Email between a Teenage Girl and a Youth Pastor

Or,

Is Modern Christianity Teaching the Doctrine of Balaam–that Sins such as Fornication are a Normal Part of the Godly Life?

Please carefully read the following communication. See if you can see what I saw. At the end, I will repeat the communication with a proposed answer to this youth pastor.

***

I went to church one wednesday night with a friend who had been begging me to go, and i was completely horrified. (I had forgotten how ridiculous I thought church was, so I guess a refreshment was necessary.) So, the youth pastor said loads of things that I question, so I wrote him this one day.

Hi P,

I had a few questions about the wednesday night service a couple weeks ago.

First, I don’t understand why jews aren’t ever mentioned. I mean, you kept saying “christians this and christians that” but what happened to the jews? Even Jeshua was a jew.
And second, why don’t you think that we are supposed to try to be perfect? Don’t you remember Jehovah telling Abraham, “go forth and be ye perfect.” didn’t that mean anything? Don’t you think that we’re supposed to be true saints? Without sin? Wht is it taught that that’s impossible? Every day, every single day we make the decision to sin. We make the decision to lie, to cheat, to talk about people. We make the choices to commit fornication, to be homosexual, things that are abominations. We choose to do those things, yet we consider ouraelves christians? What does that show the rest of the world?

He wrote back:

It’s awesome to hear from you. I am glad that you felt comfortable enough to come to [our church] and ask a question. I admire your faith, and your boldness.

People who were followers of Jesus in the New Testament were called Christians. We are called Christians because we follow the Jesus of the New Testament. We don’t have anything against Jewish people, or Judaism itself, but it’s just the name of people who believe like we do.

Jesus was a Jew, but more importantly, He was the Christ — the One who came to seek and save the lost.

The New Testament book of Galatians, chapter 3 and verses 26-29 says, 26″You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Regardless of whether we’re Jewish, Gentile, slave, free, we’re all one if we belong to Christ.

The second question about perfection…Jesus echoes the Torah when he said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your father is perfect.” But it’s like saying, “I will love my neighbor today,” only to have the neighbor do something very irritating to me, and I momentarily lose my resolve to love them. It’s when we fail to turn the other cheek or give up our cloaks or go the second mile that we understand our own sinful natures and our need for God’s grace. Our aim is to become sinless beings, but I find that awfully hard even on my best and most charitable days.

Even more than the willful act of committing fornication, what about the days when we fail to stand up for the poor or the oppressed, or become prideful, or don’t give alms in secret, or lose our tempers, or any other number of small sins — small, but equally sinful as committing fornication. When we realize the impossibility of the command to live a sinless life, then we understand our need for a Savior.

Through Christ, we see what Paul means when he said that he forgets what is behind, and constantly looks forward to the finish line. He did not mean that he was sinless. But those sins, in light of Christ and our ultimate destination as sinless beings, are only part of an imperfect history.

What are your thoughts?

I look forward to seeing you again, Y, at [our church].

Your biggest fan,

______________________

The following is a proposed answer to this youth pastor. I will repeat her email, then give his answer with the proposed response to him.

***

Hi P,

I had a few questions about the wednesday night service a couple weeks ago.

He wrote back:

It’s awesome to hear from you. I am glad that you felt comfortable enough to come to [our church] and ask a question. I admire your faith, and your boldness.

I am glad to hear that you don’t have anything against Jewish people. That doesn’t mean that you see them as being special or important in the view of the God of the Bible. Jesus didn’t come except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. You knew that, didn’t you? Salvation is only of the Jews. Doesn’t that make them rather special? There won’t even be a resurrection of the dead until Jews in Jerusalem call for Yeshua. You knew that, didn’t you? They are very special, and are mentioned in most of the books of the Bible. Shouldn’t that be spoken openly in church?

Jesus was a Jew, but more importantly, He was the Christ — the One who came to seek and save the lost.

Yes, Yeshua was a Jew. I agree that more importantly, He was and is the Messiah. But even more importantly, He is the Jewish Messiah–the anointed One of Israel. He came to seek and save the lost, specifically the lost sheep of the House of Israel. (He said so, and said it that bluntly.) I know that His blood was shed for the sin of the world, and that all may freely take advantage of His Salvation. But I get the impression that your church believes in a Gentile Jesus who can be disconnected from Israel without there being any problem, and that His Jewishness is, like, gone. I see that the Bible teaches that He will return to Israel, not to France; to Israel, not to Belgium; to Israel, not to Rome; to Israel, not to New York City.

Yes, it says something like that. (I don’t like translations that are sloppy. That shows me that the translators didn’t fear God.)

Regardless of whether we’re Jewish, Gentile, slave, free, we’re all one if we belong to Christ.

I agree with this, but the Bible always keeps the distinctions between Jews and Gentiles even in the Book of Revelation. There is a difference between all who are born of God being sons of God, and everyone being the same. Even churches still have a men’s room and a ladies’ room. If the churches really believed that there was no difference, the churches would have unisex bathrooms.

I know that Israel is important from Romans 11! That isn’t a “we are all one” chapter; it is telling Gentiles not to be arrogant over the Jews, because the entire Hope of real Christianity is in the restoration of Israel, entirely.

Let me understand what you are saying. You are saying that Jesus did say, “Be perfect as your Father is perfect.” But you are also saying that this command is of no use while we are still alive, because we won’t be able to do it. You are saying that the grace of God is there for us when we disobey God’s commands. So, what shall we say? Shall we continue to sin so that the grace of God will be all the more? You are saying, amen to that?

What good is understanding our own sinful natures if the power of God is so weak that it can’t even give us the power to walk normally without sinning? I don’t want a powerless God who commands what He knows we can’t do. If that is the God your church is offering, I have better ways to waste my time. I want a God who commands, and who also makes sure that those He commands are able to do what He says (even when He has to supply the power). Your church’s God doesn’t even have the power to give a person normal self-control! Is this what you are saying? That is what I am hearing.

Our aim is to become sinless beings, but I find that awfully hard even on my best and most charitable days.

I know that sinners have a hard time refusing to sin when they get itches and urges, but I don’t find in the Bible that all Saints are accused of sinning. Several were declared perfect. Now, your translation is weak, so it might not say that. But I know that the Hebrew language says that about Noah, Job, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Daniel.

Well, now, if losing our tempers is equally as sinful as fornicating, you have just given me the best excuse to bed with any guys I think are cute! Since both are equal sins, I want one that gives me a real zing! I just know that this doesn’t make sense. I also know that it shouldn’t make sense to you. I don’t see where the Bible commands me to stand up for the poor or oppressed unless I am there and seeing it, and I know that this command was given to the Israelis among themselves. I agree that pride is wrong. As for giving alms in secret, I say that this is pretty easy to do right. I think you don’t really know what sin is. I think you think that thoughts are sins, right? There is a difference between plotting to sin and thinking about it, then refusing to do wrong.

When we realize the impossibility of the command to live a sinless life, then we understand our need for a Savior.

From what does the Savior save us? If sin kills, and I get saved from sin, and I continue to sin, but just less, doesn’t some text, like in Hebrews, warn against this, something about re-crucifying Jesus all over again? It sounds like AA has a better program, because they at least tell folks that they have to never drink again. Your faith already recognizes that even folks who have been saved from sin will still sin. That ruins Romans 6. But then, Christianity doesn’t have power. That is why many my age turn to Islam. At least it has guts (even if it blows them all over the street).

If it is impossible to live a sinless life, Jesus was a failure, since He is an example. If it is impossible, God is weaker than an earthworm.

Through Christ, we see what Paul means when he said that he forgets what is behind, and constantly looks forward to the finish line. He did not mean that he was sinless. But those sins, in light of Christ and our ultimate destination as sinless beings, are only part of an imperfect history.

That doesn’t make sense to me, and I think that it also doesn’t make sense to you. I think you know that this is terribly flawed. That is the easiest believism I have heard, a faith with no heroes, no backbone. Is that why there is no difference in the amounts of sin of church goers and non-churchgoers? Is it because they believed you? Your faith is as weak as Reform Judaism, which is about as liberal as it can be. Is that how you want me to see your faith? Because I don’t see how I can see it in any other way.

What are your thoughts?

I hope that you didn’t mind my giving you my thoughts. I just see your faith as useless. I would do better to go to the unisex restroom and sit it out during the service. At least I could think, and plot to refuse to sin. Do you see what I mean?

I look forward to seeing you again, Y, at [our church].

Thank you. But if I come, I am coming for the social part, though I do fear those of my age who believe this way. I think a motorcycle gang has a far higher ethic of right and wrong even if they are selling illegal drugs. They can show self-control regarding the leader’s girlfriend.

Your biggest fan,

You are very kind.

February 15, 2009August 22, 2016

Tomb Texts – What Happened around the Resurrection?

Tomb Texts – What Happened around the Resurrection?

Garden Tomb in Israel

Preface

Events at Yeshua’s tomb are described in Matthew’s, Mark’s, Luke’s and John’s prophetic texts. Several seemed to conflict. I had found other such sets of texts (for example, the three sets of texts describing Saul’s meeting with Yeshua when Saul was blinded) that seemed to conflict, and I had found that reconciling them not only solved the mystery, but gave information that one cannot find in the separate texts. I determined to do the same thing with these ‘Tomb’ texts. I used all the texts. When I even cut a single word, it was like a conjunction (and, therefore, then, etc.); I didn’t desire to exclude any information. You certainly can be the judge.

Making such a combination requires thought, and I could not infallibly do it. Your responsibility is to be skeptical. I had to sew pieces of texts into other texts, since some texts jumped over so many details. This will at least give you an idea and format for your own construction of the texts to discern what happened according to all the testimony of the Bible. I do modernize some of the grammar, and I change the order of sentences to correspond to the way we presently word sentences. I also employ the more Hebrew names. I remove many commas and add a few.

______________________

The Great Earthquake

And, behold, there was a great earthquake. For the angel of Yehovah descended from the heavens, and came and rolled the stone from the door. And he sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And the keepers did shake for fear of him. And they became as dead.

Now when the centurion and they who were watching Yeshua with him saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they greatly feared, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Women at a Distance at the Cross

And many women who followed Yeshua from Galilee ministering unto Him were there beholding these things afar off, among whom was Miriam of the Tower and Miriam the mother of Jacob the less and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children, and Salome (who also followed Him and ministered unto him when He was in Galilee), and many other women who came up with Him unto Jerusalem, and all his acquaintance.

Joseph of Arimathaea to Pilate

When the evening was come, because it was the preparation—that is, the day before the Sabbath, there came a rich man of Arimathaea—a city of the Jews—an honourable counselor named Joseph. He was a good and a righteous man who also waited for the kingdom of God, who also himself was Yeshua’s disciple,but secretly for fear of the Yehudeem. The same had not consented to their counsel and deed. He came and went in boldly unto Pilate, and begged to take away the body of Yeshua. And Pilate marveled if He were already dead. And calling the centurion, he asked him whether He had been any while dead. And when he knew by the centurion, Pilate then commanded the body to be delivered; he gave the body to Joseph.

And he bought fine linen. And he took Him down. And Nicodemus who came to Yeshua by night at the first also came there, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes—about a hundred pounds. And when they had taken the body, Joseph wrapped it in a clean linen cloth with the spices as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Now there was a garden in the place where He was crucified, and a new sepulchre in the garden in which never man was yet laid. And he laid Him in his own new tomb that he had hewn out in the rock. They therefore laid Yeshua there because of the Jews’ Preparation, for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. And that day was the Preparation. And the Sabbath drew on.

And the women also who came with him from Galilee followed after and beheld the sepulchre. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Miriam of the Tower and the other Miriam sitting over against the sepulchre. And Miriam of the Tower and Miriam of Joses beheld where He was laid and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

Chief Priests and Pharisees Sealing the Tomb

Now the next day that followed the day of the Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate saying, “Sir, we remember that that deceiver while he was yet alive said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, ‘He is risen from the dead!’ So the last error shall be worse than the first.” Pilate said unto them, “Ye have a watch. Go your way. Make as sure as ye can.” So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch.

Rolling Away the Stone

In the end of the Sabbath very early in the morning as it began to dawn toward the first of the week, Miriam of the Tower and the other Miriam of Jacob and Salome came to see the sepulchre. They had bought sweet spices so that they might come and anoint Him. They came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices that they and certain [others] with them had prepared.

And they said among themselves, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away from the sepulchre! For it was very great.

Running to Peter (and John)

But Miriam stood outside, weeping at the sepulchre. Then she runs and comes to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Yeshua loved. And she says unto them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we don’t know where they laid Him.”

Miriam and the Angels in the Sepulchre

(Now when He was risen early the first of the week, He appeared first to Miriam of the Tower out of whom He had cast seven devils.) And as she wept, she stooped down into the sepulchre. And she sees two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Yeshua had lain. And they say unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” She says unto them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid Him.” And when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Yeshua standing. And she didn’t know that he was Yeshua. Yeshua says unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she says unto Him, “Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Yeshua says unto her, “Miriam!” She turned herself and says unto Him, “Rabboni!”—which is to say, “My Multiplied-[one]!”

Yeshua says unto her, “Don’t grasp me. For I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God!”

Yeshua is Risen

And entering into the sepulchre, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Yeshua. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. And they saw a young man sitting on the right side clothed in a long white garment. And they were affrighted. And as they were afraid and bowed down faces to the earth, they said unto them, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” And the angel answered and said unto the women, “Fear ye not. For I know that ye seek Yeshua of Nazareth Who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen as He said. Remember how He spoke unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’?” And they remembered His words. “Come! See the place where the Lord lay, where they laid Him! And go quickly your way! And tell His disciples and Peter that He is risen from the dead! And behold, He goes before you into Galilee! Ye shall see Him there as He said unto you! Behold, I have told you!” And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, for they trembled and were amazed. Neither did they say anything to anyone, for they were afraid. And they ran to bring His disciples word.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Yeshua met them saying, “Shalom!” And they came and held Him by the feet and worshipped Him. Then Yeshua said unto them, “Be not afraid. Go tell my brethren so that they go into Galilee. And they shall see me there.”

Telling the Eleven

And they returned from the sepulchre and told all these things unto the eleven and to all the rest. It was Miriam of the Tower and Joanna and Miriam of Jacob and others with them who told these things unto the apostles. Miriam of the Tower told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and He had spoken these things unto her. She went and told them that had been with Him as they mourned and wept. And they didn’t believe when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her. And their words seemed to them as idle tales. And they didn’t believe them.

Peter’s Sepulchre Run with John

Then Peter arose (and that other disciple), went forth, and ran unto the sepulchre. So they ran both together. And the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And stooping down, he saw the linen clothes lying; yet he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter comes following him. And stooping down, he went into the sepulchre and sees the linen clothes lie, laid by themselves, and the bandana that was about His head not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then that other disciple who came first to the sepulchre also went in. And he saw and believed. For they didn’t as yet know the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead. And he departed, wondering in himself what was come to pass. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Emmaus Appearance

He appeared after that in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told unto the residue. Neither did they believe them.

Emmaus Walk with Yeshua

And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus that is sixty furlongs from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things that had happened. And it came to pass that Yeshua Himself drew near and went with them while they communed and reasoned. But their eyes were held so that they would not know Him.

And He said unto them, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another as ye walk, and are sad?” And one of them whose name was Cleopas said unto Him answering, “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem? And thou hast not known the things that are come to pass there in these days?” And He said unto them, “What things?” And they said unto Him, “Concerning Yeshua of Nazareth Who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death. And they have crucified Him. But we trusted that it had been He Who should have redeemed Israel! And besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Indeed, and also certain women of our company who were early at the sepulchre made us astonished! And when they didn’t find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive! And certain of them who were with us went to the sepulchre. And they found even so as the women had said. But they didn’t see Him.”

Then He said unto them, “Fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Messiah to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?”

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. And they drew nigh unto the village to where they went. And He made as though He would have gone further. But they constrained Him saying, “Abide with us. For it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to tarry with them. And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven gathered together, and them who were with them, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told what things in the way, and how He was known by them in breaking of bread. And it came to pass as He sat at food with them, He took bread. And He blessed. And He broke and gave to them. And their eyes were opened. And they knew Him. And He vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, “Didn’t our heart burn within us while He talked with us by the way and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

Money Paid for Lying about Stealing Yeshua’s Body

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers saying, “Say ye, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and secure you.” So they took the money and did as they were taught. And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Eleven Disciples See Yeshua

Then the same day at evening, being the first of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Yehudeem, and as they thus spoke, Yeshua Himself appeared unto the eleven as they sat at food. And He stood in the midst of them.

And He says unto them, “Shalom to you!” But they were terrified and affrighted. And they supposed that they had seen a ghost. And He said unto them, “Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet—that it is I myself! Handle me and see! For a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones as ye see me have.” And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His side, hands and feet. And while they yet didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, “Have ye any food here?” And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took and ate before them. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Then Yeshua said again to them, “Shalom to you!” And He said unto them, “These are the words that I spoke unto you while I was yet with you—that all things that were written in the Torah of Moshe and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled concerning me!”

And He upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they didn’t believe them who had seen Him after He was risen.

Thomas

But Thomas called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with them when Yeshua came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said unto them, “Except I shall see the print of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe!”

And after eight days His disciples were again within, and Thomas is with them. Yeshua came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst. And He said, “Shalom to you!” Then He says to Thomas, “Reach thy finger hither and behold my hands! And reach thy hand hither and thrust into my side. And don’t be faithless, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said unto Him, “My Lord and my God!” Yeshua says unto him, “Thomas, thou hast believed because thou hast seen me. Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed.”

Going into Galilee

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Yeshua had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him.

But some doubted.

Many Appearances

Yeshua showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias after these things. And He showed on this wise.

Yeshua’s Third Visit

Simon Peter and Thomas called Didymus and Nathanael of Cana and them of Zebedee and two other disciples of His were there together in Galilee.

Simon Peter says unto them, “I am going fishing.” They say unto him, “We are also going with thee.” They went forth and immediately entered into a ship. And that night they caught nothing.

But when the morning was now come, Yeshua stood on the shore. But the disciples didn’t know that He was Yeshua. Then Yeshua says unto them, “Children, have ye any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said unto them, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They therefore cast. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes! Therefore that disciple whom Yeshua loved says unto Peter, “It is the Lord!”

Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt a fisher’s coat, for he was naked, and cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship dragging the net with fishes. For they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits.

As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

Yeshua says unto them, “Bring of the fish that ye have now caught.” Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three. And there were so many for all, yet the net was not broken. Yeshua says unto them, “Come! Dine!” And none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who art thou?” knowing that it was the Lord. Yeshua then comes and takes bread, and gives them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Yeshua showed Himself to His disciples after He was risen from the dead.

So when they had dined, Yeshua says to Simon Peter, “Simon of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these?” He says unto Him, “Indeed, sir. Thou knowest that I love thee.” He says unto him, “Feed my lambs.”

He says to him again the second time, “Simon of Jonah, lovest thou me?” He says unto him, “Indeed, sir, Thou knowest that I love thee.” He says unto him, “Feed my sheep.”

He says unto him the third time, “Simon of Jonah, lovest thou me?” Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, “Lovest thou me?” And he said unto Him, “Sir, Thou knowest all things! Thou knowest that I love thee!” Yeshua says unto him, “Feed my sheep! Faith! Faith! I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girded thyself and walked whither thou would. But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and carry whither thou wouldest not.” He spoke this, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He says unto him, “Follow me.”

Then Peter, turning around, sees the disciple whom Yeshua loved following, who also leaned on His breast at supper and said, “Sir, who is he that betrays Thee?” Peter seeing him says to Yeshua, “Sir, and what is this man?” Yeshua says unto him, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is to thee? Follow thou me!” This saying then went abroad among the brethren—that that disciple should not die. Yet Yeshua didn’t say unto him, “He shall not die,” but, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is to thee?” This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Yeshua did that I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written if they, every one, should be written. Faith!

Yeshua Opens Their Understanding

And Yeshua came. Then He opened their understanding so that they would understand the Scriptures. And He said unto them saying, “Thus it is written and thus it behooved the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all races beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. All power is given unto me in the heavens and in earth. Go ye into all the world, therefore, and preach the gospel to every creature, teach all races, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who doesn’t believe shall be damned. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on and says unto them, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. Whosesoever ye retain, they are retained. And these signs shall follow them who believe: they shall cast out devils in my Name. They shall speak with new languages. They shall take up serpents. And if they drink anything deadly, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. And behold, I am with you always unto the end of the age! Faith! And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.” And He led them out as far as to Bethany. And He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Other Signs

And Yeshua truly did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that ye might believe that Yeshua is the Messiah the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through His Name.

Ascension

And so then, it came to pass after the Lord had spoken unto them while He blessed them, He was parted from them and was carried up. And He was received up into the heavens. And they worshipped Him. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And He sat on the right hand of God.

Aftermath

And they were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with and confirming the Word with signs following. Faith!

February 13, 2009August 22, 2016

Biblical Definition of Sin/Can a Saint Go a Day without Sinning?

Can a Saint Go a Day without Sinning?

Introduction

Ask folks claiming to be Christians, “Can anyone go a day without sinning?” Some may take a stand that they can. Others will claim that going any length of time without sinning is not possible, since mortals are fallen creatures. Some practically fight for the right to sin.

One common response is, “You sin all the time, just by your thoughts!” and another is, “We commit the sin of omission all the time!” “Nobody’s perfect!” comes in somewhere. How do Scriptures describe the Saints who pleased God?

Pastor Arthur Glass wrote the following summary (which I have updated later in this document):

The Biblical Definition of Sin

As taken form the pastoral outline notes of Arthur Glass

A. The Depraving Folly: “The thought of foolishness is sin” —Proverbs 24:9-a

The Hebrew word being translated thought is not the usual word. This word means “to connive, design, devise or plan (evil); also to scheme, think (immorally or evil).” Only when used of God can it be used in a good sense (as in Zechariah 8:14 & 15). Whenever it is used of man, it is mainly evil (as in Deuteronomy 19:19).

The Hebrew word being translated foolishness has nothing to do with intelligence or intellectual capacity, or lack of it: but rather with moral or spiritual status: “a state of impious wickedness.”

1. Its Source: The heart

Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. ¹⁹For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: ²⁰These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

2. Its Substance: Evil thoughts (as defined above), murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies

3. Its Sequence: “These are the things which defile a man.”

Examples: Matthew 9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. ⁴And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

B. The Deciding Faithlessness: “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” —Romans 14:23-b

An Example: Titus 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

1. Is it for the glory of God? 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

2. Is it for my good or the good of others?

Examples: Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

3. Is it for the furtherance of the Gospel? Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.

C. The Deliberate Failure: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” —James 4:17

1. In Example: 1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor [yet] of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. ⁷But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

2. In Exercise: Psalm 131:1 A Song of degrees of David. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

3. In Expression: Colossians 4:6 Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

D. The Demonstrated Flagrancy: “Sin is the transgression of the Law” —1 John 3:4-b

Deuteronomy 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

1. The Spiritual Law: Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

2. The Social Law: Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; ¹⁴Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. ¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

3. The Standard Law: The Bible warns against dissipation, drunkenness, excess, gluttony, intemperance, laziness.

E. The Declared Finality: “All unrighteousness is sin” —1 John 5:17-a

1. In Thought: Psalm 50:21 These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes. + Acts 8:20,22

2. In Tongue: Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: ¹⁷A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. ³Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. ⁴Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. ⁵Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! ⁶And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. ³⁷For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

3. In Transaction: Romans 12:17-b Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

2 Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ¹²That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and [that] ye may have lack of nothing.

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(The following is added and not original)

F. The Deleterious Frivolity: “The plowing of the wicked is sin.” —Proverbs 21:4-b

The Hebrew word translated plowing is also the word for lamp or light.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Psalm 50:16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? ¹⁷Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. ¹⁸When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. ¹⁹Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. ²⁰Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. ²¹These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

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Discussion

A. The Plot of Evil

“The plot of evil is sin.” The Hebrew literally reads, “The plot of evil is a sin-sacrifice.” This is an End Times warning text, one of several thousand in the Bible. It gives a particular detail that will save the lives of Jewish folks who know and hearken to it. During the Tribulation, Jews (and some non-Jews) will approach the priests at the Temple to do sin sacrifices. They will not know that they are identifying themselves as enemies of those in power by this means, and will be tracked for arrest or death. The Proverbs text explains that the sin sacrifice will be a plot against them. Readers who hearken to this warning will refrain from approaching to do sin sacrifices during this time.

This does not eliminate plots of evil from being sin, but this Proverbs text is not giving this general rule.

I will discuss “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” “all unrighteousness is sin,” and “who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it–to him it is sin” later in this document.

“Sin is the transgression of the Law.” Anyone ignorant of the Torah (Law) might find this confusing. Read the Torah (the first six books of the Bible) to determine what constitutes transgressions.

“The lamp of the wicked is sin.” What is this lamp? The Hebrew text literally reads, “The lamp of culpable-ones is a sin-sacrifice.” This again is a warning for End Times events (as are all Proverbs texts). The sin sacrifice will be a signal to culpable ones. They will know whom to arrest and/or kill. Readers of these texts with knowledge who are alive during the Tribulation will know to stay away from the Temple and its sacrifices until Salvation has come.

B. “We are not to judge!”

1. No normal person would argue against trained and certified, uncorrupted judges judging without violating any law of God, just as Biblically appointed judges (Gideon, Samson, Samuel) of old were appointed by God to judge. The blanket statement, “we are not to judge,” is a legal, moral and ethical error. If a non-certified person sets himself as a judge, injustice will be done.

2. A customer in the grocery store or on a car lot judges objects. Distinguishing between different objects and different persons is called discernment, determining differences between objects, persons, works, etc. when they otherwise look very similar. Discernment is a form of judgment. Another form of judgment is condemnation. Anyone who condemns another without being authorized is doing wrong.

3. Folks who date judge the qualities of each other (if they have sense). Those who date and marry without judging usually get the quality of the product they deserve. Judgment is crucial in such important decisions.

4. Condemning anyone before the time (of Yehovah’s judgment) is wrong. Discernment is right.

Matthew 7:1-5 Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. And with what measure ye mete [assign by measure], it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote [a small particle] that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, ‘Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;’ and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite! First cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye!

Messiah addressed many who had not come to faith (Matthew 5-7). In Matthew 7:1-5, an unbelieving Israeli (and therefore under condemnation) is judging another Israeli for a lesser offense! Anyone with a beam in his eye is totally blind, a description of the unsaved. This text does not pertain to Saints.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you–men shall give into your bosom good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over. For it shall be measured to you with the same measure that ye mete withal … (43) …For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit, neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man bringeth forth that which is good out of the good treasure of his heart. And an evil man bringeth forth that which is evil out of the evil treasure of his heart. For his mouth speaketh from the abundance of the heart.

In the same manner, the Luke text addressed unsaved Israelis. One Israeli judged another instead of carefully considering his own status before God. The Israelis are commanded to love each other, not sit in judgment upon one other. Israel had courts where judgments beyond this could take place. Messiah guarantees that Israelis who treat other Israelis in a particular way will be treated in the same way. (What is the timing?)

John 7:24 …Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother [concerning foods and holy days]? or why doest thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah… (13) …Let us not therefore judge one another any more. But judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in the brother’s way.

5. The next level of judgment is in a dispute over keeping a holiday or eating certain foods. Jewish individuals could not eat some things according to the Torah, while non-Jewish Saints could. Yehovah prohibited all Saints from eating certain foods, like meat sacrificed to idols (if the host discloses that it was involved in this) and anything with blood. Yehovah commanded the Jewish People to keep certain Holy Days. The Gentiles are not given Biblical Holy Days, and they may observe the days of their choosing, or no days. Contention results if a non-Jewish person tries to put restrictions on a Jew, or vice versa. If a Gentile tells another Gentile to keep the Sabbath (which was given to Israel and not the Gentiles), the Torah has been twisted. If one judges another according to his own views, the judge is violating the territory of Yehovah. This judgment belongs to Yehovah only.

I Corinthians 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

Luke 7:42b “Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose that to whom he forgave most.” And He said unto him, “Thou has rightly judged.”

I Corinthians 5:3 For I verily–as absent in body but present in spirit–have judged already, as though I were present, him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Messiah Jesus, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–with such an one no notto eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person!

1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one who shall be able to judge between his brethren?

6. The next level of judgment is when a Believer judges a sinning non-believer. Religious judgment of sinners (for abortions, addictions, etc.) is presumptuous and not a Saint’s responsibility. The non-believer always has sin. Yehovah judges such for sin.

7. 1 Corinthians addresses legitimately judging a sinning Saint (if there is proof). This is vital to maintain the standards of Godliness among Brethren. Some religious folks will judge others for certain types of clothing, hair lengths, drinking wine, etc., but these are not sin issues unless they cross over into immodesty or addictions. Some maintain that a woman’s wearing pants is immodest. If she does not wear pants, that would truly be immodest!

8. The next level of judgment is discernment (of spirits, of spirituality, of things hard to distinguish without wisdom or the Spirit of God). Even unbelievers can sometimes accurately exercise this important level of judgment.

9. 1 Corinthians 6 teaches that Saints will judge unbelievers and angels. They need to show proper judgment now in preparation for this event.

10. Anyone who criticizes is judging. Criticism is not automatically wrong. It can be constructive, destructive or impertinent. Constructive criticism helps a person do right and become better at something good. Destructive criticism tears down and attacks. The critic may be arrogant, bitter or prideful, or may be untaught in proper communications and sensitivity. No one has the right to condemn criticism, but its form is important. It is a vital part of growth.

11. Anyone exercising no judgment is a fool. Anyone utilizing wise judgment demonstrates virtue. Anyone condemning sound judgment defies the Scriptures and lacks understanding.

C. “You sin all the time, just by your thoughts!”

What constitutes a thought-sin? The Torah teaches the following:

Leviticus 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am Yehovah.

Exodus 23:5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

Luke states,

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, Rebuke Him! And if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, ‘I repent,’ thou shalt forgive him.

1. Hatred of a brother is sin. The following Psalm describes Biblically proper hatred:

Psalm 139:19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked one, O God; depart from me therefore, ye bloody men! For they speak against thee wickedly; thine enemies take [thy Name] in vain! Do not I hate them, Yehovah, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against Thee? I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: test me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be a wicked way in me: and lead me in the way everlasting.

2. A Saint does right by hating those who hate Yehovah and His Name. His views of justice must line up with Yehovah’s. Yet Yehovah shows grace to His enemies, and the Saint must do the same with Wisdom. One of Yehovah’s characteristics is hatred:

Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies: Yehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Psalm 11:5 Yehovah tries the righteous [person]: but the wicked [person] and him that loveth violence His Soul Hateth!

Proverbs 6:16 These… doth Yehovah hate: … A false witness speaking lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off who trouble you!

Hatred is not sin as long as it—

is not toward a brother (a believer, or, among the Israelis, a fellow Israeli);

is part of Biblical grace (Yehovah’s hatred of the above-mentioned sinners has always been an integral part of His grace; He still calls them to repent); and

does not have destructive bitterness. If an enemy desires to make peace on God’s terms, Biblical grace will eliminate bitterness towards the worst enemy.

Any plot of evil is sin (though the text that mentions a plot of evil is referring to a particular event). The following are examples of the plotting of evil:

holding hatred toward a brother

evil bitterness (there is a righteous form)

presumption (assumption with arrogance)

plotting murder, harm, destruction, theft (outside of a war action)

plotting revenge (outside of a war action)

plotting the ruination of character (outside of a war action)

covetousness

Covetousness is fervently desiring the exact item or person possessed by another, and is not the same as desiring something or someone similar. Covetousness can be a plot of evil if, given the chance and possibility, someone will violate ethics to obtain the desired object.

The Torah defines sin. There is no case where incorrect thoughts are considered sin. Anyone acting on evil thoughts or plotting evil has sinned.

If I were to see someone doing what might be evil, but I am unsure, if I draw a conclusion before I know the truth and the facts, I have not sinned. If I act upon those thoughts, my act may be sin. Every thought that is truly a sin is a plot. We can correct thoughts before we act upon them. If the Israelis must bring thoughts into subjection, preventing sin (2 Corinthians 10:5b: bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Messiah, and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience…), all Saints must also. This is not a command to control thoughts. Some have erred by trying to keep evil thoughts out of their minds, feeling guilty before God for even having them. Evil thoughts do not pollute the person in any way. Anyone who has evil thoughts and refuses to yield to them is showing strength, not weakness.

I have often heard the following verse cited regarding thought-sins:

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

The initial action, looketh on a woman, is followed by another action, to lust after her. This is no passive, fleeting thought, but is the beginning of an evil plot. Lusting after anyone in the Biblical sense is an action. The Israelis lusted after meat. Yehovah gave them quails. They ate them raw. It is no sin for a man to lustily desire a woman for a wife if he refuses to sin in the process of properly acquiring her (if she will have him). Raping, stalking or involving her in adultery are great evils. Lusting for a woman (not lusting after) is not Biblically wrong. God built desires into men and women. The races would have ceased long ago had it not been for this.

If one believes fleeting evil thoughts are sin, he will never able to overcome:

James 1:6b …For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Since he is sinning all of the time (in his view), he is less likely to attempt to refuse to sin. Were fleeting thoughts sin, the Word of God would have said so. When one speaks a lie to us, have we sinned? When our mind thinks lies, have we sinned? If we lie and do evil, we sin.

D. “Well, we commit the sin of omission all the time!”

Some use this false doctrine to convict people to go out and witness in every spare moment. “If you don’t witness to every person you can in a given day, you have committed the sin of omission, since we are told to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” they say. This is also used to get drivers for the bus ministry or tithers to give to ‘the storehouse’. It is a handy tool to get people to come to every service in order to “not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as the practice of some is.”

Study the Law of God. Try to find a sin that is not a sin of commission. A sin of omission is a sin done by omitting some necessary act. A sin of commission is a sin done by performing (committing) some act. Every sin in the Bible is a committed sin.

The Torah says to give a coat to a poor brother who is naked. Suppose an Israeli with an extra coat refuses to give his coat. That is an act of disobedience, not of omission.

Suppose someone doesn’t know a particular Law of God, and inadvertently violates it, thereby sinning. It may have been done in ignorance, but it was done, and the command was violated. Examples of this are found in Leviticus and Numbers. Every sin is an act. No sin is an accident. Sin may be done in ignorance, but it is still an act. No Israeli is permitted to be ignorant of the commandment! The Hebrew texts refer to sins of imprudence rather than sins of ignorance. A sin of omission, were it to exist, would be a non-act.

Did Messiah Yeshua witness to every person? He could have witnessed to Herod at His trial, but He refrained (“He opened not His mouth”). Paul was forbidden to preach the word by the command of the Holy Spirit:

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit allowed them not.

Weren’t they commanded to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature? Abraham did not witness to everyone, nor did any of the Saints. They pleased God by working with their hands and by being obedient in all things. Refuse to commit sins (obviously of commission). That will please Yehovah.

E. “Nobody’s perfect!”

This is a statement of disbelief. Unbelief indicates blindness regarding Spiritual things. Disbelief indicates sight, the refusal to acknowledge what is openly seen, and even obstinacy rooted in pride.

1. What does perfect mean? It is always in the superlative degree. There is nothing above perfect. There is no such thing in the Hebrew language as ‘more perfect’. The expressions more perfectly and more perfect are used in the ‘New Testament’ in the following texts:

Acts 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto [them], and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Acts 23:15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

Acts 23:20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

Acts 24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of [that] way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building…

These verses express the addition of perfect information or clarity to what was already known. The Hebrew use of perfect is always expressing a superlative.

Perfect is used as an adjective to describe the Law of God, which is part of the Word of God. It is elevated above the Name Yehovah:

Psalm 138:2b …for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above ALL thy Name…

The statement, “the Law of Yehovah is perfect” declares a perfection that cannot be surpassed.

2. Israel’s sacrifices had to be perfect (not without blemish as in most renderings). They typify Messiah. Therefore perfect will not mean anything less. A car may be without blemish. That doesn’t mean that it will start. A perfect car will start. Perfect means being and doing all that God created the person, item or animal to be and to do by His power and according to His command. Is it difficult to do the will of God when He has given the power and the command to do it? Is obedience difficult? The way of transgressors is hard (Proverbs 13:15).

3. Are there any perfect people besides Messiah? Righteous is to be in right standing before God based on doing right, not under accusation before Him. All unrighteousness is sin, and therefore all righteousness is not sin. A righteous person refuses to sin, and an unrighteous person sins. Yehovah holds the standard and judges according to it. Anything short of righteousness in His view isn’t righteous. Yet someone may do right in the sight of Yehovah and not be righteous, as in the following case:

2 Kings 14:1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. ²He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. ³And he did right in the sight of Yehovah, yet not like David his father. He did according to all things as Joash his father did. ⁴Howbeit the high places were not taken away. As yet, the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

To be righteous in the Spiritual sense is both to do right and to be right in all things. Positional righteousness is no replacement for experiential righteousness. Some righteous individuals are not born of God. King Abimelech was such a person:

Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Behold, thou art a dead man, for the woman that thou hast taken. For she is a man’s wife.” ⁴But Abimelech had not come near her. And he said, “Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? ⁵Said he not unto me, ‘She is my sister?’ And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.” ⁶And God said unto him in a dream, “Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart. For I also withheld thee from sinning against me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. ⁷Now therefore restore the man the wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.”

4. The theological stand known as Sinless perfection is unscriptural. One of the two words in sinless perfection is redundant, since to be perfect is to be without sin. This false doctrine claims that a person born in sin may lose his ability to sin by entire sanctification (another false doctrine). No mortal hast lost the ability to sin. The Bible gives warnings to Saints to beware lest they fall. But can a Saint be perfect?

Genesis 6:9b Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God.

Genesis 7:1 And Yehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and refused evil… 1:8 …And Yehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and refuses evil?… 1:22 …In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly… 2:3b …a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and refuseth evil? and still he holds fast his perfection [Hebrew], although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause… 2:10b …In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisheva. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

If “Nobody’s perfect,” the Scriptures aren’t true.

5. Some folks attempt to diminish the definitions of words like perfect into meanings like mature (The Law of Yehovah is mature, restoring the soul?) or sincere (The Law of Yehovah is sincere, restoring the soul?). “Be ye therefore mature, even as your Father who is in heaven is mature”? “Be ye therefore sincere, even as your Father who is in heaven is sincere”?

How were some Saints perfect/righteous? Noah walked with God. Job feared God and refused evil. He didn’t accuse God. He held fast to his perfection. He didn’t sin with his lips. Zechariah and Elisheva walked in all the commandments and ordinances of Yehovah, and were blameless before God (Luke 1:5,6). Were they born that way? No. They made up their minds using the power God gave them to consistently do right. Daniel is twice commended for his righteousness:

Ezekiel 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Yehovah.

Ezekiel 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, I live, saith the Lord Yehovah, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

6. Yehovah has a great investment in each person’s walking righteously. Yehovah leads Israel in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name. His Name would be on the line if a Saint were to sin. John, by the Spirit of Yehovah, wrote,

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2And He is the covering for our sins—and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

He tells the little children to not sin. If any man does sin, the Israelis have Yeshua, the advocate with the Father Who is the covering for the Israelis’ sins, and also for the sins of the whole world. Any man who sins must come to the Advocate that the Israelis have. In the meantime, these little children are not to sin.

7. Is sinning just going to happen? Are we bound to sin daily? We have examples who did not, so they were not bound to sin. Have we less power than they? What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1) The modern answer is, Amen! The modern Churchianic answer is, It’s going to happen, and the Grace of God will cover it. The correct answer is, How shall we (who are dead to sin) live any longer in it? We are not to serve sin.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

8. There is no such thing as a ‘sinner saved by Grace.’ Either one is a sinner, or one is saved by Grace. “You either is or you ain’t!” No ‘is’ can say that he is a ‘saved Ain’t’! Perhaps the ‘used-to-be-a-sinner’ is now saved by Grace.

Paul stated that he is the chief of sinners. If he was still sinning at the time of his writing, and is still the chief of sinners in evil, what right does he have to write Scriptures telling others to stop sinning? If his being chief was acquired before Salvation, and he still holds the record, and/or if he is prophesying in the voice of another (like Israel) who has now turned to righteousness, is this not an excellent example of the great Grace of God?

9. Consider the woman caught in adultery:

John 8:1 Yeshua went unto the mount of Olives. ²And He came again early in the morning into the Temple. And all the people came unto Him. And He sat down and taught them. ³And the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman unto Him taken in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴they say unto Him, “Master! This woman was taken in adultery—in the very act! ⁵Now, Moshe commanded us in the Torah that such should be stoned. But what sayest thou?” ⁶They said this, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. And Yeshua stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger as though He heard them not. ⁷So, when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself and said unto them, “He who is without sin among you, he shall first cast a stone at her.” ⁸And He again stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹And they who heard being convicted by conscience, went out one by one beginning at the eldest unto the last. And Yeshua was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰When Yeshua had lifted up Himself and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, “Woman! Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” ¹¹She said, “No man, Lord.” And Yeshua said unto her, “Neither do I condemn thee. Go! And sin no more!”

Had Yeshua commanded her to do what she could not possibly do, Yeshua would have compounded her sin! If she was capable, however, acknowledge that this command is reasonable.

Also consider the following text:

1 John 3:4 Whosoever does a sin also does lawlessness. And sin is lawlessness. ⁵And ye know that He was manifested so that He will take away our sins. And sin is not in Him. ⁶Anyone who abides in Him doesn’t sin. Anyone who sins has not seen Him nor has known Him. ⁷Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. ⁸He who does a sin is of the devil because the devil sins from the beginning. The Son of God was manifested for this—that He will undo the works of the devil. ⁹Everyone that has been begotten of God doesn’t do sin because His seed abides in him. And he is not able to sin because he has been begotten of God.

I propose that the last verse (verse 9) should have been rendered in the following manner:

Everyone that has been begotten of God doesn’t do sin (because His seed abides in him, and He is not able to sin) because he has been begotten of God.

This would verify that God’s inability to sin is what empowers the Saint to not sin. Since a Saint has Yehovah’s seed in him, and Yehovah doesn’t sin, simple consistency will teach that the person also will not sin. (Should a Saint sin, the consequences will be much worse than if a sinner sins, since that action brings Yehovah and His Body into disrepute.)

Romans 6:1,14,15 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Not to exist! ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you. For ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? Not to exist!

Conclusion

Saints must consistently live righteously, refusing to sin. Messiah died and rose again so that Saints would live, not sin! If His power is not great enough to enable Saints to stand, He is neither sovereign nor omnipotent. Saints glorify His Name by walking righteously. This is perfection.

Learn what is and isn’t sin by reading the Torah (the first six books of the Bible). Yehovah paid a great price because of sin. Don’t treat the price with contempt by showing that He failed.

February 9, 2009August 9, 2016

Law Terms in Brief

Torah	Teaching of Yehovah often demonstrated in types. This is mistranslated as ‘Law’, having little to do with jurisprudence (though it contains some), but everything to do with Yehovah’s plans for the future and a proper description of Messiah and of Saints.
Statute	Rule, as engraved in stone: what is or is not to be done in a particular circumstance
Commandment	An ‘order’ as by a commanding officer telling individuals or groups what to do or not to do. This may include individual ‘orders’ or orders for the entire group. (A statute is a commandment; a commandment is not necessarily a statute.)
Precept	A visitation (of Yehovah) for or against those being visited. This especially has to do with His personally coming to or among the Israelis to take action for them or against them.
Judgment	A ruling, a decision based on all the facts. This is the same as justice.
Ordinance	This can be the same word as statute, guarding, hand or justice. (One must look it up in each case.)
Testimony	A statement that a witness affirms (almost vows) he has seen, heard, tasted, etc. In Yehovah’s case, He sees the future, and can witness every detail of it in His testimony.

February 9, 2009August 22, 2016

Was Paul Struggling with Sin?

Introduction

The second half of Romans 7 has become the focal text determining whether the Saint can successfully refrain from sinning. Some believe the doctrine of Sinless Perfection, which states that one can become ‘entirely sanctified’ so that he looses the ability to sin. Others claim that the most successful among the Saints are bound to sin at least once in a while, if not on a daily basis. This second view is encapsulated in “I’m just a sinner saved by grace.” This document will examine Romans 6 through 8 as a unit to see what is right.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ²Absolutely not. How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer in it? ³Know ye not that as many of us as were baptized into Yeshua Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also of the resurrection, ⁶knowing this–that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸Now if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death has no more dominion over him. ¹⁰For in that He died, He died unto sin once. And in that He lives, He lives unto God. ¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin and alive unto God through Yeshua Christ our Lord. ¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in its lusts. ¹³Neither yield ye your members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But yield yourselves unto God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you. For ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? Absolutely not! ¹⁶Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine that was delivered you. ¹⁸Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ²⁰For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²¹What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²²But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end–everlasting life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Yeshua Christ our Lord. 7:1Know ye not brethren (for I speak to them that know the law) that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? ²For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to the husband so long as he lives. But if the husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of the husband. ³So then if she be married to another man while the husband lives, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband is dead, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress though she is married to another man. ⁴Therefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ so that ye should be married to another—to Him who is raised from the dead—that we should bring forth fruit unto God. ⁵For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins that were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. ⁶But we are now delivered from the law, that being dead in which we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not the oldness of the letter. ⁷What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! No, I had not known sin but by the law. For I had not known lust except the law had said, “Thou shalt not covet.” ⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin is dead. ⁹For I was alive without the law once. But when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. ¹⁰And I found the commandment that is to life unto death! ¹¹For sin deceived me, taking occasion by the commandment, and by it slew [me]. ¹²Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. ¹³Was, then, that which is good made death unto me? Absolutely not. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. ¹⁴For we know that the law is spiritual. And I am carnal, sold under sin. ¹⁵For I don’t allow what I do. For what I would, that don’t do. But what I hate, I do that! ¹⁶If then I do what I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. ¹⁷Now, then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but to perform that which is good–I don’t find. ¹⁹For I don’t do the good that I would. But the evil that I would not–I do that! ²⁰Now if I do what I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. ²¹I find, then, a law—that when I would do good, evil is present with me. ²²For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. ²³But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin that is in my members. ²⁴O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? ²⁵I thank God—through Yeshua Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with the mind, but the law of sin with the flesh. 8:1Therefore, now, no condemnation is to them who are in Christ Yeshua. ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Yeshua has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh ⁴that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk–not after the flesh–but after the Spirit. ⁵For they who are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they who are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷For the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then, they who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit—if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. ¹⁰And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, and the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹And if the Spirit of Him Who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, He Who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. ¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors–not to the flesh to live after the flesh. ¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. But if ye mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit, ye shall live. ¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God—they are the sons of God. ¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of ‘sonshipment’ by which we cry “Abba!” “Father!” ¹⁶The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, ¹⁷and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with [Him], that we may be also glorified together. ¹⁸For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory that shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God! ²⁰For the creation was made subject to vanity—not willingly, but by reason of Him who has subjected in hope. ²¹For the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. ²³And not only [they] but ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit–even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the ‘sonshipment’—the redemption of our Body! ²⁴For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man sees–why does he yet hope for? ²⁵But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for [it] with patience. ²⁶Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we don’t know for what we should pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. ²⁷And He Who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to God. ²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God—to them who are the called according to purpose. ²⁹For whom He did foreknow He also did predestinate conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰And whom He did predestinate, He also called them. And whom He called, He also justified them. And whom He justified, He also glorified them. ³¹What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³²He Who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all—how shall He not also freely give us all things with Him? ³³Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? God is Who justifies. ³⁴Who is he who condemns? Christ is Who died—yea rather Who is risen again, Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also makes intercession for us! ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation? or distress? or persecution? or famine? or nakedness? or peril? or sword? ³⁶as it is written, “We are killed all the day long for Thy sake. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. ³⁸For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come ³⁹nor height nor depth nor any other creation shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Yeshua our Lord!

Romans 6

Verses 1 and 2 teach that those identified as we are not to continue in sin, because they are dead to sin. It would be strange for a dead person to continue doing something that he did when he was alive.

Who are the we? Are they Saints or non-saints? Verse 3 identifies them as those who are “baptized in Messiah Yeshua,” and thus, baptized into His death. Are they Saints? Paul was not referring to counterfeits. They are Saints. (A Saint is anyone who is born of God, having Salvation.)

What does “not continue in sin” mean? To not continue means to stop. Texts must be taken literally.

Verse 4 continues, baptism is a burial into death. Since Messiah was literally raised up from the dead (by the glory of the Father), so we are also to walk in newness of life. If anyone continues to ‘occasionally sin’ (which is what he did before salvation), how does this demonstrate genuine newness of life? This makes no sense. The issue of this text is sin, not salvation. If salvation is still in question, other texts cover salvation much better.

Verses 5-7 speak of death and resurrection. The “old man is crucified” (not “being crucified”), that the Body of sin might be destroyed (the result of the old man being crucified). The accent is on this statement: “Henceforth (from now on) we are not to serve sin!” If anyone still serves sin, what good did the act of being baptized into Messiah’s death accomplish for him?

Anyone who is dead is freed from sin. This Old Man of sin is a group, not an individual. It is a Body. The New Man is also a Body. One must leave the Old Man of sin and be placed in the New Man.

Verses 8-11: A resurrection depends upon first being dead with Messiah. There is no basis for a hope in the resurrection if one is not dead in Messiah. No one can be partially dead. Anyone who claims to be still connected to an “old man” does not yet have the assurance of the resurrection.

Verse 9 demonstrates the finality of the death of Messiah and the finality of His resurrection. These statements are all absolute, not progressive in nature.

Verse 10 states that Messiah lives unto God. He no longer needs to repeat the dying process, and neither does anyone who has been born of God. The process is completed never to be done again.

The ‘likewise’ of verse 11 cannot be overstated. The Saint is to reckon himself to be dead indeed unto sin. To reckon is to consider something factual. The Believer is not to live in a dream world. Anyone who reckons himself to be something that he is not is living a lie, not the truth. Messiah is only interested in Truth, not in visualization or self-deception. He desires an honest self-appraisal.

Verses 12-14 give the result of this reckoning. If someone is reigning or ruling, he has the power. If sin is reigning, sin has the power. No Saint is to give sin any power. He is not to obey sin in any of sin’s lusts. Anyone who still sins is doing the opposite of the commands of these verses.

Members of the Body are the bodily parts. Yielding bodily parts to be instruments of unrighteousness is giving in to sin. Sinning daily (or even once a week) is voluntarily yielding bodily parts as instruments of unrighteousness. Some so-called “Christians” are stupid (brutish, K.J.V.) and are not able to understand these texts. Unbelievers know the right standard for Christians. They become outraged (or entertained) if a Christian sins.

Anyone born of God and truly alive from the dead is to yield to God. If he does not, this whole chapter does not apply to him. Yielding to righteousness and to God is to not sin. It is not a struggle; it is a yielding. Anyone who is struggling to not sin shows that he hasn’t been born of God. He is still a slave trying to break free. The word yield means to not contend, to not give resistance; to let another do what he is going to do without hindrance.

Verse 14 states that sin shall not have dominion over anyone who is yielded unto God. A dead person is not under the penalties of the Law, as Paul states:

Colossians 2:14 And you—being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh—He has made-alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, that was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. ¹⁵Having spoiled principalities and powers, He openly made a show of them, triumphing over them in it.

Messiah, in His death, blotted out the handwriting of the ordinances (not the Law) that specified the crimes of which each one was guilty.

A dead person is not under the Law. The Law only has contention with those who are alive and are violating it. A corpse does not—indeed cannot—violate the Law! One who is dead (to sin) and alive (to God) is under the Grace of Yehovah, having taking advantage of that Grace! The Saint lives a lifestyle above the requirements and expectations of the Law, not under it, by this Grace. The Law (Torah) was given to unbelieving Israelis, not to Saints.

Verse 15 asks the question, “Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? Absolutely not!” Paul deals with sinning in this blatant and absolute manner.

Sin is unto death (verse 16). Obedience alone is unto righteousness. A man will be the servant of the one to whom he yields.

The historical fact (verse 17) is declared: “Ye were the servants to sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine that was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

Yielding a group’s “members servants to righteousness unto holiness” (verse 19) is a choice. Paul would be foolish to tell the Romans to do something they could not do were this not the case.

(Verses 20-22) The tense of the statement “… for when ye were …” demonstrates that this is no longer the case. They are no longer “the servants of sin.” But now being made free from sin, and having become servants to God, they can bear fruit. No one in the state of death can bear fruit.

Verse 22 states that those identified as ye are freed from sin, they now have their fruit unto holiness, and the end, everlasting life. Verse 23 states that the wages of sin is death to them, and the gift of God is everlasting life. The wages of sin for the non-saint will not be death, since the non-saint is already dead. The wages of sin for the non-saint will be greater damnation.

Romans 7

According to verses 1-3, the extent of the Law only reaches to those who are physically alive. Verse 4 explains that the death of the man means that the man is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Law, not that the Law is abolished.

The purpose of this new life is to bring forth fruit. Sin kills, it doesn’t cause fruit production. Dead things don’t grow. They rot.

Verse 5: “When we were in the flesh” indicates that those identified as we are no longer in the flesh. We brought forth fruit unto death when we were in the flesh.

Verse 6: That in which we were held is dead. This group identified as we have been delivered out of the ‘hands’ of the Law. We are now to serve in newness of spirit, and not the oldness of the letter.

Verse 7: One purpose of the Law is to know what is and isn’t sin. The Law is good. Since the purpose of the Law is to know sin, if the Law had not been there, “I” (Paul—or whom he typifies) would not have known sin. (Verse 8:) But sin worked in ‘me’ every manner of concupiscence. Paul (or whom Paul typifies) recognized sin to be exactly what it was because the Law informed him!

Do not overlook the tenses of the statements. The Spirit of Yehovah is prophetically speaking through Paul in the past tense: “I had not known …” “… for when we were …” His reference is to the old life in contrast to newness of life in Messiah.

Verse 9: There was a time when the Law had nothing to do with Paul (and to the one Paul typifies). He was a child under the tutelage of parents. When he later learned the commandment, however, sin came alive for him. He found that the wages of sin were death. Paul died. He died as certainly as Adam and Eve died according to the promise, “In the day that you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, dying, you will die!”

Verse 10: The commandment’s purpose was to life! (ohÐœ8j0k) It preserved the follower from being put to death until he (he or she) could come to faith if the follower refrained from death-penalty offenses. He would then no longer need the commandment in order to do righteousness; he simply would do righteousness (as he yielded to God). The commandment declared that the result would be death for anyone breaking the commandment, however.

Sin deceives, and sin slays. The commandment specified what sin is, and thus what is worthy of death. The Law declares sin and its consequences. It is of Yehovah, and it is holy. The commandment is holy, righteous, and good.

Verse 13 asks, since the commandment is good, and since, by the power of the commandment, sin slays, is the commandment made to be death? No. Sin works death by means of the commandment. (There would be no death if there were no commandment declaring something to be sin and a cause of death.) The commandment demonstrates that sin is exceedingly strong!

Verse 14: I ask you, Was Paul carnal, sold under sin at the time of this writing? The Greek is even stronger. It states that he sold himself to sin. This verse declares this in the present tense. Is this the condition of an inspired and infallible writer of a book of the Bible?

In one Jewish form of argument, it is usual to go from the past tense to the present. Look at the tenses of the verbs in the following quote: “I came and found the car gone. So I ran into the house. And what is the first thing I find? I find that the safe is missing too!” The tense changed, but it is still describing an event in the past. The Spirit of God through Paul either employed this technique, or Paul was in no condition to tell others that they need to be freed from sin.

Paul states in 6:20 and 6:22 that the Saints have been made free from sin and servanthood to sin, and have become servants to God. Did Paul change his mind?

To be “sold under sin” is to sell one’s self to be the servant to sin. Did Paul do that as a Saint? Would his writings be infallible if he were still a (voluntary) slave to sin?

Being carnal is walking after the flesh. Why does Paul refer to those who “do not walk after the flesh” (8:4) as if it is the norm for Saints?

If Paul was still carnal and sold under sin at the time of this writing, he certainly stated that we are not to be carnal or sold under sin! Was he confused about his own status? Nonsense. Paul is either discussing his past as if it is the present, prophesying for another whom he typifies, or he is quite the hypocrite, telling others to do what he never could accomplish until he was dead! Paul was not carnal or sold under sin at this time.

Verses 15 and 16 show the dilemma of the non-spiritual person who desires to do right on his own: he does the opposite of what he knows is right. It is a very part of his carnal nature!

Verse 17 demonstrates the result of “indwelling sin:” the tendency to sin! It is ‘only natural’! There is no ability to do good! (verse 18-20). Evil (only) is present with the sinner, with the carnal person, with the non-Saint. Paul found himself captive to the law of sin that was an integral part of him (when he was carnal, and when he was non-spiritual, verse 23). [In 8:2, he declares that he is free from the law of sin.]

How can anyone get free from carnality, from slavery to sin and from death? Only through Messiah Yeshua our Lord (verse 25). Until that happened, Paul could only serve the law of sin with his flesh. He was a slave. These texts demonstrate the futility of achieving salvation by works. Paul was righteous, a hot zealot, but he was not born of God. He was a slave to sin.

Romans 8

(Verse 1) Those who are in Messiah Yeshua have no condemnation, since the Law of the Spirit of life via Messiah Yeshua has made them free from the law of sin and death. One who is freed from the law of sin will no longer serve sin (Romans 6:12).

Was the problem the Law? The Law (verse 3) was weak by its weakest link: the flesh. The flesh could not uphold the righteousness of the Law. Only the Spirit of life could provide the support for the righteous life. Messiah came in the likeness of sinful flesh in order to condemn sin in the flesh. My Grandfather explained it this way: A perfectly sound nail will hold nothing if it is hammered into rotten wood. The Law is the nail, and the flesh is the rotten wood. The nail is weak because of its placement, not its design.

“The righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” There are only two types of individuals: those who “mind the things of the flesh” and those who “mind the things of the Spirit.” The result of being carnally minded is death. The result of being Spiritually minded is both life and peace.

The carnal mind is an enemy against God. It cannot be subject to the Law of God.

Verse 8 teaches that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The contrast is being in the Spirit. The “Spirit of God dwells in you.” No person without the Spirit of Messiah is holy to Messiah—Messiah’s property.

If Messiah is in anyone, the Body is dead (not dying) because of sin, and the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Verse 11 returns back to the original topic of Romans 6:5. If the Spirit of God dwells in anyone, he will be resurrected by God’s Spirit Who dwells in him. Only those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (verse 14). Those who live after the flesh shall die (verse 13).

Sinless Perfection

Anyone who subscribes to the concepts of “sinless perfection” (the idea that the saint can and should reach a point where he cannot sin any longer while in the mortal body) is damnably deceived. The Scriptures warn the Saints of the dangers in this world:

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Sinless perfection is a doctrine for fools. Refusing to sin is the obligation and occupation of Saints.

Conclusion

Either Paul was a Spiritual schizophrenic or he was describing himself (in the second half of chapter 7) as he was before he turned to Messiah. Anyone who teaches that Paul had a struggle with sin and sinning throughout his Christian life is teaching the opposite of his own declaration of the liberty that every Saint enjoys—liberty from the slavery to sin and sinning.

Paul’s commands to the Romans are absolute: Do not yield the members of your body to sin and sinning under any circumstance. Yield to God and to righteousness.

Anyone who struggles to do right has not yet come to the point of mortifying the deeds of the body (8:13). He is still a slave in need of Salvation from sin.

The Saint has no excuse to continue sinning.

February 9, 2009July 5, 2017

The Faces

The Hebrew word faces is always plural. The singular would describe turning, as in a corner. A living creature never has only one face—one turn. The faces consist of many turns, and the faces can turn to show many reactions. One face can express anger, while another expresses joy.

Face appears early in the Bible:

Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the faces of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the faces of the waters.

Children naturally associate with faces more than do adults. This is one reason why they are attracted to stuffed animals. They have friendly, soft faces. A dark room may frighten a child, because the faces of the room are unknown. Moving waters, as the ocean waters, have faces that are constantly changing. The soil also has faces:

Genesis 2:6 There went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

Humility or sudden fear is shown by the ‘childism’ falling on one’s faces:

Genesis 17:3 And Abram fell on his face.

Just as a child whose faces show the direction the child intends to go, the Bible describes the same thing regarding adults:

Genesis 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom.

If a child is afraid of someone, he will run from that person’s faces:

Genesis 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, “Arise! Go up to Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar unto God Who appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the faces of Esau thy brother.”

A child who shows great affection for an adult will go for his faces. This is also true of Biblical adults:

Genesis 50:1 And Joseph fell upon his father’s face. And he wept upon him and kissed him.

Even if a child cannot run from someone he fears, he will hide his faces:

Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

Children do not tend to fear what they cannot see (or imagine). Thus, Yehovah determined to place His fear before the faces of the Israelis:

Exodus 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, “Fear not! For God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

When a child becomes angry with someone, she sets her faces against him, just as the Bible portrays:

Leviticus 17:10 “And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among you who eateth any manner of blood, I will even set my faces against that soul that eateth blood and will cut him off from among his people!”

Some form of the word faces is used at least 2,100 times in the ‘Old Testament,’ since it is found in the word translated before (meaning in front of, orliterally, to the faces of). Children learn early about faces, and they show their inner thoughts on their faces.

Many cultures have portrayed what they believe to be the face of Jesus through their icon art. These almost never show Jesus as Jewish, but reflect the cultural view of how Jesus ‘should’ look. The faces of Gentile Jesuses are neither Biblical nor Scriptural. Yeshua’s faces drew children:

Mark 10:13 And they brought young children to Him so that He would touch them. And the disciples rebuked those that brought. 14But when Jesus saw, He was much displeased. And He said unto them, “Dispatch the little children to come to me, and forbid them not. For of such is the kingdom of God. 15Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter into her!” 16And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them and blessed them.

Yeshua chose to be born with a Jewish face. Attacks against the Jews sometimes feature a stereotypical, twisted Jewish face with a broken nose and dark eyebrows. While Jewish features are not standard, and reflect the many cultures of the world, hating or ignoring the faces of Jews is the same as hating the faces of God. Many churches claiming to be based on Christianity like faces in their memberships to reflect themselves, not folks who look different, especially who look Jewish. Yet the angels of Jewish children always behold the faces of Yehovah the Father:

Matthew 18:10 “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones. For I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father Who is in heaven.”

Do you portray the faces of Yeshua to others, especially to Israel? Jewish individuals who care find it strange when a non-Jewish person ‘looks’ so much like the Biblical God and Biblical Saints. Consider the surprise of the Jericho spies when Rahab said,

Joshua 2:9 And she said unto the men, “I knew that Yehovah gave to you the land, and that your terror fell upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melted from your faces. 10For we heard how Yehovah dried up the waters of the Red sea from your faces in your exiting from Egypt, and what ye did to two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side Jordan—to Sihon and to Og whom ye utterly destroyed. 11And we heard. And our hearts melted. And spirit did not arise again in a man from your faces. For Yehovah your God—He is God in the heavens from above and upon the land from under. 12And now vow, pray, to me by Yehovah. For I did Grace with you. And ye shall do Grace, even ye, with the house of my father. And ye shall give to me a sign of Truth. 13And ye will make-live my father and my mother and my brethren and my sisters and all that is to them. And ye shall rescue our beings from death.”

Rahab, a Gentile and a Canaanite, certainly showed a Jewish face!

Email between a Teenage Girl and a Youth Pastor

Or,

Is Modern Christianity Teaching the Doctrine of Balaam–that Sins such as Fornication are a Normal Part of the Godly Life?

Tomb Texts – What Happened around the Resurrection? Garden Tomb in Israel

Tomb Texts – What Happened around the Resurrection?

Preface

The Great Earthquake

Women at a Distance at the Cross

Joseph of Arimathaea to Pilate

Chief Priests and Pharisees Sealing the Tomb

Rolling Away the Stone

Running to Peter (and John)

Miriam and the Angels in the Sepulchre

Yeshua is Risen

Telling the Eleven

Peter’s Sepulchre Run with John

Emmaus Appearance

Emmaus Walk with Yeshua

Money Paid for Lying about Stealing Yeshua’s Body

Eleven Disciples See Yeshua

Thomas

Going into Galilee

Many Appearances

Yeshua’s Third Visit

Yeshua Opens Their Understanding

Other Signs

Ascension

Aftermath

Can a Saint Go a Day without Sinning?

Introduction

The Biblical Definition of Sin

Discussion

Conclusion

Law Terms in Brief

Torah

Statute

Commandment

Precept

Judgment

Ordinance

Testimony

Was Paul Struggling with Sin?

Introduction

Romans 6

Romans 7

Romans 8

Sinless Perfection

Conclusion

The Faces

Tomb Texts – What Happened around the Resurrection?

Garden Tomb in Israel