Sunday, June 26, 2022

WARNING: The soul that sins shall die…

SOMETHING SERIOUS TO PONDER:

Romans 1: 28. And as they did not determine with themselves to know Elohim, Elohim gave them over to a vain mind; that they might do what they should not. 29. Being full of all iniquity and lewdness, and bitterness and malice, and covetousness and envy, and slaughter and strife, and deceit and evil machinations 30. And backbiting and slander; and being haters of Elohim, scoffers, proud, vain-glorious, devisers of evil things, destitute of reason, disregardful of parents. 31. And to whom a covenant is nothing, neither affection, nor peace, and in whom is no compassion.

32. These, while they know the judgment of Elohim, that he condemns those to death who perpetrate such things, are not only doers of them, but the companions of such as do them.  (AENT)

FOLKS, THIS IS WHERE "THE WORLD" IS TODAY!  Believers are not to take part in it.  As a matter of fact, YHWH's people are to WARN anyone who associates with the wicked!.

Ezekiel 3:18 If I say to a wicked person, 'You will certainly die'; and you fail to warn him, to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his wicked way and save his life; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 19 On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life.

20 Similarly, when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, I will place a stumblingblock before him - he will die; because you failed to warn him, he will die in his sin; his righteous acts which he did will not be remembered; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 21 But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn't sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life." (CJB)

WE ARE TO KEEP OUR EYES ON YHWH/YESHUA/TORAH, and refrain from taking part in the evil of the world.  And so we pray:

Psalm 71:1 In you, ADONAI, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.  2 In your righteousness, rescue me; and help me to escape. Turn your ear toward me, and deliver me. 3 Be for me a sheltering rock, where I can always come. You have determined to save me, because you are my bedrock and stronghold. 4 My God, help me escape from the power of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.

5 For you are my hope, Adonai ELOHIM, in whom I have trusted since I was young. 6 From birth I have relied on you; it was you who took me from my mother's womb. 7 To many, I am an amazing example; but you are strong protection for me.  8 My mouth is full of praise for you, filled with your glory all day long. 9 Don't reject me when I grow old; when my strength fails, don't abandon me. 10 For my enemies are talking about me, those seeking my life are plotting together.  (CJB)

DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, for those who do ARE putting their souls in danger!  Here is a dire warning from God Himself:

Ezekiel 18:20 The person who sins is the one that will die — a son is not to bear his father’s guilt with him, nor is the father to bear his son’s guilt with him; but the righteousness of the righteous will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked will be his own.

21 “However, if the wicked person repents of all the sins he committed, keeps my laws and does what is lawful and right; then he will certainly live, he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure at all in having the wicked person die?” asks Adonai Elohim. “Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

24 “On the other hand, when the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness by acting in accordance with all the disgusting practices that the wicked person does, will he live? None of the righteous deeds he has done will be remembered; for the trespasses and sins he has committed, he will die. (CJB)

Friday, June 24, 2022

Confused about supposed contradiction in Hebrews 7:12 and Romans 3:31? Here’s an explanation!

Someone recently asked me a great question:  “In Hebrews 7:12 it says a new priest means new laws. Romans 3:31 says we establish the law. I’m not understanding this. Can you please help me?”’

Let’s take a look at the context of those particular passages:

Hebrews 7: 9. And through Awraham, as one may say, even Levi who receives tithes was himself tithed.  10. For he was yet in the loins of his father when he met Melchisedec.[1] 

11. If, therefore, perfection had been by means of the priesthood of the Levites in which Torah was imposed upon the people, why was another priest required who should stand up after the likeness of Melchisedec? For it should have said, he will be after the likeness of Aaron.  12. But as there is a change in the priesthood, so also is there a change in the instruction (to the Levitical priests)[2]   (AENT)

NOTES:

[1] Here is the key that sets the context for Hebrews 8:13.  Throughout chapter 7, it is the “instruction” (Torah) of the Levitical priests being discussed, pointing towards Awraham submitting his sons to be into the line of Melchisedec (MalkiTsedec), by tithing to this man in advance.  What happens is a switching of priestly modalities within Torah where the priestly model in Exodus gives way to its predecessor from Genesis, in accordance with all the prophecies in the Tanakh. 

Again, the Pagans use this passage to teach that it is the “Law” that is passing away.  Another vital component to understanding this priesthood is that the akeida (binding of Isaac) points to the MalkiTsedec priesthood, not to the Levitical priesthood.  The akeida is fully realized in Mashiyach ben Yoseph, the Suffering Servant who is Y’shua.

[2] Following the context, a change in the priestly line means a change in instructions that relate to priests

Romans 3: 19. Now we know, that whatever Torah says, it says to them who are under Torah; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be guilty before Elohim.  20. And so it must be that, by the deeds of Torah, no flesh is justified before him: for, by Torah, sin is known.  21. But now, the righteousness of Elohim without Torah, is manifested; and Torah[2] and the prophets testify of it. 

22. Even the righteousness of Elohim, which is by faith in Y’shua the Mashiyach for every one and on every one that believes in him: for there is no distinction;  23. For they have all sinned, and failed of the glory of Elohim.  24. And they are granted the status of being righteous by grace and by the redemption which is in Y’shua the Mashiyach  25. Whom Elohim has ordained in advance a propitiation by faith in his blood, because of our previous sins  26. In the space which Elohim in his long suffering gave to us for the manifestation of his righteousness at the present time, that he might be righteous, and might with righteousness make him righteous who is in the faith of our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach. 

27. Where then is glorying? It is completely unmade. By what Torah? By that of works? No! But by the Torah of faith.  28. We therefore conclude, that it is by faith a man is being made righteous, and not by the works[3] of Torah.  29. For, is he the Elohim of the Jews only and not of the Gentiles? No, but of the Gentiles also.  Because there is one Elohim who makes righteous the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision by  30. the same faith.  31.  Do, we then nullify Torah by faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish Torah.  (AENT)

NOTES:

[1]  Torah sets YHWH’s boundaries as to what is good or evil behavior; therefore, this cannot and does not make Torah a bad thing, but a very good thing!  Rav Shaul returns to this precise point again in the seventh chapter.

[2]   Y’shua qualified as Mashiyach because he fulfilled all Torah and Prophetic requirements, and he became Torah.  Torah is written upon the heart by the Ruach haKodesh; the Spirit of Mashiyach is Torah which is the Spirit of Mashiyach, or the Manifestation (Word) of YHWH which became flesh and dwelt among us.  Therefore, if we live “in” Y’shua we also become Torah.  It is evil to posture that Rav Shaul brought Torah down, when in fact Y’shua and Paul restored and elevated Torah to be the foundation of a spiritual dialogue with Heaven.

[3] The terms “works of Torah” and “under Torah” predate Paul by hundreds of years.  These terms were discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls (A Sectarian Manifesto 4QMMT:4Q394-399); while originally referring to the ultra religious halacha of the Essenes, the same principles apply to the Pharisees’ halacha. These two phrases are also mentioned in Romans 6:14, 15; 9:32; 1 Corinthians 9:20; 21; Galatians 2:16; 3:2, 5, 10, 23; 4:4, 5, 21; 5:18. “Under Torah” refers to the orthodox/traditional interpretation and observance of Torah. 

Religious halacha is clearly NOT what Y’shua or Paul followed in their observance of Torah. The Renewed Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:33 is to write the Torah of YHWH upon the hearts of His people, not the “Torah of men.”  The idiomatic expression “works of Torah” provides insight to those of a “traditional” Jewish upbringing.  Paul references Jews at the beginning of this chapter; in verse 19 he states “Now we know” referring to those who understand Torah and halacha.