Will evil people who believe in God, get to have eternal life?

READER QUESTION:

I was talking to a new friend last night while looking at the stars and the subject of different beliefs came up. He mentioned someone once told him “all you have to do is believe in Jesus and you are saved”. My friend questioned if evil people believed would they have eternal life? What do you suggest for explaining this to him?  Thanks!

OUR RESPONSE:

That's a GREAT question!  Thank you!  The short answer is NO! You can't be evil and have the Ruach residing within.

The longer answer is this:

Throughout the Torah we see YHWH preaching obedience to His Divine Instructions in Righteousness that reveal who God is, and what He expects of His people.

He is clear that those who know His Torah are NOT to engage in deliberate sinning of ANY kind, and that there is no sin sacrifice for continued, deliberate sinning. If anyone is "evil" that means they're committing some kind of sin, and there will be no sinners in the Olam Haba (world to come).

Numbers 15: 30 "'But an individual who does something wrong intentionally, whether a citizen or a foreigner, is blaspheming ADONAI. That person will be cut off from his people. (CJB)

This is reiterated in the "New Testament" which constantly refers back to Torah.

Hebrews 10: 26 For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but only the terrifying prospect of Judgment, or raging fire that will consume the enemies. (AENT)

Hebrews 6: 4. But they who have once descended to immersion and have tasted the gift from heaven and have received the Ruach haKodesh 5. and have tasted the good Word of Elohim and the power of the world to come, 6. cannot again sin and a second time be renewed to repentance; or a second time execute him on a stake and insult the Son of Elohim.

7. For the earth that drinks the rain which comes often upon it and produces the herb that is of use to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from Elohim. 8. But if it should put forth thorns and briers, it would be discarded and be approaching closely to a curse, and its end would be a conflagration. (AENT)

Leviticus 26: 23 If, in spite of all this, you refuse my correction and still go against me; then I too will go against you; and I, yes I, will strike you seven times over for your sins. (CJB)

1 Corinthians 6: 9. Or don't you know, that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim?* Make no mistake! Neither sexual sinners, nor idol-worshippers, nor adulterers, nor the corrupt, nor men who lay down with other men, 10. Nor the oppressors, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of Elohim. (AENT)

FOOTNOTE: Compare this to Matthew 5:17-20, where we are told that breaking the least commandment of Torah and teaching others to do the same makes a person "least in the kingdom" but they still get in. Y'shua implies that those with more serious sins won't make it in: "Depart from me, workers of iniquity, I never knew you"; but here, Rav Shaul gives a more specific list of what will keep them out.

1 Corinthians 6: 17. But he that joins himself to our Master (Y'shua), is with him one spirit. 18. Flee from sexual sin. For every (other) sin which a man commits, is external to his body; but he that commits sexual sin, sins against his own body. (AENT)

NOTE Sexual sin goes deeper than the body - because the Image of Elohim is both male and female (B'resheet/Gen. 1:27)... and when violating someone sexually, we are distorting that Image and basically spurning the One who created male and female according to His own Image! But the other point is also that a sexual sinner brings sin upon himself rather than his partner, and vice versa, unless rape or abuse is involved.

It is not sin per se that causes a person who professes to be a believer to be eternally estranged from YHWH but, rather, it is our surrender to sin which causes our faith and faithfulness to dim or completely die out. We flirt with spiritual disaster if we - by our thoughts, words, and conduct - deny Messiah, reject grace, spurn redemption, and push away the Holy Spirit.

Under the “Old Covenant,” YHWH put to death people who willingly disobeyed His commands or offered "strange fire" (Lev. 10:1-2). There was no atonement for intentional sin - and there still isn't. All of the sin offerings of the Levitical Law were for unintentional sin.

Case in point, Numbers 15:32-35 tells us: While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then YHWH said to Moses, "The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp".

The man who sinned willingly was not deceived in any way. He was not driven by uncontrollable impulses. He simply decided to ignore what God had said about the Sabbath. His reward was death.

Leviticus 4: 27 If an individual among the people commits a sin inadvertently, doing something against any of the mitzvot of ADONAI concerning things which should not be done, he is guilty. (CJB)

Under the Renewed Covenant, we are STILL expected to be holy!  That never changed!  For more on this, please check out our website’s article on deliberate sinning.

Could you please explain what "fullness of the Gentiles" is in Luke 21:20-24?

READER QUESTION:

Could you please tell me what your definition of the "fullness of the Gentiles" is in Luke 21:20-24?

OUR RESPONSE:

Great question! In order to answer that, we must back up to Luke 21:10-19 where we see Yeshua talking about people fighting, nations at war, etc. - because, as you know, satan has already been in control of the earth (gentiles/heathens/pagans) since the beginning. We know this because in Luke 4:5-7, satan is offering the earth to Yeshua, to follow him! Of course, Yeshua doesn't; and, instead of fighting and arguing with the devil, He quotes Torah and says to worship YHWH only.

And so, in verse 21-24, the "times of the Gentiles be fulfilled", or "fullness of the Gentiles" means that satan's control of the gentiles will come to an end, and people will have to make a choice between him and YHWH.

Luke 21: 10. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11. And there will be severe earthquakes from place to place and famine and plagues. And there will be fears and terrors and great signs will be seen from Heaven. And the winters will be severe.

12. But before these things, they will lay hands upon you and persecute you. And they will deliver you to the assemblies and to the prisons. And they will bring you before kings and governors because of my name. 13. But it will be to you for a testimony. 14. But place it in your hearts that you should not try to learn how to answer. 15. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom so that all your enemies will not be able to stand against it.

16. And your parents and your brothers and your relatives and your friends will betray you. And they will kill some of you. 17. Then you will be hated by all men because of my name. 18. Yet not a strand of hair from your head will perish. 19. And by your patience you will gain your souls. (AENT)

Luke 21: 20. And when you see that an army has surrounded Urishlim, then know that its destruction has drawn near to it. 21. Then those who are in Yehuda, let them flee to the mountains. And those who are within it, let them flee. And those in the villages, let them not enter into it. 22. Because these are the days of vengeance that might be fulfilled everything that is written.

23. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24. And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away to every land. And Urishlim will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (AENT)

Let's do a mini-study of John 5:18...

John 5: 18. And because of this the Yehudeans were seeking all the more to kill him, not only because he had loosed[1]  the Shabbat, but also concerning that he would say that his Father was Elohim and was equating[2]  himself with Elohim. (AENT)

NOTES:

[1]  Y’shua did not break the Shabbat according to Torah; rather, he restored the observance of Shabbat as YHWH intended, without the burden of religious tradition.  In so doing, the traditions of the Pharisees had been violated, but certainly NOT YHWH’s Torah, whose every word was written down by Moshe, as instructed.
  
[2]  To consider oneself “equal” to YHWH is a very serious matter!  Y’shua spoke of himself as being about his Father’s business, of coming in his Father’s Name; he spoke and taught with authority and performed healings which made him a formidable opponent to religious tradition. 

The charge here of Y’shua making himself equal to YHWH is simply Pharisee tradition projecting itself onto Y’shua.  The Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) in Mashiyach (Messiah) is “equal” to YHWH, but the Pharisees supposed that Y’shua and his followers equated his humanity with YHWH. 

They didn’t understand Isaiah 11:1-2, that Mashiyach has the Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit (which is another name for YHWH — Psalm 51:1-11, Isaiah 63:1-11) within him.  YHWH spoke through the Spirit of Mashiyach, rather than through his human component! 

Remember, in Torah YHWH said HE would send a prophet who was to do everything He ordered him to do:

Deuteronomy 18: 15 "ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him, 16 just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested ADONAI your God, 'Don't let me hear the voice of ADONAI my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!' 17 On that occasion ADONAI said to me, 'They are right in what they are saying. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him. (CJB)

Yeshua Himself said He came to do HIS FATHER's will; not his own!

John 6: 35. Y'shua said to them, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will not hunger. And whoever believes in me will not ever thirst. 36. But I have said to you that you have seen me, and you do not believe. 37. All who my Father has given to me will come, and whoever comes not to me I will cast outside!

38. For I came down from heaven, not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39. And this is His will, that of Him who sent me, that all that He has given to me I do not lose even one. 40. For this is the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him, will have life that is eternal. And I will raise him up on the last day. (AENT)

NOTE: As in the context of Miltha (the Word) or the "Manifestation" or the "Will of" YHWH coming down from heaven to do the Will of YHWH upon earth; his Spirit is of YHWH but his nephesh (soul) and body are human and temporal. This shows that Yeshua was NOT in charge at the time; HIS FATHER WAS!  (YHWH Himself cannot be born or die; but his human Messiah did both.)

Y’shua maintained that his nefesh (soul) would die, but that YHWH would resurrect it! Y’shua believed his own nefesh was mortal.  Zechariah 12:10 the Spirit of YHWH is “pierced” but they mourn for him (Y’shua) as an only begotten son.  YHWH Himself cannot literally be “pierced”; therefore, this refers to Mashiyach who has the Spirit of YHWH in him. 

Wisdom and warnings in 2 Peter 3

2 Peter 3:1. This second letter, my beloved, I now write to you; in (both of) which I stir up your honest mind by admonition:  2. that you may be mindful of the words which were formerly spoken by the Set Apart prophets, and of the commandment of our Master and Redeemer by the hand of the Shlichim:  3. knowing this previously, that there will come in the last days scoffers who will scoff, walking according to their own lusts  4. and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, since our fathers fell asleep, everything remains just as from the beginning of the creation. 

5. For this they willingly forget, that the heavens were of old; and the earth rose up from the waters, and by means of water, by the Word of Elohim.  6. (And), by means of these (waters), the world which then was, (being submerged) again perished in the waters.  7. And the heavens that now are, and the earth, are by His Word stored up, being reserved for the fire at the day of judgment and the perdition of wicked men. 

8. And of this one thing, my beloved, be not forgetful: That one day to Master YHWH, is as a thousand years; and a thousand years, as one day.  9. Master YHWH does not delay His promises as some estimate delay; but He is long suffering for your sakes, being not willing that any should perish, but that everyone should come to repentance. 

10. And the day of Master YHWH will come like a thief; in which the heavens will suddenly pass away; and the elements, being ignited, will be dissolved; and the earth and the works in it will not be found.  11. As therefore all these things are to be dissolved, what persons should you be, in Set Apart conduct and in the Fear of Elohim,  12. expecting and desiring the coming of the day of Elohim in which the heavens being tried by fire will be dissolved and the elements being ignited will melt? [1] 

NOTE 1:  This complements Matthew 5:17-20; the followers of Y’shua will continue to observe Torah as this great event transpires.

CONTINUING WITH 2 PETER 3:

13. But we, according to his promise, expect new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  14. Therefore, my beloved, as you expect these things, strive that you may be found by him in peace, without spot and without blemish.  15. And account the long suffering of Master YHWH to be redemption; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom conferred on him, wrote to you;  16. as also in all his letters speaking in them of these things in which there is something difficult to be understood; (and) which they who are ignorant and unstable pervert, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures,[2] to their own destruction.

NOTE 2: It’s rather shocking that Peter writes of how Paul’s letters had already been turned into a Torahless fiasco, even in Peter’s day!  Certainly it was not the Pharisees who were renouncing Torah Observance, but the humanist, pagan and materialist, “modernists” who operated under “Christian” labels.

CONTINUING WITH 2 PETER 3:

17. You therefore, my beloved, as you know (these things) beforehand, guard yourselves or else, by going after the error of the Torahless, you fall from your steadfastness.  18. But be you growing in grace.[3] and in the knowledge of our Master and Redeemer Y’shua the Mashiyach and of Elohim the Father: whose is the glory now and always and to the days of eternity. Amen. (AENT)

NOTE 3: Grace is the opposite of torahlessness.  The Renewed Covenant prescribes Torah written upon the hearts of YHWH’s people; therefore, when we allow Him to write Torah upon our hearts, we are receiving Torah by His Grace and entering into the Renewed Covenant.

A mini-teaching on "mezuzahs"

Those who have been Torah observant for a while, know what a "mezuzah" is, and probably have one on their door. But for those who don't, you'll find this very interesting:

A mezuzah is a piece of parchment (often contained in a decorative case) inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21). These verses comprise the Jewish prayer "Shema Yisrael", beginning with the phrase: "Hear, O Israel, ADONAI our God, ADONAI is One."

Here is the origin of the mezuzah:

Deuteronomy 6: 4 "Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one]; 5 and you are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. 6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.(CJB)

Deuteronomy 11: 18 Therefore, you are to store up these words of mine in your heart and in all your being; tie them on your hand as a sign; put them at the front of a headband around your forehead; 19 teach them carefully to your children, talking about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up; 20 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.... (CJB)

To help remind Believers that YHWH is always with them, they affix a mezuzah to the door frame of their homes to fulfill the mitzvah (Biblical commandment) to inscribe the words of the Shema "on the doorposts of your house" (Deuteronomy 6:9). In that passage, YHWH commands His people to keep His words constantly in our minds and in our hearts by (among other things) writing them on the doorposts of our house.

The case containing the scroll is nailed or affixed usually (but not necessarily!) to the door frame about one third from the top of the door jamb with the top of the Mezuzah at an angle (facing toward the center of the room one is entering.) The reason many affix it at an angle is because the Rabbis couldn't decide whether to attach it horizontally or vertically. No Mezuzah is affixed at the entrance to bathrooms and toilets, for obvious reasons.

When affixing a Mezuzah to your door one recites the prayer:

Hebrew: "Baruch attah YHWH eloheynu melekh ha-olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu likboa m'zuzah"

English: Blessed art Thou, O YHWH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us to affix a Mezuzah.

Every time you pass through a door with a Mezuzah on it, you touch the mezuzah. This merely shows your love and respect for YHWH and His Word, and indicates that you have opened the doors of your heart to Him.

Revelation 3: 20 "Behold I have been standing at the door, and I will knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door. I will come in to him, and will dine with him and he with Me."

It is proper to remove a Mezuzah when you move, and in fact, it is usually recommended. If you leave it in place, the subsequent owner may treat it with disrespect.

The Mezuzah is significant for Believers because when we place it on our doorpost it is symbolic of us having Torah written upon our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 3:1,3; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26. 27; Romans 2:14, 15; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:8-12; Hebrews 10:16). In 2 Corinthians 3:3 Rav Shaul references Jeremiah 31:33 indicating YHWH has written Torah upon our hearts - therefore we are a spiritual Mezuzah since we become "containers" of YHWH's Torah!

The Mezuzah on the doorpost of our homes displays a powerful message that our household honors YHWH and that it is dedicated to His Torah.

As you can see in the tiny sampling, below, Mezuzahs come in all shapes, colors and sizes.

Reader question on Pricilla’s role….

READER QUESTION:

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when -------->Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Acts 18:24‭-‬26

The bit pointed out above is the part I had a question on:

Recently heard that the part Priscilla played in teaching Apollos was not actually "teaching" but rather domestic support via cooking and serving, because women cannot teach men.

How would one accurately respond to such a statement? When I heard this I disagreed with it, yet would like to respond biblically so that I do not seem like I'm trying to usurp, or whatever.

OUR RESPONSE:

Be careful what you read that others say. Demand from them that their 'opinion" be supported by scripture! Again, I implore you to let scripture interpret scripture and evaluate what others say. Go back to Acts 18:1-5. Here we are introduced to Aquila and Priscilla, Aquila a Jew and Priscilla a gentile from Italy. But Acts 18:2-4 describes that they were receptive of the teachings of Paul. So it is foolish to think that Priscilla only fulfilled the role of "domestic support"! She was Aquila's partner, his mate, his "echad".

Understand what was going on. Aquila and Priscilla came to Corinth from Italy as victims of Roman persecution, not for their Messianic faith but because Aquila was a Jew. Aquila and Priscilla found their way to Corinth and settled there, pursuing their trade as tentmakers. When Paul, a tentmaker himself, came to Corinth, he went to see them, no doubt having heard of their faith in Yeshua. Paul lived and worked with them while founding the Corinthian church. Paul stayed with them for a year and a half (Acts 18:11)!

So we can safely say that Priscilla was not simply deemed "domestic support"! Anyone who says so is only expressing bias.

We read again of Aquila and Priscilla in 1 Corinthians 16:18-20, Romans 16:3, and 2 Timothy 4:19. Paul had high regard for Aquila and Priscilla and mentioned her "in union with the Lord"! There is no reason to believe she only held a subjugated role. This was NOT the intent of the husband-wife relationship.

Don’t believe the Hebrew Roots types who are teaching that we aren’t obliged to keep the Seventh Day holy!

It's so disappointing to see some "Hebrew Roots" types teaching their followers horrific lies such as this one:

"In conclusion: since we are no longer under the Law of Moses, but rather under the Law of Messiah, followers of Messiah in this day and age are free to keep the Shabbat on one hand while on the other hand are not obliged to do so."

That is blatantly FALSE teaching!

First of all, those of us who believe that Yeshua's blood redeemed us, are "followers of YHWH" (without whom there would have been no human Messiah to be born or die for us!), who sent us His Messiah who came to proclaim the Kingdom of YHWH, tear down the fences of man's legalism, do everything his Father commanded, and to REDEEM us from our PAST sins!  (See John 12:44-50).

The Messiah did NOT come to replace YHWH or release us from Torah obedience - and especially not from the Divine Rules YHWH said were set in place "forever" or "throughout your generations!" or "as a perpetual covenant."

"Forever" didn't end the day Yeshua died, and "fulfilled" doesn't mean he "abolished" the Torah commands.

Exodus 20:8 "Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for ADONAI your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work -not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property.

11 For in six days, ADONAI made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why ADONAI blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself. (CJB)

Exodus 31:16 The people of Isra'el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the people of Isra'el forever; for in six days ADONAI made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and rested.'" (CJB)

Ezekiel 20: 11 I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them. 12 I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy. (CJB) Secondly, there is not one single Scripture that suggests that the commanded Seventh Day Sabbath (a day that sets Believers APART from the world's pagans!) was abolished with the death of Yeshua. (CJB)

Which of the above passages suggest that the Sabbath would be abolished upon the death of Messiah, or that we would be under “the Law of Messiah” after his death?  This kind of reasoning is exactly why Jews today do NOT want to accept Yeshua!  YHWH told His people since the very beginning that HE WAS THE ONLY GOD!  (Exodus 20:3 and 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:35 and 32:39; 2 Kings 19:15; Psalm 86:10; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 44:8 and 45:5, etc.)

The Bible tells us YHWH expressly reserved the seventh day for Himself, placing His blessing upon it, and claimed it as His holy day.

Genesis 2:Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce. (CJB)

Here is what Moshe/Moses told Israel in the wilderness:

Exodus 16:22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two ‘omers per person; and all the community leaders came and reported to Moshe. 23 He told them, “This is what Adonai has said: ‘Tomorrow is a holy Shabbat for Adonai. Bake what you want to bake; boil what you want to boil; and whatever is left over, set aside and keep for the morning.’”

24 They set it aside till morning, as Moshe had ordered; and it didn’t rot or have worms. 25 Moshe said, “Today, eat that; because today is a Shabbat for Adonai — today you won’t find it in the field. 26 Gather it six days, but the seventh day is the Shabbat — on that day there won’t be any.” 27 However, on the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather and found none.

28 Adonai said to Moshe, “How long will you refuse to observe my mitzvot and teachings? 29 Look, Adonai has given you the Shabbat. This is why he is providing bread for two days on the sixth day. Each of you, stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.” (S: vi) 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. (CJB)

These rules were never meant to be “just for the Jews”; so don’t EVER let anyone tell you that YOU are “not obliged to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath!  Since we are “one in Messiah,”  (Galatians 3:28 and Numbers 15:13-16) we are to do exactly as HIS people do! And HIS people (which includes YOU) are supposed to REST on His WEEKLY Shabbats!  (See Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 10:12-13.)