Observing Joy

The main thing that struck me, the day my husband and I decided to visit a Messianic Jewish Synagogue (alternately called church as well), was the joy with which the congregation observed the Sabbath.

Yes, it was Sabbath, beginning with the Friday evening service from 7:30 until 10:00, and concluding with a very lengthy Saturday service that ran from 10:30 until 1:00, which I hear on occasion is followed by a Saturday evening service in which they equally joyfully usher out the Sabbath Day with what is known as a Havdalah service.

As we entered the sanctuary, we were told that men were to cover their heads with the kippah or yarmulke, and that women should also, but neither was obligatory.  It was our choice based on our convictions.  Both my husband and I, not wanting to offend any, chose head coverings; mine was a small doily that sat on top of my head, but I noticed other women had full head scarves or shawls that were worn the entire time they were in the sanctuary and then removed after they left that particular room. Messianic Jews do not believe that the men have to wear kippahs outside in public, that it is a sign of reverence before the Lord to do so in services only.

Then began much singing and much dancing (sometimes by women alone, including small children; and sometimes by the entire congregation, whoever is able amongst them, including the men and including the Rabbi). The dancing was either done in a large circle, or as a long chain weaving in and out and up and down the aisles, all over the church.  It was marvelous to see how a dance can be such a worshipful thing.

And the singing was just as involved! My church back home does four or five songs each Sunday, but we did much more than that here. Several people lifted their hands, much clapping went on. And all is done with such joy! In fact, there was quite a sense of humor, kind humor, being bantered back and forth between the rabbi and the congregation, similar to that which happens in my church up north....which will always be my church by the way, even if this one here in the south, also becomes my church. (And I think it might!)

And there is a lot of prayer.  There is a half hour of prayer that is held in a separate room before the service (which I did not take part in as I was unware it was happening on this first visit) and there are the traditional Jewish prayers spoken over various parts of a traditional Sabbath service.  The Rabbi also asked us all to join hands and pray for Israel who was (and still is) under attack by rockets from Gaza. Before prayer began, he instructed all that we do not pray lengthy prayers to be heard or seen, we do not pray many prayers for the same reason; but that there were to be four or five upon whom the Lord laid a prayer to be spoken directly and to the point and ended.  That is exactly how it happened.  As people were moved, and I was one of them, brief and to the point prayers were offered up for Israel, for the soldiers, for the innocents on both sides of the battle, for the parents of the soldiers, some of whom might have their only child in harm's way, and for salvation for all who do not know Yeshua. [I have a young friend, in fact, who is his parents' only child, he is about 21 now, and is an Israeli soldier at this time fighting near Gaza.  It is a frightening time for him.  I have a link to his latest blog to the right of this posting called: "A Young Israeli Soldier and Friend." Click on the link if you have time, to understand what these young soldiers are experiencing.  How much do their parents also suffer who can only remain helpless at home; helpless except for crying out to the Lord, that is!]

After about two hours of songs, dancing, and prayer, the Torah (the first five books of the Bible written in Hebrew upon a huge scroll that must weigh 50 pounds easily, maybe more, covered in a velvet cloth) was walked around the room in a sort of procession.  Every member of the congregation reached out and touched the covering and put their fingers to their lips in a kiss.  I asked a woman nearby to explain to me what was happening, and she said, it is the very Word of God, and we kiss it because it is precious to us. Some folks touched their Bibles to the cloth of the Torah covering and then lifted their Bibles to their lips in a kiss; some of the women touched it with a corner of their scarf or shawl and brought that up to their lips.

The procession ended up at the front of the church at the podium where it was carefully laid on a table (with the help of a couple of other men besides the one who carried it) and then it was unrolled to a certain section.  Two men and two women from the congregation began to read in both Hebrew and then in English the sections of scripture that were chosen for that day.  Then the scroll was rolled up again, covered in its cloth, and put back into its closet at the front of the church. This happens only once a month at the time of the new moon, if I understood correctly.

Then the Rabbi began his sermon, which lasted only about twenty minutes and for which he referred to several different bibles laid out on the table before him as he spoke.  This particular service he spoke from the Beatitudes in Matthew.

And even though the entire sermon was about Jesus, somewhere in the midst of that sermon he reminded everyone that there is only one way to the Father, and that is through Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ (yes, he spoke both the Hebrew and the Greek names of Jesus...after all his congregation is made up of Jewish believers and Gentile believers, the Gentile believers better known as Christians...and to be honest, I could not tell either by looks, or dress, or behavior, or attitude which ones are Jewish and which are Gentile.  They all happily engaged in Sabbath worship, and I found that it didn't matter to me which they were, which probably meant it didn't matter to them which one I was either! Everyone who was there just belonged there, by the Lord's design, and that's really all there was to it!)

And then the Rabbi reminded everyone that while this church observes Torah, including observing the Sabbath and all the Feast Days, that there was no salvation to be gained by observing Torah, that salvation was only that which was paid for by Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, for our sakes, by His death on the cross; that it was by faith, not works, that we receive that salvation. But that they observe the whole Word of God in its entirety, Old Testament and New Testament, as they believe we are all instructed to do with the "instructions" God has given us through His Word.

After the service ended, everyone retired their head coverings, and walked out of the sanctuary into the hallway where there were bagels and cream cheese and fruit  and coffee available. There is an offering box at the back of the sanctuary where tithes and offerings can be put either as you come in or as you leave the room, but no offering was taken up during the service.

After about a half hour of food and socializing, folks began to break up into groups for various scheduled meetings.  One such group of folks, comprised of both young and old, were being taught Hebrew in one room, but there were other groups forming as well for whatever purposes they had, perhaps it was the women dancers who do specific types of dance, perhaps it was administrative meetings.  I know only the Hebrew class for sure, as my husband and I decided to enter into that one and check it out.  Boy, were we lost!  But we have decided to persevere and go again.  I have long had a desire to know biblical Hebrew to help in my study of the Bible, and Greek as well.  No better time than now to begin, I figured!The man who teaches the Hebrew class is named Elisha (pronounced a-lish-a), and actually lived for a time in Israel; for quite some time I think, judging by his strong accent. He speaks several other languages as well.

We finally left for home about 3:00 p.m.  And we left with as much joy as we had observed in all those who gathered together with us on that Sabbath Day.  It hadn't seemed like a long day at all...it was so filled with the glory of worshipping the LORD in every way possible.

It was an amazing experience, and one we both cannot wait to take part in again!

 

Observing Those Who Observe

My husband and I have recently relocated to a lower elevation for reasons of health, and are now living in a small town, near a big city which has one Messianic Jewish Synagogue.  [A Messianic Jew is a Jewish person who believes that Jesus Christ was, and is, the Messiah...whom they call by His given Hebrew name of Yeshua  [see: http://jesusisajew.org/YESHUA.php] and by His title of HaMashiach (Messiah).

Messianic Jews believe that the only way to the Father is through the Son, Yeshua, and that salvation is found only in Him (whose name Yeshua means: "Salvation is of the Lord.")  They believe salvation is NOT to be found or earned by observing Torah, otherwise known as the law of Moses.  It was earned for us by Jesus (Yeshua) and His work, accomplished on the cross for our sakes, cannot be further enhanced in any way, by our efforts.  [See: http://www.mjaa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=n_messianic_movement_messianic_judaism ]

Yet they still observe the Torah; and to many Christians this is a contradiction.  But to Messianic Jews, and to myself (a Christian believer), there is no contradiction.  I think two definitions would help to clarify.

First, the word "Torah" [as used in Judaism] describes the law of God as revealed to Moses and recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures [the Pentateuch].  These are of course the exact same first five books of the Old Testament in every Christian's Bible.  But we should further define the word "Torah" as presented in its Hebrew form which is: instruction, doctrine, law, or as defined by its root word "yarah" which means to show, direct, instruct.

Next, we should define the word "observe" which comes from the Latin word "observare" [ob = toward; servare = attend to, look at].  It's definitions include:

1)  to notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant;
2)  to perform or take part in;
3)  to maintain in compliance with a rule or custom, or temporarily as a mark of respect;
4)  to celebrate or acknowledge.

I think any one or all of the definitions of "observe" would fit our purposes; thus, in my thinking, to "observe Torah" is to "notice, perceive and register as being significant, to perform and take part in, to maintain, to be in compliance with, to celebrate or acknowledge the instructions that God has given to and preserved for those who follow Him."

On the other hand, using these same definitions, what would it look like to NOT observe Torah?

It would look as though we were calling ourselves followers of God while we deliberately disregard His instruction to us, instructions which are as eternal as the eternal God from whom they come.  It would look as though we take His Word so selectively, and so casually, as to make it of no signficance whatsoever, prefering to "observe"the New Testament ABOVE the Old. It would look as though there is nothing in the first five books of the Old Testament, or perhaps even the rest of the Old Testament, to celebrate.

Yet the same New Testament that all Christians use, tells me that the Old Testament is all about Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, hidden in prophecy, to be revealed in the New Testament.  Without "observing" or "being attentive to" the Torah, how would I recognize Jesus in the New Testament? Would I really see Him?  Or would I see whatever the world at large has concocted for me to see, if I choose to follow the world, albeit the "Christian" world with all of its diversity of doctrine, rather than the full word of God? Am I afraid that the Old Testament will contradict the writings of Paul and the dsicples of Jesus Christ?  Could it possibly?  Of course not!  Neither will Paul and the writings of the disciples, all being inspired by the same eternal LORD, be able to contradict what is in the Old Testament. The New Testament is simply the Old Testament revealed...not destroyed..not done away with....revealed.  And what is revealed is the love of God towards us!

Truths that looked like "law" handed down by a fierce GOD, are now seen to be loving instructions meant to be beneficial to us as handed down from a loving Father to His children. That's what the New Testament revealed. 

It revealed that God the Father can be trusted to have our best interests at heart.  While He is fearful enough in His majestic and glorious appearance to make John, the disciple, fall down as though dead, He is our loving Father whom we can trust and follow implicitly, knowing that nothing He directs or instructs us to do is harmful to us, but beneficial in every way.  So why would we willingly set aside anything He has given us, including the Old Testament, including Torah?

In fact, I have not set it aside.  I "observe Torah" while also "observing" the rest of the Old Testament, and all of the New Testament....in fact, ALL of the fullness of the Word of God.

In the next posting, I will try to share the form that "observing" takes in each of those elements of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, found within the "instruction" of the LORD; at least as I "perceive" it while I am observing those who observe.

The Natural Man

I get scripture readings sent to my email every day from a preacher (and good teacher) that I consider to be one of the best whose name is James McDonald, Senior Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel with campuses in various parts of Illinois.

Today's scripture was 1 Corinthians 2:12-14 in which Paul uses the term "the natural man."  I woke up this morning, before reading this scripture, thinking about the two types of people who sadden and concern me the most.

There is the Christian who is living in sin, some of whom still attend church and some who have not attended in some time, yet both of which, even while living in sin, still believe they are Christians.

And there are the people, the un-churched and un-saved, who think they are "good" just as they are, who say they trust in God, and yet who think there's a little too much emphasis on Jesus these days and not enough on God.

And I realized that with both types of people upon whom my heart focused this morning, Paul's "natural man" of 1 Corinthians 2 is at work: the "natural man" being the one who is not able to discern spiritual truths because God hasn't opened the eyes of the natural man to see.

This is easier to understand in the man who is lost because we have all been there...lost and didn't know it.  Lost, while thinking we were good with God.  Lost, while extolling our generosities to others: our "good works."  Lost, even while busy having intellectual conversation about God and the things of God about which we thought we knew so much.

But still just lost.  And we didn't become saved, as Pastor MacDonald pointed out in his message this morning, until God intervened.  We understand that because we experienced it, and we know that it is true!

But what is more difficult for me to understand is that once we have tasted of the goodness of God, we can actually become blinded again.  Sin can blind us.  It's called deception.

And even though I also experienced this, I still don't understand exactly how I got there, except that it might have been because I let something called "deception" into my heart for just a moment....just one small moment...and it grabbed hold and remained for a long time.

Or perhaps I just wasn't saved...not really.  I experienced it, and I still don't have a clear picture of how it happened...how I let it happen.  But I know that sin and the flesh were involved.

Thankfully, the Lord delivered me from the sin that held me and kept me for a long season.  And I can devote many postings (and might still) on what "saved" really means and are we as saved as we think we are sometimes?

But the point today is that I see others living in that deception. And their position in Christ lies even heavier on my heart than the lost (and the lost are heavy on my heart!).  I think this is because I have been there, and I have tasted of the fruit of that deception and it is bitter!  And I want to warn them, and have often tried, but they are deceived and will not receive the truth....not yet.  Not until God releases them from the deception, just as He must release from deception those who are lost.  His Word says that He will draw men unto Himself.  He must intervene. It is always God who finds us when we are lost, not the other way around.

I know that the most stated example of the lost is the prodigal son, and perhaps that can apply as well to the Christian who has, for a dangerous season at least, has turned away from following Jesus, and is following their own way.  But I think the best example, and one I have used often, is that of the Israelites in the desert.  The ones who had been slaves under extremely harsh conditions for 400 years, and were delivered, given their freedom and their sustenance by the mighty hand of God as demonstrated through His servants, Moses and Aaron.  And yet, they complained because they didn't have meat. 

They had manna from heaven, miraculously delivered to their doors practically, but their flesh cried out for the things of their past.  They wanted meat and began praising the virtues of their past enslavement, even suggesting that they were better off back then in slavery, as their flesh began to take control of them.

So God gave them meat.  But He gave it with a warning that said (paraphrasing): "You want meat?  You will have what you want until it comes out your nose!"  In other words, until you are so stuffed with it that you vomit it out your nose! Rather disgusting, but perhaps it describes the Lord's own disgust with such an ungrateful people.  Here are His actual words to be delivered through Moses to the people:

"And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD saying, who shall give us flesh to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.  Therefore, the Lord will give you flesh and you shall eat it.  Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" (Numbers 11:18-20)

And such was I once.  And such are many Christians today who are not living in holiness according to the Spirit of God, but are living captive to the leadings of their flesh instead, whether it be of lusts, or fears, it is trusting in their own "natures" instead of trusting in God. And by the things in which they place their trust, whether in themselves or in others, but not in the Lord, they show that they despise God.

They are indistinguishable from the world, and yet even the world is able to see the hypocrisy under which these Christians are leading a double-life.  And so the witness of Jesus Christ in these Christians, of which I was once one, is distorted.  And many who might have been saved through the power of the testimony of Jesus Christ in these individuals, instead remain lost....and glad that they aren't "Christians" like these!

I bring this up today, the day before Thanksgiving, along with my prayers for this national holiday:

"We praise your name, LORD, even as we cry out, please, Abba, Father, please open their eyes to see again, or to see for the first time. Please draw them all unto you.  The time is so short.  Much lies ahead for which we will need your Spirit to lead us and to strengthen us.  Prepare the way for us and for those who have turned away for a season.  Let that season of captivity to their flesh be shortened, I plead.  Have mercy on those who have turned away and on those who have never come to know you.  Have mercy on those who outright reject the most precious gift they have ever been given.  Have mercy on those who have trampled underfoot the sacrifice that You, GOD, made for their sakes....the life of your only-begotten Son in exhange for their own lives...for my own life.  Cause us all to remember with grateful hearts what is most important to always alway always be thankful for:  Your Son, Jesus Christ....without whom we cannot even speak to you, Father, for your Word says you will not hear us while we are in sin; you hear only the repentant and the humble: turned away from sin and trusting in Jesus instead of ourselves.  Thank you for the blood of Your Son shed on the cross for us, by which we have been washed clean from our sins.  Keep us under the blood of Jesus Christ, under the blood of Yeshua, Ha-Mashiach!  Thank you for your goodness and love towards us! And come soon, LORD, come soon. Amen"

Have a Thanksgiving that is blessed by God!  Remain ever mindful of Him!


 

The Sighing and Crying Ones

I was reading Ezekiel chapters 8 and 9 a couple of mornings ago.  Chapter 8 describes visions given to Ezekiel concerning the sins of the people of God in the temple and in the land.  The Lord speaks his mind to Ezekiel, several times, concerning these sins which the Lord calls "abominations":

"Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here." (v. 9)
"For they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth." (v. 12)
"Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do." (v. 13)
"Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again and thou shall see greater abominations than these." (v. 15)

I would like to paraphrase verse 12 to fit modern times:

"For they say, God doesn't see us; where was God when the towers fell? If there is a God who would allow that, then I want no part of that God." 

And mankind today will repudiate God in the same manner as was being done then in Ezekiel's vision: they will worship the creature rather than the Creator.  The women weeping for Tammuz in verse 14, are ritualistically mourning the coming of winter (a worship of nature) as Tammuz was a mythical god who dies in winter and is re-born in spring (a Satanically-inspired counterfeit to the death and resurrection of Jesus). How many folks today refuse to worship God as He prescribes (amongst the fellowship of other believers as being a part of the body of Christ) and choose their "church" to be "nature" instead.  It is a common note amongst those who reject the Lord's "Way" in order to go their own way..

The first idol or abomination mentioned in Ezekiel 8is the "seat of the image of jealousy"and refers to an idol, an image, set up in the entrance to the temple...defiling the temple of God by its presence. This is followed by more idols within the very sanctuary of the Lord.

The last abomination listed was the vision of twenty-five men who stood at the door of the temple of the Lord but "with their backs to the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east." (Ezekiel 8:16)  The worship of the sun or sun-god was, of course, an abomination to God.

I can't help but flash forward to the day in the middle of the third century A.D. when Constantine, a sun-god worshipper who also claimed to be a follower of Jesus even as he continued to worship the sun-god, legally changed the Sabbath day to being observed on Sun-day instead. [Which is why it behooves each of us to understand why we do the things we do, confirming that the things we do are done because Scripture alone tells us to do them.)

Continuing on in chapter 9, Ezekiel sees six men each carrying a weapon of destruction in his hand, and a seventh man "clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side."  It was to this seventh man with the writer's inhorn that the Lord then spoke to, saying:

"Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." (Ezekiel 9:4)

And to the other six men carrying weapons of destruction, the Lord said:

"Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary." (Ezekiel 9:5-6)

There are several things to note in these passages from chapters 8 and 9 of Ezekiel.

The first is that there are abominations happening because the people don't believe the Lord sees, and apparently, they believe that this is because He doesn't care...He has gone away and left them there alone.  This is typical humanistic thinking: man is quick to judge God as having abandoned them, in order to deflect the truth that they themselves have abandoned God.

The second thing is that these un-repentant actions are about to bring about the deaths of every living inhabitant of the land in which these grievous actions take place...all will suffer...including small children...for the behavior of others. We have discussed in previous postings how the sins of us parents WILL take its toll on our children. If our love for our children was greater than our love for our flesh, our children would be preserved.  But when we grant our flesh its way through sin, we show how little we truly love our children, for they will eat of the consequences of our sin.  And such is the sin of a nation, which will be paid for by all who live within its gates.

(Yet, we will see here in this passage that there are, in fact, a few who escape.)

The third thing to note is that the only ones who will be spared from this mass destruction are those "that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof."  When believers just give up and go along with the majority, or when believers become de-sensitized to those things which God calls abominable, then look out!  Only those whose hearts remains lined up with the Lord's and who find sin to be just as grievous today as it was yesterday, will survive the coming day of God's wrath. Are we too busy with our own pursuits to notice how God's name is blasphemed by abominable acts that take place all around us in this "Christian" nation? Are we too de-sensitized to even speak out against, and hopefully avoid, those things seen on television and in movies, the things that our children are watching when we aren't around, the visual concepts that the media and world-at-large have engineered in order to exchange "evil for good, and good for evil"?

[Note also that marks on foreheads are not strictly reserved for the mark of the beast as this particular mark on the foreheads of those sighing and crying comes from the Lord and marks them for protection from God's wrath...the mark of the beast is simply another counterfeit of Satan which will be used during the tribulation to identify followers of the anti-christ, offering what appears to be protection from the persecution of the anti-christ. but is in reality a mark that will lead to everlasting death instead.]

The final, and saddest thing of all perhaps, is that the slaughter begins in the the Lord's sanctuary.

Those who consider themselves to "righteous" will not be feeling the safety of the Lord's protection when His wrath begins to pour out on them first of all.  This is not to say that everyone who thinks they are saved are not saved.  Not at all. But it should give us pause to consider how these that were in the house of God came to be included in the group to be destroyed...and we know they could not be destroyed for any reason other than sin in their midst...AND the fact that they are not "sighing and crying" over that sin. They have compromised their thinking for convenience's sake. They have compromised what was not theirs to compromise: the truth of God.

Do we grieve over sin as the Lord still does?  Or do we turn a blind eye to it, taking the attitude of "to each his own" and letting it go at that?

Do we spend time praying and crying out to God for mercy on those who do such abominable acts unto the Lord, while at the same time pleading with Him to come quickly so that this evil will cease? 

Are we crying and sighing over sin that is both rampant and yet common-place among the unbelievers today...especially for the unbelieving "believers" who reside in our churches because we have made it a safe place for them to practice the illusion of being righteous among others of like-minded righteousness?

Just the vision of the wrath of God caused Ezekiel to fall on his face and weep and cry out to God for mercy upon them all.

Now is not the time to stop sighing and crying: for our own sins as well as that of others.



 

A Word About a Word

In light of the changes to come (as noted in the last posting), I think we should also prepare ourselves to face some persecution when we begin to be labeled as adherents of "legalism."  We will see evidence of this persecution when we decide to stand up for the things that the Lord has scripturally commanded us to do and about which we have strong convictions, especially when our actions of obedience to God's Word run contrary to the "gospel of convenience" that is being preached in many churches today.

Legalism is not a word that I find used in the bible; perhaps the LORD in all His wisdom knew what chaos could come out of the human use (or rather mis-use) of the word! It is a dangerous word, for both Christians and non-Christians alike.

In Christian circles, its incorrect usage has made it a source of fear for Christians, and the avoidance of being labeled "legalistic" has led many Christians to rationalize their way right into sin rather than be branded "different" or "legalistic" from their brethren who do not feel called to live a life that is "holy and pleasing unto the Lord."

In the unbelieving world it has become a primary reason of why it's best NOT to become a Christian, causing many of the lost to remain in their sin.  In both cases, its usage is incorrect....and deadly.

Webster's defines it as: strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code.  This is the definition used by most Christians and most non-Christians; this is the definition that leads to gross error in doctrine.

The problem with Webster's definition is that it leaves the determination about what is to be considered "strict, literal, or excessive" in the hands of each individual, and as individuals vary one from another, so does the definition of "legalism." 

For example, one Christian might be at church every time the doors are opened because he or she loves the social time.  Another Christian, who is more shy or withdrawn, may think that gathering more than once or twice a week is just "excessive."

God, on the other hand, might want to get together with us as His children 100% of the time.  Now THAT could be defined as "excessive."  But which of us wants to label God "excessive'?  Certainly not me!

Do you see the problem with Webster's defintion of "legalism"? 

With either of the Christians used in the example above, one cannot tell strictly by the number of times they attend church whether they do so out of a love of God or a lack of love of God. When we try to apply a judgment term of "excessive" or "legalistic" to another person (as defined by Webster), we risk interfering with the relationship between that person and God, and it could be that God LIKES the "excessive" time spent with Him.  There is a consideration of the heart regarding each of these Christians which is neglected when we place a label of "legalism" onto Christians who do not respond exactly as we do.

Here instead is a better and, I believe, more accurate definition of "legalism."

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word "legalism" with less vagueness (and in my opinion, according to the biblical standard God would have us use): "adherence to moral law more than personal religious faith" and then it goes on to explain it in simple terms: "stress obedience apart from faith and you produce legalism." 

Key words: "more than" and "apart from".  Now we have a specific circumstance in which "legalism" can be correctly applied, so that we don't have to be all over the chart in our ideas of what "legalism" means. 

When adherence to morality (or the law or God's commands) exceeds faith (in God through Jesus Christ) then our adherence to morality (our obedience) is done with wrong motives and is in fact sin.

So obedience can be sin?

Sure.  Let me give you an example using one of the biggest compromises of sin amongst Christian believers today: sex before marriage.

We have two men: Joe Brown, an unbeliever, and Jim Green, a professed follower of Christ.

Joe Bown, in our example, does not have sex before marriage, but does not know Christ; Jim Green, on the other hand, professes to know Christ, but has rationalized that sex before marriage is allowable...in his circumstances. Both men are living in sin...both men will have to deal with the consequences of their sin. But the word "legalism" will be incorrectly used as both men's "get out of jail free" card. Or so they think.

Joe Brown (fictitious person) is a very moral and upright person.  He never breaks a law of the land, and he is sexually moral.  He has never had sex outside of marriage, has always been faithful to his wife, and is a good father to his children.  But He doesn't acknowledge the death of Jesus Christ as atonement for his sin; and thus he does not have a relationship with the Father.  In fact, although he has heard the Good News on several occasions, he rejects that "legalistic crutch" that so many people use concerning Jesus Christ and needing a Savior; after all he is a good man who doesn't need "saving."

Yet Joe manages to walk unkowingly in obedience to "some" of the commands of God (simply by living a moral life) but he does not abide by "all" of the commands of God.  How could he? He doesn't know what the commands of God are because he has never read the Bible, yet in many ways he is doing what the Bible commands us all to do. Joe has unknowingly placed himself under the "law."  He has rejected Christ and the mercy of God through Christ that is available to us when we repent of sin.  He has chosen to be judged according to his works instead.

But the apostle Paul says that the problem with living "under the law" (by works alone, rather than by faith that produces works) is that if you offend in even ONE point of the law, you are guilty of ALL of the law.   This is because you have made the LAW your judge, and the law, being an inanimate thing, cannot show mercy.  It is what it is: a stern taskmaster. 

As a result of all of this, Joe's acts of obedience can only lead him to death everlasting, because he was not able to act obediently to ALL of the law (i.e., Love the Lord your God will all of your heart, soul, mind and strength...Commandment #1 of the Law) and the law will judge him to be guilty of death.  In fact, God knew this when He provided His son Jesus to be atonement for our sin, as a way of escape for us for our inevitable disobedience to the law; He ordained Christ's death on the cross from the foundation of the world. Joe, unfortunately, has rejected the only advocate for mercy and grace that God would have heard on Joe's behalf: Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile, Jim Green (another fictitious person) has acknowledged Jesus Christ to be His Savior.  He attends church faithfully.  He is, in fact, a deacon in the church.  But Jim has misunderstood the freedom and liberty that he has been given in Christ.  This freedom, Paul says, is freedom FROM SIN.  Not freedom from the CONSEQUENCES of sin.

In the past, Jim was a slave to sin, but now he has been set free through Jesus Christ so that he no longer MUST sin, as a captive MUST do what his jailer commands him to do.  Jim is now FREE to live in holiness according to the standards of a Holy God as demonstrated to us by Jesus Himself.  But Jim has chosen a different path, one that leads away from holiness, and right into sin.

His misunderstanding of the freedom given to us in Christ, has lead Jim to think that God has now become lenient towards sin.  [Interesting that Jim feels it is ok to let things slide with God, but he is extremely careful to be a law-abiding citizen, much like Joe Brown above, because, of course, if you run contrary to the law of the land you could end up in jail!] But Jim believes that God is love and God is grace. And since the flesh is strong in us humans, whether saved or not saved, Jim has allowed his flesh to control his actions, especially in regards to what God has labeled "sexual immorality" or "sex outside of marriage" which according to God is not "sacred" at all but an abomination.

But, of course, Jim does not view his particular circumstances as falling into the category of sexual immorality.

Jim has fallen in love with a believer like himself, and because he is so sure that they will soon marry, he has rationalized that because God knows what's in his heart for this woman, God will excuse sex outside of marriage in this particular case. [There are many Christians deceived into committing this sin, especially as churches are not preaching against it openly.]  And in any case, Jim has read that "grace covers a multitude of sins."  His perfect liberty in Christ, allows him then, in his thinking, to walk in an area that God says is forbidden.

Jim is walking in deliberate sin.  It is deliberate because Jim has studied the bible, has read that God does not condone sex outside of marriage, in fact, that God abhors sex outside of marriage and considers it to be idolatry. But he has allowed the strong desires of his flesh to dictate and have authority in his life, rather than the standards of God that speak to Jim from the pages of the Bible. Jim is not walking in holiness. "Be holy, as I am holy" declared the Lord. This apparently does not apply to Jim.

Paul, speaking to Christians in the church at Rome (who had the similar mind-set that Jim Green has), clarifies this freedom and liberty in Christ, and what it means for us:

"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  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 righteousenss?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness....being made free from sin, and become sevants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life..  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:15-23)

Jim has a form of faith, but his brand of faith is not producing the accompanying acts of obedience to God.  Thus, his faith is dead. "Even so faith, if it hath not works [obedience to God], is dead, being alone." (James 2:17)

And here is where the incorrect usage of "legalism" enters in to Jim's scenario.  When another Christian believer confronts Jim and tells him he is in sin and must stop having sex prior to marriage, Jim accuses him of being "legalistic." 

"Legalisim" then becomes the escape clause which allows Jim to continue as his flesh desires him to act, rather than as a holy God desires him to act.

Jim has a choice before him:  he can repent and experience true grace from God; or he can choose to continue giving into his flesh, sin against God deliberately believing incorrectly that all is covered by the grace of God, and face the losses that will come from such a choice (losses that will be felt both in this life and the life to come).

Without faith we cannot please God.  But faith without the accompanying works of obedience is still dead faith.  Never can you have one without the other, and while faith will result in obedience, still if you are not walking in obedience, you cannot say that you have faith.

This is important to discuss here, because the day will come when our flesh will cry out to be spared rather than face death; yet our lives will only be spared if we choose to walk in dis-obedience to God by worshipping the image of the beast.  If in these days of non-presecution, we rationalize our way into sexual immorality, how much more will we be able to rationalize into any sin when real persecution begins and our lives are at stake?

In the days ahead, there will be those who will remain holy and obedient to the Lord, even to the loss of their life:

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Rev. 12:11)

And there will be those who have not learned how to bring their flesh into submission to God's holiness who will be caught unaware as Jesus warned:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting [giddiness], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Revelation 13:11-18)





 

A Time to Pray

Election Day 2012 is past.

While a large part of America and many other countries are rejoicing in the outcome of this year's Presidential election, there are many others in our nation, and a few elsewhere, who are mourning.

For "change" IS coming!

We already know what those changes will be, they don't need to be reiterated here. Bible-believing Christians understand that rulers or leaders of countries are still under God's control, whether the leaders trust in God or not, He is still sovereign!  And they will be used by God: either as instruments of righteousness or as instruments of judgment.  The leaders themselves are not as much in control as they think they are.

Knowing this, that God is sovereign, what must be focused on now is what our response to the coming changes will be.  We must not allow ourselves to be blind-sided, caught unaware, and respond poorly.  It is of critical importance that we respond as the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY would want us to respond. 

While we are not to speak evil of dignitaries, and while we are to submit to the authorities that God has ordained to rule over us, STILL there is a line that we cannot cross over.  And it will take some studying and quite a bit of prayerful "hearing" from God to know exactly what that is and what our response is to be.

Peter and John faced this decision when they were taken into custody by the Sanhedrin because they were teaching and preaching "through Jesus the resurrection from the dead" (Acts 4:1-3).  They were held overnight and then released with the command to "not speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." (Acts 4:18)

To which Peter and John responded: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19-20)

This incident was not taken lightly, after all it was the Sanhedrin who had instigated the death of Jesus. Note what the disciples did next, and note especially that which is underlined:

"And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,

"Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered togerher, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus."

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:23-31)

Note that the leaders and the unbelievers were "gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." 

Just as the leaders and the lost people of that day and age were doing what God had already determined would be done, all the while thinking they were "creating" such events of their own determination, such are the changes that will come to America. And so we must remember that in all things we submit to God.

YET, if a ruler tells us we are to kill an innocent or be killed, what choice will we make?  In a clear-cut case such as this, it will be easy to know the right choice, whether we have the courage to make the right choice is another question.  Which is why the disciples knew to PRAY for boldness.  They were faced with the same terrors that we will be faced with...imprisonment or death. And there are terrors ahead.  We will need as much boldness and courage in the face of death as the disciples needed, all of whom (except John) were martyred, in fact.

And wisdom and discernment will be needed.

Whether or not you are a fan of Dr. James Dobson, his response to coming changes is of note, as he has determined to take a stand, and has announced that stand in advance.  Here are his own words, taken from the October 2012 Whistleblower Magazine (the cover title and focus of this particular issue was: The Tipping Point, Life in America Under 4 More Years of Barack Obama's Leadership):

"I believe in the rule of law, and it has been my practice since I was in college to respect and honor those in authority over us," evanglelical leader Dr. James Dobson wrote in WND recently.  "However, this assault on the sanctity of human life takes me where I cannot go," said a resolute Dobson, responding to Obamacare's controversial abortion insurance surcharge by defiantly chaining himself to the moral high ground. "I WILL NOT pay the surcharge for abortion services.  The amount of the surcharge is irrelevant.  To pay one cent for the killing of babies is egregious to me, and I will do all I can to correct a government that lies to me about its intentions and then tries to coerce my acquiescence with extortion. It would be a violation of my most deeply held convictions to disobey what I consider to be the principles in Scripture.  The Creator will not hold us guiltless if we turn a deaf ear to the cries of His innocent babies.  So COME AND GET ME IF YOU MUST, Mr. President.  I will not bow before your wicked regulation."

If Dr. Dobson follows through with his statement, then he will be guilty of civil disobedience.  I believe it is called for at times.  I can recall another family who were also guilty of civil disobedience.

During World War II, the family of Corrie ten Boom had choices to make as well.  They each had their own convictions concerning the Word of God, and the killing of Jews; and while their responses were different, yet the end result was the same:  they KNEW what their convictions were and they STOOD on those convictions, even in the face of death.  Corrie, and her father, and her elder sister were all arrested for hiding Jews.  Corrie was the only one to survive the concentration camps they were sent to.  It was Corrie's conviction that it was acceptable to God to lie, and hide Jews, in order to prevent their death.  Corrie had another sister who, although she felt just as strongly about Jews not being killed, also felt strongly about not lying.  Because of this, some Jews hidden in her house were found, but she felt so strongly that God would take care of those Jews that she held her ground and did not lie, even for their protection.  And sure enough, God did take care of those Jews.  Was one sister right and one wrong?  Or were they both right in sticking to their convictions and trusting God for the rest?

The point here is NOT that you must choose someone else's convictions and stand on them.  The point is that we must KNOW what our OWN convictions ARE and then we MUST STAND ON THEM....even in the face of death.  And our convictions MUST have a scriptural foundation! They MUST be from GOD'S OWN HEART!

The alternative of not pre-determining what our convictions are, is that we will be hit with making a sudden decision about something that we have not taken a stand on, are not strongly convicted about, but that is anti-Christ; and because our convictions are not firm, because we have not prepared for what is to come, we will fail God, we will fail as a testimony of Jesus Christ to the world.  We will live...but at what price?

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven....and he that taketh not his cross, and followeth afrer me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:28-40)

The time has come to pray, to determine as individuals and as family units, what convictions are worth dying for, and then preparing, no matter what, to stand on those convictions in the days ahead.




















 

Principalities and Powers

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Revelation 12:7-9)

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

These words are written to us to remind us that there is more going on wherever there is evil, than easily meets the eye.  Evil appears to be made of flesh and blood, but the origin of evil is not flesh and blood, but a once angelic, now demonic being by the name of Satan and all of his co-horts (1/3 of the angels who followed him.  We are to remember who it is we are "wrestling" with.  We are not to ignore them.  We are not to worship them.  But we must be aware of them, so that we won't forget that our battle is not with man, but with the demonic forces that lead men to do evil.  Let's explore what Paul calls "principalities and powers."

Principalities: G746* arche: beginning, origin, the leader, the first place, principality, rule magistracy of angels and demons.

Powers: G1849* exousia: power of authority, power of rule or government, one who possesses authority, power by rights, jurisdiction.

(*Strong's Concordance reference number)

 

Thus, a principality is the leader, prince, magistrate, ruler and power is that which possesses the authority, having been given the right to be in a place of power or authority.

 

Satan, the devil, was cast out of the heavenlies and onto the planet (earth) where he was to reign as principality and power, having been handed the authority over earth by Adam when he disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit.  Satan's authority on earth continued until the time appointed by the Father during which Jesus overcame Satan by His perfect obedience to the Father, and by His sacrificial offering of His own life as the atonement for our sins before the most Holy and High God.  

"...and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:15)

"For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him." (Colossians 1:16)

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold widsom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him." (Ephesians 3:10-12)

Because of the triumph of Jesus Christ over Satan, those who trust in Jesus have been given power OVER Satan and his co-horts, power to STAND "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

"And the seventy reurned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And He said unto the, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20)

On the one hand, we are given power to trample the enemy; on the other hand, we are told not to speak evil of any man, to be gentle, even to be subject to prinicipalites and powers of this world. 

"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." (Titus 3: 1-2)

There are two reasons for this warning:

The primary reason being that when we battle against the men of this world who have been given power, that power is ordained by God Himself, and so our battle ends up being against God:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." (Romans 13:1)

The second reason was supplied near the beginning of this post:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

If we speak evil of one another, or of any man at all, we are taking our focus off of the truth that God's Word declares clearly for us (that our battle is not with flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness.  And when our eyes are off the truth, then truth cannot prevail in the lives of those we are speaking evil against, who desparately need to know the Lord.  We lose our opportunity to be the ministers of reconciliation we have been called to be.

We are never to forget that there is "spiritual" wickedness going on.
We are never to forget that flesh and blood men and women are influenced by this spiritual wickedness.
We are never to speak evil against those flesh and blood men and women, even if they do evil against us or others.
We are always to be the light in that darkness, pointing the way with meekness and gentleness, to the One who has freed us from the powers of this world: Jesus Christ.

A good thing to remember in this election season.  A good thing to remember every day of the year.