Messiah Fellowship is a group of believers in Yeshua as Savior! We believe that God has given us His WHOLE Word for us to walk in BY His Grace.
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November 22, 2008
The Flesh’s Inability to Understand and Submit to Torah
Some questions have been raised that are very timely, considering what Yahweh is revealing to us from the Holy Scripture. First of all the argument is this; If what we believe is sound and from Scripture then no one can argue against it. And if that which we believe and declare is from the Holy Spirit then the scholarship of the flesh can’t answer it, as in the flesh will submit to it. It is right on the surface that the flesh can’t answer it and can’t rightly argue against it. But there is a rub to that. Since the flesh CANNOT submit to the Torah (Romans 
then it will refuse to acquiesce to the Truth even though the Truth is Scripturally irrefutable. The flesh is unable to submit. It is only done when one is willing to admit that ALL men are liars and only the Word of Yahweh is true. And this only happens by taking HIM at HIS Word, doing it, and then recieving understanding. Submission - humbling one’s self must come first.
Test the Spirits - The Replacement Messiah
As for the Holy Spirit’s involvement - 1 John tells us to test the spirits. There is only one way to do that. Everything has to line up with Torah. John says anyone who cannot say that Yeshua came in the flesh is not of Yahweh. The qualifier is; who do you say that Yeshua is? If you say HE is not Elohim then you are not of Yahweh. It has been posited by one writer that Messiah is not the Ancient of Days. Elohim is the Ancient of Days. If HE is equally Elohim - and HE is - then HE is the Ancient of Days. HE was not created, HE is the Creator. John 1 and Colossians 1 are just a couple of places you will find this in Scripture. Furthermore, since HE is Elohim, the Son, who is a Torah keeping Son, submitted to HIS Father, HE could not have changed the Torah or broken Torah. If the messiah you profess came in the flesh broke Torah or set up a system that caused men to believe they can violate the commandments of Torah, then HE is not the Messiah and the one who says he is certainly is not of Yahweh. This is the replacement messiah - anti-messiah (christ).
Resisting the Rhema of the Holy Spirit
Stephen told those who were ready to stone him that they resisted the Holy Spirit just as their fathers did. They resisted the Spirit’s work - speaking rhema to them - revealing the Truth that was polar opposed to their tradition that they held to tighter than the Truth. Their resistance of the Holy Spirit was in their holding on to their tradition and refusing to embrace the Truth - simply taking HIM at HIS Word and doing what HE said. In doing that the resistance to the Holy Spirit ceases and HE is free to speak and enable - grace. Rejecting the pure milk of Torah was resisting the Holy Spirit and is the spirit of anti-messiah. HE is the goal and purpose of Torah and Torah is the language of the Holy Spirit.
Plan A - The Only Plan
The argument from the beginning has been whether man believes what the Creator said or what the enemy has suggested that appeals to the flesh - that wants to be large and in charge. We all suffer with the same malady. Every man, except Yeshua, who has entered into this world, including Adam and Eve, were created with a heart bent on lawlessness. That’s why Yeshua is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The plan - the only plan (no plan B - only plan A) is eternal.
Faith Accesses Grace
I can’t make anyone see this. I can’t teach it to anyone. No man can. Revelation can only come by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1). A man, submitted to the Holy Spirit, can only present Scripture and it’s up to the individual to decide to submit to the Torah simply take HIM at HIS Word and do it. That is when the work of the Spirit’s work of grace begins. It is only by doing by faith that grace comes and revelation happens. We are saved by grace THROUGH faith - through believing. Believing in the sense it is presented in the Scripture, cannot be separated from doing. Faith without works is dead. The doer is blessed. Grace only comes through faith. Grace is the enabling to both will and do for HIS good pleasure. If you are waiting to understand the commandments before you submit to them - HIM, then you will never do them. Apart from doing them you will not understand them or HIM. HE is the Torah! Think about it! If you are born again, remember what happened. I will speak for myself. I knew I was in trouble. I was headed down a bad road and was unable to turn around. I knew I was wrong. I didn’t even know why or how, in many ways! But I heard of a Savior named Jesus. I began to look for HIM. After looking for several months HE found me. I embraced HIM, not really knowing anymore about HIM other than I had read and had been told that through HIM I could find eternal life, peace, and my life could turn around. I certainly did not understand HIM. But I took HIM at HIS Word and took the step of faith (believing and doing) and asked HIM to come in and take charge of my life. HE did and I’ve never been the same. I experienced HIM through obedience. At that moment I began to get to know HIM. The intimate relationship with HIM has continued as I continue to know HIM by the same way - I take HIM at HIS Word and do what HE said and in so doing HE reveals more of HIMSELF to me - more of HIS character and nature. And as HE reveals and as I walk the more I am walking as HE walked. Chicken or egg, egg or chicken, which came first. We can argue that forever, but the thing I see in Scripture is that doing comes first. That is faith, and through faith grace (the divine influence on the heart with the reflection in the life) is accessed and made a reality in and through us.
Torah - The Holy Scriptures and The Word of Yaweh
The Truth is this and cannot be argued contextually; Torah is the Holy Scripture - the Word of Yahweh. The Prophets and the Writings and the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James, and Jude simply are showing that Messiah is the reality of the shadow - the Pattern given Moshe on the mountain - while teaching and preaching a return to Torah. This is real repentance. Paul did not deviate from that. When he is read apart from Torah his writings become subjective to man’s wisdom. When Paul is checked against Torah, as the Bereans did, by faith in Torah, then it will be seen that Paul was a Torah observant teacher of Torah as Yeshua commanded in Matthew 5, establishing all that HE said in the giving of Torah and forevermore!
Finally, and I know most will not agree with this, but a careful study of Scripture reveals it - Torah was from the beginning. In fact, it preceded the beginning because Torah, the righteous standard of the righteous ONE, is the righteous standard for all men who would be grafted into Messiah! This has been available since creation!
The Eternal Priesthood
The priesthood preceded Sinai. The priesthood preceded the Levites and Aaron and his sons. The tabernacle preceded the temple and the Tabernacle preceded the tabernacle. Yahweh does not live in a house built by the hands of any man - not even Solomon! Moshe met the Pattern on the mountain. The Pattern is Yeshua since all the Feasts - the Sabbath included - the tabernacle, the sacrifice, the priesthood are all done according to the Pattern. That’s what Moshe was told - to see that everything was done according to the Pattern he was shown on the mountain! The Pattern is eternal - the Pattern is Yeshua, the Lamb slain, the Pattern is Yahweh - the Name of Elohim! All of Torah points to HIM. All of Torah’s purpose and goal is Yeshua, Elohim the Son, who is the Passover Lamb of Yahweh. Since HE was slain from the foundation of the world, being the Passover Lamb, Passover then is according to the eternal pattern - Passover existed in the eternal prior to the shadow given in Exodus! Because of the eternal existence of the shadow, to see the eternal can only be done by practicing the shadow. It is the same for all of Torah!
The Eternal Pattern and The Shadow
The shadow does not replace the Pattern - Messiah. But, by observing the shadow we see clearly who the Messiah is and that is how we know HIM. It is who HE is. Apart from who HE is we CANNOT know HIM! The shadow of the tabernacle, the Aaronic priesthood, and the sacrifice, are now replaced by the Pattern, in that Yeshua has come as Great High Priest, in the Tabernacle not made with human hands, and is the Sacrifice once for all. HE entered into time and space and fulfilled the prophecy concerning HIM. But the shadow of the Feasts, Sabbath and HIS righteousness has not ceased. Studying the Torah, the instructions to build the tabernacle, the instructions for the priesthood, the Torah life of love for HIM and for one another is how we know HIM. We cannot say we love HIM while rejecting HIS commandments. We cannot say we know HIM in rejecting HIS commandments! To love HIM is to love who HE is. To know HIM is to know who HE is. You can’t say you love HIM and know HIM while not loving and practicing what HE does and did.
Messiah Yeshua perfectly obeyed Torah, obeying HIS Father, and completely fulfilling the prophecy concerning HIMSELF. HE stayed true to who HE is. And John enjoins us to “walk as HE walked!” When we walk as HE walked we will know who HE is - we will know HIM and HE will know us. AND when we stand before HIM at the end we will not hear HIM say, “I never knew you, depart from ME you who practice lawlessness.”
If you have questions about who we are, what we believe - beyond what is posted on the site - perhaps further clarification, just ask. If you have a particular portion of Scripture you would like to put forth for discussion, just comment to this post and we can open it up for discussion.
Comments are moderated, but are welcome. The hope of leadership at Messiah Fellowship is that this is a resource for those who may not have the blessing of a local community and for our local community to be involved beyond the times when we can physically gather. Hope you use it.
Shalom,
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| March 29, 2008 | ||
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In Galatians 6:16, Paul makes a statement, when he refers
to “the Israel of GOD,” that has caused no small amount of
confusion among believers today. Who are they? And, who
aren’t they? These two questions are what I hope to answer
in this article. In order for me to do that, we must go back
into the history of Israel and find their beginnings. Lets go
back and look at the man that the Israelites, Islamics AND
Christians can all refer to in their ancestry; Abraham.
Genesis 12:3
Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your
name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Notice that he is told to leave:
Notice that he is promised:
Through Abram/Hagar (Egyptian slave) comes the son of the
flesh; Ishmael. Through Abraham/Sarah comes the son of promise; Isaac, his son; Jacob, who was eventually renamed by GOD; Israel. The natural tendency is to take the blessing given to Abram is being applicable to the nation Israel, or the descendants of Jacob/Israel. Lets read the blessing again: “I will make you a great nation (Heb:”goy” or non-Jew); I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you,
and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
If the application of this blessing is in accordance to
genealogy for the Israelites, why then JESUS’ words in John
chapter 8:37-45, to the Jewish scribes and Pharisees (who
were claiming that very blessing as a result of them being
born Israelites?);
I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our
father.”(We must remember that Abram was NOT an Israelite. He
was a Gentile from Babylon!)Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks
from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
It sure sounds like YESHUA is pronouncing a curse on these
MESSIAH rejecting Israelites! (“You are of your father the
devil!?!”) And this in spite of them attempting to substantiate that Abraham, and ultimately GOD was their father! So, how can the Scriptures be interpreted as saying that EVERYONE born an Israelite is a recipient of the blessings given to Abraham? If they cannot, then WHO are those in line for the blessings promised to Abraham? What do the Scriptures say? Well, looking again at what JESUS says in John 8 above, we begin to see what the criteria is for receiving the blessing: - Verse 39; “you would do the works of Abraham”
It doesn’t sound like these scribes/Pharisees realized what it
would take for them to receive the blessing given to /
through Abraham. They also would have to:
To say that you love JESUS/YESHUA, while at the
same time being guilty of rejecting HIS Word, is NOT
consistent with doing “the works that Abraham did!”
1John 2:3-6 “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep
His commandments. 4He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
So, we see that JESUS knows who aren’t children of
Abraham or children of GOD. It appears that HIS disciple,
John (by references to his epistle above) knew as well!
And Matthew records for us that JESUS confirms that same
criteria (required of Abraham) again for those who would
follow MESSIAH, then and now!
So, is it safe to assume (based on the writings of Moses,
Matthew and John) that unless a person is willing to leave
their citizenship (country), their pedigree (family), their
inheritance (father’s house), and their man-made religion,
they not only are NOT doing “the works of Abraham” but
they also are not meeting the criteria that JESUS established
for following HIM? I believe so, at least according to the
above Scriptures…
So, who is “the Israel of GOD” that Paul refers to in
Galatians 6:16? The Israel of GOD are those descendants of
Israel that receive YESHUA/JESUS as the atoning sacrifice
for their sins, who receive the HOLY SPIRIT into their lives
and reject their citizenship in the earthly Jerusalem in
exchange for a citizenship in “the NEW Jerusalem coming
down out of heaven from GOD, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.”(Revelation 21:2)
For most of professing Christians it is recognized as Sunday. But is that merely traditional Christianity or is it Biblical? And does it really matter? Does God care what day we observe Sabbath, or if we observe it at all.
Well what does Scripture really say? And what does man say?
Roman Catholic Confessions
James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of our Fathers, 88th ed., pp. 89.
“But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”
Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism 3rd ed., p. 174.
“Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?
“Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her-she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.”
John Laux, A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies (1 936), vol. 1, P. 51. “Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the
day of worship in the New Law, that He Himself has explicitly substituted the Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is now entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His Church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days.”
Daniel Ferres, ed., Manual of Christian Doctrine (1916), p.67.
“Question: How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
“Answer. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of, and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same Church.’
James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921), in a signed letter. “Is Saturday the seventh day according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh day -Saturday - for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes . Did Christ change the day’? I answer no!
“Faithfully yours, J. Card. Gibbons”
The Catholic Mirror, official publication of James Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893. “The Catholic Church, . . . by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.”
Catholic Virginian Oct. 3, 1947, p. 9, art. “To Tell You the Truth.”
“For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday.We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the[Roman Catholic] church outside the Bible.”
Peter Geiermann, C.S.S.R., The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1957), p. 50.
“Question: Which is the Sabbath day?
“Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
“Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
“Answer.We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”
Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics AreAsked About (1927),p. 136.
“Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday …. Now the Church … instituted, by God’s authority, Sunday as the day of worship. This same Church, by the same divine authority, taught the doctrine of Purgatory long before the Bible was made.We have, therefore, the same authority for Purgatory as we have for Sunday.”
Peter R. Kraemer, Catholic Church Extension Society (1975),Chicago, Illinois.
“Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:
“It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which thereis nothing in their Bible.”
Protestant Confessions
Protestant theologians and preachers from a wide spectrum of denominations have been quite candid in admitting that there is no Biblical authority for obse rving Sunday as a sabbath.
Anglican/Episcopal
Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism , vol. 1, pp.334, 336.
“And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day …. The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the church has enjoined it.”
Canon Eyton, The Ten Commandments , pp. 52, 63, 65.
“There is no word, no hint, in the New Testament about abstaining from work on Sunday …. into the rest of Sunday no divine law enters…. The observance of Ash Wednesday or Lent stands exactly on the same footing as the observance of Sunday.”
Bishop Seymour,Why We Keep Sunday.
We have made the change from the seventh day to the first day, from Saturday to Sunday, on the authority of the one holy Catholic Church.”
Baptist
Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, a paper read before a New York ministers’ conference, Nov. 13, 1893, reported in New York Examiner , Nov.16, 1893.
“There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will be said, however, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week…Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament absolutely not.
“To me it seems unaccountable that Jesus, during three years’ intercourse with His disciples, often conversing with them upon the Sabbath question . . . never alluded to any transference of the day; also, that during forty days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated.
“Of course, I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history…But what a pity it comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god, adopted and sanctioned by the papal apostasy, and
bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism!”
William Owen Carver, The Lord’s Day in Our Day , p. 49.
“There was never any formal or authoritative change from the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath to the Christian first-day observance.”
Congregationalist
Dr. R. W. Dale, The Ten Commandments (New York: Eaton &Mains), p. 127-129.
” . . . it is quite clear that however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath - . . ‘Me Sabbath was founded on a specific Divine command.We can plead no such command for the obligation to observe Sunday …. There is not a
single sentence in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violatingthe supposed sanctity of Sunday.”
Timothy Dwight, Theology: Explained and Defended (1823), Ser. 107, vol. 3, p.258.
” . . . the Christian Sabbath [Sunday] is not in the Scriptures, and was not by the primitive Church called the Sabbath.”
Disciples of Christ
Alexander Campbell, The Christian Baptist, Feb. 2, 1824,vol. 1. no. 7, p. 164.
“‘But,’ say some, ‘it was changed from the seventh to the first day.’ Where? when?and by whom? No man can tell. No; it never was changed, nor could it be, unless creationwas to be gone through again: for the reason assigned must be changed before the observance, or respect to the reason, can be changed! It is all old wives’ fables to talk of the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day. If it be changed, it was that august personage changed it who changes times and laws ex officio - I think his name is Doctor Antichrist.’
First Day Observance , pp. 17, 19.
“The first day of the week is commonly called the Sabbath. This is a mistake. The Sabbath of the Bible was the day just preceding the first day of the week. The first day of the week is never called the Sabbath anywhere in the entire Scriptures. It is also an error to talk about the change of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. There is not in any place in the Bible any intimation of such a change.”
Lutheran
The Sunday Problem , a study book of the United Lutheran Church (1923), p. 36.
“We have seen how gradually the impression of the Jewish sabbath faded from the mind of the Christian Church, and how completely the newer thought underlying the observance of the first day took possession of the church.We have seen that the
Christians of the first three centuries never confused one with the other, but for a time celebrated both.”
Augsburg Confession of Faith art. 28; written by Melanchthon, approved by Martin Luther, 1530; as published in The Book of Concord of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Henry Jacobs, ed. (1 91 1), p. 63.
“They [Roman Catholics] refer to the Sabbath Day, a shaving been changed into the Lord’s Day, contrary to the Decalogue, as it seems. Neither is there any example whereof they make more than concerning the changing of the Sabbath Day. Great, say
they, is the power of the Church, since it has dispensed with one of the Ten Commandments!”
Dr. Augustus Neander, The History of the Christian Religion and Church HenryJohn Rose, tr. (1843), p. 186.
“The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance, and it was far from the intentions of the apostles to establish a Divine command in this respect, far from them, and from the early apostolic Church, to transfer
the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday.”
John Theodore Mueller, Sabbath or Sunday , pp. 15, 16.
“But they err in teaching that Sunday has taken the place of the Old Testament Sabbath and therefore must be kept as the seventh day had to be kept by the children of Israel …. These churches err in their teaching, for Scripture has in no way ordained the first day of the week in place of the Sabbath. There is simply no law in the New Testament to that effect.”
Methodist
Harris Franklin Rall, Christian Advocate, July 2, 1942, p.26.
“Take the matter of Sunday. There are indications in the New Testament as to how the church came to keep the first day of the week as its day of worship, but there is no passage telling Christians to keep that day, or to transfer the Jewish Sabbath to that day.”
John Wesley, TheWorks of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., John Emory, ed. (NewYork: Eaton & Mains), Sermon 25,vol. 1, p. 221.
“But, the moral law contained in the ten commandments, and enforced by the prophets, he [Christ] did not take away. It was not the design of his coming to revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be broken …. Every part of this law must
remain in force upon all mankind, and in all ages; as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other.”
Dwight L. Moody D. L. Moody,Weighed andWanting (Fleming H. Revell Co.: New York), pp. 47, 48.
The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word ‘remember,’ showing that the Sabbath already existed when GodWrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding?”
Presbyterian
T. C. Blake, D.D., Theology Condensed, pp.474, 475.
“The Sabbath is a part of the decalogue - the Ten Commandments. This alone forever settles the question as to the perpetuity of the institution . . . . Until, therefore, it
can be shown that the whole moral law has been repealed, the Sabbath will stand . . . .The teaching of Christ confirms the perpetuity of the Sabbath.” AND finally,What does Scripture really say?
Exodus 16:22-30
22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ ” 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 25Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,
there will be none.” 27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 20:8-11
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the
seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Exodus 31:12-18
12 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off
from among his people. 15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord.Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ” 18And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the
Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
Exodus 35:1-3
1 Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said to them, “T hese are the words which the Lord has commanded you to do: 2 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord.Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”
Leviticus 23:1-3
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. 3 ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
Numbers 15:32-36
32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him. 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the
congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
12 ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your
daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant
and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand
and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Nehemiah 13:15-21 15
In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about
the day on which they were selling provisions. 16 Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet
you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” 19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be
shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the
wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!
Isaiah 56:1-7
1 Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me,And hold fast My covenant, 5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. 6 “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant— 7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Isaiah 58:13-14
13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words, 14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Jeremiah 17:19-27
19 Thus the Lord said to me: “Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, by which the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; 20 and say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah,
and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. 21 Thus says the Lord: “Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22 nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. 23 But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction. 24 “And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully,” says the Lord, “to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work in it, 25 then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, accompanied by the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall
remain forever. 26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the lowland, from the mountains and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, bringing sacrifices of praise to the house of the Lord.
27 “But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.” ’ ”
Ezekiel 46:1-12
1 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings. He shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. 3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the entrance to this gateway before the Lord on the Sabbaths and the New Moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the Lord on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish; 5 and the grain offering shall be one ephah for a ram, and the grain offering for the lambs, as much as he wants to give, as well as a hin of oil with every ephah. 6 On the day of the New Moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish. 7 He shall prepare a grain offering of an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah. 8 When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way. 9 “But when the people of the land come before the Lord on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and
whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate. 10 The prince shall then be in their midst. When they go in, he shall go in; and when they go out, he shall go out. 11 At the festivals and the appointed feast days the grain offering shall be an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to
give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah. 12 “Now when the prince makes a voluntary burnt offering or voluntary peace offering to the Lord, the gate that faces toward the east shall then be opened for him; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he did on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he goes out the gate shall be shut.
Matthew 12:1-15
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” 3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate
the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of
Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” 9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more
value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
Mark 2:23-3:6
23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and
ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?” 27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” 1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or
to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they
might destroy Him.
Luke 6:1-11
1 Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. 2And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not
lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” 5And He said to them, “T he Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” 6 Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the
Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts,and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.”And he arose and
stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 11 But they were filled with rage, and discussed with oneanother what they might do to Jesus.
Luke 13:10-17
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the
synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
Luke 14:1-4
1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which
of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
John 5:8-18
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ” 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing
come upon you.” 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” 18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His
Father, making Himself equal with God.
John 7:14-25
14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” 16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon.Who is seeking to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” 25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly
the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
John 9:14-16
14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
Colossians 2:16-17
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, the substance is of Christ.
Study the Scriptures for yourself and see if you can find where the Bible says that Sabbath has been changed from Saturday to Sunday. And, if you can, find a contextually sound example in Scripture that negates the disciple of Messiah from observing Sabbath.Have a blessed Sabbath. It begins this (FRIDAY) evening and ends Saturday evening. Delight in it, it is the LORD’S Sabbath created for HIS children, you and me.
The Commandments and Doctrines of Men
Colossians 2:20-23 says that the commandments and doctrines of men are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
We see story after story in the mainstream press of the painful results of men overtaken by the indulgence of the flesh. The flesh has an insatiable appetite for all things sensual. The word sensual simply means those things that titillate the senses. Face it. Our bodies are nothing but sensually focused. But the body is simply the means to gratify the sensual appetite. The sensuality that must be satiated is in the inner man. It is the center of man –the inner man – that our English Bibles translate into the
“heart” of man.
Yeshua - Jesus said what comes out of a man defiles that man; it is what proceeds from the heart of man. So the important factor is the consistency of the heart of a man. What is the consistency of the inner man? That is determined by a man or woman’s choice.
To make that choice, in the positive, one must be a believer in the God of the Bible. HE is the ONE who has shown us the wickedness of heart by revealing to us HIS standard of
righteousness through HIS Word. Every man or woman will come to the understanding that their practices are lawless – transgressing the Law of God. Even if they never see a
Bible or one is read to them, the Almighty Creator will reveal each person’s sin, and need for HIS salvation to them, just as HE did to Abraham.
The Book of Galatians tells us that the Scripture preached the gospel to Abraham. At the time of Abraham there was no written Word. They had no Bible. We place God in a box when we limit HIS ability to our sensual capabilities of sight and sound. The Scripture –Yeshua, the LIVING WORD preached the gospel to Abraham. Abraham believed HIM, obeyed, and it was accounted to HIM as righteousness. We are made righteous by
believing what God has said. True belief, however, results in doing what we believe. One can say they believe that eating a balanced diet will make their life better, but if they do
not eat balanced their belief is merely intellectual assent. It is not true belief. True belief acts on belief.
Please understand. I am not singling out any one man, who has fallen, as a subject of ridicule, as if he is the only man that has ever fallen through unbelief. As well, I am not pontificating from a position of sinless perfection myself. I simply want to put the
emphasis where it belongs: The commandments and doctrines of men have no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
The professing church has, for all her existence, fallen back on her own power to maintain herself. She professes to be following Messiah, while looking to HIM as the Author and Finisher of her faith, but all the while relying on the “fences” she erects, and in her own determination of what is acceptable to God.
A Biblical understanding of the concept of church, being the body of Messiah, will show it to be in existence since the Beginning. The concept of church is the same as synagogue. Each word embodies the concept of a gathering of people, especially those who profess faith in the God of the Bible. Since the Garden there has been a church and man has known what is acceptable to God. HE has never left man to “figure it out” for himself.
HE has told us. But, beginning in the Garden, man improvised, attempting to put his own stamp on God’s instructions and that resulted in a fall from grace that has passed sin and death down throughout the generations of mankind.
Falling from grace is absolutely not what man, who understands the fearful aspects of falling into the hands of the Living God, desires. But an accurate Biblical understanding of grace is vital to the follower of the Biblical Messiah. Grace, according to the Strong’s Greek Lexicon, is the Greek word “charis” which means “the divine influence on the heart, with the reflection in the life.” Grace is the work of the Holy Spirit, who is God (divine) to change our hearts and continually working to transform us into the very image of God’s own Son. We know that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Living Word (from Genesis to Revelation) and we know that HE said the Spirit would not speak on HIS own but only
remind the converted believer of what Yeshua said. We also know that Yeshua only spoke the Words of HIS Father. The Spirit “writing God’s Law on our hearts and putting HIS Law in our mind is the realization of the New Covenant, promised in Ezekiel 36 and Jeremiah 31. The Spirit speaking the Words of Yeshua, who spoke the Words of the Father, and causing us to walk in HIS statutes and commandments, is grace at work, implementing the New Covenant in the life of a true convert to Messiah Yeshua. So, falling from grace, is not submitting to the work of the Spirit of the Living Word, writing God’s Law on the heart and putting it in the mind, and instead following after the
commandments and doctrines of men that are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. By implication the commandments and doctrines of the Father are of great value
against the same indulgences.
The commandments and doctrines of no value against the indulgences of the flesh are the established non-biblical traditions and understandings of the Word of God. Eve began it
(maybe Adam did but we only read Eve’s words) when she added, “…nor shall you touch it” to the commandment of the LORD. That set her up, and us, to fall from grace. God,
throughout the annals of time, has warned HIS people against this “replacement” theology. By adding a little of man’s wisdom here and there, including the replacement of the commandments of God with improved upon commandments of men, we are
practicing syncretism that God has explicitly forbidden. Aaron did it when the golden calf was fashioned to worship a god that was no god at all, and then declaring the practice a feast unto the LORD. The professing body of the LORD God has continued to do that for all time, in spite of the fact that the LORD sent many prophets (man killed them) and HIS Son to warn men to return to the Truth. Consider the practices of the professing church
that have their roots and rituals established in paganism. Consider how the professing church calls these pagan practices a “feast unto the LORD.”
We, just as Adam and Eve, have made ourselves easy prey to the enemy, Satan, by our continued practice of syncretism. Syncretism in the modern professing church is no different than it was at any other time in history. We erect our own fences, initially out of good intentions, and those fences take away from actual faith in the LORD and a submission to the Lord and HIS work of grace. Once that has been done it is easy to begin to look at other things that are in opposition to righteousness of God as established in Scripture. We begin to consider these traditions of men as foundational. However the problem is that the foundation is built upon shifting sand instead of the Rock of the Truth of God’s Word. Everything becomes subjective to man instead of being subjective to God’s Word. The result is a mindset that makes it impossible to “hear” the voice of the
Spirit, who only speaks Words that are purely the commandments of God. We are so steeped in our traditions that we can’t, or don’t want to hear the Truth. The lie has become comfortable. But when the trial comes the lie is of no value against the temptation. Yeshua said we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set us free, when believed and acted upon. Yeshua - Jesus said “Sanctify them by Your Truth, Your Word
is Truth,” in HIS prayer for us to our Father.
The result of non-biblical traditions, practiced by professing believers, is that the commandments of God become of no effect in our lives. Yeshua was very pointed in HIS warning to the Scribes and Pharisees. HE said, “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your traditions.” Of no effect, means that the intended affect of practicing the commandments of God, by faith, is nullified by non-biblical traditions. This leaves a man or woman easy prey with no defense against the wiles of the devil. Yeshua, in dealing with Satan’s temptation, used Deuteronomy to do combat with the
enemy. The Word, believed and acted upon, had an effect on the enemy. The Word of God left HIM powerless. Yeshua not only believed the Word, HE was the Word, and HE practiced the Word. It is the same for us. If we practice the commandments and doctrines of the Almighty and eschew the commandments and doctrines of men we will leave the enemy powerless in his schemes to derail us. To use the Word of God effectively against
the schemes of the devil we must study the Word of God, in its entirety, in context, and allow the Spirit of God to write it on our hearts and cause us to walk in HIS precepts. Victory is only accomplished through faith in Messiah, the LIVING WORD.
The fall of other men, who have been looked upon as pillars of the faith, is a warning to all who profess to be followers of the Messiah. We must examine ourselves to see if we are of the faith, as Scripture commands us to do. The faith must be in the Biblical Messiah who is the Scripture. There will be no contradiction or shadow of turning. We examine ourselves in light of HIS Word and by this we know that we are being led by the Spirit, who is God, or by our flesh – the ways of man. We are warned by the Scripture: The ways of man seem right to him but they end in death. Sin brings death. Sin is rejecting the commandments of God – Lawlessness, according to the Word. The professing body, all over the world, is awaking to this Truth. HE is calling us all to come out of our Egypt. Will we respond?
Introduction
The Scriptures teach us that we are to continually examine ourselves to see if the things we are doing in our expression of faith and practice of ministry is consistent with HIS Word. It is essential to our obedience to HIM to ascertain if we are in HIS will. The commandment of Christ to go into all nations, making disciples, and teaching them to obey HIS commands is an order from our Almighty Commander and LORD. Our efforts to accomplish this commanded task must then be weighed against HIS Holy Scriptures, containing HIS commandments. It is with this in mind that I examine the expressions of ministry to youth that I’ve experienced as an elder, a children’s ministry teacher and as a
manager of a Christian Rock Radio station.
This thesis was originally written to set forth the mission statement that I believe the LORD wants for WCVM Radio. However, I believe this is an accurate model for a
mission statement for all youth related ministry. I will, LORD willing, cite Scripture references to support my presentation of issues and resulting conclusions.
Mission Statement of a Biblical Youth Ministry:
Scriptures the LORD has laid on my heart in formulating what I believe is HIS current vision for the ministry:
We in the radio ministry are not Elijah, just as we are not Christ. However, we are to understand that these Scriptures speak to us and teach us the things that we are to do to please the LORD Jesus Christ, by faith. The Law of Moses, spoken of in Malachi
4, is God’s Law – HIS gentle loving instruction. The Law of Moses is the commandment and the statutes and judgments of the LORD, spoken of in Deuteronomy 6, that are to be
taught “diligently to your children.” It is a Father’s job to teach the Scriptures to their children and it is the responsibility of the children to sit at their father’s feet and learn. There requires submitted hearts on the part of fathers and children.
We know from Ephesians 2 that we are not saved by works, but by grace through faith, that is a gift of God, but, it further states that we are created in Messiah for good works that HE prepared beforehand that we should walk in, or do. The good works that HE has “prepared beforehand” are found in the Scriptures that Paul spoke of to Timothy in Chapter 3 Verse 16.
Isaiah 58 speaks of godly fasting and the result of it. We can see by a careful reading of the chapter that godly fasting brings about a denying of self and a focus on the good of others by undoing heavy burdens, loosing bonds of wickedness, freeing the oppressed, breaking every yoke, sharing bread with the hungry, remembering the poor and clothing the naked. Fasting is to do away with the selfish nature of man that says I want it my way when I want it and no one else matters. The result of selfishness brings division and a despising of the body of Christ and Messiah HIMSELF. According to 1st Corinthians 11, a denying of self, in consideration of the Messiah and others in the body, brings about blessing and an edification of the entire body. Isaiah 58 further states that if we do this denying of self we will call on the LORD and HE will answer; “You shall cry, and He will say ‘Here I am.” Reading on in Isaiah 58 we see that if we do these things “If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you should extend your the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, (see Psalm 1) and like a spring of waters, who waters do not fail.” And here comes some specifics that I believe speak to our mission even more directly. “Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the Repairer of the breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” The capitalization of the titles repairer and restorer refer to Christ Jesus. But the Scripture is clear that it is speaking to those who have a wrong idea of fasting.
The idea of fasting, held by those the prophet Isaiah was addressing, was one of selfishness, according to the first four verses. That certainly would not include Jesus. While it is true that HE is the Repairer and the Restorer, we have HIS Spirit indwelling us as born again children of the LIVING GOD and we are to reflect HIS character and nature; that of restorers and repairers. It comes from denying self, picking up our cross and following HIM for who HE is, according to HIS Word and not our own opinion. It is then that we will be focused on what HE wants and the good of our brothers and sisters. It is then that the generational breach will began to be repaired. The division of the body along the lines of age groups is rooted in selfishness and isolationism. Each group wants it their way without the encumbrance of the other groups. Parents want to pass their children off on the youth leader and the kids don’t want the “old man” ways in their modern, more relevant expression of themselves, and it goes on from there.
The conclusion of these Scriptures is clear that we can only accomplish any good thing for the LORD in knowing and applying HIS Word – the entirety of HIS Word –from Genesis to Revelation. HIS Word does not contradict itself, because HE HIMSELF is the Living Word. HIS Word does not change because we know - from HIS Word - that HE is unchanging. So if we are to have an impact for HIM on the listener it must be in
accordance with, and with the application of Scripture; for both young and old. The body of Christ only functions when it is not divided, but is united in the truth of HIS Scriptures.
According to Malachi 4 HIS Scriptures tells us that there is an imperative turning of “the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” There is the necessity of honoring Christ by humbly submitting to HIM and to one another according to HIS Scripture. There is, however, an emphasis put on the submission of youth to their elders. Why? It is because of the innate rebellion in people and especially in the young. By nature we are not submissive people. Our un-crucified
self will not submit to anyone. When we are born as a child into this world, and begin to grow, the first area we have to learn to submit in is to our parents; specifically our fathers. When a young person does not learn to be submissive to their earthly father they find it very difficult to submit to the Heavenly Father, let alone those elders they will find in authority over them in the church. Submission to authority is a requirement of God.
We will never be submitted to HIS authority if we are not submitted to the authority of parents and elders. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, says the Scriptures, and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5).
Specific to radio ministry, where is the division and rebellion?
It is in the youth sub-culture that says that the young have to be reached on a different level with different vehicles that they alone can understand. I heard it said at the Rock Summit in Columbus, Ohio that the kids were not interested in our theology but were more interested in our passion. Right away the non-interest in theology - the study of God - puts us in a position of fragmentation because unity is only found in the truth of
who HE is. The non-interest in theology is rebellion against God because there is no interest in learning of HIM; according to the truth of who HE is. It is also rebellion against elders and parents who try to counsel the young to learn of God, through the truth
of HIS Word, and then to apply it to their lives. Our slogan at WCVM, Indiana - Michigan’s version of The Effect - is “It’s your music,” and “Your music - your mix.” We are promoting bands, and making disciples of bands. It appeals to the flesh that simply wants entertainment and is not interested in the things of God. By giving the youth what they want we are fostering a divided body due to retained innate selfishness. By not presenting the truth of God to address these issues and by maintaining status quo
we are a part of the problem of childishness, division and rebellion.
Is our passion the most important tool we have?
According to some people involved in the youth ministry it is. I do not believe that, however. Our passion is simply an emotion. We can be passionate about many things. We can be passionately wrong. If we have a passion it must be for Jesus as HE
really is, according to Scripture. Emotions will deceive us, if we let them, but the Truth of God is factual and only spiritually understood; not emotionally driven. When believed
and applied it will transcend emotion and bring about godly transformation. This accomplished will result in the emotion of love for HIM, HIS Word, and for the body, of which we are a part.
Putting away Childishness
Children are childish by nature. Left to themselves they will not grow up but will remain childish in their understanding and behavior. That childishness will be present into physical adulthood; only expressed in different forms. I attended a men’s conference recently, taught by Pastor Ken Graves. His focus
was on little boys becoming men. I am going to borrow from his comments as I believe they are valid and pertinent to the issue at hand. He looked at 1st Corinthians 13:11. 1st Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” Pastor Ken asked what was noticeably missing from this verse. The answer: adolescence.
According to Scripture there is no other stage of a person between childhood and adulthood. There is a time to grow up and to leave childish understanding and behavior behind and go on to maturity in the LORD, according to HIS Word. The problem with
the Christian Youth Sub-culture is that it is stuck in childishness. It is driven by childish desires and appetites. It is led by childish adults who have never put away childish things. It has a childish understanding of Scripture. It represents the gospel in a childish,
selfish expression. This childish understanding and behavior is then taught by youth to other youth who grow up into physical adulthood and still have childish understanding and behavior. This has been happening for a few generations. Especially since the idea of a generation became defined as the next group to reach the teenage years. We now have generation X and then generation this and generation that, each with its own distinct
culture and demands of how they need to be tolerated and communicated with.
The De-evolution of Music and Society through generational rebellion
Pat Boone recorded Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill. His more mainstream production and sound softened the otherwise sexually immoral song. The result: most radio stations would play it when they wouldn’t play the same song by Fats. Pat prettied
it up. That’s the way it’s been with the Christian music scene adopting the same style and attitude of the secular rock music scene, in the past. But now it is not prettied up very much. It is very difficult, if not impossible, in some instances, to hear and see the difference between a hard rock secular band and a so-called Christian band. Other than not hearing swearing and songs that speak of adultery and other, as yet, unacceptable behavior for Christians, there seems to be not much of a difference. BUT, most kids don’t listen to the lyrics – by their own admission – and they are simply hearing music performed by bands that look like and sound like the ones they hear on secular radio. Of what eternal-Scriptural value is that?
The rebelliousness of youth has been an increasingly troublesome part of society for the last century. In my fifty years of life I have been a part of it and I’ve witnessed it through the last few decades. I could be described as a music lover. I am a musician.
My first recollections of music were in the late 50’s and early 60’s. That puts me in the early years of rock and roll music. I remember hearing the Everly Brothers on the radio when they were just hometown boys in Kentucky. I remember when the Beatles first
came on the music scene. I’ve seen the rise of the pshycodelic music scene of the Beatles, as they evolved, and the Rolling Stones and others. I saw the malaise of the rebellious youth (I was one of them) in the 70’s rock and roll drug and alcohol scene. It was in this era that I witnessed the overt movement toward satanic involvement in the music scene. The music, and the lyric, progressively turned more anti-god as the rock music scene has come into the 21st Century. Each, a phase, seemingly on a decade by decade timeframe, has reflected the further rebellion of secular youth only to be imitated in a few years by the “Christian youth.”
As the devolvement of society - represented in pop-culture and music - rapidly increases, the more rapidly the assimilation of the rebellious attitudes represented in music, dress, and selfishness become part of the Christian youth sub-culture. It is now to the point that you can barely tell the difference. We have allowed the children to “find their own way,” and “figure it out for themselves,” and to decide how best to reach a generation of kids who are headed down a path to destruction. This flies in the face of
Scripture that tells parents to teach the children in the way they should go. Children are not to be left to figure things out for themselves. They are to be submitted to authority, primarily parents, then elders, and ultimately to God and the authority of HIS written Word. The problem is that the Word is de-emphasized. Instead we have replaced it with a learning of the ways of world so that the kids and we can immerse in the pop-culture
and reach youth with what we think they can understand. The result: doctrine is redefined as something other than the Word of God.
Youth are redefining doctrine
Sound Scriptural doctrine is essential in the life of a disciple of Christ. It is what we need to be equipped for the good work that God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in. Doctrine is the HOLY SCRIPTURE and is not left up to each subsequent
generation to modify to fit their fads and self-invented sub-culture.
I attended the 2005 Calvary Chapel Pastors Conference in Hartford City, Indiana recently. One of the speakers, Chuck Lind, pastor at Calvary Chapel in Olympia, Washington, really solidified some of the things that the LORD has been laying on my heart in the ministry of WCVM radio. He said that the church has become focused on youth ministry to the point that the value and ministry, to and fro, the older brothers and sisters in the church has been set aside. His question, “Why are we letting the youth define our doctrine?” His emphasis was in the music that is produced by youth, but his point encompassed all aspects of the youth ministry. Specific to music he quoted lyrics from “Big House” by Audio Adrenaline and some praise chorus. It hit home! He’s right!
Audio A was a youth band several years ago, but now they are more the mainstream and the music they produced then and now is defining the doctrine of the modern church. It is very flesh oriented and barely contains Scriptural doctrine, if at all. Doctrine is Scripture, according to 2nd Timothy and Scripture is seldom found in songs and in the messages presented at youth concerts, events, or on the air. Keep in mind that the kids who are producing the newest wave of youth oriented Christian music are the future leaders of the church. They will be the ones who teach doctrine and lead the professed believers in seeking the LORD and HIS righteousness. Is it not the responsibility of parents and those in leadership positions – elders – to be teaching them Scriptural
doctrine; doctrine that includes children honoring and obeying parents, submitting to elders, putting away childishness, submitting to God, and following HIM?
Where is the youth ministry now?
The goal now, according the Christian rock label and radio people is to make the young Christian bands more “street credible” by looking and sounding more like the secular bands. The same tattooed, pierced bodies, dressed in the same seemingly dirty, ill
fitting clothes, and duct taped or masking taped eyeglasses, greased up and or uncombed (and sometimes unwashed) hair is the representation of what a young Christian should Biblical Youth Ministry look like. They look and act like a rebellious street punk. But I thought we were to be salt and light and by our following the LORD we would be showing the people a better way than what they are currently living. Aren’t we to be new creations in Christ? Yes it is an inward thing, but there is to be a transformation that becomes obvious on the external, because of the internal change. The aforementioned characterization of young
“Christians” is born of childish thinking and attitudes that are not jettisoned, as a child enters into adulthood. This, fueled with the sin-nature of rebellion, worsens in each successive generation.
What will it take for Scriptural change?
In order for this to change there has to be a turning of” “the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” There has to be a “putting away of childish things” and a growing into spiritual adulthood. This cannot happen in our current expression of reaching youth for the LORD and subsequent discipleship. Parents and elders need to be leading young people, not into more childishness, but into mature, spiritual disciples of Christ. Children need to be submitted to parents and elders; to learn of the LORD and apply HIS Word, and grow. It is incumbent upon parents, youth leaders, and elders to learn Scripture, apply it to their rearing of children, and teach
it to the young. We will not look like the rebellious world if we do that. We will be different. Our lifestyle, submitted to HIM and HIS Word, will produce something that will be a welcome sight in the eyes of those who want a change, and a foolish sight to
those who want to remain in their childish rebellion to God.
Honor and Obedience
Ephesians 6:1-4: “Children, obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right. ‘Honor you father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ And you, fathers, do not provoke your
children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the LORD.” Children honor their parents by submitting in humble obedience to them. It is a commandment of the LORD God from HIS Holy Scriptures. You can find these Scriptures, quoted in Ephesians by Paul, in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Submitting
to parents (I’m not talking of parents who are telling their kids to do ungodly things) is submitting to the LORD. HE gave us the commandment to do so. That commandment comes with a promise of long life. If we love our children we will train them and
admonish them in the LORD and not be satisfied to leave them in childish rebellion. Children are by nature rebellious. It is up to parents and elders to not cater to their childishness but to train them to put off childishness. Children need to be taught to
submit. They need to know the LORD to truly do it. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. That is why we must teach them the whole counsel of God. In their childish understanding and expression they cannot lead un-saved children to the LORD or disciple them in the LORD or keep themselves from the sin that is lurking around every corner. It is up to us, whether they like it or not! We need to foster youth inclusion in Christian adult activities. We need to encourage youth to minister alongside adults in a submitted, learning role. We need to present this message on the air in a way that speaks to parents, youth leaders, pastors, and youth of all ages. The music and message must be compatible
with reaching all ages in the family. Our focus needs to be on family, the body of Christ, and Scriptural truth, not just on youth. This will be a factor in repairing the breach and restoring the body to a scripturally accurate reflection and expression.
Written by Banner Kidd
We are happy to announce the completion of a 5 part video series that details a bit about what we believe here at Messiah Fellowship. Pastor Ron Hyre and Banner Kidd cover topics such as the Sabbath and the Law. To download, watch, or subscribe to the podcast, join us at the In Search of Manna page.
Who we are AND who we are Not!
Though it’s been stated (mostly by those who do not know us), but also by those who think that they know us, that we “have become Jewish” or “Messianic” or “legalistic” etc… the truth is we have not become any of those things!
Have we become Jewish?
The facts are that JESUS / YESHUA (HIS Hebrew Name) was born into the Jewish tribe of Judah. HE came to fulfill prophesy given through over 4000 years concerning HIS Life, HIS Ministry and HIS commitment to the Covenant people of YHWH, who ended up being referred to as the JEWISH people! Contrary to popular belief today, JESUS walked in PERFECT harmony to The Law given by YHWH (GOD ALMIGHTY), though HE did break their traditions and man made laws on several occasions! Even though we do not believe that we have been grafted into ISRAEL (thus becoming Jewish), we do believe that we have been grafted into “the Vine”, MESSIAH, by faith in HIM and what HE did and is doing in/through HIS People (all who place their trust in HIS Atoning work on the cross). So really, as we experience being “in HIM”, it stands to reason that we will take on HIS characteristics, virtues and values more and more as we obey HIS Word and “walk just as HE walked.” (1John 2:6)
Have we become Messianic?
Some have also mistakenly labeled us “Messianic.” This must be because we have distanced ourselves from the unbiblical practices of “Sunday Sabbath keeping” as well as the traditional holidays of “traditional Christianity” and
