Faith in Jesus - Keeping the Commandments

Peace to you all, in Yeshua. I feel like I need to do a little reflection this first day of the week. It's the first day of the month of March, 2009. There are many things happening in our country, in our world, and, on a more localized level, in my family and work life.

The pagan festivals of Christmas and New Years have passed and the debauched pagan holiday of Valentine's Day is past. Bless YHWH. I get the local channels out of South Bend. South Bend, with Notre Dame being located there, probably qualifies for the dubious honor of the Vatican in the US. All the local channels go on incessantly about Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Dingus Day, Lent and soon to be Good Friday and Easter. It is grievous, especially as I see many who profess to be protestants practicing the same pagan nonsense. Yes, I said nonsense. But it is more than nonsense. It is death!

Scripture tells us clearly that the wages of sin is death. Sin is defined in the Scripture as transgressing the Torah of YHWH. The Apostle John tells us very clearly that sin is lawlessness. Yeshua (Jesus), speaking to the lawless, in Matthew 7, told them to depart from HIM because HE never knew them. The Greek word for sin means missing the mark. The Hebrew word, Torah, means, in essence, to point, throw, or aim at a mark - kind of like shooting an arrow at a target. The word sin, in the Greek, is used in archery as in when one misses the mark they have sinned. Therefore to aim at the mark of Torah and to miss is to sin. But there is a greater sin than to aim for and miss.

The greater sin than aiming for the prescribed target and missing is to not aim for the target and instead fire your arrow at a different target altogether. That's what I see in the professing church. She has her quiver full of arrows and she's firing away. She's even hitting the bullseye. But the problem is that it's the wrong target!

The Bible - the Word of YHWH, defines the target; the mark we are to aim for. Much opf professing Christianity is fond of saying that the Law of God identifies us as sinners because we fall short of that mark. Because of that we need Yeshua (Jesus). On this point we agree. But after this juncture we part company.

Professing Christianity says something to this effect; "We see the Torah of YHWH. We see that we fall short and cannot do it." In light of this fact they say they cry out to Jesus who is able to forgive and cleanse from sin. That's well and good. But is there more to it than this?

Yes we all fall short of the glory of God (YHWH) before and after we are born again, in practice. But there's a difference. If we are truly born again, according to Scripture, we become new creations in Messiah Yeshua. The old man that was in opposition to YHWH has died, buried in baptism with Yeshua. We are now alive in Messiah, having been raised into newness of life. You can find all of this in Romans 8.

Romans 8 further states that if we are in the flesh we cannot submit to the Torah of YHWH. The opposite is equally true, according to Paul, that in the Spirit we humbly submit to HIS Torah. The difference is that in the flesh it is impossible, but in the Spirit it is possible. We now have a choice in the matter. Paul states so succinctly, in Romans, that we were set free from the bondage to sin and now we are to become willing slaves (bondservants) to the righteousness of YHWH. Righteousness is defined by Torah. The same righteousness we fall short of an need a Saviour at the beginning of our walk with Messiah is the same righteous standard we are to submit ourselves to, as willing slaves, to obey.

It's very important to recognize the contrast Paul makes between the Spirit life and the flesh life. In the previous chapter, 7, Paul says that the Torah is good, just and holy AND SPIRITUAL! Paul outlines the battle between the flesh and the spirit of man. As a new creation we yearn in our inner man to obey the delightful instruction of YHWH. But the battle is that our flesh does not want to submit to HIS Torah. The Torah says that the flesh is dead, corrupt, and will not make it into the kingdom. The flesh does not want to be dead. It wants its own way; get it now because this is all there is. Flesh will not inherit the kingdom of YHWH. But Paul gives the remedy when he asks the vital question, "O wrteched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God (Father YHWH) - through Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the Torah of YHWH, but with the flesh the law of sin."

The writer of Hebrews in Chapter 8 of Hebrews, quotes Jeremiah 31 in connection with this New Covenant that we claim to have entered into. The New Covenant realized by grace through faith in Yeshua, results in the Torah of YHWH being written on our hearts and put in our mind, with the causative effect of grace, being worked by the Holy Spirit to walk in HIS statutes and keep HIS commandments. If we are truly born again - new creations in Messiah, we have the Torah of YHWH written on our hearts and placed in our minds. We would be able to echo Paul's words concerning Torah as good, holy, just and Spiritual. We would have a desire to walk in the Truth of Torah. But our flesh would be opposed to that desire of the new inner man. But when we submit to the work of the Spirit we can crucify our flesh and walk pleasingly to YHWH, according to Torah - HIS loving parameters of life.

This is nothing new from what I've communicated in posts on Torah Perspective in the past. But I'm once again prompted to do so due to my study of Revelation and the time that seems to be upon us. The world seems to be on the threshold of a time like no other - the Great Tribulation of the last days and the time of the pouring out of the wrath of YHWH on sinful men who reject HIS Messiah and HIS Truth. Let me just say, as I've said before, if you're looking to get raptured out of this before it all begins, I believe, with all due respect, that you are sadly mistaken. It's important that you read the Scripture in context and see that it defines who is present during the Tribulation and defines those who make it through into the kingdom.

In light of what I've just shared above, please take consider the following Scripture references from Revelation.

Revelation 12:11 - "And they overcame him (Satan, the dragon) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony (witness to the Truth) and they did not love their lives unto death." The death spoken of is the death that comes from sin. The wages of sin is death. Practicing sin is the opposite of being known as a witness for the Truth. The combination is that we are forgiven and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb and because of that our lives are a witness to that work as we live in humble submission to HIS commandments. It is grace at work - Greek word charis, "Especially the divine influence on the heart with the reflection in the life." See the Strong's for this definition.

Revelation 12:17 - "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF YHWH AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA (JESUS)." Notice the devil isn't too concerned about those who don't keep the commandments. He's after those who do. He already has those who don't! Think about it!

Revelation 14:12 - "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of YHWH and the faith of Yeshua (Jesus)." Cross reference this to Revelation 13:7-10

Revelation 22:12-15 - "And behold, I am coming quickly, and MY reward is with ME, to give to every one ACCORDING TO HIS WORK. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do HIS commandments, THAT THEY MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE, AND MAY ENTER THROUGH THE GATES INTO THE CITY. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, AND WHOEVER LOVES AND PRACTICES A LIE." In Matthew 17 Yeshua defines the Truth as the Word of the Father. HE is the Living Word of the Father. Check out Paul's word to the Corinthians in 1st Corinthians 10. He tells them, and us, just who those who were delivered from Egypt were dealing with - Yeshua! HE is the Lawgiver, the One they complained and rebelled against. Paul says that that story was recorded for us to read as an example that we wouldn't fall as they did!

Need I remind you that Yeshua said, "If you love ME keep MY commandments." John says in 1st John some very important things that we all need to hear.

"Now by this we know that we know HIM, if we keep HIS commandments. He who says, 'I know HIM,' and does not keep HIS commandments is a liar, and the Truth (Torah not on his heart, does not have the Spirit of Truth in him) is not in HIM." But whoever keeps HIS Word, truly the love of YHWH is perfected in HIM. By this we know that we are in HIM. He who says he abides in HIM ought to walk just as HE walked." - 1 John 2:3-7

How did Yeshua walk? HE walked in perfect submission to the Father, to HIS loving Instruction - Torah.

My exhortation is that of Paul - Examine yourself to see if you are of the faith. Paul said that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of YHWH. The concept of hearing is to heed, to do. James says that when we do the Word of YHWH we are not forgetful hearers but we are then walking in the perfect Law (Torah) of liberty. We are set free from the bondage of sin that we might be free to submit to and walk in the wonderful Torah HE has given us to live by. That walk is a journey that leads us directly to the gates of the kingdom, to the Tree of Life that we were barred from because of disobedience!

Yeshua said, in Matthew 7, that the gate to the kingdom is narrow and difficult and FEW find it. But the gate to destruction is broad and MANY go in by it. HE states further down in the chapter concerning false prophets and then says unequivocally, as I mentioned earlier in this post, that those who come to HIM detailing all they have done for HIM will get a response they may not expect. HE says to those who talk of their casting out demons and religious work to depart from HIM because HE never new them. Why did HE say that? HE tells us - HE says it to those who PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS! THE LAWLESS WILL NOT ENTER INTO HIS KINGDOM! This is the same message given in Revelation 22.

I pray you will consider the Word of YHWH and repent. You must be covered in the blood with the evidence of that wonderful salvation - born again experience being realized in obedience to Torah. You cannot separate them. It's the "1-2" punch that we must have to overcome evil. Grace and Torah are not opposed. They work together. Torah is the mark we are required to aim at and to strive to hit. Grace is the ability to, not only hit it, but to want to even aim at it.

Phillipians 2:3 - "For it is YHWH who works in you both to will and to do for HIS good pleasure."

Ephesians 2:8010 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of YWHW, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are HIS workmanship (grace at work by the Spirit), created in Messiah Yeshua FOR GOOD WORKS, which YWHW PREPARED BEFOREHAND that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM." All caps are my emphasis.

I pray that you will hear the Voice speaking. Hebrews 12 provides the warning that we should not reject the Voice as they did in the Wilderness. The shaking is here and is now. May our traditions and pre-conceived notions be shaken so that all that remains is the Truth of YHWH and that which man has contrived, with the aid of the enemy is torn down in our lives. The lie of the enemy is a stronghold and must be torn down.

I love you all and I'm praying that you will hear. Comments and questions are welcomed. You may reach me at my e-mail address if you wish to ask private questions - bfkidd@ligtel.com

Learn more by checking out past articles on Torah Perspective. View apologetics videos and other teachings at Messiah Fellowship Online.

Blessings as you seek the True and Living, unchanging YHWH.