many do fall into that category and I was one of them. My life was just like he said in his book I was consumed by the world and everything about it. I had a secular World view not a biblical World view. (that’s what I am trying to teach in my Hang’ in with the young at Hearts series)

After I completed my studies of all the books of the bible, in my mind I thought I had a pretty good handle on biblical views. I was taught replacement theology that the church had replaced the Hebrew people as God’s chosen people. That the New Testament was God’s New Covenant with the gentiles and that the New Covenant freed us from the law and all the Christians were going to be raptured before the tribulation. That seems like the normal teaching of the main stream church in America today. ( Now I call it the Alice in wonderland theory)

Then one day my wonderful wife showed me a sight she had found and encouraged me to listen.  I haven’t been the same since that day. That was about eight months ago and a new learning experience has begun. It has rocked my biblical foundation and has opened my eyes to many things in this world that I never realized before.

It started for me with the study “Hebrew vs Greek thinking” that I started earlier on this site. What it showed me was how much influence one man had on how the world thinks and acts, and what a stark difference there was between the Hebrews of old and the Greek way of doing things. When you look at our culture today we have carried much of the Greek culture into our own Western culture. The Greek culture is very worldly much like America today anything goes. The Hebrew culture is totally different and reflects early biblical characteristics. God’s teachings in the Old Testament were cyclical, everything had a cycle; the seed, the plant, the fruit, in the fruit was another seed and the cycle continues to this day as all gods’ cycles do, seasons, years, months of the year, life, etc……. The Greek thinking is linear, time line thinking that was in olden times, this is new times way of thinking. Hum………………..? Just because its new thinking does that make it right? Hum…………………….? Well that sounds like old fashion thinking to me, ever hear that before! Oh really!  Does that make the new thinking more right? Think about that for a while.

I read a statement from my study “Hebrew vs Greek thinking” that really started me thinking about my biblical views, the statement goes like this “The Hebrew people have taken God and built their life around Him. But the Western world(Hellenistic) have taken on the worlds culture and tried to fit God into it” That describes what has happened to this country to a tea! This even goes to our biblical theology. Where do you think God stands?

1. Why do we have many translations of the bible?
2. When did replacement theology become the norm?
3. Replacement theology brought about the Pre-tribulation theory is that true?
4. Is the New Testament our new covenant and the law done away with, really?
5. Do you think it makes God happy with the pagan holiday we call Christmas and Easter and the way we celebrate it?
6. What about the Old Testament laws and ordnances are they not to be followed, really?

Look at this country today we are about one month away from becoming a socialistic country with many of our freedoms in jeopardy, the U.S. Senate yesterday passed the “hate crimes bill” which will limit pastors ability to preach sermons that discriminate against Lesbians and Homosexual in our society. They will be allowed to infiltrate the churches and spread their life style as they please and the church will be defenseless to stop them. Don’t think for a minute that is not on the top of their agenda and it’s coming soon. The Christians have allowed without any fuss this life style to be accepted in many denominations in this country. The people have sat by silent as the socialists or as they are called today progressives have taken over our public education system, rewritten the text books with all their propaganda for the last 50 years in this country. Taken over our judicial system with socialist thinking judges who write laws instead of intrepid laws, our young people’s minds have been brain washed into believing that this country is bad and the world hates us.  That is garbage from the pit of Hell, but it has been allowed to go on for too long and now we are going to pay the piper. Very sad!

In part 2 we will look at the six questions above and reveal some interesting insight!

Shalom Alecheim,

PapaJD