The Law of YHVH vs Grace - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

The Law of YHVH vs Grace

The argument is this: has the Law of YHVH been done away with being replaced by grace, or is the Law of YHVH still in effect? Do we now have grace, something that did not exist before the Savior came down and took a physical form, which has nullified living a holy righteous life, or has grace existed from the beginning along with truth, bearing record of one another? And when the Holy Spirit indwells in us, does the Holy Spirit totally control us and make us to do only what YHVH requires of us as righteous since we do not have the full measure of knowledge, faith, and truth, or are we to choose of our own free will whether we will obey based upon the level of knowledge, faith, and truth that we have, that comes from the Word of YHVH?

The heart of this matter is whether or not YHVH - who is one and not three - changes. I say one and not three because the Trinitarians say that YHVH is one being but in three persons. That is like saying that YHVH has multiple personality disorder, because there is one body but there are three persons (minds/souls/spirits) inhabiting that body. Edward claims to not believe in the Trinitarian doctrine, but yet he uses the key words of that doctrine. He said, “Once a person obeys the Gospel of GOD's grace then grace comes alive in that person's life and those who worship GOD in spirit and in truth have an advocate, Christ Jesus, the Messiah and express Person and image of the only wise GOD.” (Emphasis mine) Trinitarians have to say that YHVH and Yeshua are not one in the same but two different persons because if they were one in the same, then when YHVH told Moses on Mt Horeb, “I AM that I AM” (which is the Hebrew for heyeh ashur heyeh which literally means I be that I be, showing His eternalness and unchanging nature in Exodus chapter 3 and verse 14, as well as when YHVH said “For I am YHVH, I change not” in Malachi chapter 3 and verse 6, along with Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 8 (“Yeshua the Messiah the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever”), simply means what is said and that is that YHVH does not change. If something was wrong in Abraham’s time, or Moses’ or even David’s times, then it is just as wrong today. If it was permissible then, it is permissible today.

For example, homosexuality is clearly spelled out as a sin in the Torah (the first 5 books of Scripture), and also clearly spelled out in Paul’s letters as well. However, there are many that use the terms “New Covenant”, “Grace”, and “Love” to say that it is no longer a sin. They take passages of Scripture from Paul and make it say something that they do not say. Why? So that they can continue living in sin, claiming to be born again filled with the Holy Ghost, being taught by the Holy Ghost that it is alright to sin. To them, Yeshua is YHVH but is not YHVH at the same time. They teach that YHVH abdicated His throne to the person of Yeshua, who is in the image of YHVH, and Yeshua brought to us grace and truth, nailing the Law that was apart of the “old covenant” which was “taken out of the way” and “nailed to the cross”, therefore setting up a “new covenant” where there is “now no more condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua”.

Throw into this mix the belief of dispensationalism - which states that there was an age (dispensation) of the Patriarchs, an age of Law, and now we are under the age of grace, which supercedes the previous ages or dispensations. That means that whatever the Patriarchs were told to do during that age, then it is not binding whatsoever on us today; whatever was binding on the Israelites under the age of the Law is in no way binding on us today, for we are now under the dispensation of grace, and therefore we can do nothing in and of ourselves for it is solely on grace that we are saved. To the dispensationalists, the two previous ages or dispensations were based upon works that one had to do to make happy or placate YHVH, so that He would consider them righteous. But now, since we have grace, we can do nothing of ourselves, but in fact, we must rely totally on His grace. Edward said, “No longer are you subject to the ordinances of dietary laws and the failed religion of the Old Covenant. Behold! All things are made new and you are made a new creature in Christ! All things become lawful for you because the law of love is written in your heart!”

Another part of this unholy alchemic mixture is the predestined doctrine. The Predestined Doctrine says that there were those that were chosen before the foundations of this world were laid by YHVH the Father to gain eternal life by His Son. Only those who were predestined will make it to heaven, and those that were not were as Esau, for as Scripture says, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9:3; Malachi 1:2-3) So YHVH, according to the predestined doctrine, loves some and hates others, and that just as neither Esau nor jacob had a choice in the matter, neither do we. It is all preordained which way we will go, and although we may fight against Yeshua, He will eventually overcome us and take control over us. These people teach that it is all YHVH, working through us, that does His will, and that we will do His will simply because He is in total control of our lives.

This doctrine takes out free will for if YHVH causes us to do whatever He wants us to do, whether we know or understand, or even desire to do His will. The predestined camp says that although our faith must produce fruit, that it is not really our faith, for our faith in flawed since we are not perfect, but it is actually the Holy Spirit indwelling in us that does everything. It is not our choice, for our choice is flawed, and we can not rely on anything that is ours. Here is what Edward has to say on this: “Faith without works is dead; but it is the Father Who doeth the works! Yes, we have faith, but our faith alone will never be enough to save anyone.”

You see, Edward believes that polygyny is Scriptural, and still in effect to this day. To prove this he goes back to the “old covenant” and quotes out of Exodus, Deuteronomy, and the lives of Abraham, Jacob, and David to name a few. He does not quote from the “new covenant” because no where in this new covenant does it say that a man is allowed to have more than one wife. In fact, many believe that the “new covenant” expressly forbids having more than one wife. Edward says on this matter that YHVH does not change. This he calls YHVH’s moral law. You know, the ones contained in the 10 commandments. However, marriage is not commanded there, simply to not covet nor to commit adultery. So it is alright for Edward to go and grab out of the “old covenant” the passages he so chooses that proves polygyny Scriptural, while he willfully disregards other parts of the “old covenant” when it comes to things such as the dietary laws. He places the dietary laws under the ceremonial section of the law, of which it is not. YHVH Himself placed it under the holiness section of the law. On this matter, Edward is not using balanced scales but rather is picking and choosing what he believes is YHVH’s moral law.

Edward, and those like him, justify that the dietary laws have been done away with based on some passages. One passage is from the book of First Timoth, chapter 4 and verses 1 through 5. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which YHVH hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of YHVH is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of YHVH and prayer.” The word for meat here is broma (GSN 1033) which means not meat, but food in general.

The Hebrew words for broma are: okhel (HSN 400) which means food, belil (HSN 1098) which means mixed feed for cattle (how many times do you feed cattle meat?), barut (HSN 1267) which means food, tereph (HSN 2964) which means something torn as in a fragment like a fresh leaf, or matammot (HSN 4303) which means a delicacy. None of these words means meat as in flesh. But that is what Edward and others say that it means, because it has to in order to fit their own belief. This is talking about doctrines such as the Seventh Day Adventist’s teach. I grew up near a town that was a SDA town, called Keene, Texas. The SDA teaches that meats are to be abstained from, even the ones that YHVH said were perfectly clean and able to eat. Now I will say that everything eaten - including meat - must be done in moderation, but I will not at all say that all meats should be abstained from.

Another passage is Colossians chapter 2 and verse 16 which says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days”. Meat here is the Greek word brosis (GSN 1035) meaning eating. The Hebrew words for bromis akhilah (GSN 396) which means something eatable, akhal (HSN 398)is a verb meaning to eat, barah (HSN 1262) which means to select or to feed, and even in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 18, it means to render clear, lacham (HSN 3898) which means to feed on or to consume, mikhlah (HSN 4356) a pen for flocks (now this can mean meat if you are wanting to eat the pen and not the flocks), or peh (HSN 6310) which means the mouth. Again, nothing about meat, but all about eating. But, if I said that I observed the Sabbath, or the New Moon, then does this passage tell Edward that he can not say anything to me about doing so for would that not be judging?

As I have covered in my book, “What is the Truth?”, Colossians chapter 2 is so misconstrued as to teach something it is not. Verse 14 of this chapter says, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross”. The handwriting of ordinances they say is the Law of YHVH which is contained in the “old covenant”. However, if you read verse 8 of Colossians chapter 2, you will see this is not the case. Verse 8 says, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after the Messiah.”

Now did the Law of YHVH come from men or from YHVH Himself? YHVH. Did the Law of YHVH come from this world or did He bring it down from above and give it to His people? From above. Did the Law of YHVH come about through philosophy or vain deceit? No. Where did the Messiah come from? Above. Is not the Messiah YHVH Himself? Yes. So can the Law of YHVH, which was spoken by YHVH, which makes it the Word of YHVH, be what is spoken of by Paul here? Does it fit any of the categories listed in verse 8? Absolutely not. So why on earth would one think that this is referring to the Law of YHVH? The only reason is if someone did not wish to abide by one or more of the Laws of YHVH, so they go about deceitful crafting up a philosophy that is based on the trappings of this world so that they can satisfy the flesh while still feeling that they have guaranteed salvation.

And another passage used, which is actually two passages but they talk about the same thing, and that is First Corinthians 8 and Romans chapter 14, by Edward and others like him is not even talking about the eating of clean or unclean meats, but about the meats sacrificed to pagan elohim at the pagan temples, and whether or not is was alright to eat meat sacrifice to a false elohim. Again, another passage that they are inputting what they want to be there, and not what is really there. Paul said that just because the meat was sacrificed to a false elohim did not mean that it could not be eaten, but that if it offended someone to eat that meat, then they should abstain from it, and if a person is who is not offended is around someone who is, then the one who is not offended should restrain from eating that meat. And if a person is offended, if they go to someone’s house or out to eat, they should not ask if it was sacrificed to a false elohim, for if it was, then they will be offended if they eat it. Nothing to do with the dietary laws.

Finally, I wish to touch on Mark chapter 7 as with the passages that they use to justify their belief that the dietary laws are no longer binding on followers of Yeshua. This passage, like the one in Colossians, is ripped out of context and used to justify their belief. The question the Pharisees asked has nothing to do with the kosher laws, but has to do with Jewish halacha, which is the Rabbinical laws within the Talmud. The Pharisees were upset that the Disciples of the Word were eating without washing their hands first.

“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why walk not Thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?’” (Mark 7:1-5)

This whole passage, extending from Mark chapter 7 and verse 1 through verse 23 is dealing with this issue between the Pharisees and Yeshua. Verses 7 through 9 get to the heart of the matter, when Yeshua said, “Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of YHVH, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do . . . Full well ye reject the commandment of YHVH, that ye may keep your own tradition.” Compare this to Colossians chapter 2 and verse 8, and you will see that this is the teachings based on philosophy and vain deceit, that came from man, and from the rudiments of this world and not the Messiah.

Verses 14 through 23 simply is Yeshua explaining why the traditions of the elders had no standing with YHVH, because they were worried with things - such as eating with dirty hands - that held absolutely no spiritual significance. If Yeshua were talking about the eating of clean and unclean meats, then He would not have said “Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? . . . That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:18-23) If this was meaning about kosher and unkosher meats, then why would Yeshua have thrown in the parts about all the evil things? He is speaking about how that the teachings of men were arbitrary and “Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:23)

Time and again, they rip passages out of context and take words and change their meanings all together to get around the fact that YHVH said what food was edible and what was not. Look, YHVH designed and created us, and do you not think that He knows best as to what is the best for our bodies and what is not? Are we smarted than He is, to where that we can say that something that He declared unholy and not to be eaten is actually edible?

Now as Edward loves to point out that all things are lawful for him, and not only to him, but to all that believe on Yeshua. There is no law, so that means that all things are lawful. Here is his words on this: “No longer are you subject to the ordinances of dietary laws and the failed religion of the Old Covenant. Behold! All things are made new and you are made a new creature in Christ! All things become lawful for you because the law of love is written in your heart! You have no desire to transgress the law because you are already become dead to the law of sin and death. Now you live!”

So using Edwards logic here, let us suppose a homosexual comes to the knowledge and saving grace of Yeshua, and out of a broken and contrite heart calls upon the name of Yeshua, and then proceeds to speak in tongues. Who then can deny that this man or woman is saved? So after a while, this person begins once again to have sexual feelings towards someone of the same sex as this person. The old covenant has been done away with and is dead. They have been made a new creature in Messiah. All things are lawful to them because the law of love is written in their heart. Since they are dead to the law of sin and death, and the Holy Spirit indwells in them, then they have no more desire to transgress the law. So they live - having sex with a person of the same sex.

Edward will say no this is not right because homosexuality is a sin. But if he can pick and choose what laws he will keep from the old covenant and which ones he will not, then why is the former homosexual who has spoken in tongues not able to do the same? If the former homosexual who has spoken in tongues claims that Yeshua spoke to him or her and told them that it is alright to have sex with someone of the same gender because there is no lawlessness in the Messiah and there is also no condemnation in Him, then who is Edward to say any differently? Why is he able to determine what is and what is not acceptable to be use out of the old covenant, and someone else, using Edward’s own logic, not able to. That is howing favoritism and partiality, and what does James say about that? “Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2:4)

Since Edward teaches this: “Resist not the Holy Ghost; but let the Father do the works in you that your works are not self-congratulatory or dead, like the works of those self-right performers who pride themselves in will worship. Rather let your works come alive in mercy and grace that your good works are not evil spoken of, seeing that all good works are received from above, by your Father which is in heaven. Choose Liberty. Wherefore, if you are Christ’s you do not live under the law, neither to you live above the law, nor do you live outside of the law, through the law, or around the law! Rather, if you are indeed the LORD’s very own, you live lawfully and you abide in the Law of Love; for the Law of Love and Liberty, that you share in Christ Jesus, is written in your heart wherefore you are called to establish the law. You are not your own. You were bought with a price. Your works are not your own either, if you are truly the LORD’s, for all that you are and all that you do is all the property of the Almighty One”, then does that not mean that if that former homosexual who has been seen and heard speaking in tongues which indicates they are saved, which also indicates they are Yeshua’s, then if they have sex with a person of the opposite sex, then it must be Yeshua’s will. After all, they are just practicing love towards a neighbor. See how ridiculous this whole argument is?

Yeshua said very plainly, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19) Destroy is the Greek word kataluo, meaning to loosen down (disintegrate), to demolish, or to halt for the night. He came not to loosen any of the Law or the Prophets, but to complete (pleroo GSN 4137). This word denotes not finishing as in ending, but in completing an unfinished project. The blood of bulls, goats, and birds as well as the sacrifices, the Levitical priesthood, and the Temple were stopgaps until that which was perfect was come. Does the “new covenant” have shed blood, sacrifices, a priesthood, a temple, and a high priest? The answer is most certainly yes. So Yeshua said all the Law and prophets, to which Edward says, “All the law and the prophets? Is this what JESUS said? AMEN. JESUS said it.”

Yeshua did not stop with that, but added that “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Nothing, not even the smallest letters and marks, shall in no way perish from the Law, until all is come to pass. Has everything that Scripture speaks of come to pass? Has heaven and earth perished yet? Has Yeshua come back on His white horse? Has the millenial reign taken place? Has the rapture happened? Has the New City with the New temple come down from the Throne of YHVH yet? If the answer is no, then nothing in the Law has perished. That means that the dietary laws have not been done away with, or else Yeshua lied.

There is no other way into the Kingdom of YHVH except by way of Yeshua’s shed bllod as our Passover Lamb. But the Passover Lamb only bought the redemption from the bondage of Egypt, and after that, we are expected to live righteous holy lives in accordance to His will. Are we going to do it perfectly every time? No, and that is why if we are doing our best to follow after His righteousness, that He is faithful to forgive us. But we have to choose to obey. It is not something that is just forced upon us by YHVH. He does not desire drones or robots, but wants us to do things out of a loving and cheerful heart. He wants us to obey Him willfully.

I believe that Yeshua is YHVH, the same person and being, and as such, is eternally unchanging. Therefore, since John tells us that grace and truth came by Yeshua, then grace and truth have been here since before the foundations of this world were laid. I believe that Yeshua is the same today as He was back in the beginning when He formed the world, and that He will eternally be the same. If He changed, then how could we believe Him when He promised to never leave nor forsake us? If He changed, then He lied to us when He said over and over that He does not change. One can not have it both ways. Either He changed and is a liar, or else He did not change and we are still bound to His Holy and Righteous Law.

The passage in Jeremiah chapter 31 that talks about a “new covenant” brings me to the point of asking the question, why is there a need for a new covenant at all? “Behold, the days come, saith YHVH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHVH: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith YHVH, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know YHVH’: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith YHVH; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

This passage is echoed in Hebrews chapter 8, when it reads, “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which YHVH pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of Elohim when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, ‘See,’ saith He, ‘that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.’

“But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith, ‘Behold, the days come, saith YHVH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith YHVH. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith YHVH; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them Elohim, and they shall be to Me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, “Know ye YHVH”: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.’ In that He saith, ‘A new covenant’, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:1-13)

Let us go through a checklist here: High Priest - check. Temple - check. Sacrifices - check. Priesthood - check. King - check. Holiness - check. So exactly what is it that makes this
covenant new? It is that the things that were shadows of what was to come because they were imperfect - the temple, the sacrifices, the High Priest, the priesthood - were made perfect by Yeshua, taking a bodily form, willfully sacrificing His life in exchange for ours, whose shed blood paid the redemption price so that we could freely leave spiritual Egypt and the slavery to Satan there. So that which was part of worship that was physical is now spiritual. The Israelites went a whoring after other elohim, breaking the marriage covenant.

Therefore, a new covenant needed to be made, which not only included Israel, but also the Gentiles as well. This is what Romans chapters 9 through 11 talk about. The Gentiles are grafted into the tree of which Israel is attached. Those of Israel who rejected the YHVH were cut off and cast aside, so that the gentiles who accepted YHVH could be engrafted into the tree. However, if those Israelites change and accept YHVH, then they can be engrafted back in, and if the Gentiles choose no longer to follow YHVH and reject Him, then they can be cut off and cast aside. There is no difference in YHVH between Jew and Gentile, for both are equal.

Now in Deuteronomy chapters 27 through 30, and I will not go into this in detail here but shall do another lesson on it YHVH willing at a later date, tells us of the Law of Sin and death and the Law of Blessings and Life. This same Law of YHVH brought about both. If one does not keep the Law of YHVH, then they bring cursing’s and death upon themselves. If a person does keep the Law of YHVH, then they bring blessing’s and life to themselves. However, just as with Israel, they could not pay the redemption price to get out of Egypt, and needed the grace of YHVH to do so, we too could not pay our redemption price to get out of spiritual Egypt, and needed the grace of YHVH to do so. Just as the Israelites had to obey YHVH after their departure from Egypt - actually before because if they did not follow His exact specifications of how to receive the grace, then they would not have received it - we too must do likewise. If we do not wish to have to worry about the law of sin and death, then we must cling to the law of blessing and life.

At the end of the chapter dealing with the dietary laws, YHVH said this: “Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. For I am YHVH your Elohim: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am YHVH that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your Elohim: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: to make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.” (Leviticus 11:43-47)

What does Paul, the man that Edward and others look to prove that the dietary laws are done away with, have to say to us today about holiness? “O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath the Messiah with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of YHVH with idols? For ye are the temple of the living Elohim; as YHVH hath said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,’ saith YHVH, ‘and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,’ saith YHVH Shaddai. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of YHVH.” (2 Corinthians 6:11-7:1)

If it was all YHVH and not us, then why would Paul tell us to cleanse ourselves and perfect holiness? Why would Paul go back and use the passage from the dietary laws if they were done away with? Note how Paul quoted YHVH about the unclean thing. Peter even talks about this when he said, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Again, Peter tells us that we must be obedient and it is we who must be holy. Why would YHVH, Paul, and Peter all tell us it is up to us to be holy if we can not? It is by the power of YHVH we are able to, but it is still up to us to choose to be obedient and holy and to try our best. Yes, as Edward said, it is always YHVH that gets the glory, but we are the ones that must sacrifice our flesh and all its desires daily, bringing our wretched carcass to the High Priest to burn on the alter. Otherwise, we are lukewarm, doing nothing, and will be vomited out of the Messiah’s mouth. We can not be vomited out if we were not in there to begin with.

“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” (Hebrews 13:9) Just because someone teaches something does not make them right. We need to be constantly on guard for those who are teaching from their flesh and not from YHVH, who are speaking of their own forbidden longings and not from Him. We must make sure that we are not bewitched by their enticing words, and led captive by their philosophy. Paul reminds us of this when he wrote, “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10) We all will be rewarded for what we have done, whether our reward is blessings and life or curses and death, we shall all receive the reward. That is whay we earnestly strive to do His will. And remember, the word for meat in Hebrews 13:9, it is bromah (GSN 1033) meaning food - not meat.

I shall continue in this more, but this is the difference between Edward and I, as we requested by a member here. Yes, this is a long piece, but I wish to be thorough and specific. I believe Edward to be a brother in Yeshua, but I disagree with how he has chosen to interpret and to teach others about the Law of YHVH. To make sure and not follow the dietary laws, he has blended the Trinitarian, Dispensationalism - of which Herbert W Armstrong was famous for - and Calvin’s Predestination. It is the only way that he can justify loosening any part of the Law of YHVH.

The problem has been, though, that Edward feels free to comment and tell me and others where I am wrong, but when I speak back, then he silences me with a heavy hand, booting me from groups he controls and deleting my posts. I do not delete his posts, and even copy and past them to make sure that what he says is put out there for others to see. Why would anyone need to silence anyone else? Is it because they are afraid of something or is it because that they know that they are wrong? It does not make any sense, but then again, his whole argument and everything he has done since this discussion began has baffled me.

This is not the Edward I grew to dearly love and talked for hours upon hours with. He was never secretive nor was this defensive about anything. I have told him that if I offended him, I am sorry and asked him to forgive me. He has refused to forgive me, which sends up serious red flags, because Scripture tells us to for give others, even 70 x 7 times, or else we will not be forgiven. I am still at a loss for all of this, but as he knows, when it comes to Scripture, when something is wrong, I will stand against it, as I have. Unfortunately, it has put brothers and sisters, such as Brother Gary, in a difficult and awkward spot, and for this I am deeply saddened.

This had been a private matter, that Edward chose to take public without even asking me about doing so. I went to him privately, stating that he knew that I could not support him on this position, and asked him to stop going public and continue to talk this out privately, and if he refused, then I would make a public response, of which I knew would hurt our friendship, of which I did not want to happen. Edward then decided to end our friendship, saying I manipulating him. I did everything that Scripture told me to do, but instead, Edward has run and run and run, and booted me from different groups, even Brother Gary’s groups. This is a sad turn of events, but I still am praying that YHVH can bring us back together and restore peace. I have forgiven Edward of the things he did purposely to hurt myself and my family, and I keep him and his family lifted up in prayers. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have, and I pray that this does help others.

Comment by Scott Ledbetter on February 9, 2010 at 4:45pm: Shalom Rodney,
All I can say to this is Amen and Amen! Thank you for these words.

Shalom Rav,
Scott

Comment by Rodney D Ready on February 9, 2010 at 10:10am: Contributing only as my testimony.

And that is all we really have is what we may have experience of from our Heart in walking with Messiah in this life where we fight against the things of the flesh, this world and we desire always to be set-apart and to seek Shalom/ Peace with all mankind, to show the Love of our Father YHWH in everything we do.

Grace is found in the Torah/law and we know it is not in dead written word but in the Life of it where Messiah Yahushua is being the Great I Am Being All Things Made to the Light of All Mankind as the Living Word spoken by Father YHWH even as the Living Covenant for remission of sin we see in the shadows of Torah/law and prophets.

Yahushua as the Living Torah was made for the unrighteous.

1 Timothy 1:9 Knowing this, that the Torah/law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

And we come to know that salvation in remission of sin the very Living Messiah whose Heart is to the 'jot' and 'tittle' of the Torah/law fulfilled, (for who else could make anything come to pass and into being spoken of by our Father YHWH), and who could say they know Him while promoting sin, as the opposite of His character and saying that sin is not the breaking of our Father's commandments? What then would we need to repent of if not of breaking of the commandments of YHWH? The commandments of the church or of Judiasm or other religion? We must please our Father by accepting His way for salvation and to never deny what He has done to have that remission of sin for Yahushua never broke one commandment of His very Heart and once we are in Him and He in us our desire becomes the same. Even to the point of grief over the abominations of what man calls sin and not sin. Thinking to change YHWH in some way and that Messiah came to cleanse animals for example instead of getting the point that He came to cleasne all mankind, even those who may be exceeding sinful to our own ways. But then the real power of YHWH Yahushua cleans up our ways and we become conformed to Him in greater and greater ways until we leave this vile flesh to receive our reward face to face to be like Him as He is. We eventually will be perfect Torah keepers as in perfect Yahushua keepers but not until we get out of this body.

Regardless of what religious delusions abound in this world, there is only grace where we walk in unconditional Yes always, just as the thief on the cross said unconditional Yes, Messiah you are who you said you are, we walk where we thankfully don't confess and die but confess and live in that always Yes. Being confronted with sin, Yes Messiah, repent, being confronted with a greater relationship and understanding of Him, Yes Messiah, knowing that all written scripture is a witness of Messiah Yahushua, the Torah and the Prophets. Walking in remission of sin, where sin cannot take hold but is blown away by the fire and power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 3:21 But now the tzedakah (righteousness) of YHWH apart from the (written) Torah is manifested, being witnessed by the Torah and the neviim (prophets); 22 Even the tzedakah of YHWH which is by emunah on Yahushua ha Moshiach to all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the tifereth (glory) of YHWH; 24 Being justified freely by His unmerited favor through the redemption that is in Moshiach Yahushua: 25 Who YHWH has set forth to be a keporah through emunah (faith) in His dahm (blood), to declare His tzedakah for the remission of sins that are past. 26 To declare, I say, at this time His tzedakah: that He might be tzadik (righteous), and the justifier of anyone who believes on Yahushua.

So if we get the picture of Messiah being the Living Torah vs the Written Torah witnessing of Him, we can see the harmony in every scripture beginning to the end from the Aleph to the Taw. And put to shame any of the man-made private interpretation doctrines that do not have Torah and Prophet roots even those doctrines of man that are an abomination to Father YHWH.

And there are many religious Pharisees in our day no matter what they call themselves by but YHWH looks at the heart and does not check first to see if a person is calling themself by some denomination or religious group first.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but YHWH Elohim knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of YHWH Elohim.

So any abomination is what flys in the face of what John said in these words inspired by the Holy Spirit the Binding Force of YHWH Elohim and the same Life Given of the Blood of the Lamb which we being made One/Echad are baptised by the baptiser into His Body as having put on His righteousness then able to walk where there is Spirit and Truth Mixed to make Oil for our lamps in this wicked and perverse generation.

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yahushua the Messiah his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 Jn 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Yahushua is the Messiah is born of YHWH Elohim: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of YHWH Elohim, when we love YHWH Elohim, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of YHWH Elohim, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Many good things said by John tying together perfectly righteousness of faith in Messiah to Love of our Father and our fellow man where we walk in spirit and truth to know that the commandments of our Father are awesome and wonderful where we obey as a witness of Messiah Yahushua for all scripture is a witness of Him and we witness of Him by doing what He said and for no other reason but to lift Him up for all to see.

Not doing as Man says to do in religious structure where we are forbidden to do this or must do that to prove our own righteousness but where the Holy Spirit is our teacher where we need no man to teach us of our Father and we do all things to expound upon that great price our Messiah paid that we all have remission of sin having put on His Righteousness where we are walking in obedience to His voice of His interpretation of Torah, even of His very Heart we can know in greater and greater ways by the Torah/law prophets and all scriptures when revealed in Life of His Being Within.

As in Romans 7:22 we delight in the Torah/law after the inward man and that Torah/law is the Living Messiah Yahushua, His very heart and knowing very well that He is the Great I Am Being All Things Made to the Light of All Mankind and is everything Father YHWH said He would be as the true Prophet of Deuteronomy chapter 18.

So to have grace we must be walking in Spirit and Truth keeping the Faith in Yahushua Messiah. He will never change His Interpretation of His very Being to meet the conditions of lawbreakers where any revel in sin deluded by a religious code of words in the Dust Mind that can never come close to the renewal of Mind given from above by the Living Messiah by the Holy Spirit of Life and Power to overcome, that pure Love that lights us up and gives us power to witness of the truth even in the face of those who proclaim to know Him but revel in sin rather than strive against it and we know sin by what our Father YHWH has said of Torah/law starting with the two greatest commandments to the ten commandments and the rest of it all.

We only have remission of sin by the Living Covenant who became that foretold of by the Ark of the Covenant when we are baptised of Heart as in circumcised of Heart into that Living Covenant even having our name written in that Lamb's book of life and we walk in remission of that sin as opposed to walking where we revel in sin. Walking in the way of Abel or of Cain.

Abel admitting sin and need of a savior and doing what is required for remission of sin.

Cain refusing to admit his sin but to lie to cover it up and unwilling to desire remission of sin by the blood of the Lamb but to walk where he reveled in his sin and wound up killing His brother out of jealousy that Father YHWH was pleased by Abel who knew it would take the sacrifice of a Lamb where blood is shed to bring that Life in remission of sin.

It is a tragedy so many rebel against the commandments of YHWH not even trying to obey but then saying they walk in Spirit and Truth. Maybe some Spirit but have no truth? Maybe some truth having no Spirit?

We see too the commandments of man showing sin by man's definition above the commandments of YHWH showing what He calls sin and is the very things to repent of.

But, even we see those who say to follow the commandments of YHWH without the Messiah Interpretation where He is the Life of everything, a tragedy as well.

But the solution is so simple a child can understand and it is in the Living Torah/Law where Messiah is Alive and Well, Manifest as a Man and has become the Aleph Taw of It Is Finished!

Good to ponder on these things. Maybe we often times see in parts and make opposition where we have not fully understood. Where neither point of view in a debate is in harmony on it's own. Where is everything in harmony and there is no question nor debate?

As YHWH Elohim is One/Echad, Even His Righteous Branch the Y of His Name is Yahushua but even then by Him is All things Made even to the Light of All Mankind. So in Yahushua we are One with the Father and the Son but are still unique in who we are. Not a body part doing something other than the Head is doing for there is only one Head and if a body part is not doing what the Head is doing, it is not a part of the body could it be? Or a cancer to be cut out and thrown out?

Blessings, and again good to ponder on these things, also in light of a Living Torah Messiah Yahushua Himself. Then a whole new Torah/law, prophets all scriptures to discern by Him.

And by loving our Father's Commandments we can discern this wonderfully of what John wrote of exactly what our Father calls sin and that we cannot be condemned if we will just simply do what He said to do about it.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We know those promoting sin cannot be confessing it and fighting against it. What crazy delusions we see in this world today. Maybe held in delusion by our Father who will not call because they loved the Lie of Iniquity even that being taught in many religious settings of this day and age.

How many even thinking they are fine, have sin because they have never come to the conclusion to determine who has the authority to declare what is sin or not. It certainly is not man nor man's religion but is in reality what our Father has defined it to be. And our Father is Spirit and Truth Mixed Together never changed nor separated. We love Torah/law after the inward man and we will never get a delusion even sent by our Father for those who love Iniquity which is opposite of Truth of Messiah's interpretation of who He is.

Shalom!

Purchase the WHOLE Website by clicking here