Anyone who will properly understand the Bible must understand the whole Bible. Those who only view the ‘New Testament’ as authoritative and dismiss the ‘Old Testament’ do not understand the Bible, and will come to wrong conclusions on very important matters. Anyone who reads only the New Testament will understand the New Testament … wrong. I am not saying that he will not understand it—he will understand it, and it will make sense, but his understanding will be wrong.

Yehovah designed the Bible so that anyone of any persuasion could read it and derive ample evidences and proofs of his own persuasion from the Bible. Those who desire Truth will see truth from the Bible, and all others will find proofs for their erroneous views.

Those who call themselves ‘New Testament Christians’ have the greatest disadvantage in the area of divorce, especially if they understand New Testament Christianity to mean faith in the New Testament to the exclusion of the Old Testament. Denominations such as the Churches of Christ, the Christian Church, many Baptist churches and individual churches from many other denominations practice this view. The result is great Biblical injustice. Those who should be granted a divorce cannot be granted one by these churches. Their faithful tolerate great abuse and evil.

The Bible is a complete book. Justice is not done when pieces of the Bible are used to the exclusion of the whole Bible. When those pieces are the last ones written (like the ‘New Testament’), the whole foundation of Truth (found in Genesis) is missing. Broken pieces of a foundation cannot support a structure.

The Bible must be taken literally except when doing so would produce an understanding that violates other literal texts of Scriptures (such cases are rare). Taking the Bible in any other sense than the literal sense will produce nonsense. Yehovah is a God of His Word. He must be understood that way.
Get to know the Torah—the first six books of the Bible. The rest of the Bible has no foundation without knowing these six books. Yehovah made them the foundation. They are not difficult to learn.
Study the Saints. Their behaviour shows much about Yehovah and His ways. The topic of divorce will be especially pronounced in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah (chapters cited below).
Always look for obvious things in the Bible. Do not try to find invisible or hidden things. Anyone seeking hidden things will find many opportunities to make up theology. He cannot learn truth because he is too busy making error. If he looks for Bible codes, he will find them! If he looks for hidden messages spelled out in the Hebrew by skipping to every fourth letter, he will find them and will destroy his own way.
Notice every detail. The answers to the toughest questions will be found in details of events that seem unrelated to the questions. Do not skip-read. Important details will usually consist of briefly stated blatant statements.
The Bible is often not in chronological order. Exceptions include the Books of Revelation, Kings, Esther, Judges, Ruth and Chronicles. Even Revelation occasionally leaves its sequence. Biblical facts regarding any one topic are not all placed together. You must compare texts with texts and gather the complete listing of the facts in order to completely understand any issue. (There are some unusual exceptions where the facts are brief and in one place.)
The Biblical vocabulary does not include many words. Every word has one or several meanings, and these meanings do not necessarily correspond to today’s English vocabulary. Popular Bible dictionaries give definitions that are often not correct and are the result of theologians’ opinions.
The best way to find the meaning of a Biblical word is to read the Bible and derive the definition yourself from its usage. This can be very time-consuming, but it is worth the time and effort. Erroneous understandings will certainly arise without a correct understanding of word definitions. Use whatever means you have to get to know the meanings of words. Prove the meanings by testing them. Look the words up in a concordance to find where the words are used. See if your meanings fit every text in which the words are used.
If you already have your mind made up regarding the meaning of a word or a text so that your mind will not be changed no matter what you find, why waste your time? Read the Bible to learn. Learning implies not just the addition of information, but also the subtraction of error. If a text teaches something contrary to what you understood, be willing to change your view.
Men often approach the Bible with an improper view of women. Since most theologians are men, the Bible is often viewed as being male-centred. A proper view of women will not lead to this conclusion. The Bible shows that more women do well in the categories of Spiritual faithfulness, logic and boldness than men. Men who approach the Bible with beliefs that women are to be kept subject to men will derive logical and wrong answers to their questions.
Carefully distinguish between similar texts. Just because one text has wording that is very close to another text does not mean that the two texts are related. Many errors have come about by wrong assumptions.
Read the Bible with realism. It is not a sugar-coated book of promises, nor is it a book designed to help racists prove their points. It gives a realistic picture of man and God. View it as being a book written in a very practical way to show very practical things. If a text seems to prove a point that makes no sense, find other related texts and fit them all together. If you cannot find these texts, keep reading the Bible through without skipping. You will likely find other related texts that answer your questions. Be patient. Some answers take years.
Come to understand the construction of the prophetic texts. Yehovah determined their design, and they are consistent. Prophecies are topically oriented and are scattered throughout the Bible. Many questions can be answered from prophetic texts. Timings and situations must be determined to avoid making common and stupid mistakes of misapplication and misappropriation. Take time to check your conclusions.
Look out for violently perverted translations! A basic rule of thumb is this: the more modern the translation, the more liberal (in a bad sense) the rendering is, and the less accurate the text is. Translators are the best examples of the theology of the times, and the theology of our modern times is the worst that it has been in history. More individuals own Bibles, and more are ignorant of the contents of their Bibles than in any other time in history. Stay with the most literal translation that you can find. Avoid dynamically equivalent translations that are opinions of the translators rather than honest renderings. They read very smoothly and change vital texts into new meanings that the original texts never contained. They are the bestway to learn the theology of the Bible solidly and wrongly. Struggle with translations that are harder to read, but are more literal. If you must choose between the so-called New International Version and the King James Version, choose the King James Version. They do not say the same thing. They describe totally different gods.
Do not automatically believe your preacher or pastor. He (or she) may be right, but how do you know? Read the Bible! If your pastor is right, tell him! If he is wrong, do what you want (if it is legal and not unethical). Never take the word of a man regarding the Bible. He may have gone to Bible school or seminary, but that merely gave him a degree; it never gave him sense.
Do not view any portion of the Bible as a devotional. The Bible is a valuable book teaching things that are able to save a human from death. A devotional appeals to nice folks. The Bible is an authority, not a recommendation. Devotionals are sweet and cheap, pleasant blasphemies wrapped in chocolate.
When you go to study a text, avoid the arrogant error of applying the text to yourself—as if you were something important. Why prove your lack of humility? Be interested in applying yourself to the Bible. Take the view that the Word of God is important. These two perspectives are opposites, not different slants on the same thing.

Chapter 2: A Short View on Relationships

“Will a relationship be good if the man wants to do what pleases the woman and the woman wants to do what pleases the man?”

Not necessarily. This is not a proper building of a relationship. Any relationship based upon pleasure is liable to be short-lived. Dating is based on this foolishness, and the results are obvious.

Two totally unmatched individuals who should not be able to deal well with each other under any circumstance can have a good relationship if they keep one thing in mind and if they live according to that one thing: they must seek the highest, best interest of the relationship without regard to themselves. There are rare times when this is wrong to do, but it is usually right. Any relationship can and will succeed if both follow this rule.

“If love is seeking the highest, best interest of another without regard to self, and if the opposite is seeking one’s own interest without regard to another (which is selfishness), if two love each other, they would be able to get along, right?”

Not necessarily. In rare cases, two can seek the highest, best interest of each other without regard to themselves, and disagree on what the highest, best interest is! The result could be a devastating series of disputes leading to the view by one or both that they are mismatched and are therefore harmful to each other. A divorce can result. If, on the other hand, two were to seek what is the highest and best for the relationship, it is unlikely that the results will be harmful, and it is likely that the results will be very good. They are working together and not as separate agents trying to work on each other.

The attempt to please another is more manipulative than loving. One who tries to please another is doing things to achieve a particular response, not to do what is best. What is best is often not very desirable. Parents who try to please their children usually end up with rebellious brats. (While excellent childrearing does not necessarily lead to right-behaving children, very poor childrearing can temporarily set a child who will have very good character into behaviours that appear quite rebellious.)

“When is seeking the highest, best interest of a relationship without regard to self wrong?”

It is wrong when one’s faith or one’s ethics must be compromised or disregarded to achieve this result. Suppose a man wants his wife to quit having contact with true Godliness from the Bible because their relationship is being hurt from this contact. He is right. The wife’s reading (let’s say) is teaching her the ways of Godliness, and the husband is feeling more and more distant from this woman. If she seeks the highest, best interest of the relationship, she will stop the pursuit of truth, and will concentrate on her relationship with her husband. If she becomes Godly, she may destroy the relationship with her husband. She must make up her mind.

“But if the husband also seeks what is best for the relationship, he won’t force her to stay the same. He will give her room, including room to become a Believer.”

Even if the husband were to do this, the relationship could still be destroyed. No matter what he tries and no matter what he does, he might have to compromise to the point that he cannot stomach the relationship. It is possible to compromise to achieve a good relationship, but it is not the best relationship. Ethical and moral compromise is a disaster. Compromise often seems best, but it often destroys. The best is often something different from what each one might propose. A wise counselor can help.

It is rare to find a couple where both are totally dedicated to the highest and best for the relationship. One of the two might be dedicated, but usually neither one has even thought of this concept. Give-and-take is the cold framework of most relationships. They both then perceive that one usually gives and the other usually takes! There are relationships where neither one gives willingly, and violence or deceit is the rule. There are relationships where one person is bitter or is in self-pity. Trying to shore up these types of destructive relationships is often a futile task.

Chapter 3: The Pivotal Text

Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.

Whenever anyone takes and uses a Biblical text, the result can either be very good, incorrect or devastating. Those who divided the Bible into chapters and verses did a great service for others who have used verses and chapters to find texts. They did a terrible disservice for those who thought that one verse is a separable and useful thought without the need to consider surrounding texts and other pertinent texts. One verse may be quoted alone, but the verse is not alone. A technique that the false “Witnesses of Jehovah” often use is to quote one or two verses to prove a point. For example, they will quote from their favorite book, Ecclesiastes, to show that when a man is dead, he is unconscious. They will quote,

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

I could go one step further with the above verse by stating that the Bible teaches no reward, no judgment, no afterlife. I do not believe this, however, and the Bible does not teach this. Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as an inspired and infallible view from “under the heavens,”—a view that ungodly men have, and not God. Solomon was also prophesying; the book prophesies of events to come, events that never historically occurred. It addresses the futility of the pursuit of worldly things. Many folks use many texts in the very same manner. One who fears God and trembles at His Word has no right to mishandle the Bible in this way. One who does not fear God may do as he pleases. Yehovah will reward him according to his works.

The first question that an honest reader should ask regarding a text is, “What is the entire text?” Here is the text in full:

Matthew 5:31 “It has been said, ‘Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.’ But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.”

I will discuss this text later.

Other Pertinent Texts

It is often not enough to merely quote the entire text. Other pertinent texts must be quoted in order to properly understand a text. The following texts are directly pertinent to the issue:

Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto Him, tempting Him, and saying unto Him, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” ⁴And He answered and said unto them, “Have ye not read that He Who made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, ⁵and said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh’? ⁶Therefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What God has therefore joined together, let not man put asunder.” ⁷They say unto Him, “Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away?” ⁸He says unto them, “Moses suffered you to put away your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not so from the beginning. ⁹And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery. And whoso marries her who is put away commits adultery!” ¹⁰His disciples say unto Him, “If the case of the man is so with the wife, it is not good to marry!” ¹¹But He said unto them, “All cannot receive this saying except to whom it is given. ¹²For there are some eunuchs who were born so from the mother’s womb, and there are some eunuchs who were made eunuchs of men. And there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive, let him receive!”

Mark 10:2 And the Pharisees came to Him. And they asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to put away the wife?” tempting Him. ³And He answered and said unto them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴And they said, “Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put away.” ⁵And Jesus answered and said unto them, “He wrote you this precept for the hardness of your heart! ⁶But God made them male and female from the beginning of the creation. ⁷For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife. ⁸And they twain shall be one flesh. So then they are no more twain, but one flesh. ⁹What God has therefore joined together, let not man put asunder!” ¹⁰And His disciples asked Him again of the same in the house. ¹¹And He says unto them, “Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another commits adultery against her. ¹²And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she commits adultery.”

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets are until John. Since that time, the kingdom of God is preached and every man presses into it. ¹⁷And it is easier for the heavens and the land to pass than one tittle of the law to fail. ¹⁸Whosoever puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery. And whosoever marries her that is put away from the husband commits adultery.”

(A tittle is a calligraphy flag-type top to Hebrew Scroll lettering.)

Compare these texts. They teach much more than Matthew 5 alone. I will consider one text at a time.

The first phrase is, “It has been said.” By whom has it been said? Whenever Messiah quotes the Bible, He says, “It is written.” Just because something has been said does not mean that it is from God or that it is true. There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.” Messiah is correcting wrong theology in these verses by saying, “But I say unto you…” Other nearby verses (in Matthew 5) say things like, “ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time.” This does not mean that what was said long ago was correct, nor does it prove that what was heard (that it has been said) was true. Many hear things that were supposedly said, but never were. For example, if I were to say to you, “It has been said by Solomon, ‘Pride goes before a fall,’” you might believe me. But this is not what Solomon said. He said,

Proverbs 16:18 Pride is before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Many misquotations of the Bible are in circulation. Messiah was focusing on just one of them.

Messiah continued, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication…” Some claim that fornication refers to a whole list of sexual sins. Why didn’t Messiah just say adultery or sexual perversion? If this text were viewed alone without other related texts, this text would not even allow divorce for adultery! Fornication is not the same as adultery:

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, that are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness…

Greek Words

Once one is married, having sexual intercourse with another who is not part of that legal union is an act of adultery. Fornication can only take place between two unmarried individuals. This text is addressing a particular issue that has happened before marriage. The Greek word In Matthew 5 is , porneias. The word fornication in Galatians 5:19 is , another form of the same word, and the word for adultery is , moicheia, a different word. They are not the same thing.

Why would Messiah be referring to an event before they were married? This will be answered later.

Messiah explained that such a person “causes her to commit adultery.” It does not say in this text that he, himself, commits adultery. This text deals with the evil being done to the wife, not the sin status of the husband. One who causes another to sin is doing a great evil, and is putting himself in that terrible category of a worker of iniquity. (Iniquity is the state of true guilt before Yehovah). This is a very strong accusation. He is putting a woman of Israel into a terrible circumstance.

Messiah is addressing Israel, not ‘the Church’ (as so many in Christianity misunderstand it). Texts must be taken literally. The reader must discern who the speaker is, to whom the speaker is speaking, and about whom the speaker is speaking. Messiah’s earthly ministry was to the Jews, as He Himself stated:

Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

“Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.” If this text is taken alone, any woman who has ever been divorced, even if her husband from whom she was divorced is dead, is ineligible for legitimate marriage. Few understand this text in this manner, but a text taken alone and misapplied can do much damage to the lives of folks to whom it is wrongly applied.

Suppose that a man divorces his wife. Suppose that this man marries another woman. Is she still ineligible for marriage? Messiah is referring to a woman who has been divorced for some other reason “saving for the cause of fornication.”

By now, you should have many questions regarding this text. What about the woman who is divorced because her husband has committed adultery? What about the woman who is divorced because her husband was a child molester? What about the woman who is divorced because her husband abandoned her?

Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto Him, tempting Him and saying unto Him, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” ⁴And He answered and said unto them, “Have ye not read that He Who made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, ⁵and said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh’? ⁶Therefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What God has joined together, therefore, let not man put asunder.” ⁷They say unto Him, “Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away?” ⁸He says unto them, “Moses suffered you to put away your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not so from the beginning. ⁹And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery. And whoso marries her who is put away commits adultery!” ¹⁰His disciples say unto Him, “If the case of the man be so with the wife, it is not good to marry!” ¹¹But He said unto them, “All cannot receive this saying except to whom it is given. ¹²For there are some eunuchs who were so born from the mother’s womb, and there are some eunuchs who were made eunuchs of men. And there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive, let him receive!”

The first quoted verse says, “The Pharisees also came unto Him, tempting him, and saying unto Him, ‘Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?’”

A Warning about Pharisees

There are some who use the word Pharisee as a synonym for hypocrite. They consider all Pharisees evil and false teachers. This is a form of anti-Jewishness, and it is wrong. The Pharisees were separatists, those who believed that one who is Godly must be separate from the world. They believed that righteousness must be practiced. Some, however, established forms of righteousness that were apart from the commandments of God. Others followed the commandments of God in a very good way. Messiah commanded Israel to obey the Pharisees (He never did that regarding the liberal Sadducees). He would never have done so had they been wrong in their basic commands:

Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitude and to His disciples, ²saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, observe and do. But do not ye after their works. For they say, and do not!”

Some of the Pharisees believed in Messiah and wholeheartedly followed Him. They were the ones who maintained the strictest Godliness because of their love of Truth. Others were fakes, not caring about things of God, but caring much about how they appeared. Still others were somewhere between the extremes. Do not take a stand against the Pharisees. Messiah is a Pharisee teaching faith, separation, and whole-hearted Godliness.

The Trap and the Answer

A few Pharisees are attempting to set Messiah up in the Matthew 19 text. If He says, “No,” He will be challenging a common Roman practice and a popular practice among some of the Jewish leaders; He will be standing against the authorities. If He says, “Yes,” He will be giving a blanket license for divorce. Some of the Pharisees had divorced their wives for causes other than sexual immorality—causes that were minor and not even sin.

And He answered and said unto them, “Have ye not read that He Who made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh’? Therefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What God has therefore joined together, let not man put asunder.”

Messiah gave them an answer regarding the basic issue of marriage, though they had asked regarding divorce. He challenged them by asking, “Have ye not read?” It was quite an insult! They continued their attempted trap, however: “Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?” Moses did not do this. They asked a question akin to this: “Have you stopped beating your wife?” The question assumes that an error is truth. There are only two elements involved in the Pharisees’ description: the writing of divorcement and putting her away. There were at least two other elements in the original command.

Messiah replied to this statement not by refuting them on their error, but by a further accusation: “Moses suffered you to put away your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not so from the beginning.” When He stated, “the hardness of your hearts,” He was accusing these tempters of being part of a group of sinners whose hearts are hardened. It both answered their question and cast doubt on their reputation for innocence. Messiah continued, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery.” This text also says except for fornication as distinct from except for adultery. If the man marries another, he commits adultery.

What if his wife abandons him and goes to live with other men? Must he remain in that state for the rest of his life? If he gets a divorce, is he prohibited from marrying another? Matthew 19:10 shows that the disciples did not get what Messiah was saying. Messiah answered them according to their understanding, but they did not realize the meaning of the text from which these texts derive. (Have you found the first text? It is not found in Matthew, Mark or Luke. It is found before these texts. I will address it later.)

The next text to be explored is found in Mark:

Mark 10:2 And the Pharisees came to Him. And they asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to put away the wife?” tempting Him. ³And He answered. And He said unto them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴And they said, “Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put away.” ⁵And Jesus answered and said unto them, “He wrote you this precept because of the hardness of your heart! ⁶But God made them male and female from the beginning of the creation. ⁷For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. ⁸And they twain shall be one flesh. So then they are no more twain, but one flesh. ⁹What God has therefore joined together, let not man put asunder!” ¹⁰And His disciples asked Him again of the same in the house. ¹¹And He says unto them, “Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another commits adultery against her. ¹²And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she commits adultery.”

This text is almost the same as the Matthew 19 text with the exception of the last two verses: “Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another commits adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she commits adultery.” If these texts were taken alone, no one would be able to get a divorce! But the combined texts teach that divorce without sufficient cause is wrong. If the Bible specifies a cause that allows for divorce, divorce is allowed. Only fornication has been considered sufficient, and this could only occur before the couple was married. What kind of premarital fornication might be cause for a post-marital divorce?

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets are until John. Since that time, the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it. ¹⁷And it is easier for the heavens and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail. ¹⁸Whosoever puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery. And whosoever marries her that is put away from the husband commits adultery.”

A direct link is established between the issue of divorce and the Law (the Torah). The text in the Torah (Genesis through Joshua) is vital. The questions that have not yet been answered are answered in the Torah.

About the Christian Jesus

Most ‘Christians’ are not believers in Yehovah/Yeshua the God of Israel (by Biblical standards), denying the importance of Israel in one way or the other. Yehovah identifies with Israel throughout the Bible, and many are jealous. The umbrella of ‘Christianity’ covers many very differently described gods who are all called Jesus Christ, Lord, God, Master, and so on. Descriptions of these gods are so various that they cannot be describing the same deity. The Biblical Jesus Christ, God, the Lord, and so on is a very different being from the one normally described in churches. Anyone can make an idol and call him Jesus Christ. Picking and choosing just the right Bible texts will give the sound and appearance of legitimacy to these idols. No fearer of God will do this. He will believe the Bible, not redesign God into his image.

Every denomination and non-denomination that has ever been formed has been the product of flagrant disobedience and sin:

1 Corinthians 3:3 “For ye are yet carnal. For whereas [there is] among you envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? ⁴For while one says, ‘I am of Paul!’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos!’ are ye not carnal? ⁵Who then is Paul and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?”

Each denomination and non-denomination (still always having a denomination, a name in order to receive a 501c-3 religious tax exempt status) describes Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, the will of God, the gifts of God, etc. in different ways, often having much variation within its churches and organizations! No two denominations and non-denominations can say (with any degree of honesty) that they together believe and practice one faith. The Bible teaches that there is:

Ephesians 4:4 one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all Who is above all and through all and in you all.

One who is both honest and candid, and who looks at the variations and numbers of churches, will recognize that I am writing the truth about this.

Because so many claim to be Christian while being unbelievers, the issue of divorce becomes an issue of who is and who is not truly a Christian.

The rules for non-Jewish unbelievers regarding divorce are simple: “Do whatever feels right. You will pay later.” There does not have to be a reason for divorce. If it is legal in your country and you want one, and if you think you can afford it, go for it! The Bible puts few rules on non-Jewish unbelievers, instead commanding them to believe.

The Torah determines what is allowed for the unbelieving Israeli.

How do I know that there are few rules for unbelievers?

Consider King Ahasuerus. He had a wife named Vashti. The woman was beautiful. King Ahasuerus got drunk, and was drunk for half a year. (He was a real liver.) He decided to show Queen Vashti’s beauty while in this state. He ordered her to come with the royal crown on her head. Now, I propose that anyone in the court knew what her face looked like. Her beauty was in more locations than in her face. The king was ordering her to come and show her body, and she knew it. He was commanding her to come naked, but with the crown (how sexy!). She refused. King Ahasuerus was advised to never see this woman again and to take on a new queen. Someone may say that this was not a divorce, but once a woman is banished from the role of queen, she is divorced. Her child (if any) will not inherit. The king took on another queen (through a sexual beauty contest), Hadassah (later called Esther). Yehovah’s hand was in the choice of Esther; much of the Jewish race was saved through Esther and her relative Mordecai. Yehovah did not damage the king at all for this.

Pagans may do pretty much as they please. They will give an account at the final judgment, and they will be held responsible for what they knew or for what they could have known but refused to know.

Is adultery sin? Is homosexuality sin? A sinner sins. That is why he is called a sinner. It is not a strange phenomenon for a sinner to sin. If a city is filled with nothing but sinners, and the sins become violent enough and last long enough, Yehovah destroys the city’s inhabitants (as He did with Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim) on the basis that they knew truth and/or refused truth. Yehovah has compassion on the ignorant, as He had on Nineveh. Nineveh temporarily turned from violence after being condemned. Adulterers and Adulteresses who are non-Jewish unbelievers are just doing what is according to their nature. They are following their feelings and their gods. If they want a divorce, the Bible does not speak to them except to warn them in general of the judgment and wrath to come.

Some claiming faith are outraged that an unbeliever would sin—especially in certain capacities (like in abortion). Why aren’t they more concerned about Saints who sin? The Bible speaks only to those who will hearken to it literally, who are at least interested in what it literally has to say, or who want to find the Truth. (It also provides much material for the masses who pick and choose what they want to believe and who twist it to say what they thought it should say.) Yehovah rarely forces Truth on unbelievers until the time of judgment.

The Text

Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man has taken a wife and married her, and it come to pass that she finds no favour in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, then let him write her a bill of divorcement and give in her hand, and send her out of his house. ²And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s. ³And [if] the latter husband hates her and write her a bill of divorcement, and gives in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband die who took her [to be] his wife, ⁴her former husband who sent her away may not take her again to be his wife after she is defiled, for that is abomination before Yehovah! And thou shalt not cause the land that Yehovah thy God gives thee an inheritance to sin.

Verse 1 uses the words some uncleanness. The Hebrew is ,, ervat davar. In Gesenius’s lexicon, the word ervah is rendered as follows:

1. nakedness. Metaphysically the nakedness of the land, i.e. the exposed part, where it is unfortified, easy of access.

2. pudenda, especially as exposed, nakedness [referring to a woman’s vagina or to a man’s penis or testicular area].

3. shame, uncleanness, filthiness. Any filthy thing, excrement, Deuteronomy 23:15; a foul blemish found in a woman, 24:1. Hence ignominy, disgrace.

A man takes a virgin woman to be his wife. He then finds that she has been sexually exposed to someone else at some previous time, and she did not inform him (for had she informed him, he could have taken steps before the marriage; instead, he found it). This is the fornication issue of which Messiah spoke in the Matthew, Mark and Luke passages. A man in such a case has the right to divorce this new wife (not a wife to whom he has been married for some time after finding out about this issue). Since the Law of Yehovah shows justice, were a woman to find that a man whom she had just married had been sexually promiscuous, she also could put him away (divorce him).

The woman in the Deuteronomy text may marry another man without sinning, and the man who divorced her may marry another woman. Yehovah does not permit the mistreatment of a daughter of Israel. The former husband did not have proof that the woman had been immoral, but something had happened. She may have fallen while playing and broken her hymen, and her new husband might have thought that she had been involved with some sexual impropriety, for example. There were no witnesses. She would not be harmed. If she had been involved in fornication (or sexual abuse), no witness coming forward and no way to find out what happened, she would not be forced to marry or to confess. It could have happened when she was a child.

The Torah is very specific about handling both fornication and adultery when it and all participants are known. Yehovah will deal with all other cases in His Good Time.

Contrast this to the Matthew 5 text:

This “It has been said” is different from the “It is written” statement, the former being from a tradition of men and the latter being the Word of God. What is written does not give open license for divorce. There must be some provable sexual problem with this woman, though there is no command to have a trial.

Messiah is speaking according to the Deuteronomy text.

“What about adultery? Is not adultery a cause for divorce?”

The Law of Moses (the Law of Yehovah) made no provision for divorce due to adultery. Adultery does not demand divorce; it demands death!

Leviticus 20:10 And the man who commits adultery with a man’s wife, who commits adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

No divorce is necessary or permitted. (No lawyer is paid.)

“Since the Law of Moses is not the law of the United States, would divorce be allowed in the case of adultery?”

Any death penalty offense in the Law of Moses freed the surviving spouse for a new marriage. If a woman found her husband practicing idolatry, he would have been killed. She could then marry another man (hopefully one who is not an idolater). If a man had a wife who violated the Sabbath, she would be put to death, and he could then take another wife. The Sabbath was given to only Israel, however, and this does not hold for Gentiles living outside of Israel.

Any offense that would be a death-penalty offense for Jews living in Israel under the Law is an appropriate cause for divorce and potential marriage to another for Jews who are citizens of the United States.
Any offense that would be a death-penalty offense for non-Jews living outside of Israel, according to the standards of Yehovah, is an appropriate cause for divorce and potential marriage to another.

The following are all causes for divorce, and they give the divorced parties the right to marry someone else:

Idolatry
Adultery
Sexual perversion
Pornography (the same as idolatry)
Murder
Rebellion against properly constituted authority
Manslaughter of one whom the manslaughterer hates
Witchcraft
Being a false witness in a death-penalty case
Participating in a mob action where a life is taken

There are others. I will leave it up to you to read the Torah (‘Law’) of Moses.

To Whom was the ‘Law of Moses’ Given?

The Law of Moses (the Law of Yehovah, or far better, the Teaching of Yehovah) was given to unbelieving Israelis to preserve them until they came to faith:

Galatians 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions until the seed to whom the promise was made will come, ordained by messengers in the hand of a mediator. ²⁰Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one. ²¹Is the law, then, against the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if there had been a law given that could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. ²²But the Scripture has concluded all under sin so that the promise might be given to them who believe by faith of Jesus Christ. ²³But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith that will afterwards be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law was our schoolmaster unto Messiah so that we will be justified by faith. ²⁵But after faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The divorce texts were for unbelieving Israelis. Godly Israelis had (and have) a different standard to follow—a noticeably higher standard. Messiah said that divorce was given because of the hardness of the Israelis’ hearts. The Saint has no business having a hardened heart.

If a Godly Israeli took a woman to be his wife, and found that she had been involved in fornication, his response would probably differ from an ungodly Israeli’s response (the ungodly Israeli might do what is right). If he found that she had intentionally deceived him to obtain the marriage, and she tended toward immorality, he would still divorce her. If he found that she truly had been a victim, however, and she did not know that she was responsible to disclose such things, or if she did not remember, he would have compassion on her and would bond all the closer to her. In the case of intentional deceit, the hardness of the woman’s heart would force the man to consider divorce. In the second case, his selflessness would push him to consider her estate and the service he could do for her for the rest of their lives.

If the Torah was given to ungodly Israelis, what does this have to do with Christians today? Not much! Messiah’s ministry was to Israel, not to Christians.

Christians and unbelieving Israelis have different rules.
Believing Israelis and non-Jewish Believers have different rules.
Another set of rules is for non-Jewish unbelievers, but do they care?
Another set of rules exists for the priests (Cohens) of Israel.
Another set of rules exists for the High Priest in Israel.

In order to understand the regulations for Christians, the regulations regarding Israelis under the Teaching of Moses must be known. These are the principles by which Paul and Messiah taught, and by which the true fearer of God must abide.

Chapter 4: The Rule for the Priests

Leviticus 21:1 And Yehovah said to Moses, “Speak unto the priests, the sons of Aaron. And say unto them, ‘There shall none make himself unclean for a dead person among his peoples ²except for his immediate relation who is near unto him—for his mother and for his father and for his son and for his daughter and for his brother ³and for his sister–a virgin who is near unto him, who has had no husband. He may make himself unclean for her. ⁴He shall not make himself unclean [who is] a chief among his peoples, to profane himself. ⁵They shall not make any baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beard nor make any cuttings in their flesh. ⁶They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the Name of their God. For they present Yehovah’s offerings by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy. ⁷They shall not take a whore or a dishonoured woman as wife, neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband. For he is holy unto his God.

The first part of this text identifies the group in question: the Priests. They are the property of God (they are holy). No priest may marry a divorced woman. The other Israelis may marry divorced women. The only cause for divorce in the Torah is given in Deuteronomy 24 as we have seen. Once a woman has been divorced, she may not marry a priest.

Does this text apply to Christians? If it applied to Christians, no Christian man would be allowed to marry a divorced woman no matter what the cause if one believes in the priesthood of all Believers. It is not written for Christians (unless a priest is also a Christian).

The above text is connected to Deuteronomy 24 (that specifies the only legitimate cause for divorce). Why is it connected? The entire Torah is called one commandment. No man can take just one text of the Torah and isolate it. All texts are essential. Deuteronomy 24 describes circumstances under which legitimate divorce and remarriage among Israelis may occur as long as they are not priests. Which text would apply to Christians? The one that applies to the priest, or the one that applies to the common Israeli? This is the problem with wrenching one text out of its placement, then reapplying it to a case in which it just does not fit. The above text regarding priests cannot be applied to Christians, and the Deuteronomy 24 text has too low a standard to apply to Christians.

Deuteronomy 22:28 If a man finds a damsel, a virgin who is not betrothed, and lays hold on her, and lies with her, and they are found, ²⁹then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty [shekels] of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days.

Is this a case of rape, or is it fornication? If it is rape, she is commanded to scream if she is in a city. If she does not scream, and if this occurred within a city, it is considered consensual and therefore fornication. If it is in a field away from civilization, it is considered rape. Other texts show that the father may refuse to give his daughter to this man to marry her. If it is consensual, however, that is different. The man must pay a price and must marry the woman, and he is never allowed to divorce her under any circumstance. (The text does not say that she cannot divorce him.) If he mistreats this woman, the Torah has definite ways of dealing with him, like giving him a very painful whipping of up to 40 lashes. The woman is protected from the man mistreating her after he lay with her. He has acquired a wife, and he has no option of divorce.

Chapter 5: The Great Biblical Divorce

Two lengthy texts are quoted next. Look carefully at what took place focusing on the justice.

Ezra 9:1 “Now when these things were completed, the princes came to me, saying, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations—of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites. ²For they have taken from their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and have mingled the holy seed with the peoples of the lands. And the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this unfaithfulness.’ ³And when I heard this thing, I rent my mantle and my garment, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard. And I sat down overwhelmed. ⁴Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the unfaithfulness of those who had been carried away. And I sat overwhelmed until the evening oblation. ⁵And at the evening oblation, I arose up from my humiliation. And with my mantle and my garment torn, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to Yehovah my God. ⁶And I said, ‘My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God. For our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up to the heavens. ⁷Since the days of our fathers to this day, we have been in great trespass. And we, our kings, our priests, have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword and to captivity and to spoil and to confusion of face for our iniquities, as it is this day. ⁸And now for a little space there has been favour from Yehovah our God to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage. ⁹For we are slaves. Yet, our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended mercy unto us before the kings of Persia to give us a reviving, to set up the House of our God and to repair the ruins thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. ¹⁰And now, what shall we say after this, our God? For we have forsaken Thy commandments ¹¹that Thou hast commanded by Thy servants the prophets, saying, “The land unto which ye go to possess is an unclean land through the filthiness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations with which they have filled it from one end to another through their uncleanness. ¹²Now, therefore, do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever that ye may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.” ¹³And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass, seeing that Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities, and hast given us such deliverance as this, ¹⁴should we again break Thy commandments and join in affinity with the peoples of these abominations? Wouldn’t Thou be angry with us until Thou had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor any to escape? ¹⁵Yehovah, God of Israel, Thou art righteous. For we are a remnant that is escaped, as this day. Behold, we are before Thee in our trespasses. For there is no standing before Thee because of this!’” ¹And while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and falling down before the house of God, a very great congregation of men and women and children were gathered to him out of Israel. For the people wept very much. ²And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, “We have acted unfaithfully toward our God, and have taken foreign wives of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing. ³And now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of the lord and of those who tremble at the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law. ⁴Arise, for this matter is incumbent on thee. And we will be with thee! Be of good courage, and do!” ⁵Then Ezra arose. And he made the chiefs of the priests, of the Levites and of all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. And they swore. ⁶And Ezra arose from before the house of God. And he went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. And when he came there, he ate no bread and drank no water. For he mourned because of the unfaithfulness of them who had been carried away. ⁷And they made proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem, ⁸and that whosoever would not come within three days according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be confiscated, and himself separated from the congregation of those who had been carried away. ⁹Then were all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month. And all the people sat in the open space of the House of God, trembling because of the matter, and because of the pouring rain. ¹⁰And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “Ye have acted unfaithfully and have taken foreign wives to increase the trespass of Israel! ¹¹And now make confession to Yehovah the God of your fathers, and do His pleasure! And separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives!” ¹²And the whole congregation answered and said with a loud voice, “Yes! It is for us to do according to thy words. ¹³But the people are many, and it is a time of pouring rain, and it is not possible to stand outside, neither is this a work for one day or two. For we are many who have transgressed in this thing. ¹⁴Our princes shall stand for all the congregation while this matter is going on, and all those who have taken foreign wives in our cities shall come at the appointed times, and the elders of every city with them, and the judges thereof until the fierce anger of our God be turned from us.” ¹⁵Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this. And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. ¹⁶And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest [and] certain of the chief fathers were separated according to their fathers’ houses, and all of them by name. And they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. ¹⁷And they ended with all the men who had taken foreign wives by the first day of the first month. ¹⁸And among the sons of the priests, there were found who had taken foreign wives–of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren–Maaseiah and Eliezer and Jarib and Gedaliah. ¹⁹And they gave their hand to send away their wives. And they offered a ram of the flock as trespass-offering for their guilt. ²⁰And of the children of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. ²¹And of the children of Harim: Maaseiah and Elijah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Uzziah. ²²And of the children of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad and Elasah. ²³And of the Levites: Jozabad and Shimei and Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. ²⁴And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the doorkeepers: Shallum and Telem and Uri. ²⁵And of Israel, of the children of Parosh: Ramiah and Jizzijah and Malchijah and Mijamin and Eleazar and Malchijah and Benaiah. ²⁶And of the children of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah and Jehiel and Abdi and Jeremoth and Elijah. ²⁷And of the children of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah and Jeremoth and Zabad and Aziza. ²⁸And of the children of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. ²⁹And of the children of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch and Adaiah, Jashub and Sheal and Ramoth. ³⁰And of the children of Pahath-Moab: Adna and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel and Binnui and Manasseh. ³¹And the children of Harim: Eliezer, Jishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon, ³²Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah. ³³Of the children of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. ³⁴Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram and Uel, ³⁵Benaiah, Bediah, Cheluhu, ³⁶Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, ³⁷Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasai ³⁸and Bani and Binnui, Shimei ³⁹and Shelemiah and Nathan and Adaiah, ⁴⁰Machnadbai, Shashai, Sharai, ⁴¹Azareel and Shelemiah, Shemariah, ⁴²Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. ⁴³Of the children of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai and Joel, Benaiah. ⁴⁴All these had taken foreign wives. And there were among them wives who had had children.

Nehemiah 13:23 “In those days also I saw Jews who had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab. ²⁴And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. ²⁵And I contended with them and cursed them. And I smote certain of them and plucked off their hair. And I adjured them by God, ‘Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves! ²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many races there was no king like him who was beloved of his God. And God made him king over all Israel. But foreign wives caused even him to sin! ²⁷And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign wives?’ ²⁸And [one] of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I chased him from me. ²⁹ ‘Remember them, my God! For they are polluters of the priesthood and of the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!’ ³⁰And I purified them from all foreigners. And I appointed the charges of the priests and the Levites, every one in his service, ³¹and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, my God, for good!”

Ezra 10:3 is where the first decision was made: “And now we shall make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them according to the counsel of the lord and of those who tremble at the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.” The decision was:

to put away all the wives and the children born to them, and
to do it according to the law.

This was for all who “tremble at the commandments of our God.” This mainly describes Believers. Anyone who does not tremble at the commandments of Yehovah is no fearer of Him, and is unredeemed. Some will even tremble at the commandments without being believers. A Believer will certainly tremble.

Ezra was not satisfied with a mere agreement. “Then Ezra arose and made the chiefs of the priests, of the Levites and of all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. And they swore.” They took one more step to solidify the ruling: “whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be confiscated, and himself separated from the congregation of those who had been carried away.” Who says that divorce is always wrong? In this case, it was mandated. Anyone who argues with this must believe that Ezra and Nehemiah were not men of God.

What was God’s pleasure in this case? “And now make confession to Yehovah the God of your fathers. And do His pleasure. And separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” Has God changed? He said,

Malachi 3:6 “For I am Yehovah. I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed!”

Yehovah’s changelessness guarantees Israel’s continued existence. Anyone who claims that Yehovah and/or His standards have changed does not believe in the Biblical Yehovah. Yehovah’s will was for these men to divorce these foreign wives (though His will was that they not marry idolatrous women in the first place).

The Nehemiah text shows the violent rage that Nehemiah demonstrated upon learning that some Israelis, including Levites, had married women of Moab, Amon and Ashdod. When men are married to ungodly women who practice vile idolatry as they did, the results are never good and rarely stable. It is even worse if the man is a priest of Yehovah!

The cry against divorce today should be slight compared to the cry of a Saint being married to an openly idolatrous and pagan non-saint. The opposite is true, today. A man who is Godly and who would divorce a faithful, yet openly idolatrous and vile wife would be viewed as an evildoer!

Angels Marrying Women?

A commonly misunderstood text shows the results of Godly men marrying ungodly women:

Genesis 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days. And also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare to them, the same are mighty men that [were] of old, men of renown. ⁵And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.

Genesis 6:4 literally: The fallen ones were in the land in those days and also afterward when the sons of the Elohim came unto the daughters of the Adam. And they bare to them. They are the valiant-ones who are men of the Name from Hider. ⁵And Yehovah saw that the bad of the Adam is great in the land. And every formation of the thoughts of his heart is only bad all the day.

The Hebrew Word to Fall

The word rendered giants is simply fallen-ones from the Hebrew word , nafal, meaning to fall. The text explains how so many fallen ones arose. The land refers to the place where men were dwelling. The phrase, “And also afterward that the sons of the Elohim came unto the daughters of the Adam,” starts out with “And also afterward.” These things took place after these sons of the Elohim had come unto the “daughters of the Adam.” The sons of the Elohim are Sons of the Elohim (Elohim = Gods, and can refer to either false gods or to the real and living Gods, Yehovah). They were fearers of and Believers in Yehovah, so this refers to the real and living Gods, Yehovah.

They were not angels as some suppose. Are male angels given reproductive powers as in Greek mythology? Who degrades the Bible to the status of myths? Had male angels been able to make babies, female angels would have been able to do the same. Sheol is a female angel:

Isaiah 5:14 “Therefore Sheol has enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure. And their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoices shall descend into it her.”

There would have been a huge herd of angel babies running around by now! Since they would have the characteristics of angels, they would not be destroyed in the flood. Angels do not die, and they cannot be drowned.

This verse in Genesis is not explaining about angelic reproduction; it is instead showing how the planet got to be in such a state that Yehovah chose to drown every land creature.

The daughters of the Adam are unbelieving women. (The Adam refers to both the first man and to the human race.) They are not daughters of the Elohim—they are not born of God.

The text does not indicate that all or even many men were sons of God. It refers to what the men did who were sons of God: they married normal unbelieving women, and they bare to them. Who were these men? They are the valiant-ones. They had valour. They had boldness. They were sons of the Elohim. They were known “as men of the name from Hider.” (Hider refers to the time outside of Biblically revealed time—either before the opening of the Bible or after the destruction of this planet.) The term men of the name may be understood when combined with the following text:

Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son. And he called his name Enos. Then began men to call upon the Name Yehovah.

A literal Hebrew rendering of the last phrase is, “Then was begun to call via Name Yehovah.” Men began to identify themselves with Yehovah as a distinction from others who did not desire such an identity. These men were known as “men of the Name,” the Name Yehovah.

Godly men married ungodly women, and they had children. The children had no interest in the faith of their fathers, but went with the faithlessness of their mothers. Fewer and fewer had faith in Yehovah until finally Noah was alone. Children will tend toward the stronger and more lenient parent when considering faith.

Back to the Priests

Yehovah commanded Israeli priests to marry women who met certain standards. All Israelis, with few exceptions, were unbelievers, so the Torah did not command against Israelis marrying unbelievers. There was an absolute command against any idolater being kept alive in Israel:

Deuteronomy 13:6 If thy brother the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend who is as thine own soul entices thee secretly, saying, “We shall go and serve other gods” that thou hast not known–thou nor thy fathers, ⁷of the gods of the people who are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the end of the land even unto the end of the land, ⁸thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him–neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him. ⁹But thou shalt surely kill him! Thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. ¹⁰And thou shalt stone him with stones that he die, because he has sought to thrust thee away from Yehovah thy God Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. ¹¹And all Israel shall hear and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you!

Chapter 6: The Standard for Christians

Christians (assume that I mean real Christians) have a higher standard. If they behave according to the commands given to Israelis who are not fearers of Yehovah, their status as Christians is illegitimate.

Deuteronomy 22:13 If a man take a wife and go in unto her, and hate her, ¹⁴and charge her with things for scandalous talk, and cause an evil name against her to be spread abroad, and say, “I have taken this woman! And I came in unto her! And I did not find her a virgin!” ¹⁵then shall the father of the damsel and her mother take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate. ¹⁶And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, “I gave my daughter unto this man as wife, and he hates her! ¹⁷And behold, he charges her with things for scandalous talk, saying, ‘I didn’t find thy daughter a virgin!’ And here are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity!” And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. ¹⁸And the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him. ¹⁹And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel because he has caused an evil name to be spread abroad against a virgin in Israel. And she shall remain his wife. He may not put her away all his days. ²⁰But if this thing is true, virginity has not been found with the damsel, ²¹then they shall bring out the damsel unto the entrance of her father’s house. And the men of her city shall stone her with stones so that she die. For she has wrought infamy in Israel, committing fornication in her father’s house. And thou shalt put evil away from thy midst.

The above case shows that if the woman had participated willingly in fornication, and the evidence was there, she would be considered as a whore and would be killed. This also must be combined with the Deuteronomy 24 text. When I reviewed that text, I said that if she had been sexually active, whether willingly or unwillingly, her husband could divorce her. In this case, she has no indicators of her virginity, and her new husband has found that she has been voluntarily sexually active before he married her. He may accuse her. If this is proven, she will die. If, on the other hand, her parents have these tokens (I do not know what they were, though I have suspicions, like a blood-stained sheet from her first sexual intercourse with this husband) that she was a virgin, this man is chastised and fined, and he cannot divorce this woman. If he mistreats her, there are other Israelis who may take action against him either in the city gates (the court system) or personally. (She might also beat him up—Israeli women can be feminine and tough at the same time.)

The Torah must be taken as a single unit. Deuteronomy 24 and Deuteronomy 22 do not disagree with each other. Both must be considered in order to make a proper judgment under the Torah. No person has the right to apply one text and ignore another text that deals with more information on the same subject. (This is the common practice among modern denominations!)

Does this apply to Christians? Messianic Believers, whether Jewish or non-Jewish, do not have the right to call for the death penalty at this time.

The Standard of a Christian: Two Who are Jewish

“Is there a distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish Christians? Aren’t they both one in Messiah, part of the Church, and living under the same standards?”

Both the Jewish and the non-Jewish individual have the same Salvational standing in Messiah.

A woman and a man have different roles and responsibilities.
A slave and a free person have different roles and responsibilities.
The Jewish Saint and the non-Jewish Saint have different responsibilities.

I do not say Gentile, because the term does not apply to those who are born of God. Ephesians 2:11 states, “Wherefore remember that ye, in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands…”

Paul often writes separately to Believing Jews and Believing non-Jews. The Book of Romans has entire sections dealing with one group, then the other. This role difference will continue as long as the earth lasts.

Many in Jewish leadership do not acknowledge even the possibility of a person being Jewish and Christian at the same time. I will not labour on this foolishness. These same folks recognize Buddhist Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Hindu Jews, American Jews, living Jews and dead Jews, but they refuse to swallow the idea that a person could possibly be Jewish (a fact of physical birth) and believe in ‘Jesus’ (Yeshua, a Jewish Rabbi Who lived 2,000 years ago). That is simply junior high prejudices, bitterness and hatred. Since all the first Christians were Jews, these folks are ignoring Christianity as a legitimate religious persuasion in this world.

The first standard of a Jewish Believer in Messiah is to fear God. He must recognize this: how he treats others, and certainly a wife (I will speak from the aspect of the man, but this equally goes both ways), will have everything to do with how Yehovah will treat him in the judgment! His fear of Yehovah will keep him from angering Him Who is quick to hear the shouts of one being mistreated. The fear of God is essential to prevent a man from sinning, and only if that fear is forgotten (in very rare cases) will a Saint be in danger of sinning and doing gross injustice.

A man who is a fearer of God, who voluntarily marries an unbelieving woman, must be careful to avoid doing her an injustice. He must live according to the standards of his God, and he must not force her to conform. She is a helper to him; he must treat her as sent from Yehovah. Joseph in Genesis, among other Biblical Saints, took women for wives who had no association with the Biblical God. Joseph’s marriage was a good one.

Misusing the following text isn’t wise:

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? And what communion does light have with darkness? ¹⁵And what concord does the Messiah have with Belial? Or what part does he who believes have with a faithless-[one]? ¹⁶And what agreement does the Temple of God have with idols? For ye are the Temple of the living God as God has said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them. And I will be their God! And they shall be my people!” ¹⁷ “Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,” says Yehovah, “And do not touch the unclean. And I will receive you. ¹⁸And I will be a Father unto you. And ye shall be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty. ¹ Therefore having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

This text doesn’t mention marriage, and it isn’t in a section referring to marriage. As you will see further down, Yehovah married an unbelieving woman.

“Many Christian men marry unbelieving women, and they don’t realize that it is not right, or they thought that their wives were Christians.”

Many men have adopted the Christian religion, but have not truly feared. Few know how to tell if another is a Believer or not, and modern Christianity teaches its adherents to not judge!

The best wives in the Bible were not necessarily born of God. Did Avraham’s slave that Avraham sent to acquire a wife for Isaac ask about Rebecca’s faith? That was not his concern. His concern was that Yehovah would show him which woman was right. She was a perfect choice in every way. She wasn’t a religious woman. She was practical, and she asked Yehovah questions.

If anyone lacks Spiritual sense, it is not because he is a baby, it is because he is dead. There is no way on this planet that faith can possibly come to a human without two ingredients preceding it:

The person must obtain and look into the Word of God.
The person must hearken to the Word of God.

Only after these two steps is there even the possibility of a Biblical faith being formed.

Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearkening, and hearkening by the word of God.

Ignorance of the Torah of God is no excuse. A man who does not take the time to consider Yehovah’s Teaching deserves what he gets, and the woman who is victimized deserves more than she gets out of the divorce.

Men who have claimed to be in the faith of Yeshua have married unbelieving women by being deceived about themselves and the women. Some thought they could change their wives. Others were socially forced into it by a cultural or moral mandate (like getting her pregnant). There is a great difference between having a claim of faith and truly being born of God. Any man who is truly born of God and who marries an unbelieving woman thinking she is born of God has a great likelihood of mistreating her at a later time. Yehovah will see this wrong, and will hold it against that man.

Any man who is truly born of God and who marries an unbelieving woman because she deceived him has grounds for divorce or annulment. If he voluntarily stays in such a union, he can expect the worst kind of trouble, especially if they have children. He needs to establish how the home will be run, but she has the right to run it as she pleases. If the man is part of a culture in which he has no choice whom to marry, and others make the arrangements, he has a good opportunity to demonstrate Godliness in the same way as a man who became a believer after he was married. One born of God doesn’t mistreat unbelievers.

A Note about the Cases

The cases discussed below contain proposed answers. Any considerate and thinking person will realize that more than one answer can often fit one dilemma. While some will appear to be ‘cut and dried,’ others won’t seem so certain. Think them through. Be certain that an answer you supply doesn’t violate the Bible, and doesn’t put an extra burden on the innocent person (if one is innocent).

I will use the label Believer (with a capital B) to refer to one who believes the Bible and the God of the Bible. You can take this to mean that the person believes in the God of the Tenach, the ‘Old Testament,’ or in the God of the entire Bible, since there is only One True and Living God. The answers will be the same.

Case 1: Two Jewish Believers Who Don’t Get Along

Two Believers who are Jewish are married. They don’t get along. One or both is thinking about divorce. Is that an option? This is where the higher standard enters. The Torah does not allow for a divorce for unregenerate Israelis (those who are not born of God) on these grounds, so there certainly is no ground for divorce for this couple. They have an obligation before Yehovah to make peace. If they do get a divorce, they have no right to marry another; that would be adultery.

They must very carefully consider what the problem is in their relationship (not what the problem is with the other person). They must begin to take steps to solve this problem. They are shaming the Name of Yehovah by their behaviour. They are showing a deficiency in all of the following:

• Wisdom

• Prudence

• Understanding

• Circumspection

• Knowledge

• Sensitivity

• Usefulness

• Profitability

They are one flesh, so blaming the other would be like one cylinder in a six-cylinder engine blaming the other cylinder for the engine not running smoothly. It is an us problem, not a you problem. Thinking about divorce is like thinking about fixing the engine by setting it on a railroad track. It is stupid thinking (unless they need a break from each other, in which case they can live apart for a while). Being apart might provide them with enough time to consider where they stand with Yehovah.

Any two humans in the world can get along if they have enough incentive to do so. If the fear of God is not enough incentive, there is no fear of God. Couples need to fight (not physically, and not abusively) with each other, but their fights need to be of a nature that they both will strengthen each other, will prod each other to greater strength and wisdom.

Case 2: Two Jewish Believers, One Adulterer

Two Believing Jews are married to each other. One manages to do what King David did: committing adultery, causing the Name of Yehovah to be blasphemed by enemies of Truth, and so on. Are there grounds for divorce? Such behaviour obtained the death penalty in the Torah. King David was not killed, because who would do it and touch Yehovah’s anointed king? Yehovah did not do it, and He forgave King David. The devastating results are recorded, however; even forgiven sin can easily have deadly consequences. King David lived, and the wages of sin proved to be death for many others.

There are grounds for divorce in this situation of unfaithfulness. It is not mandated, but it certainly is a proper choice (among other choices).

Yehovah Himself will make sure that sin will expose this evildoer. Even if he turns and repents, she doesn’t have to stay in the marriage. She may marry another without doing wrong.

Case 3: Two Jewish Believers Fight over the Sabbath

A Believing Jewish man and a Believing Jewish woman marry. One wants to keep the Sabbath as best as it can be kept and the other thinks that this is just too difficult. They fight over this. It finally gets to the point that divorce becomes a consideration. Do they have a right to divorce? This couple is in the same situation as the couple mentioned in case 1. Their quarrel is Spiritual. One does not understand the importance of the Sabbath to Israel, and the other does not understand the responsibility to help make the Celebration a delight. If anyone truly has no respect for even part of the Torah, he is not born of God. That would remove the situation from being discussed among other two-Believers’ situations.

Many who claim to be Christians believe that the Torah has been abolished. These same thoughtless individuals would find it totally unreasonable for anyone to say that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have been superseded by Paul’s writings.

Messiah stated that the Law would not be abolished until the end of the earth:

Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, until the heavens and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, until all be fulfilled.”

Some blind guides claim that the Bible is inspired and infallible while they tear out the first six books of the Bible. Godly men and women do not treat any part of the Word of God lightly or with contempt. They read it literally.

The Law was given to Israel to physically live out, not the Gentiles. No one has the right or the power to take it away.

Case 4: Two Jewish Believers Stress over Money

A Believing Jewish couple is married. The man foolishly spends money, putting the family in jeopardy. The wife is outraged, hurt, sick and tired of his ruinous behaviour. Does she have grounds for divorce? She has grounds for reconsidering his faith! The following text states:

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷And the world passes away, and the lust thereof. But he that does the will of God abides forever.

Anyone who shows a love of the world that exceeds a love for his wife (never mind a love for Yehovah) is an unbeliever. One spouse has the right to question the faith of the other spouse in many cases. It is sometimes wise to do this to the spouse’s face with respect and with firmness. (Using such accusations as a weapon shows a contempt for God.)

In the above case, there will be peace if the man repents and turns from this behaviour. If he does not, and if he is not pleased to dwell with his wife according to her faith (that is not centered on the pursuit of worldliness), she has grounds to divorce him. The Scriptures teach,

1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Can she then marry another? She had grounds for divorce, but has this man done a death-penalty offense? Denying the faith is not a death-penalty offense for Jewish individuals; the Torah was given to Jewish unbelievers in the first place. She does not have sufficient grounds to marry another at this point. If she did, being married to an unbeliever would always be sufficient grounds for divorce and marriage to another. The man may yet turn, realizing that the faith he claimed was what he has truly desired. If he becomes unfaithful after the divorce, or if he goes after other gods, she certainly has grounds to marry another if she desires. She would do well to wait and see what will become of him.

The Standard of a Christian: Two Who are non-Jewish

The cases in the previous section apply here, except when a command of the Torah given only to Israel is considered.

Case 5: A Believing Couple Troubled by Pornography

A Believing couple is married. The husband has begun to behave curiously, and his wife finds pornographic literature or pornographic web site content. Does she have cause for divorce? She has cause to reconsider his faith! Pornography is direct idolatry just as much as bowing down to Molech. In pornography, a woman, a man, a child or a combination of the above is/are seen posing or behaving in a manner that excites the viewer and gives him the impression that he would receive greater sexual fulfillment if he could only take part.

Any source from which one obtains fulfillment and/or security in life is a god.

The purpose of many of the historic deities was exactly the same as modern pornography. The gods and goddesses were sexually designed, and men and women acted out supposed behaviours of the gods for public and private viewing in live pornographic plays.

In the above case, the wife has a husband who supposedly fears Yehovah the God of Israel, but who is worshipping before the feet of goddesses (if his pornographic images are of women). She has every right to divorce this evil, idolatrous man. He isn’t merely sick or twisted; he is a secret worshipper of idols. She does not have to divorce him; she may confront him. She needs to be aware that he may repent before her and clean things up just to keep her, continuing in his idolatry with more care, however. The idolatry of pornography is very difficult to escape unless the idolater truly turns to God in fear. The wife would be wise to view this behaviour in the same light as adultery. The Torah commands the same death sentence for both. She may freely marry someone else if she desires.

Case 6: A Believing Couple Has a Third Participating Counselor

A believing couple has run into a problem. The wife listens to another man who gives her counsel, and the husband is becoming distressed that she seems to have consolation from this other man. He begins to feel quite distressed about this, and becomes suspicious that his wife is getting attached to this man. Does he have grounds for divorce?

He has grounds for confronting his wife. He is feeling jealousy at this point. (Jealousy in such matters is not wrong. Yehovah exhibits jealousy.) This can and will grow if it is not resolved. No grounds are present for any divorce action. Yet.

His wife may also have grounds for confronting him. The advice she is receiving may be needed (but better from a woman) because the husband may be mistreating the relationship.

In such cases, who is wrong? The question should be, “Who is right?” If someone can be established as being truly right, that is good. All issues must be addressed if neither one appears to be completely right. (One issue at a time is the only wise way; fighting over which issue to consider is just harmful.)

If a husband Biblically loves his wife, he will deal with his wife as Abraham dealt with Sarah. If he does not, perhaps he doesn’t have the faith of Abraham. The wife, on the other hand, needs to deal with her husband as Sarah dealt with Abraham. If she does not, it could be that she doesn’t have the faith of Sarah. Yehovah stood with Sarah in a very important decision regarding Hagar. Men are wise who listen to their wives and who carefully consider what the wives say. Men are foolish who too quickly “rule over” their wives. Wives are wise who understand the way their husbands think (or, in some cases, don’t think).

Popular (“pop”) psychology teaches that men are usually more logical than women, and that women are more emotional than men. The Bible teaches the reverse. Men are too often driven by their emotions, with logic sometimes following, and women usually exhibit sound logic before emotions. If this is not the case, the Bible has given a wrong view of man. (Such a study required that I consider every man and woman in the Bible, and every decision that each made. That is how I concluded the way I did.) I have observed this over and over again by watching males and females around me. It is up to you to verify or disprove this.

If the man in the above case will increase his listening skills and will curb his answering in harmful ways, she will probably begin to speak to him instead of the counselor when she can.

Case 7: A Believing Couple Fights over Childrearing

A believing couple has children. Each one has a very different view of child rearing. The husband is very lax, and the wife resents always being the one who has to take action against misbehaviour in the children. The husband and wife fight. The home has much tension, and the wife is finally tired of the lack of support by the husband. Does she have cause to divorce?

You may think that the answer is obvious: No! She has no cause. Yet this is a case where a husband has abandoned at least part of his responsibility. Yet, the wife has the freedom to rear the children with diligence; her husband is not interfering in this area. This man claims to be a believer, but the claim doesn’t extend to his participation in rearing. He shows signs of being similar to Eli in the Bible.

One who doesn’t know better might try to use texts like the following on him:

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns. And the way of the righteous is made plain.

Proverbs 13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son. And he who loves him chastens him betimes.

Proverbs, like many other sections of the Bible, is warning readers about folks and situations during the Tribulation. (The Tribulation is that important in the plans of Yehovah.) It is not a book of daily, practical wisdom (as is almost universally taught in Christianity throughout the world) any more than the Book of Revelation is a book of daily, practical wisdom. It is quite pointed, designed to save lives in that future time. Since most readers will refuse to even consider the veracity of this, however, the book will continue to be wrongly used to try to leverage others to conform to some type of ‘Christian norm.’

Even if the wife determines that the man is not born of God, she still does not have cause for divorce with subsequent marriage to another. If he is pleased to dwell with her as she lives in a Godly manner, she is not to divorce him. She needs to cease from trying to browbeat him into his responsibilities; he just doesn’t see, for whatever reason. She has cause for divorce only if he refuses to work to support the family when he is able, or if he is not pleased to dwell with her. Her behaviour must include graciousness, a fervent love for her husband as well as her children, and recognition that her responsibilities would be the same if he suddenly died. She can do it.

Case 8: A Believing Couple Has a Loyalty Issue

A couple is married, both being Believers. The wife clings to her parents, and the husband is distressed over this split loyalty. He feels as if she will not wholeheartedly participate with him, and him alone, in family issues.

This is no cause for divorce and subsequent marriage to another. They need to speak about these things, but he must not go by his feelings.

The Bible has something to say about this:

Genesis 2:24 A man shall therefore leave his father and his mother, and he shall cling unto his wife. And they shall be one flesh.

The text never states the opposite—that a woman shall leave her father and her mother. This case would be much worse if the man clung to his parents and they to him, for she might find herself alienated in his culture.

The husband needs to reconsider how he deals with his wife. The wife would be wise to realize that she is one flesh with her husband, and not with both her husband and the rest of her family. Her husband must not deal unkindly with her. If he sees that she needs to be away from her family, he must refrain from embittering her by wrenching her away by force. He needs her cooperation. She is a person. Husbands who care about their own agendas and not about the views of their own wives are setting up for a disaster. If she cannot separate from her family, for whatever reason, he would be wise to help solve this problem; why not win her family over? They may be able to help.

The best would be if they both sought the highest, best interest of the relationship without regard to themselves.

The Standard of a Christian: Married to a non-Christian

Though many on this planet think that they are born of God, Messiah said,

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat. ¹⁴For strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few there be that find it.

and

Luke 13:23 Then said one unto him, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” And He said unto them, ²⁴“Strive to enter in at the strait gate! For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able! ²⁵When once the master of the house is risen up and has shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord! Lord!! Open unto us!!’ And He shall answer and say unto you, ‘I know you not whence ye are!’ ²⁶Then shall ye begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets!’ ²⁷But He shall say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you—whence ye are! Depart from me, all workers of iniquity!’”

Did you think that I properly used the above texts? Do you see how easy it is to use texts to prove points that those texts do not prove? The above texts both have very specific timings. They must be taken very literally if what Messiah said will be of real benefit. The timing is the Tribulation. That strait gate is a real gate, just as the wide gate and the broad way are real. While the Bible does teach the scarcity of true Saints (those who are truly born of God), these texts are speaking to non-saints who are being commanded how to find life! (The strait—that is, constricted gate opens to the narrow way, and the narrow way described here leads to life! It isn’t life itself.)

Saints married to non-saints is not a usual phenomenon, since there are so few Saints. It is even rarer to find Saints married to Saints.

As for ‘Christians’ married to ‘Christians,’ this is common, since the various forms of ‘Christianity’ are religious, and there are many who are part of ‘Christianity’ in this world. Most have little or nothing to do with the Bible.

What is the standard of such a ‘Christian’? The Bible doesn’t address it in its own category.

Believer Married to an Unbeliever

What is the standard for the Believer who is married to an unbeliever? Paul gave the standard:

1 Corinthians 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord. If any brother has a wife who doesn’t believe, and she is pleased to dwell with him, he shall not put her away. ¹³And the woman who has a husband who doesn’t believe, and if he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband—else your children would be unclean; but now they are holy. ¹⁵But if the unbelieving departs, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such, but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶For what knowest thou, wife, whether thou shalt save the husband? Or how knowest thou, man, whether thou shalt save the wife? ¹⁷But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all churches.

The text starts with, “If any brother has a wife who doesn’t believe, and she is pleased to dwell with him, he shall not put her away.” An unbelieving spouse can feel restricted by the Believing spouse. The unbeliever may have goals, aspirations and behaviours that cannot be pursued according to the conscience of the Believer. There can be sexual ‘adventures’ that the unbeliever would like to fulfill, and that cannot happen without compromise on the part of the Believer. There can be social events that would put the Believer into turmoil. It is sometimes very hard for two to maintain agreement if they have very different ethics and morality. Yet, in the event that the unbeliever truly loves the Believing spouse as a Believer, and is truly pleased (not merely content) to dwell with the Believer (as King Ahasuerus was with Queen Esther), there is no reason to consider divorce with subsequent marriage to another. “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.”

Sanctified and Holy

The word sanctified is commonly misunderstood. Some think that sanctification is a process that the Spirit of God performs in the life of the Believer. The above text shows the foolishness of this view. The word sanctified means having the status of being owned, or more simply put, owned. It is the opposite of profane, for public use, unowned, secular. (Profanity in the Bible has nothing to do with cuss words.) When two enter into holy matrimony (holy and sanctified are exactly the same thing), the husband becomes the property of the wife, and the wife becomes the property of the husband. When a woman buys a car, that car becomes holy to her. When a child is given a doll, the doll becomes holy to the child. The statement, “It’s mine!” made by the child is a declaration of holiness. Do not define holy using the phrase, set apart. That will make the definition wrong.

Yehovah told Israel,

Leviticus 20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me! For I Yehovah am holy and have severed you from the peoples so that ye shall be mine.

Yehovah is also holy:

Exodus 3:6 And He said, “I am the God of thy father–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob own Yehovah as their God. The above Leviticus text demonstrates the equivalence of the status of holiness that a man and Yehovah have. The word holier is used only one time in the Bible, and in a deprecatory way:

Isaiah 65:3 “…the people the provokers of me continually to anger to my faces, sacrificers in gardens and incensers upon altars of brick, ⁴sitters in graves, and they will lodge via guardposts, the eaters of swine’s flesh, and the broth of abominables is their vessels, ⁵that say, ‘Stand by thyself! Come not near to me! For I am holier than thou!’ These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all the day!”

No one can be becoming holy. Either he is holy or he is not.

The word holy is also used in the Bible for pagan temple prostitutes and pagan temple homosexuals who perform sexual acts to earn money for the temples. One can be holy to a false god. Holy/Sanctified in Hebrew is not an exclusively religious word. (No word used in the Bible is exclusively religious; every word has a proper secular fit.) It is a practical word. In the text, “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband,” the unbelieving spouse is the property of the Believer, and has special privileges based on this. None of those privileges has anything to do with Salvation or the obtaining of Salvation. Lot saw these privileges in action when his wife and two of his daughters were rescued with him, and he saw the suspension of these privileges when his wife, turning back, was destroyed.

Verse 14 ends with, “else were your children unclean. But now are they holy.” The children of one Believing parent are sanctified by the believing parent in the same way as the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing spouse.

Some presumptuous religious individuals have used this concept as ‘proof’ that their children are “special to God.” Aaron’s sons were sanctified too, and two of his sons were burned to death because of a violation. Yehovah saved Noah’s children from the flood based on this sanctification. This does not mean, however, that Yehovah sees children in the light that some presume. Yehovah had a fervent hatred for Eli’s sons who were workers of iniquity. Isaac had two sons, and Yehovah hated one while He loves the other. This sanctification does not overlook justice. It only temporarily places sanctified ones in a special status. Yehovah will consider the Believing parent and that parent’s children when He takes action.

Verse 15 states, “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such, but God has called us to peace.” If the unbelieving spouse has no desire to live under such constraints (assuming that the Believing spouse is being both Godly and reasonable in expectations for the relationship), the Believing spouse must not stop the unbelieving spouse from leaving. Once the unbelieving spouse has left (or has thrown the Believing spouse out of the house), divorce and marriage to someone else are Biblically ethical and moral possibilities.

Yehovah does not command divorce (except in one case I previously mentioned). If it is obtained, the Believing spouse does not have to marry again, but it is an appropriate option. (The Believing spouse may determine to wait and see if the unbelieving spouse turns.)

The Believing spouse may or may not obtain the children in a split. That matters far less than the behaviour of the Believing spouse in the entire situation. Fighting over who gets the children is often far more damaging than anything else two can do in a breakup. Those in Christianity who think they have the power to effect Godliness in their children by rearing and example are truly self-deceived. Was not Yehovah a good parent to Adam? Did Adam believe? Rearing and example are important, but faith cannot be passed on. Each person must arrive at or reject faith on his or her own. This is unrelated to the Grace that Yehovah gives in Salvation; that is on His part, not on the part of the person.

“On what basis is divorce an option in this case?”

The text states, “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such.” The marriage bond, which is a good form of bondage, does not hold in this case. A Saint has no obligation to remain married to an unbeliever if the unbeliever is not pleased to dwell with the Saint living in faith (and who is therefore not obnoxious or prideful). Paul ends the statement with this: “God has called us to peace.” It is not right for the Saint to force his faith-behaviour on the non-saint, making strife. The Saint has been called to peace. The Saint may weep bitterly and be heart-broken over the circumstance, but the Saint is not to cling to the non-saint if the non-saint wants to depart.

The Saint must continue to demonstrate humility (knowing properly one’s true rank, position and responsibility before God and man, and living according to that rank). “For what knowest thou, wife, whether thou shalt save the husband? Or how knowest thou, man, whether thou shalt save the wife?” Thinking that you can save another is arrogance. Do you think you can change the other person? Are you stronger that the Holy Spirit? Anyone who thinks along these lines has the logic of an abused woman—a logic of pride, a view of self-exaltation: “I will not give up as others would! I will eventually prove that my patient waiting and my willingness to endure hardship was worthwhile when I show to the world the true and noble character of my spouse when my spouse makes the change for which I have been working and enduring all this suffering! They will see that I am truly strong in faith!” Such a person is taking a contemptible position. If the unbelieving spouse desires to leave, do not stop him.

Chapter 7: Unbelievers (Non-Christians) and Divorce

Homosexuals and Lesbians

Homosexuals and lesbians have a different set of faiths with gods that differ from the One I am Biblically considering. Their gods are for the love of homosexuality and lesbianism. Their gods are their standards for life and living, for love and fellowship, for who is a Christian and who isn’t. They must follow their gods according to their own consciences.

When I refer to them as unbelievers, I mean that they are unbelievers in the God I am considering, just as I am an unbeliever in their gods. I refer to their gods (plurally) because homosexuals and lesbians don’t all have the same god; they have differences in their faiths just like the Methodists and Baptists have differences in their faiths. Thus, calling them unbelievers isn’t insulting them; they would find the God in whom I believe to have a very bad character.

A person who fears the God of the Bible, believing it literally, has no business judging homosexuals and lesbians, and has a mandate to behave toward folks of different faiths and different gods as the Saints in the Bible did. The Saints in the Bible demonstrated a love that was totally unfeigned toward their neighbours who held different gods, even making covenants with them (consider Jacob and Laban in Genesis). The Saints knew that judgment was for Yehovah, not for them. Instead, Saints saved the lives of their neighbours when Yehovah gave such opportunities. This is the only right attitude.

It is a privilege to benefit those who have a different faith as long as that benefit doesn’t give the impression of supporting the faith itself. The Bible is about saving lives, not about hurling accusations and condemnation.

Case 9: An Unbelieving Couple with Mixed Faiths

Two unbelievers (in the God of the Bible) are married. The man is a Moslem and the woman is a Baptist. The Moslem does not like the way the woman spends their money. He also does not like the bad attitude that she has toward his family. Does he have grounds for divorce?

The Bible does not speak to this issue; he needs to use the Koran. If he wants to divorce her, there is nothing to stop him. His own Moslem laws give him the right to divorce this infidel woman, though in his country he might be able to do even more. His deity is not Yehovah of the Hebrew Bible.

Case 10: An Unbelieving Homosexual Couple

Two men are married, having obtained their marriage in Hawaii. They find they are incompatible, and one of the men has been seeing another man on the side. Do they have grounds for divorce?

The Bible does not deal with the issue of such marriages or divorces. Homosexuality and lesbianism are part of the worship of the gods of homosexuality and lesbianism. Saints have no business judging those who hold another faith (except when a Biblical Saint is a legal, secular judge; then he or she must judge only using the laws of the land). The Bible strictly teaches:

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, not to eat. ¹²For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? ¹³But God judges them who are without. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

The wicked person is a man who is called a brother and who is sinning. Others of like faith recognized that person as born of God. Saints have no business judging those who are not recognized as believers. God will judge them.

Saints will judge the world after the Millennium:

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? ³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. ¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and Him Who sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were opened. And another book was opened, that is of life. And the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the books according to their works. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged every man according to their works.

Rules Regarding the Conduct of Unbelievers

I am not saying that there are no rules regarding the conduct of unbelievers; whatever rules there are, the Bible is not meant to be a rule in the hand of Saints with which to judge non-saints. Saints cannot use the Bible to declare the behaviour of a non-saint as legal or illegal before God (with the exception of unbelieving Israelis). Non-saints are condemned already. Why condemn the behaviour of a condemned man?

John 3:18 He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who doesn’t believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For every one who does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹But he who does truth comes to the light so that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Saints in the Bible understood and lived according to this. Abraham did not condemn his pagan neighbours; instead, he had peace with them, and they accompanied him on a ‘suicide mission’ to which Yehovah gave complete success! Joseph did not condemn his fellow prisoners who were idolaters. Daniel did not condemn the occult practitioners. He was put in charge to make sure that they followed the laws of the land:

Daniel 2:24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise [men] of Babylon. He went and said thus unto him, “Destroy not the wise [men] of Babylon! Bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.” … ²⁷Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret that the king has demanded–the wise [men], the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, cannot show unto the king. ²⁸But there is a God in the heavens Who reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.” … ⁴⁷The king answered unto Daniel and said, “Of a truth [it is] that your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou could reveal this secret!” ⁴⁸Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise [men] of Babylon.

Wise men indicates astrologers. They are part of the occult practitioners. Daniel was put in charge of these men, and he accepted the duty, doing it faithfully! He did not try to apply the Torah to these men. The Torah said that occult practitioners of Israel were to be put to death. Daniel knew that this was true for Israel. It was not true for Babylon. Daniel saved their lives! Daniel was wise, unlike many today who claim to be Christians and who show no such sense!

Divorce rulings of the Bible have nothing to do with non-Jewish unbelievers. Even if they did, God will judge. Saints must address Saints regarding sin issues. Saints must address non-saints on issues of life and faith, fear and judgment, Truth and righteousness, but only when the time is right, and the opportunity is proper and from God. If unbelievers desire truth, show them truth. The Bible teaches that all men are born Dead in Sin, and are condemned already.

Are not Jewish unbelievers in the very same category? Jewish unbelievers are not in the same category. The Torah is given to them, and the Torah teaches them right from wrong even while they are in unbelief. They will be judged with a greater judgment.

No Jewish unbeliever may simply divorce and marry another without proper cause, without bringing consequences upon Israel as a whole. Yehovah holds Israel to the Torah to this day. Pogroms and violence against Israel have continued because of Israel’s refusal to follow the Torah! No race has been so horribly and continuously mistreated as Israel, and this is according to the promise of Yehovah. Yehovah promised,

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of Yehovah thy God to take heed to do all His commandments that I command thee this day, Yehovah thy God will set thee supreme above all nations of the land. ²And all these blessings shall come on thee and shall overtake thee if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Yehovah thy God. ¹⁵But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of Yehovah thy God to take heed to do all His commandments and His statutes that I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee.

These promises are guaranteed until the earth ends. Yehovah holds all Israel responsible for the actions of individual Israelis, as He did in the days of Joshua. One man (Achan—see Joshua chapter 7) sinned, and Yehovah took victory away from Israel. Some Israelis died in the battle for Ai. Yehovah told Joshua that Israel sinned. The facts that most Israelis do not believe that there is a God, and few Israelis have anything to do with the Torah, do not change what has happened to Israel in history, and they don’t alter the Truth of the Bible. It is not a book promoting democracy.

Yehovah is angry at Israel. He has been merciful and gracious to Israel, and will continue to be. Pogroms and Holocausts will continue to occur against Israel—the Torah has guaranteed this, however. Israel will have many warning tastes of the coming Tribulation.

Israel as a single unit refuses to take His Torah seriously. No one can touch Israel without Yehovah’s cooperation. Some are very bitter because of this, but bitterness does not stop Yehovah from wrath. (Those who participate in harming Israel will obtain Yehovah’s everlasting wrath unless they turn! There will be no anti-Semites on the New Earth; all will be in the Lake of Fire and Sulfur.)

Case 11: Two Jewish Unbelievers; One Becomes a Believer

Suppose two Jewish unbelievers (not believing in the Bible or its God) marry, and the man then becomes a Believer in Yeshua (in the true Biblical sense). Does he have the right to divorce her on this ground? Paul addresses this issue:

1 Corinthians 7:12 But I speak to the rest, not the Lord. If any brother has a wife that doesn’t believe, and she is pleased to dwell with him, he shall not put her away. ¹³And the woman who has a husband that doesn’t believe, and if he is pleased to dwell with her, she shall not leave him. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Else were your children unclean. But now are they holy. ¹⁵But if the unbelieving departs, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such [cases], but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶For what knowest thou, wife, whether thou shalt save the husband? Or how knowest thou, man, whether thou shalt save the wife?

How did Paul know this (besides by the Spirit of God from whom he prophesied)? Lot (in the book of Genesis) is one example. He had a wife who was not a believer in Yehovah, and he had children. When the angels came to take Lot out of Sodom (before destroying it with three other cities), Lot, his wife and the children who were willing to come were forcibly removed from the city. Lot’s wife had been pleased to dwell with Lot while they lived in Sodom. Miles later, as they journeyed away from the flaming city, she lost her pleasure, desiring to return back to Sodom where she had at least two other daughters. She died with the city at that moment. The two daughters who were willing to stay with Lot lived. They were sanctified because of Lot.

Answering the above question, he does not have the right to divorce her if she is pleased to dwell with him. She will be pleased to dwell with him if she is willing and happy for him to live according to his faith. Willingness alone is not good enough. She may be willing, but the lifestyle may be killing her. He must not be unkind to her.

Chapter 8: Cases of Jews Married to Non-Jews

Some complications occur in the divorce issue when a Jewish person is married to a non-Jewish person. If both are unbelievers, they will do whatever they choose, and the complications will have nothing to do with the Bible.

Case 12: Christian Woman and Torah-Fervent Husband

The woman claims to be a Christian, and resents her husband’s fervency after the Torah. She especially does not appreciate his refusal to each certain foods such as pork, shrimp and lobster, when she knows that he used to love those foods. The man feels very bad about this, and has tried to show her that the commands of God to the Jewish People were given until the earth ends. Even Daniel adhered to food considerations, and Yehovah sent him deliverance from the unclean food of the king. She feels strapped by his legalism, and their relationship is deteriorating. Does he have the right to divorce her? The normal resounding answer would be, “No! This is so petty! God has given freedom! She cannot be put under his improper legalism!”

Suppose, though, that this same issue had been brought up when the Torah sacrifices were going on–what did Yehovah command? When she became his wife, she joined Israel. Eating unclean foods became a death-penalty offense! She would have been killed! But this is the 20th Century. The Law has been done away with, right? The Law has never been abolished! It has established for Israel, and will continue until this earth ends. Israel is always in jeopardy because of the Torah! The very Holocausts of history are due to the Torah being active. If the Torah had been abolished, so would the curses written in the Torah have been even if Israel violates the Torah.

There is a more pertinent question. Does this wife fear the God of Israel? Since when does one who fears God in truth find the commandments of God to Israel to be a burden? A woman who is non-Jewish and who fears God would delight in her husband’s relationship with God and with the Torah. She would not balk at the commandments. She would be a strong advocate, having little or no respect for any man of Israel who would despise the commandments of Yehovah!

Oh, she is a ‘Christian’ all right, of the caliber of the majority of so-called ‘Christians’ today who reject the first six books of the Bible, thinking that this rejection is somehow different from rejecting the first four books of the ‘New Testament!’

This couple has a problem, fighting over two different gods. The wife does not love the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She sees Him as distinct and different from the ‘Jesus’ whom she supposedly knows.

Whether or not she is free to eat foods is not the problem; her despising the Torah is the problem. It is part of the Bible! No Believer despises the Word of God. He trembles at His Word!

Some will try to classify this as a legalism issue. If I commit adultery, may I claim that one who finds fault with me is being legalistic? There is right and there is wrong. Yehovah commanded the Israelis to keep an extra set of right commandments in order to teach. Who will despise these commands while fearing God?

Does this man have the right to divorce her? He needs to consider whether she is pleased to dwell with him. If this food issue is the only issue over which they disagree, and if she doesn’t like what he won’t eat, but is willing to function with his diet, that certainly isn’t a reason to divorce and subsequently marry another. If, on the other hand, she despises him over this (and other things), and isn’t pleased to dwell with him, he has no business holding her to his faith; that would be cruel and wrong. She certainly may divorce him! He has no business divorcing her, as if she is the wrongdoer; she doesn’t hold his faith.

If, however, she insists on rearing the children contrary to his faith, and if she insists on showing contempt for him and how he lives, if this is that important to her, she needs to leave, get a divorce, and live another life. If she chooses to stay and make his live intolerable, he certainly may pursue a divorce. The divorce itself isn’t the issue. What one does after the divorce is.

May he marry another after such a divorce, if he meets a woman who will be at peace with his living according to the Scriptures, or would that be adultery? This goes back to the cases of Ezra and Nehemiah! He may marry another; it will not be adultery. He may also desire to wait for a while to see if his former wife will become at peace over this issue. It may seem small, but contempt for any part of the Torah is no small matter.

Case 13: A Godly Jewish Woman and a Messianic Jewish Man

A Godly non-Jewish woman is married to a Messianic Jewish man. The woman delights in the entire Bible, including the Torah. The Messianic Jewish man enjoys activities of the modern Messianic movements (those movements speak of Yeshua or Y’shua, who is Jesus) and he strongly identifies with Israel. He likes to do the Sabbath and will eat things that are according to the Law of God. He believes in the doctrines of popular fundamental Christianity except where those doctrines ignore or insult Israel. He does not put much stock in a coming Tribulation, but likes ‘Messianic Joy’ activities. His wife sees a much deeper reality to the Bible, and is heart-broken over the faithlessness of the majority of Israel. He wants to celebrate. She feels like mourning. They have very strong disagreements over the rearing of the children because she wants to teach them to fear God, to have a fear and an investment in all of His Word, and to refuse to participate in what she sees as much paganism in the Messianic movement (including the misuse of Scriptures to selfishly claim promises given to Israel as a whole in the Millennium as if they are promises for Jewish individuals now). Her husband loves to claim the promises of God. She has become so discontented with this that she is frustrated in their relationship. She hates going to the Messianic Synagogue that she sees as being flippant and contemptible. He delights to dwell with her, and cannot understand her problem with his faith.

The problem is with the wife. She has not asked herself one question: “Is my husband born of God?” This man has taken on the trappings of Messianic Jewishness, but he has not understood the God of Abraham. He is into the selfish popular religion of many of the Messianics (Jewish ‘Christians’).

Most Messianics hold faiths that are forms of Reform Judaism with ‘Yeshua’ thrown in. Reform Judaism is the Judaism of Reform, holding that each generation must reevaluate and reconsider the pertinence of the Torah, determining what should be taken literally and applied now, and what was meant only for former times and situations.

If she were to compare or contrast her husband’s view of life with the Saints in the Bible, she would see that there is no comparison, but only a contrast. She needs to quit fighting with her husband over this, and to recognize him as a Messianic religious unbeliever. She does not need to confront him about this. She does need to teach her children the Truth of the Word of God. He isn’t fighting her over this. As long as he is pleased to dwell with her and has not insisted that she compromise her faith, but is willing for her to teach her faith (that he thinks is the same as his) at home, she should not even consider a divorce; she has no proper grounds. Their fights has been because she assumed that he is born of God when he is not. She assumed that he would see and understand things that he cannot see or understand. Her expectations of him have been all wrong.

Suppose that the man in the above case insists that his wife go with him to attend the local Messianic Congregation. He cannot understand why she is so reluctant. He tells her that it is a celebration of Messianic praise, and he can’t understand why she seems so sour. She “needs some joy!” What should she do? Her faith is in a different God. She sees her husband’s god as flippant, holding a very low standard, projecting Jewish pride rather than teaching humility, as having an “I’m ok and you’re ok” view of Jews who claim Y’shua as their Saviour. They put on Jewish trappings, but they show none of the deepest and best character attributes of the Saints in the Bible, including excellence in justice, righteousness, good works, selflessness, a real view of Israel’s real status of being in Yehovah’s wrathful eye and in unbelief, and so on.

She views the Messianic ‘rabbi’ as one who misuses texts and teaches a false faith. She cannot participate in this in good conscience, but she can demonstrate great graciousness. She can go to ‘services,’ but she can also teach her children the Word of God without restriction. Her husband is for her teaching them! She can make certain that her children are not placed in positions of conforming to a false faith. She has no power to instill faith into her children, however. No human has that capacity. Thus, she can teach them Truth, but they will later determine what they believe no matter what she does.

If her husband becomes displeased dwelling with her under these conditions, she should not stop him from departing, but I don’t think he will become dissatisfied. She is the one showing dissatisfaction, and she needs to ‘get over it’ and do what is right with contentment. If he cannot tolerate her faith, and if he demands that she change or get a divorce, she must not cling. This isn’t likely to occur, however.

Case 14: Believers from Mixed Backgrounds

A Jewish woman is married to a non-Jewish man. They are both Believers. The Jewish woman wants to keep the Sabbath, and the non-Jewish man replies that this is not possible with the Temple not being present. He is not against their resting, but he is against her treating it as an absolute according to all the commands given to Israel for the times when the Temple stood and when the Temple will stand in the future. This has grown into a very strong argument, and the relationship is becoming rocky. Do they have grounds for divorce?

No. The Sabbath in its complete form is a gift of Yehovah for the Israelis while in the land. That gift is for their benefit and for instruction of the races; it is a type (something that is important and real in itself, that stands for something else that is also real and far more important). The Sabbath can be kept in part anywhere in the world, but not in full.

An argument based on what cannot be established with certainty is no grounds. They need to decide what they both can do and will do. When the Temple is restored and the Sabbath sacrifices are resumed, some in Israel will keep the Sabbath. All Israelis in the world will keep the Sabbath only just before and when the Messiah comes. Until then, there will be some Israelis who refuse to believe in Yehovah the God of Israel; thus Israel won’t be keeping the Sabbath as long as it cannot be kept and as long as one Israeli isn’t keeping it.

These two are shaming the purpose of marriage by their arguments. They are demanding things of each other rather than being of benefit to each other in the marriage; yet neither one is demanding that the other change some behaviour (like quitting eating kosher). They are fighting over concepts, not works. This is very puerile. They both need to learn selflessness, humility, and a few other things that show sense and a true Biblical faith. They both need to seek the highest, best interest of the relationship without regard to themselves, in the fear of God.

Chapter 9: Dealing with Divorcees

“Should I deal with a divorced person in a way different from anyone else? My pastor wants to start a special class for the divorced. Are they different?”

Many divorced persons suffer wounds from their divorces. Those who are divorced, like those who have lost mates, may suffer from feelings of clumsiness when in groups or when doing functions with couples. Feelings are real, but they are not the essence of life.

A divorced person should be treated in the same way as any person should be treated, not elevated, demeaned or isolated. Singling them out or doing functions where their lack of a mate is obvious is cruel. A little consideration can make all the difference. (Seating at a restaurant is so minor, and it can become so major. If the women sat together (and the men thus did the same) instead of sitting by couples, the single person would not feel so removed from the prevalent pattern.)

“Well, what if the divorced person has done wrong by illegitimately divorcing a mate? Should not that person be treated as a wrong doer?”

I ask, “Is this person a Believer?” If he is not, against whom did this person do wrong? This person followed his own god. Yehovah will judge this person.

It is wrong to assume that what now is will be what will always be.

Kindness can sometimes bring repentance and turning to Truth. What right does a Saint have to judge an unbeliever? It doesn’t matter that the person considers himself as a Believer.

Besides this, illegitimately divorcing isn’t a permanent state. If either of the divorced couple marries another, now it is a permanent state. Folks who have obtained divorces on wrong grounds can learn and can remarry each other, if they desire, as long as they haven’t been married to someone else in the meantime.

“But what if the person obtained an illegitimate divorce while being a Believer?”

Do not assume that divorce itself is wrong! If it is wrong in and of itself, Yehovah sinned! What one does after the divorce is the issue, as I stated above.

I would first challenge whether this person is a believer or is just a pretender. If the person proved to truly be a Believer, I would address him to find out what his perspective is. (A wrong perspective can lead to wrong behaviour.) I would desire to know why he did what he did. Once I found why he did what he did, I would desire to reconsider things with him to give him a new perspective. That is sometimes all that is necessary for a person to turn from doing wrong to doing right.

If I found that he had no desire to do right, I would again challenge his status as a Believer. If he then married another without having proper cause for divorce, what he did was a violent sin against God and against his former spouse. This is adultery.

“Suppose a person obtained a divorce on grounds that are not right, then the person became a Believer after this, and has not remarried. Is this person obliged to remarry the partner now?”

(Suppose it is the husband who obtained this wrong divorce.) Does his wife desire a return to the relationship now that it will be absolutely new? Since he is now a Believer, his behaviour and his ways of viewing things will be different (or else he is not a new creation). They need to do some talking and thinking! If she will not be pleased, or if she will be tormented, he is not to remarry her. If her ethics and morality will destroy the relationship, he must not remarry her. If, however, she is very willing to seek the highest, best interest of the relationship with this man, the marriage will probably work extremely well.

Suppose that she is a perpetual complainer. If she continues this conduct, even with him doing right, she is not pleased (complaining is proof), and he should not remarry her.

What if she would be very happy to remarry, but he knows that she wants to watch things on television that are not good, that she participates in things contrary to his faith, etc.? He must consider these things. He has no business using the potential of remarriage to leverage her to follow his ethics; that is cruel. He must not torture this woman.

If he does not marry her, should he remain single? If she will continue as an unbeliever, and one not pleased to dwell with him, he may be another woman’s husband. If she will continue as an unbeliever, but greatly desires to dwell with him, he has an excellent opportunity with her and with the relationship. She is still his wife, divorced or not.

If she will not be pleased to dwell with him under the conditions of his being a Believer, he is not obliged to wait for her. Will he save her? As Paul said,

1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such, but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶For what knowest thou, wife, whether thou shalt save the husband? Or how knowest thou, man, whether thou shalt save the wife?

If he is willing to wait for a while just to see what she does, that may be wise.

Case 15: A Woman’s Moral Dilemma

A woman who is now a Believer obtained a divorce before entering into her present marriage. She is quite upset about this, and does not know how to deal with this. What should she do?

If she obtained the divorce before she became a Believer, it is a non-issue. While she committed adultery as an unbeliever, she is now born of God. She is now married to this man. If she obtained the divorce after she had become a Believer, whether through bad counsel or through some other ignorance on her part, her present marriage is the one that stands now, and she must view her present marriage as if it were the first. She is not allowed to return to a former marriage partner once she has been married to another (or once the former marriage partner has been married to another):

Deuteronomy 24:3 And if the latter husband hate her and write her a letter of divorce, and give it into her hand and send her out of his house, or if the latter husband die who took her as his wife, ⁴her first husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she is defiled, for it is an abomination before Yehovah. And thou shalt not cause the land that Yehovah thy God gives thee for an inheritance to sin.

Though the case is different in the above text, the principle should be clear: it is an abomination to Yehovah for one to return to a former marriage partner once either one of them has been married to another.

If she obtained the divorce through defiance after she had become a Believer, in the above case, the legitimacy of her faith must be questioned. This makes no sense. It does not portray the fear of Yehovah.

What if a person was married, was divorced, married another, divorced the other person, and then remarried the first person, doing what is an abomination to Yehovah—should that person divorce? No. The person who fears God should stay, and should now do what is right in that marriage.

Case 16: A Believing Woman Scorned

An unbelieving husband divorces a Believing woman; he just couldn’t tolerate her living according to her faith. She meets a Believing man who is training to be a pastor. They work very well together in the ministry. Her former husband has never remarried. Can these two get married?

Several denominations of today heartily would say, No! Those denominations’ teachings are Biblically wrong. If the priests in the book of Ezra could remarry (and they could; no restrictions are recorded), the pastor can marry this woman. They do not need to wait for her former husband to break the bond by marrying another. He divorced her because he wasn’t pleased to dwell with her, and she is free to marry another.

This man who is training to be a pastor will probably be excluded from the possibility of being a pastor by his denomination, if it isn’t a liberal denomination. This pastor in training needs to be wise; the only pastor in training in the Bible of which I am aware is Joshua, and Yehovah still called him later with a direct calling. Almost all pastoral callings that are claimed are illegitimate, if a person takes the Bible literally.

“But is this not just making a new problem, since several denominations would see this marriage as illegitimate?”

Those same denominations recognize the ordination of many men who Biblically are unbelievers because they use a wrong measurement of both faith and calling. Yehovah is the only One who has the right to call anyone to the pastorate, and He does not legitimatize the spiritual callings of men.

Two great errors exist in all denominations and non-denominations of Christianity and Judaism: being liberal (that is, giving allowance for sin and wrong in some areas), and being arrogant: adding rules to the Bible as if they came from God. Both are equally wrong:

Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add to the word that I command you, neither shall ye take from it, that ye may keep the commandments of Yehovah your God that I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:32 Everything that I command you, ye shall take heed to do it. Thou shalt not add thereto, nor take from it.

Making higher standards than God is an act of arrogance, and it is an accusation against God. If anyone wants to hold himself to a personal standard that is higher than God’s standard, that is fine. If a group (like a denomination) that claims to represent the God of the Bible does forms a higher standard and makes it a rule for acceptance, this is arrogation against God and the Body of Christ, and it is sin. (This is the popular practice of all denominations and non-denominations.)

No group has the right to speak for God unless God sends a true prophet, acknowledged by all who fear Him, to establish that group as a spokesperson for God. Any other group that has made its own rules (that is, ethical and/or moral rules) violates the Bible.

When any group does ‘improvements’ on the rulings of God, it invariably also drops other more important issues. A group may require that all its members refrain from drinking wine, but it may allow a person to become a member on the flimsy, verbal acknowledgement of faith.

Chapter 10: Dealing with Unmarrieds

Case 17: Two Shacking Unbelievers

Two unbelievers ‘shack up.’ One later becomes a Believer, and the relationship is now stressed over this; they are getting along well apart from this. They have had children together. They have no relatives, and they are poor. She is not attending any church and has not set foot in a church in fourteen years. She became a Believer while reading the Bible. He works hard, and is very cooperative. Their monetary status is much better while they remain unmarried. He loves her very much. What should they do?

There are some situations that have absolutely no reasonable answer, but rather present excellent opportunities. She has no reason or possibility to divorce her man; she is not married to him in the first place, and he is treating her and the children very well in the second place. Her alternatives are simple and few. (The fewer the alternatives, the easier it is to eliminate inferior ones.) Since she cannot leave without bringing ruin to her children (they cannot get along without her, and she cannot afford them and another place), she must stay. She could marry the man right now, but she feels that this would be binding him into something he doesn’t understand, potentially damaging a relationship that is good.

What she can do includes the following:

Continue to study the Bible with zeal. She has probably only read a small portion of it, but she believed what she read. She needs to understand this faith well and not make a foolish decision based on what she thinks would be the right thing, or worse, what others tell her is the ‘right thing.’

Treat her man very well, and refuse to participate in sexual intimacy. Sexual intimacy would give him, her children and others the impression that it is consistent with her new faith, and that she has no moral objections within her new faith to live together unmarried. Treating him well, listening and speaking to him with respect and grace is only right. She is not to do this in order to manipulate him toward God; she is to do this because it is right. (Even if she does it for the wrong reason, it is still right to do.) Her new morality includes her belief that sexual intercourse outside of marriage is wrong.
She would be wise to teach her children what she is learning in the Bible, and she can show what she is learning to her man too if he is interested (he probably will be interested). She must avoid making comments that sound like editorials of wrongdoing against her husband.
She must make her request to the God of the Bible to send her deliverance from the ethical and moral dilemma in which she got herself, using any means He chooses. She must express her preference: that her man becomes a fearer of Him. She is in the same spot as Naaman was:

2 Kings 5:1 And Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable. For Yehovah had given deliverance unto Syria by him. He was also a mighty man in valour, a leper. ²And the Syrians had gone out by companies and had brought away a little maid captive out of the land of Israel. And she waited on Naaman’s wife. ³And she said unto her mistress, “Who will give my lord to be with the prophet that is in Samaria? For he will recover him of his leprosy!” ⁴And he went in and told his lord, saying, the maid that is of the land of Israel said thus and thus. ⁵And the king of Syria said, “Go for thyself! Go! And I will send a letter unto the king of Israel.” And he departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand of gold, and ten changes of raiment. ⁶And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy!” ⁷And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he tore his clothes. And he said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Therefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me!” ⁸And it was, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why hast thou torn thy clothes? He shall come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel!” ⁹So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. ¹⁰And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee. And thou shalt be clean.” ¹¹But Naaman was furious. And he went away. And he said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me! And he will stand, and call on the name Yehovah his God! And he will strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper!’ ¹²Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³And his servants came near. And they spoke unto him. And they said, “My father, the prophet had bid thee a great thing! Would thou not have done? How much rather then, when he says to thee, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴Then he went down. And he dipped himself in Jordan seven times according to the saying of the man of God. And his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child. And he was clean. ¹⁵And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, now I know that no God is in all the land but in Israel! And now, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.” ¹⁶But he said, “Yehovah lives before whom I stand. I will receive none.” And he urged him to take, but he refused. ¹⁷And Naaman said, “Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of soil? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither ascension nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto Yehovah. ¹⁸Yehovah pardon thy servant in this thing: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, Yehovah pardon thy servant in this thing!” ¹⁹And he said unto him, “Go in peace.”

A small amount of Biblical wisdom will give answers to the most difficult moral dilemmas.

If the man in the case above truly loves his woman, he will also understand her moral dilemma, and he will ask if they can be married. They can then discuss how the relationship will change, for a married relationship always differs from living together. Once they have solved that, if that is his desire, they can indeed get married. His faith status has nothing to do with anything regarding this.

Case 18 Living Together No More

A man and a woman are unmarried and living together with children. The man becomes a Believer. What should he do if she doesn’t desire to live with him now that he has this new faith? He should depart without the children unless she doesn’t want them. He changed; he has no business defrauding her of her children. If the children desire to live with their father, if they are old enough to decide and she wants the children, he must not do violence against her.

In the Book of Ezra, the men sent the children with the women. The women already had taught the children the ways of paganism, and it was not right to cause more pain beyond what the men had caused by deceitfully taking on these wives.

This man caused this confusion by having children without commitment. (The woman did too, but he now knows better.) He must do right and try his best for peace. That may mean sharing the children and treating her monetarily well.

No matter how children are reared, the children will individually decide which way they will go regarding faith. Faith can never be instilled into another.

The man can wait to see what the woman does over time; he may also marry another woman.

Case 19: Just Two Doing What Comes Naturally

Two unmarrieds have sexual intercourse. They both claim to be Believers. No pregnancy results. Should they marry? Well first, are they Believers? What was the circumstance? Was this during war or some terrible crisis by which they could not be legally married? What happened? For one Saint to sin is unusual; for two to sin would be very strange. (There is no concept of ‘they just couldn’t wait’ in a non-emergency situation.)

If the standard for unbelieving Israelis was marriage or the payment of the bride price and no marriage, what should the standard be for Saints?

If, on the other hand, they were not believers, what does it matter?

What if they are under age, and their families claim to be Christian? If they are too young, they should not marry, and they certainly should not be alone with each other where this looseness can be repeated. The parents (if they are responsible, no matter what their faiths) should have a say in any continuation of the relationship. If both parents love both youths (a rare, but possible case after behaviour like this), and would like to see the two marry, they can participate in pre-marriage teachings so that these two can prepare themselves to marry each other if they seem to love each other.

If they are of age, and if they both claim to be Christians, are they Christians? If they are truly born of God, will they just drop each other, now? If they truly love each other and seek what is best for the relationship, won’t the marriage be a very good one?

“Well, what if they realize that they don’t love each other? Should they not have the right to not marry?”

If the youths are living at home and are underage, their parents do have the right to put a halt to the relationship (until they are of age, and especially has moved out). If these teenagers are both Believers, however, they will fear God, and they must watch how they behave. They will learn about love and the dangers of feelings. A Believer cannot be ignorant. Faith is not based on ignorance. Anyone who has little or no knowledge of the Word of God is incapable of legitimately claiming faith.

In what ways don’t they love each other, if they are both Believers? Something isn’t right. Do they mean that they don’t love each other in a marriage-sort-of-way? If they were to feel forced to marry under this circumstance, the likelihood of the marriage being good is very low.

If they are not Believers, or if one of the two isn’t a Believer, they should not marry. They committed fornication; they can stop.

More on Rulings

The cases above discussing Believers are quite rare and unique. Most cases in life involve two unbelievers who participate in fornication. Some will be victims of rape, some will be rapists, some will be victims of incest, etc. The Bible holds no rule for them concerning how they should handle such cases unless they are Jewish.

Using part of the Torah to decide ‘a ruling’ while ignoring other parts of the Torah that would protect a person from ‘the ruling’ is cruel. For example, in the case of fornication, there are four different rulings in the Torah, depending on the circumstances. They are as follows:

Exodus 22:16 And if a man entices a maid that is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. ¹⁷If her father utterly refuses to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

Deuteronomy 22:23 If a damsel, a virgin, is betrothed unto a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, ²⁴then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die: the damsel, because she didn’t scream in the city, and the man, because he has humbled his neighbour’s wife. So thou shalt put away evil from among you. ²⁵But if a man finds a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then the man only that lay with her shall die. ²⁶And thou shalt do nothing unto the damsel. No sin of death is in the damsel. For as when a man rises against his neighbour and slays him, even so is this matter. ²⁷For he found her in the field. The betrothed damsel screamed, and [there was] none to save her! ²⁸If a man finds a damsel, a virgin who is not betrothed, and lays hold on her and lies with her, and they are found, ²⁹then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty [shekels] of silver, and she shall be his wife. He may not put her away all his days because he humbled her.

The protection in the last verse above is for the sake of the woman. He may not put her away (divorce her) all his days. If the Torah is not in effect, this protection for her does not exist. To insist that she and he must marry while denying her that protection is cruel to her. The Torah must be taken as a single unit, and not in its various parts. When Messiah returns, He will enforce the Torah in Israel and will use it to teach the other races justice and righteousness.

Case 20: A Woman and an Abusive Man

An unmarried woman with children is living with an abusive man. She becomes a Believer. She cannot afford to leave. Her income is too small. What should she do? If Salvation is of Yehovah, Salvation is of Yehovah! If He cannot provide for this woman when she turns to do right, He cannot everlastingly do anything. Do we need to teach God how to deliver? She must ask Yehovah to deliver; she can certainly seek help and flee from this man.

Case 21: Teen Pregnancy

Teenagers are dating. They both claim to be Christians. They do what comes naturally and she gets pregnant through their fornication. What is she to do? Should she marry him? The following issues must be considered:

Are they both Believers? (This must be heavily questioned.)
How old are they?
What part will the parents play in making the decisions?
Is marriage a temporary patch until a later divorce?

I will consider each in detail.

Are they both Believers? If one is a believer and the other is not, marriage can be a great error. Such a forced marriage will probably end badly, so it shouldn’t be started. If they truly love each other and will work hard for the relationship, it will work.

If the woman is not a believer and if the man is, he will help with the support and the upbringing of the child. If he isn’t old enough, and if his parents will cooperate, they three can aid the woman in the support of the child unless or until she proves to be just a user, or marries someone else; then the man and his parents need to let it drop, doing only what a court demands.

There are many ifs, and there are many different scenarios. Think of any combination of situations, and finding a good and reasonable answer will probably not be too difficult.

“What about the obvious—adopting out the child? Isn’t that the best option?”

I have heard this many times. It is fine as a last resort option; it is a very poor choice, otherwise. Not many in the Bible adopted their children away; I cannot see why this is such a good option. Some children are very bitter because they were adopted away when they found that their mother or father could have kept them (with the help of others), but took the most convenient route. This solution may be necessary in some cases, but it isn’t in most cases. Young parents can be reared with their infant children if others with sense and means will help.

What part will the parents of the young-and-pregnant couple play in making the decisions? If the parents are of no real ability to participate with the young couple (supposing that this couple cannot support itself), either because the moral or financial conditions of all the parents are poor, the child may have to be adopted to another couple. If the parents are able and willing to help, this is a real opportunity to turn things around for the sake of the little one. (If neither teenager is Godly, but if a parent of either teenager is Godly, the parent may want to personally adopt, if this is an option. It is a risk, however, because the teenagers may then fool around again, seeing how happy a new baby made one of their parents, or may interfere.) If none of the parents is godly, and the teenagers are not godly, someone with wisdom should help find a solution.

Would marriage for this newly pregnant couple be a temporary patch until a later divorce? If one or both of these teenage parents-to-be are immature and selfish (they go hand-in-hand), marriage would only be a patch that will tear (supposing they are old enough to marry). Such a marriage would be foolish. If the more mature teenager can handle the child with help from either (or both) set of parents, and if this teenager will work diligently for the financial benefit of the child and will willingly spend time with the little one to teach, this can be a good arrangement.

As you can see, one can come up with many, many cases. A little careful consideration and willingness can bring good plans in many cases.

Case 22: Raping a Stepdaughter

An ungodly man and Godly woman are married. The man has a 16-year-old stepdaughter. He rapes her and she becomes pregnant (because she didn’t immediately go to the hospital to stop the potential pregnancy). What should be done? The Godly woman should accuse the man and divorce him (he can never be trusted no matter how repentant he is).

What about the 16-year-old girl’s pregnancy? Is she a Believer? If she is not a Believer, Biblical ethics do not apply to her, but only to her Godly parent. Is she mature enough to bring to term? If not, save the 16-year-old and refuse the little one. If a choice must be made between the mother’s life and the baby’s life, save the mother. If the 16-year-old can bring the little one to term (and it is likely that she can), and if she is a Believer, she has no reason to show contempt for her own flesh and blood by an act against the unborn little one. If her mother or another Godly woman is willing to help her with the child, and if she is willing to work hard for the benefit of the little one (that would be true if she is Godly), she can rear the child well. If she is not a Believer, and if one of her parents is a Believer, the parent and she need to carefully discuss the future of the child and of her.

Forcing her to carry through with a pregnancy in the name of your God is a good way to embitter a youth. When a 16-year-old girl aborts without its being a case of self-defense, there are other devastating results. This is why it is vital for others who are Godly to willingly participate to help the girl do right to the degree that she is willing. A Saint must be selfless. Many unbelievers will do the right thing in these cases!

Chapter 11: Remarriage after Divorce

Though I have covered this to some degree in previous sections, I will cover it again and in greater detail because of the separate interest that many have for this.

As I previously stated, there are no Biblical rules for non-Jewish unbelievers. They may marry and divorce as often as they desire. They will be judged according to how much Truth they had (or refused to have) and used (or refused to use), and their works. If they know that adultery is wrong (and few are ignorant of this), and if they commit adultery, they will be judged for this. Every additional sin will increase the intensity of the wrath of Yehovah in the Lake of Fire and Sulfur.

Non-Jewish Saints have specific restrictions for marriage after divorce. Yehovah must recognize the divorce as legitimate for marriage to another, or else marriage to another is adultery.

Jewish non-saints (unbelievers) have the Torah. Some may not have access to a copy of it, but if any Jewish person desires a copy or better, the Truth (since the copy may be in a language the person doesn’t understand, or it may be in the form of a very liberal translation), Yehovah has never had difficulty bringing that to anyone under any circumstance. Who will accuse God of being impotent?

If a Jewish person is ignorant of the Torah’s contents based upon the refusal to care, that is the same thing as knowing it and not doing it. An American who travels abroad may decide to drive in another country just as he would drive in the United States, figuring that the rules must be the same. When he is arrested and imprisoned, he may plead, “I didn’t know!” The judges will see it differently: “You opted to use our roads, our fuel and our country, and you showed contempt for us by arrogantly violating our laws. If you did not take the time and trouble to learn our laws, this shows all the more contempt and arrogance.” Yehovah will not spare a Jewish person who had access to the Torah and who refused to care enough to study and believe it.

If a Jewish person obtains a divorce for a legitimate reason, either because the newly married spouse had previous sexual experience but kept silent regarding this, pretending to be a virgin, or because the newly married spouse commits a death-penalty offense according to the Torah, his marriage to another (or to the original spouse again if neither one has since been married) may take place without violation.

Case 23: Unbelieving Jews Fight

Suppose that an unbelieving Jewish man marries an unbelieving Jewish woman. They both claim to follow the Torah. The Jewish man voluntarily works on the Sabbath, and the Jewish woman feels that this is wrong. She becomes angry with her husband for ignoring the Sabbath, and finally sues for divorce. Upon receiving the divorce, is she permitted to marry another? She is.

But suppose that the only thing in the Torah about which she cares is the Sabbath. She does not realize that every Holy Day of Israel is a Sabbath too, so she ignores these. She eats pork on occasions and leavened bread on Pesach (Passover). Is she still allowed to marry another? Her violations of the Sabbath (every Holy Day that God gave to Israel is a Sabbath) show her to be a hypocrite.

No Jewish person can Biblically keep the Sabbath at the present time, since the Priests, the sons of Levi, must be making sacrifices in Israel in the places where Yehovah put His Name according to the Torah. This cannot be done until the Temple is built and functional.

Since the wife was using his Sabbath violation as an excuse for the divorce, and she really has no conviction, she is in the same ‘boat’ as he is. Neither one cares about the Torah except where it personally matters to each, and both will be judged according to the Torah that they have spurned. It does not matter what they do; they will only dig a deeper place into the Lake of Fire and Sulfur. Had they feared Yehovah the God of Israel, they would not have minimized any part of the Scriptures.

Suppose that she deeply cares about the Sabbath and all other Sabbaths, though she realizes that she cannot be responsible for the sacrifices, the lack of a priesthood, or the lack of a Temple, but she truly wants to delight in the Torah. Is she right to obtain a divorce and potentially marry another?

She may obtain a divorce, and she may remarry for any death penalty offense including his contempt for the Sabbath and the God of the Sabbath. If she marries a man who is not serious about the Torah, she is asking for another failed marriage. If she marries one who is conscientious about the Torah, she is marrying equally if he is of the same faith as she.

I described her as being an unbeliever, by which I mean that she does not believe in Yeshua. She may be a believer in the God of the Tenach (the ‘Old Testament’) to the degree that she has learned about Him in Truth. She may have a fair amount of tradition mixed into her beliefs. If he holds the same views as she does, or is willing to go along with her in these matters, and if they determine to seek what is best for the relationship, they will do well.

Case 24: Two Jewish Unbelievers Divorce

Two Jewish unbelievers are married. They grow tired of the constant fighting and anger. They obtain a divorce. May the wife marry another man?

If she marries another (the same is true for him!), it will be adultery according to the Torah. If they ignore the Torah, they will still be judged by it (since they have access to a copy). If they have no access to the Torah because they live in the part of Siberia where there is no copy of the Torah, if either one desires Truth, Yehovah will bring it. If they still obtain a divorce, and either remarries, it is adultery even if they do not know! They will be held responsible according to what they knew (or could have known had they not determined to ignore it) when they are judged.

No person is isolated from the Truth of God if that person desires to know. The Spirit of Yehovah is sovereign and omnipresent.

The Jewish couple in question should have worked out their difficulties, and should have taught each other by example to be gracious. Even some Gentiles know this! What is their excuse?

Being an unbeliever isn’t an excuse. It can be a cause of wrong behaviour, but then again it doesn’t have to be! Just because a person is an unbeliever in the Bible doesn’t mean that the person behaves badly. Some of the worst examples of bad behaviour are shown by religious individuals.

All will be judged by their works and what they knew or refused to know, not by their beliefs, if the Bible is Truth.

Case 25: A Jewish-Catholic Divorce

A Jewish man is married to a Catholic woman. They are in disagreement over the way the children will be reared. She wants the children to learn the Catholic Catechism, and he wants them to go to Hebrew school. The argument becomes bitter. The Jewish man meets another lady who is Jewish. He really likes her. He decides to divorce his wife. Does he have the right to marry this Jewish woman?

The first question is, What is he trying to accomplish? He is married to a Catholic lady, and wants to send his children to Hebrew school? They will be very confused children. What will they believe? Is he planning to train them to become Orthodox Jewish children?

Orthodox Judaism puts stock in the views of the great Rabbis rather than in a direct reading and understanding of the Jewish Scriptures.

Roman Catholicism puts stock in the views of great priests, popes, and other ranking Roman Catholic theologians rather than in a direct reading and understanding of the Jewish Scriptures.

The two faiths are practically twins in these regards.

Does he adhere to the Torah? That is unlikely. If he does, does the Jewish woman in whom he has found this new love interest adhere to the Torah? What cause does this man have to divorce his Catholic wife?

Now, if he were spiritually serious like the serious Israelis were under Ezra and Nehemiah, he might have cause for a divorce. Instead, he is just like his Roman Catholic wife!

He isn’t very interested in the Torah; he is interested in traditions.

Suppose the Jewish man has decided to become very Orthodox and strict in Judaism, and on this ground cannot be any longer married to this Catholic woman. (She has no intention of keeping a kosher home.) Does he have grounds to divorce her? He does, because Orthodoxy views Catholicism as idolatry. He may then marry an Orthodox Jewish woman. Jewish Orthodoxy is the faith of the Bible and of the Torah only if the Rabbis who define the faith are right and infallible.

Most Roman Catholic/Jewish marriages work fine for non-Orthodox folks of both faiths. There usually isn’t a major conflict because the two faiths are so much alike.

Divorce must be in keeping with a person’s own faith. If the Bible is Truth, each person will be judged according to the standards of the God of the Bible regardless of faith, and according to each one’s works. This only matters to folks who believe the Bible, however.

Chapter 12: Would Yehovah get a Divorce?

“God hates divorce. My pastor told me that if I get a divorce, I will be sinning, and if I marry someone else, I will be put out of the church. He said that God would never get a divorce, and I should never seek one, either. Is this true?”

The following texts will answer the question:

Jeremiah 3:6 And Yehovah said unto me in the days of Josiah the king, “Hast thou seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there has committed whoredom. ⁷And I said, ‘After she has done all these, she will return unto me!’ But she didn’t return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw. ⁸And I saw that when, for all the causes wherein backsliding Israel committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, feared not, but also went and committed whoredom! ⁹And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom that she polluted the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks! ¹⁰And even for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not returned unto me with her whole heart, but with falsehood!” says Yehovah. ¹¹And Yehovah said unto me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah!”

Isaiah 50:1 Thus says Yehovah, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away?”

Yehovah Himself is presently divorced. He states when He will marry Israel to Himself again:

Hosea 2:14 “Therefore behold, I will allure her. And I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak to her heart. ¹⁵And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope. And she shall sing there as in the days of her youth and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁶And it shall be, in that day,” says Yehovah, “thou shalt call me, ‘My husband!’ and shall no longer call me, ‘My master.’ ¹⁷For I will take away the names of the Baals [masters] out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. ¹⁸And I will make a covenant for them in that day with the beasts of the field and with the fowl of the heavens and the creeping things of the ground. And I will break bow and sword and battle out of the land. And I will make them to lie down safely. ¹⁹And I will betroth thee unto me to Hider. And I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in justice and in grace and in mercies. ²⁰And I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness. And thou shalt know Yehovah.”

Yehovah was married to Israel. Israel belongs to Yehovah now. He will destroy anyone who puts his hand against Israel, the pupil of His eye. Yet, He is angry at Israel, and will put Israel through the Tribulation. After Israel has turned, He will remarry her.

Since Yehovah has divorced, it is not proper theology to state that divorce is always wrong (unless you will accuse Yehovah of doing wrong). There are cases where divorce is the “least worst” alternative.

There are some who have taken the view that divorce is a good alternative to a bad marriage, and that anyone can always get out of a bad marriage. Such a view also doesn’t represent the Bible.

“How will things be different for unbelieving Jews who get divorces without cause from unbelieving non-Jews who do the same?”

As I mentioned above, unbelieving Jews will be held to the Torah in the Judgment because they had the Torah, and Yehovah has no difficulty delivering the Torah to anyone who desires Truth. Unbelieving non-Jews will be judged on the basis of what they had and knew from God; this will vary. Yehovah’s judgments will be right and in perfect accord with justice. Consider the following text:

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles who don’t have the Torah naturally do the things contained in the Torah, these, not having the Torah, are a Torah unto themselves ¹⁵who show the work of the Torah written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and thoughts meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.

Thus, non-Jewish folks can have access to Yehovah’s Torah (Teaching) through their consciences and thoughts. Yehovah designed it that way. Even very young children demonstrate a sense of right and wrong, justice and injustice.

“I married, hoping that my spouse’s faith would change. I have been working toward this for a while. What should I do now, since I was wrong?”

Quit trying to change the spouse. Quit destroying the reputation of your god (or God, depending on your real faith status). Live Godly and ‘unobnoxiously,’ and with joy to the degree that this is possible. Do what is right.

If you have never carefully read the Bible (and you therefore don’t have a Biblical faith, no matter what you claim), or if you have read the Bible but haven’t understood it, read the Bible literally. Consider its Salvation. (Absolutely no one can believe what the person does not know.) Get to know Yehovah’s justice. No Godly man or woman in the Bible ever tried to convert a spouse. You married the other person for a deceitful and deceptive reason if you planned to turn your spouse into your image of a ‘Christian’! What did you vow? Think! You have tried to be GOD to your spouse. You turn to God. Then live righteously. If your spouse is not pleased to dwell with you, you were the deceitful one.

“What about some person in some far-away corner of the world who cannot read and has no access to the Bible? This person has no chance!”

No person is isolated from the Word of God! Yehovah wrote it on the stars! How do you think that the astrologers who visited Messiah after His birth knew what they knew? Yehovah showed them through the constellations! The expression, ‘wise men’ means astrologers.

When the Israelis and other races began worshipping the stars rather than the Creator, Yehovah commanded the Israelis against the use of constellations for idolatry. He sent prophets who wrote texts that contained the same information (but more of it) found in the constellations. These texts comprise the Bible. He then made occult use of astrology by Israel a death-penalty offense. Members of other races have no such restrictions. If they have no Bible and no access to the Word of God, they can still see the same Truth in the constellations as at the beginning. (Yehovah will instruct any person to read the constellations literally who needs the Word of God in that form.) The heavens declare the Glory of God. The firmament shows the work of His hands! (Those are two good End Times texts!) No person is isolated. But what is your excuse, careless and deluded sinner, for claiming to be a Christian, claiming a faith that you do not know? You are lying to yourself. Will you fool God?

I return back to the question:

“What if I married thinking that my spouse was a Believer, and now I realize that he is not?”

If you were honestly fooled by another, you have good grounds for getting out of the marriage if your deceitful spouse is not pleased to dwell with you (assuming that you are Godly as you claim). If your spouse is pleased to dwell with you, and you are therefore not being asked to compromise by sinning, remain married. If he only sins outside of the home, cheating on his taxes (that you sign), fooling around with other women, lying, or doing many other things that do bring disrepute on the home, though he may say that he is pleased to dwell with you, he is not, and you need to part ways with this worker of iniquity.

Were you truly fooled, or did you voluntarily opt to not consider the facts? Do not deceive yourself. If you were truly fooled, would you be fooled again? Have you gotten to know the marks and characteristics of Saints? If you have not, you are not fooled. You are intentionally ignorant of what you claim to be your faith. You are not born of God. One who is born of God loves the things of God, and especially the Word of God. One who loves anything heartily goes after it.

Romans 10:17 So then faith is by hearkening, and hearkening by the word of God.

If you do not know the Word of God, to what do you hearken? Faith cannot come unless and until hearkening first comes! On what do you base your faith? Is it based on what some preacher said? Faith that is based on ignorance is not faith. Faith must be based on what is known with certainty, not on what one would like it to be. Who can honestly say, “I have believed!” except one who can also say, “I have understood, I have hearkened, and now I know what I believe!”?

Chapter 13: Counseling

‘Christian’ Counseling

Beware of so-called ‘Christian’ counseling. It is often the worst form of counsel that one can receive. While there are exceptions, many so-called ‘Christian counselors’ are neither Biblical Christians nor wise counselors. One has a far greater likelihood of finding wise counsel from secular counselors. Religious counselors almost universally have no real concept of the God of the Bible or His ways, and assume terribly erroneous things about the standards of the Bible.

Many cases can be solved with simple practicality. A relationship may sometimes be turned from bad to good with the simplest change in the behaviour of the one who has some wisdom!

Choosing Counselors to Avert a Divorce

When couples are considering divorce, they sometimes choose to seek help to save the faulty relationship. If one or both are Christian, they might consult with a Christian counselor. A counselor who thinks he is a Christian will give what he thinks is the right and best guidance. A secular counselor who has no pretense of faith is often more realistic and takes a broader view of the problem than a religious counselor.

There are foolish counselors in every faith or faithless category, of course. A secular counselor who is good tends to understand the importance of religion, but sees many causes for marriage problems that don’t come back to religion. A truly good Christian counselor will deal with religious individuals in the same ways as good-quality secular counselors. A Christian counselor who is merely religious and self-deceived will miss flaws in the basic understandings that he also has, and will tend to give oversimplified assignments and guidance.

An example of an error of some popular Christian counselors is found in the area of self-esteem. One view holds that self-esteem plays a role in healthy behaviour. Anyone who sees himself as a valuable jewel of God will be able to stand firm against life’s difficulties. A wise secular counselor (or a very unusual Christian counselor) will know that anyone’s value is not based on esteem, but on his sensitivity to and investment in the needs and benefits of others, and in his stand on doing right and being a person of justice according to some absolute standard.

Self-esteem is self-delusion. Circumspection, looking around to see how one’s behaviour affects himself and others, and choosing to behave in a way that is beneficial and according to truth is the best way to make sound decisions. Christian counselors are normal Christians of today, and that certainly is not praiseworthy. Those who are very good and truly Christian are too rare to consider.

A wise counselor will start with the truth. She will cut through excuses, lies and garbage. One or both in the relationship have invested much time and effort in some destructive ‘nothing,’ and will likely want to continue in that pursuit. The counselor will not start with the premise of the basic goodness of man, but with the premise that humans often mess things up, and that humans can participate in excellent and loving relationships. Non-Christian counselors know that works are vital for any relationship to do well. Pseudo-Christian counselors tend to shy away from the theological importance of works. Truly Godly counselors will teach that good works are a must and that no one’s faith is of any consequence if the works are bad, damaging or of no benefit.

A good number of non-Christian counselors can deal well with true Christians. These counselors see religion as important only as it affects the behaviour of the clients.

Too many Christian counselors foolishly and stupidly accept the claim of their clients’ Christianity. They will skip the first step of finding out if this is the case. Since it is usually not the case, such counselors will expect behaviours of their clients that their clients cannot achieve, or their clients can learn to imitate–only to the further destruction of trust.

Never trust a Christian counselor more than a secular one. Never trust any counselor who is not disinterested. Put another way, never trust any counselor who has an agenda (like the salvation of client’s souls) that he or she can freely follow while counseling. Even what appear to be good agendas will tend to blind the counselor to issues vital for resolution.

Always choose a counselor according to her willingness to deal with the truth. Any counselor who sugarcoats the situation or the behaviour of either client is worth nothing. Any counselor who claims to speak for God (like, “God wants you to be happy and to have a good relationship”) is a liar. What God wants, if this is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is Truth, the love of Grace, doing justice, selflessness, the fear of Him, etc. This list may not presently include the type of ‘happiness’ that folks think is so important. Some prophets who were doing right had much reason to not be happy; they saw the innocent being killed by the guilty.

“Isn’t it a shame for a Christian to go to a non-Christian for counseling?”

Saints go to non-saints for counseling on physical ailments, on stock options, and on work-related matters. If non-saints have sense, some will have sense regarding interpersonal relationships. They will often see what religious counselors miss, having a very different focus. Their solutions will often be within the framework of Christian ethics.

Some ‘Christian’ counselors give solutions that are far outside the framework of Christian ethics. Telling a person to love a worker of iniquity because it is supposedly his duty to do so is a violation of Christian ethics. A worker of iniquity is hated by God according to Psalm 5:5: “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” A secular counselor is more likely to give proper advice: stay away from such a person, and turn him in if he is violating children or is endangering the life of an innocent person. That counsel includes Church pastors and priests who are workers of iniquity. (Some marriages are stressed because congregants hearken to such evil pastors.)

When choosing a counselor, look for these things:

Direct and clear insight from direct and clear questions
A response against wrong-doing and a sense of real joy when things are done right
The refusal to believe anything based upon the testimony of only one person (including your testimony)
The refusal to deflect responsibility for your actions away from you and onto another (including your rotten parents)
A willingness to truly anger you when that must be done
The refusal to use religious jargon
The refusal to make claims about what God wants for you or what Satan wants
The refusal to claim knowledge of motives of others, and the refusal to base anything on the motives of others
The refusal to claim texts that belong solely to Israel as if it were for the modern Christian ‘Church’ or for you, individually
The refusal to counsel you in such a way that when you leave, you feel more angry at others rather than when you came; instead, you are thinking more about your own behaviour and its affect on others
The refusal to claim foolish things like Nobody’s perfect (when doing only what is right and being what is right are the only acceptable standards)
The refusal to keep you coming, paying and paying until your debts become a part of the problem
The refusal to make you dependent, always striving rather to cause you to be independent in every way, including from your counselor
Always demonstrating real and true disinterestedness—not having a personal agenda in the outcome

Don’t be fooled. Many counselors make a good living working with the problems of others. Some feel justified dragging clients on and on, bringing them into debt. Others are highly ethical, and truly desire to see their clients learn to handle life’s issues very well. Choose wisely. A couple with marriage problems that seeks wise counsel is doing right. Any marriage will work if both have the right view of relationship and set themselves to do what is required.

Logic and Emotion

One great troubler of relationships is male pride. It comes out in many ways. A common and very erroneous belief is that men are mainly logical and women are mainly emotional. The Bible teaches otherwise. Look at every male and every female mentioned in the Bible. (it won’t take you that long.) Women are usually portrayed as initially and finally logical, and men are portrayed as initially emotional and sometimes finally logical, sometimes finally emotional. Is the Bible correct?

The logic of women can be very good, or it can be used for great cunning and evil. The emotionalism of men makes them tend to be unstable and too quick to improperly, unbeneficially, and foolishly react. Other cultures portray these facts more openly. Middle Eastern men tend to be openly emotional, and women tend to be logical in their responses to life.

If a man works hard to drive his wife to emotionalism so that he can take advantage of this and portray her as weak, he will greatly harm or destroy his relationship with her. If the man gives credit to his wife when she shows real wisdom (if he is not afraid to give her credit), his relationship can turn out to be very strong.

Beware of the so-called ‘Proverbs 31 woman’ (beginning at Proverbs 31:10). She isn’t human since she runs a seven-day-a-week, 24-hours-a-day shift. She is a logical woman who is wise and prudent in all things; I propose that she is a city. (A surprising number of texts in the Bible portray locations, including Mount Zion, Jerusalem and Israel, as persons who speak, react and portray moral behaviours.) Some women desire to be ‘Proverbs 31 women,’ and find that they can’t achieve such a goal. They will find failure, and will wrongly conclude that they cannot please God or their husbands. Plenty of men like to see their women attempt to fit this mold—except where their wives are truly independent (the ‘Proverbs 31 woman’ is definitely independent!).

Women have had to maintain a sense of logic to survive in societies where they have not been treated well. A woman who refuses to use good and sound logic and chooses instead to abase herself by following whims and emotions will do great harm. Men who follow their emotions can end up spending too much money, drinking too much alcohol, sleeping around, buy bass boats that they can’t afford, and so on. Women who follow their emotions instead of following their given logic abase themselves and prove mainly useless. Men have some natural logic, but the logic of women is quick and in greater amounts. For example,

Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass, on the way in the inn, that Yehovah came upon [Moses] and sought to slay him. ²⁵Then Zipporah took a stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet. And she said, “A bloody husband indeed art thou to me!” ²⁶And He let him go. Then she said, “A bloody husband!”–because of the circumcision.

The quickness of the logic of woman is seen in the cases of Samson’s parents, Abigail and David, and Martha and Mary (Yeshua’s mother). A good relationship must consider the excellences of the husband and the wife, not the supposed inferiorities. Men who ‘keep their wives down’ are fools, and are usually religious fools.

Anyone who understands the following text will know that I am writing what is true:

Genesis 2:18 And Yehovah Elohim said, “It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a help appropriate for him.”

Anyone who is a help must have even greater capacity and insight in areas that the one being helped is deficient. An emotional basket case would not be of much help. A logical and prudent person can be a great help.

Chapter 14: A Basic Summary of Grounds for Divorce

If two Saints are married, there are few grounds for divorce (unless one commits a capital punishment offense). A Saint is known for abhorring sin. One who abhors something will avoid it even if avoiding it is very costly. If a Saint commits a capital punishment sin, his salvation needs to be re-examined. Something has gone terribly wrong. It is possible for a Saint to sin; King David did. It is just not likely. The Saint will have the same attitude (by the same Spirit of Yehovah) that Joseph took when he said,

Genesis 39:9 “None is greater in this house than I, neither has he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

This corresponds to the verse in 1 John:

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin (for His seed remains in him, and He cannot sin) because he is born of God.

Only a child or a Saint would say, “I can’t,” when it comes to sinning.

If a Saint and a non-saint are married, there can be many grounds for divorce, some of which are listed below:

If the non-saint cannot tolerate the home being run according to the standards of Godliness, and thus is not pleased to dwell with the Saint
If the non-saint does death-penalty offenses (such as adultery, sexual perversion, molestation, murder, open idolatry, etc.)
If the non-saint abandons the home or refuses to participate in its support
If the non-saint pushes the Saint to compromise on faith for the sake of peace
If the non-saint is involved with illegal means of profit for which the Saint would also be held responsible
If the non-saint lies and destroys the trust
If the non-saint takes a stand against Israel, and demands compliance

If the Saint practices any of the above, there are grounds for considering that the person might not be a Saint!

If two non-Jewish non-saints are married, they may do as they please. They do not need Biblical grounds for a divorce because the Bible doesn’t represent their faith(s).

Many non-saints hold to a very high level of faithfulness and wisdom. Some forms of idol worship promote permanent and good marriage relationships under even horrible conditions! Non-saints follow their own gods, and Yehovah will judge them according to their works (the same standard by which He will judge Saints). They will be held responsible for what they knew or could have known had they cared enough to look and to seek Truth.

Jewish non-saints will be judged according to their works using the standards of the Torah and their consciences (constructed and given by Yehovah). The conscience is much greater than what many recognize:

Romans 2:2 We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them who commit such things. ³And thinkest thou this, man, who judges them who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? ⁴Or dost thou despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance? ⁵But thou treasurest up wrath unto thyself after thy hardness and impenitent heart against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God ⁶Who will render to every man according to his deeds— ⁷to them who seek for glory and honour and immortality—eternal life—by patient continuance in well doing, ⁸but unto them who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, ⁹tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil—of the Jew first, and also of the Greek, ¹⁰but glory, honour and peace to every man who works good—to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ¹¹For there is no respect of persons with God. ¹²For as many as have sinned without Torah shall also perish without Torah, and as many as have sinned in the Torah shall be judged by the Torah. ¹³For the hearers of the Torah are not righteous before God, but the doers of the Torah shall be justified! ¹⁴For when the Gentiles who don’t have the Torah naturally do the things contained in the Torah, these are a Torah unto themselves, not having the law, ¹⁵who show the work of the Torah written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and thoughts accusing or else excusing one another the mean while, ¹⁶in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Messiah Yeshua, according to my gospel.

If such a person has burned his own conscience into a non-functional state, that is deliberate sabotage of what Yehovah gave for knowledge of right and wrong.

If a Jewish non-saint is married to a non-Jewish non-saint, the Jewish non-saint will be held accountable to the Torah as in the paragraph above, and the non-Jewish non-saint will be judged by Yehovah according to what he knew or could have known had he cared to look, and by the conscience. Folks can ignore their consciences just as they can the Torah, and folks can misread their own consciences just as they misread Scriptures. An overactive conscience can condemn when nothing is wrong, and a burnt conscience can give little information when something should be wrong. Thus, one must learn how to use the conscience. It is a tool for morality and ethics, and is God-given. Nature cannot provide a conscience.

If two religiously oriented so-called ‘Christians’ are married, neither one being born of God, they will be judged by the book that they claimed to follow whether they followed it or not. They took the Name of the Messiah of Israel into their mouths, and they claimed to represent Him. They will be held responsible for their living denial of the truth, including any and all blasphemy that they did in the process.

If anyone has obtained a divorce and then marries another on improper grounds, and has now realized this and feels guilty, the conscience works. If he desires to do right now, and is in the middle of the dilemma whether to stay in a present improperly formed relationship or return to a former one, once marriage has occurred, returning back is an abomination. The person must do right now.

If two so-called ‘Christians’ divorced, and if neither has married another, if both are willing to return, they can do so if that is wise and if they have solved the problems.

If two are unmarried and living together, and one has become a Believer, the Believer must be wise. Jumping into marriage may not be wise, and destroying the relationship may not be wise. Think carefully. If children are involved, determine the wisest course. Don’t make a religious decision! Knowing what to do is often easier than it first appears. If the marriage will not survive, get out of the relationship. If the marriage will survive, if no compromise on Godliness will be necessary, if the unbelieving potential ‘spouse’ is pleased to dwell with the Believing potential ‘spouse,’ consider making the marriage legal; cheating the government is sin. Wisely give the unbelieving spouse an opportunity to consider the issue of faith without pressure. Use wisdom. Be patient. Do not be quick to make radical decisions in this circumstance. Doing the wrong thing won’t correct a wrong situation. The Saint is not required to marry for the sake of the children.

Anyone who is wise will carefully inspect before getting married. If you are already married and have become a Believer, think carefully before you do something that you regret, and think thoroughly lest you do nothing, and your new faith is destroyed before any fruit can come. Seek wise counsel if you do not know what to do, and seek a number of counselors:

Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors is safety.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel, purposes are disappointed. But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

(Those texts have specific timings, but I think you can see the wisdom in divorce/marriage considerations.)

If you are unable to find any wise counselors, Yehovah will give you wise counsel Himself if you are patient, and if you seek it from Him. (Don’t use the Bible as an Ouija Board.) No one who seeks Truth and Wisdom will ever be left in an ethically or morally impossible position to the violation of righteousness. I propose that the following promise to Israelis will not be denied to anyone who truly and fervently seeks this from God:

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he shall ask from God Who gives to all liberally and doesn’t upbraid, and it shall be given him.

You probably will have to pay a price for righteousness, and the price may be steep, but it will be far less than the price that you will pay if you refuse to pursue righteousness.

Do what is right.

April 10, 2009August 22, 2016

Kingdom and God’s Will

The Kingdom and God’s Will

A Brief Paper

Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done upon the earth, as in the heavens.

To which kingdom does this refer? Does it refer to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of the heavens, or the kingdom of Messiah? All these kingdoms are the same kingdom; the Bible gives the expectation of only one Kingdom ruled by God.

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in the heavens, “Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Messiah! For the accuser of our brethren that accused them before our God day and night is cast down!”

Five items or conditions will be present at the same time:

Salvation
Strength
Kingdom of our God
Power of His Messiah
Accuser of our brethren is cast down

Sheep-Goat Judgment

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! ³⁵For I was hungry, and ye gave me food! I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink! I was a stranger, and ye took me in; ³⁶naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick, and ye visited me. I was in prison, and ye came unto me!” ³⁷Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed, or thirsty, and gave drink? ³⁸When did we see thee a stranger, and took in, or naked, and clothed? ³⁹Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came unto thee?”

This text is the judgment of non-Jewish non-saints. This is what I have called the Sheep-Goat Judgment. All non-Jewish unsaved folks over the entire planet who have survived the Tribulation will be arrested are brought before Messiah Yeshua. He then separates them according to their works (only). If they met some minimal worksrequirements, they will be granted to remain alive, and will later obtain Salvation (by His Grace). If they didn’t meet those minimal requirements, they will be damned without appeal. This trial is very brief and efficient.

Living Jewish folks have already all been judged before this event.

The kingdom mentioned here was prepared for ‘you’ (referring to non-Jewish, non-saint folks classified as righteous) from the foundation of the world!

Timing of the Restoration of the Kingdom

Acts 1:3 He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen by them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. ⁴And, being assembled together with [them], He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, “which ye have heard from me. ⁵For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.” ⁶When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him saying, “Lord, wilt Thou again restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?” ⁷And He said unto them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has put in His own power.”

Yeshua did not restore the kingdom to Israel or to earth after His resurrection. That awaits a future time and a set of circumstances. Thus, the Kingdom of God is not here.

The Everlasting Kingdom

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings, the God of the heavens shall set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed. And the Kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

This text declares the following:

God will set up the Kingdom. Thus, no humans of any religion or action will bring it or build it.
The Kingdom will never be destroyed.
The Kingdom will not be left to non-Jewish peoples.
The Kingdom will break up and eat up all the kingdoms of the races.
The Kingdom will stand until the earth ends.

Daniel 4:3 How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation!

This affirms the following:

The Kingdom will come with great signs from Yehovah.
The Kingdom will come with powerful miracles from Yehovah.
The Kingdom is permanent
His dominion covers all future generations on the planet

Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes unto the heavens. And my understanding returned unto me. And I blessed the most High. And I praised and honoured Him Who lives forever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His Kingdom is from generation to generation.

This affirms the same things as the previous text, adding that He lives forever.

Daniel 7:14 And there was given Him dominion and glory and a Kingdom. And all peoples, nations and languages shall serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that shall not be destroyed.

This gives other details:

The dominion, glory and the Kingdom will be given to the Messiah.
All peoples, races and languages will serve Him.
His Kingdom will never pass away, and
His Kingdom will never be destroyed.

Daniel 7:18 But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever.

The Saints take the Kingdom!
The Saints possess the Kingdom!
The Saints possess the Kingdom for the rest of time on this planet.

Daniel 7:22 …until the Ancient of days came. And judgment was given to the Saints of the most High. And the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom.

The Saints do the judging.

Daniel 7:27 And the Kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under all the heavens shall be given to the people {Israelis} of the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.

Three items are given to the Israelis:

The Kingdom
The dominion
The greatness of the Kingdom under all the heavens

Ownership order is given. The Most High owns the Saints. The Saints own the Israelis.

All dominions will serve and obey the Most High.

Obadiah 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the Kingdom shall be Yehovah’s.

Yehovah will own the Kingdom. Add this to the above ownerships to get a clear picture of the Kingdom’s owners.

Micah 4:8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

Who is this daughter of Jerusalem? I propose that she is Jerusalem in a future generation when she will be inhabited by only righteous Israelis (and those from among the races who are righteous and who desire to live as Israelis).

God’s Will

Back to Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done upon the earth, as in the heavens,” what is His will? There is no mentioned single object of His will, but rather the statement that when the kingdom comes, whatever His will is will be done upon the earth (land) to the same degree that it is being done in the heavens.

Isn’t Messiah’s will being done now on earth? It most certainly isn’t being done (with a few individual exceptions). His will is mostly ignored, and He isn’t enforcing it—again with a few exceptions. His plan for the ages is not being hindered by anything.

Can humans stop His will from being done? If He enforces His will, they cannot stop it. If He doesn’t, every sin is a violation of His will.

Perfect and Permissive Wills

Some have felt that there are two wills of God: a perfect will and a permissive will. This is false, and there isn’t evidence for this in the Bible. Yehovah has only one will, and He isn’t schizophrenic. He makes His will very obvious; no one has to be concerned that he or she might accidentally miss it. What would be the permissive will of God, if it existed? This is supposed to be the alternate plan of God in case a Saint sins or makes an inferior choice, messing up God’s perfect plans. Thus, God would have to have three perspectives:

His perfect will
His permissive will
His no will–that is, something that He does not even permit or desire at all.

If God has alternate plans, this shows that He is uncertain about what will occur! He therefore waits to see what man will decide so that He can know which plan to use. Thus, man determines God’s ultimate action. Glory be to man! This is nonsense.

It is His will that the principalities and powers will know His multifaceted wisdom:

Ephesians 3:8 “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given—that I shall preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Messiah ⁹and to make all men see what the fellowship of the mystery is that has been hidden in God (Who created all things by Messiah Yeshua) from the beginning of the world, ¹⁰to the intent that the manifold wisdom of God will now be known unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places by the Church ¹¹according to the eternal purpose that He purposed in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.”

This is not all His will, but it is very important. In order to demonstrate this and to have volunteers among men to do righteousness, it was His will that sin not be immediately stopped when Adam sinned and fell. Thus, He showed His patience by not immediately judging with death, but by giving opportunity for repentance. Yet, His will in the heavens has always been enforced: immediate obedience. When He comes, this will also be enforced on the planet. No one can delay or stop Him in anything, but He can wait to execute judgment, as He has. His will will be immediately enforced during the Millennium, as it is presently done in the heavens.

On the other hand, if Yehovah indeed has only one will (what the Scriptures actually teach), He already knows what He intends to do and how to do it. If He knows which way the Saints and non-Saints will go, and if He uses their actions to only further His absolute will, this shows His might and power, His Wisdom and His foreknowledge. If a Saint stupidly sins, someone (often innocent) will suffer the consequences. Yehovah will not adjust His will for the action of that Saint, however. He already knew and determined what His own act would be long before that Saint was born.

Seeking the Kingdom

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life—what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or yet for your body—what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ²⁶Behold the fowls of the air. For they sow not, and they do not reap or gather into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not much better than they? ²⁷Which of you can add one cubit unto his stature by taking thought? ²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field—how they grow; they don’t toil and they don’t spin. ²⁹And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field that is today and tomorrow is cast into the oven, not much more you, ye of little faith? ³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, “What shall we eat?” or, “What shall we drink?” or, “How shall we be clothed?” ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. ³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you! ³⁴Take no thought, therefore, for tomorrow. For tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 7:1Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ³And why dost thou behold the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but dost not consider the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴Or 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? ⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam from thine own eye. And then, thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote from thy brother’s eye. ⁶Give not what is holy unto the dogs. And do not cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you! ⁷Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And it shall be opened to him who knocks. ⁹Or, what man is there of you, who, if his son asks bread, he will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks a fish, he will give him a serpent? ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father Who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask him? ¹²Therefore all things whatsoever ye desire that men shall do to you, do ye even so to them! For this is the Torah and the prophets. ¹³Enter ye in at the constricted gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in there. ¹⁴For, the gate is constricted, and the way is narrow that leads unto life, and there are few who find it. ¹⁵Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but they are inwardly ravening wolves. ¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. ²⁰Therefore, ye shall know them by their fruits. ²¹Not every one who says unto me, “Lord! Lord!” shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father Who is in the heavens. ²²Many will say to me in that day, “Lord! Lord! Haven’t we prophesied in thy Name, and have cast out devils in thy Name, and done many wonderful works in thy Name?” ²³And I will then profess unto them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, ye who work iniquity!”²⁴Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock. ²⁵And the rain descended. And the floods came. And the winds blew and beat upon that house. And it didn’t fall because it was founded upon a rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these sayings of mine and doesn’t do them shall be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. ²⁷And the rain descended. And the floods came. And the winds blew and beat upon that house. And it fell! And the fall of it was great!

Matthew 6:25-34 describes Israeli groups in great trouble. I know they are Israeli from verse 32: “For the Gentiles seek after all these things.” I know they are groups because of the use of the pronouns ye, you and your. I know they are in trouble because they have no source of food, drink, clothing or shelter. If they were not in a crisis, telling them, “Take no thought for your life—what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or yet for your body—what ye shall put on…” would be a command to become lazy. These folks cannot work for these items; they are in great trouble and are very desperate. They also have very little faith among them (verse 30).

Verse 32 commands these groups to seek two things: the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. If they seek these two things, “all these things” (food, drink, clothing, shelter) will be added unto them. This is 100% guaranteed to these groups.

How does one go about seeking the kingdom of God? Since the Kingdom of God will still be in exile as it is now with the King (Messiah) being in the heavens, and the seat of His government being there instead of on earth, the reader must consider what is left on earth that is part of the Kingdom of God.

A kingdom always consists of four necessary parts:

A king
A land
Citizens
A set of laws by which the kingdom keeps order

Remove any one of the four, and the kingdom falls apart. Yet, a king can go into exile and the rule of law can become foreign, but the kingdom still exists.

Since the King is in the heavens and therefore is in exile, and since the set of the Kingdom’s laws are found in the Torah, seeking those two aspects of this Kingdom is a futile and worthless occupation. Two are left: the land and its citizens.

If a person seeks the Kingdom’s citizens, those will most certainly include Israelis of any age and of any faith or lack of faith. Once a person finds such citizens and begins the journey with them, seeking the land is the next step. That land is the land of Israel, of course. Those who obey the text to seek the Kingdom of God will go to Israel in general, and specifically to Mount Zion. They will be provided with all necessities on the way; that will confirm to them that they are on the right track: what the Bible calls the way.

Seeking His Righteousness

What is His righteousness? Please view the following text in a different way (that I will describe):

Romans 3:21 The righteousness of God without the Torah is now manifested, being witnessed by the Torah and the prophets— ²²even the righteousness of God unto all and upon all them who believe by Messiah Yeshua’s faith. For there is no difference. ²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, ²⁴being freely justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua ²⁵Whom God set forth a covering through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God: ²⁶to declare His righteousness at this time so that He will be righteous and the justifier of him who believes in Yeshua.

This describes God’s righteousness and the covering that is in Yeshua’s blood brought faith. That covering is from death (among other things). Yeshua died and rose again to save lives. No matter how one will describe the reason for Yeshua’s sacrifice, it will always come to one main reason: to save lives.

Most view salvation as a spiritual event that really has little to do with physical life and death; this is why many hold theological views that the real benefits of salvation will come after death. Such views are not Biblical; the Bible describes the real benefits of salvation occurring in this life and continuing after physical death (or physical change). Yeshua’s desire was to save lives—physical lives (as well as giving everlasting life). This is why He did some miracles that involved raising the dead.

All the deadly judgments of Yehovah from the beginning of man were designed to save lives. Some were slaughtered so that others would live. Yehovah commanded the annihilation of the Canaanites and associated races in order to save the lives of Israelis and in order to stop violent and deadly sins that the Canaanites did that bred death. Some rabid dogs just have to be put down.

If the righteousness of God was demonstrated in Salvation, which includes saving physical lives from physical death (as well as the obvious Spiritual Salvation from everlasting death), anyone seeking His righteousness will therefore seek to save physical lives, and, like Yeshua, will risk his/her life to save the life of another. This will be demonstrated by saving Jews (and non-Jews). This will certainly include saving children, producing the greatest risk.

The Matthew 6 text ends with this: “Take no thought, therefore, for tomorrow. For tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” The Tribulation will be so terrifying, that thoughts of what tomorrow will bring will stop all sleep, all rest, and even all desire to live if those involved give thought for tomorrow. Those who focus on what is occurring in each day as it occurs will be able to continue if they concentrate on the three objectives mentioned above:

Seeking Israelis to help, as part of seeking the Kingdom of God
Seeking Mount Zion, as part of seeking the Kingdom of God
Determining to save Jewish (and non-Jewish) lives as part of seeking and doing His righteousness.

This will give folks much incentive to live!

Don’t Judge

Matthew 7 commences with the following commands and explanations:

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ³And why dost thou behold the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but dost not consider the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴Or 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? ⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam from thine own eye. And then, thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote from thy brother’s eye.

I repeat that Yeshua spoke this sermon on the mountain mainly to unbelieving Israelis—they didn’t know Yeshua’s identity. This sermon’s real thrust will be to folks in the Tribulation many centuries after Yeshua uttered these words. It warns non-believing Israelis to refrain from judging each other, but instead for each to first put off blindness regarding themselves and Yeshua. If they judge each other when they are not in faith, they will end up killing each other (rather than saving lives). If they instead seek and find life, they will be able to offer that life to and for fellow Israelis.

Don’t Give what is Holy to Dogs

Matthew 7:6 states, “Give not what is holy unto the dogs.” Dogs in the Bible either refers to the canine sets of species or to humans with very perverted actions. Wild dogs can be as vicious as hungry pack wolves. This text commands the Israelis to not give what is holy to the dogs. What is holy? What does holy mean? It always means owned in the Bible. It never means more, and it never means less. Anyone and anything that is owned is holy. The opposite of owned is unowned, and the opposite of holy is secular, which is the same as profane in the Bible.

The Israelis are holy (whether in faith or not); Messiah owns them (whether they know this or not). Telling Israelis to not give what is holy to dogs will first and foremost refer to fellow Israelis, and will include Israeli children.

During times of great crisis when Jews were in the most possible danger from enemies, many Jewish parents placed their children with Gentiles who took them in. The Tribulation will be similar, yet different. Because of the intensity of fervour against the Jews, much greater danger will accompany taking a Jewish child into one’s family. Not only would the entire family be killed if this is discovered (later in the Tribulation), but an entire city might be set for destruction. Taking in a person who is considered illegal will be viewed as a traitorous act. I propose these things because Messiah described this time as the worst the world will have ever seen:

Matthew 24:21 “For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time—no, nor ever shall be.”

Giving children to violent persons and refusing to help children who are being turned over to violent persons when help can be given are two examples of giving what is holy to dogs. Messiah’s command is a warning. Any Jewish person who violates this command will be destroyed even if that person would otherwise have survived the Tribulation.

Don’t Cast Pearls before Swine

Then comes the command, “Do not cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you!” I have proposed that pearls in the Bible either refer to those small and sometimes valuable ‘stones’ found in oysters, or to doctrine. I refer to the following parable when I propose that it is doctrine:

Matthew 13:45 The Kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls ⁴⁶who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

I considered this text this way: The merchantman makes his living by buying and selling merchandise. He has enjoyed trading in pearls. He especially loves a beautiful pearl, if he can find one. He finally does find a gorgeous pearl, but it also has a gorgeous price. The only way he can afford this pearl is to sell everything, thus putting himself out of business. He doesn’t even have a way to live; he has banked all on that pearl that will now do him absolutely no good. I see stupidity in his action; he is now good for nothing.

Yet, the Kingdom of the heavens is like this foolish merchantman. Since the Kingdom is described in good ways and in bad ways by telling what will happen to it in the future before it is cleansed from all unbelievers who feign to be Saints, I knew that the parables easily could describe disasters as well as glories. This is one of those parables that describes a disaster.

As I considered these things, I thought, “What could be the most sought item among temporary members of the Kingdom of the Heavens (those who are not born of God)? Since all attached to the Kingdom of the heavens are either attached by birth or by a declaration of some faith in which they view themselves as members of that kingdom, I thought about doctrines. Biblically, a doctrine is a teaching that is either directly received from a god/God or from an infallible source that speaks the words of the god/God. It is always received. No person can discover, find, happen upon, or properly construct a true doctrine, though anyone can make up a false doctrine, claiming that it has been received from God.

Each different group (denomination) that claims to have full membership in the Kingdom of God has a central doctrine or set of doctrines to which it clings. I propose that each is like a pearl, and that all the doctrines are the necklace identifying the denomination.

If my proposal is correct, the merchantman represents something that isn’t very good; he buys and sells pearls—doctrines, in my proposal. That is his business. This is true of all television and radio preachers; their business is to sell doctrines, obtaining funds through donations. Yet, the merchantman also appreciates the more beautiful pearls (doctrines?), and seeks one of great beauty. He finally finds one; he sells allfor that one pearl. If this refers to doctrines, that would be like a pastor selling all other doctrines out to gain one most precious doctrine. Cults do something like this, abandoning doctrines that are clear in the Bible in order to stick with one doctrine that they consider most valuable.

Suppose that I am correct about a pearl referring to a doctrine; what do swine represent? They are unclean animals, and they don’t discern the food they take in with the same discernment as clean animals (all clean land animals are normally herbivorous—eaters of plants and not of animals, not being attackers of other species for food). Pigs are omnivorous (eaters of plants and animals), and can become violent under some circumstances. I propose that they are a type of unclean persons who take in anything (spiritually), having no discernment between what is good and what isn’t, and therefore who can be very dangerous types of persons to trust, turning against others. This text is definitely a warning to folks during the Tribulation so that they will avoid decisions that will get them and others killed.

Ask

Matthew 7:7 starts with this: “Ask, and it shall be given you.” The pronoun is plural: you. This therefore refers to a group that is asking for something. What does this group desire? This will go back to chapter 6: food, drink, clothing and shelter. While Yehovah knows what they need, He still will often wait for them to ask.

Seek

Matthew 7:7 continues with this: “Seek, and ye shall find.” It is still a group that is seeking. What is it seeking? That also goes back to Matthew 6: the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If they seek other Israelis and seek to save their lives, and if they seek the land of Israel, they will find all of these.

Knock

The text then states, “Knock, and it shall be opened to you.” Knock for what? Some recognize the similarity of this text and the following:

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Messiah is standing at the door (or one of His property with His image); the perspective is of the person inside. The Matthew text is the same circumstance, but the perspective is of the folks outside who need shelter, and who are Messiah’s property, made in His image.

Matthew 7:8 gives the three guarantees again: “For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And it shall be opened to him who knocks.”

This text uses singular pronouns, showing that individuals will also succeed in these three, guaranteed.

Bread and Fish

Then comes this text:

Matthew 7:9 Or, what man is there of you, who, if his son asks bread, he will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks a fish, he will give him a serpent? ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father Who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask him?

Yeshua spoke of bread a fish, reminding me of the miracles He did. Saints will do miracles during the Tribulation that are of the same variety, and are even greater miracles. When these folks who are the fulfillment of these texts will ask for bread and fish, Yehovah will give them those items. (The stone may refer to this text in Luke 4:3: And the devil said unto Him, “If thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. The serpent may refer to the devil—being sent him instead of fish to eat.)

In Yeshua’s comparison, He states, “If ye then, being evil…” His sermon is not to Saints; it is to unbelieving and non-believing Israelis.

Yeshua makes another guarantee: “how much more shall your Father Who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask him?” The Israelis know how to give good gifts to their children; Yehovah also knows how to give good gifts to His children even if they don’t know Him. (All Israelis in faith or out of faith still have Yehovah for a Father.)

The Torah’s Golden Rule

The next verse gives a central command of the Kingdom of God:

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye desire that men shall do to you, do ye even so to them! For this is the Torah and the prophets.

While this appears to be the same as the ‘golden rule,’ “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” it isn’t the same. The ‘golden rule’ permits the dictum: ‘If you want to be left alone, leave me alone.’ Yeshua’s command calls for action, not for leaving alone: “all things whatsoever ye desire… do ye even so to them!” Thus, if you (plural) would desire that someone would attempt to save your lives from these murderous and torturing enemies if they had you, you (as a group) make that attempt to rescue others! If you all were children, and would desire that adults would rescue and help you if you were abandoned or your parents were killed, do this for children whom you find in such a state! These types of things will occur during the Tribulation.

Seeking the Land

Part of seeking the Kingdom of God is seeking the Kingdom’s Land. As folks taking these texts literally (or just going there without knowing any texts) arrive in the Land of Israel looking for a safe haven, they will come to the greatly enlarged Mount Zion—a mountain with a plateau that is 50 miles by 50 miles, and that has a great elevation. Not everyone will be able to come onto Mount Zion, however; only those (of Israel and of the Gentiles) who have extended themselves to save the lives of Israelis, and only those Israelis whose lives are being saved will be able to enter. Every other attempt to get up the mountain will be rebuffed.

Psalm 24:3 Who shall ascend into the mountain of Yehovah? Or, who shall stand in His Holy-[one’s] place? ⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his being unto vanity [an idol], nor sworn deceitfully. ⁵He shall receive the blessing from Yehovah, and righteousness from the God of his salvation! ⁶This is the generation of them that seek him—that seek thy faces, Jacob!

The Gates and the Ways

The text continues with the command and warning:

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the constricted gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in there. ¹⁴For, the gate is constricted, and the way is narrow that leads unto life, and there are few who find it.

Mount Zion will have a constricted gate—a gate that permits only one or two at a time to pass. Few will find this gate; it is well concealed. (Only those who have the credentials of willingness to save the lives of others will find it and be able to pass through. A few bad guys will also find it, and will speak with the good guys through the gate, but they won’t be able to pass through:

Psalm 127:5 Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them [children]! They shall not be ashamed! And they shall speak with the enemies in the gate!

Beyond the constricted gate is the narrow way that leads to life. (If the way in this text were that Way that is Salvation, it would not lead to life; it would be life.) Unbelievers who help Israelis and who come to Mount Zion will have the right credentials for entry; they are guaranteed Salvation (see Psalm 24:5 above).

Another gate that is wide and another way that is broad are mentioned. These lead to destruction; many go into this gate to walk down this way. These will be located in the rebuilt beautiful city of Babylon. Many will go there to find food, drink, clothing and shelter during the disasters of the Tribulation. That isn’t a wise choice!

False Prophets

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but they are inwardly ravening wolves. ¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. ²⁰Therefore, ye shall know them by their fruits.

The phrase, “who come to you in sheep’s clothing,” sounds like an idiomatic expression. It isn’t.

Zechariah 13:4 And in that day it shall come to pass that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he has prophesied. And they shall not wear a hairy garment to deceive.

This text warns that prophets who come in hairy wool garments are false prophets. They will be imitating John the Baptist or other prophets in clothing styles. Yeshua twice guarantees: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” He also tells where they will end up!

Doing the Father’s Will

Matthew 7:21 Not every one who says unto me, “Lord! Lord!” shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father Who is in the heavens. ²²Many will say to me in that day, “Lord! Lord! Haven’t we prophesied in thy Name, and have cast out devils in thy Name, and done many wonderful works in thy Name?” ²³And I will then profess unto them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, ye who work iniquity!”

Doing miracles in Yeshua’s Name doesn’t entitle the person to enter that constricted gate leading to the heights of Mount Zion. (His Name, Salvation, has great power behind it; His Name can heal the sick and raise the dead. That doesn’t mean that anyone using His Name for such purposes has risked his or her own life to save others.) If the person didn’t do the will of Yehovah in the heavens by saving lives of His property, the person is not entitled to life. Messiah willingly offered His life so that others will live; everyone entering that Mountain must be of the same ilk, being ‘Christlike.’

Hearkening to the sayings of Yeshua will lead to heroism, and to the saving of the heroes and heroines themselves. Not hearkening to the sayings of Yeshua will lead to the Lake of Fire and Sulfur regardless of the person’s claims of faith.

Pertinence Now

I am often asked about this view of these texts. The question is often similar to this: “If these things are for folks in the Tribulation, what about us now? If we can’t apply these things to our situations, what value are these texts to us?”

Applying texts to self and one’s own situation is doing violence to the Word of Truth; it is self-centred. It makes the person and his situation most important, and the Bible becomes a servant of the person and the person’s situation.

Applying oneself to the texts is quite the opposite; it keeps the texts as the central focal point of Truth. Thus, if a person sees that Yehovah hates gossip, the wise reader will determine to refrain from gossip. If Yehovah appreciates those willing to risk their lives to save Jews from enemies, the reader will take that risk if the situation arises.

Many texts in the Bible deal with events, persons and situations that do not pertain to readers of the Bible. Yet, if they will read and think, they will understand the plans of Yehovah and His will. They will therefore know how to live where they are and in the time in which they live.

All texts of the Bible were given to Israelis to teach and deliver to the races. Many texts are to individuals and groups in history and in the future, but all texts are for all readers who desire to know any aspect of Truth. Keep to and for in mind when reading.

April 10, 2009July 5, 2017

Charismatics and Anti-Charismatics

There are two main preferences in every denomination and church. One is quiet, sometimes contemplative, sometimes sleepy, and the other is enthusiastic, oriented toward motion and activity.

History

Many new denominations and independent congregations were formed after the Reformation, usually paralleling their cultures. If the culture was motion oriented, the congregation was motion oriented. If the culture was stiff and formal or quiet, the congregation followed suit.

The experiment in the newly formed United States of America included the notion of religious liberty and personal individuality. The beginning of the Declaration of Independence is as follows:

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the National bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal stations to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.____________ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.____ That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed,___ That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

This reads more like an American church constitution because it is a religious document, and it formed the example for American churches.

A careful look at the above quoted section will expose its humanism and naturalism. Were it written from a Biblical perspective, it would have been worded something like this:

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for societies to dissolve the National bands which have connected them with others, and to receive among the Powers of the earth, the separate and responsible stations to which the God of Israel entitles them, an appropriate fear of God and consideration of others requires that they should declare the causes for the needful Separation.____________ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created Unequal, that they are endowed by their Creator with greatly varying abilities and certain unalienable Responsibilities, that among these are Righteousness, Justice, and the pursuit of Truth.____ That to make foundational these responsibilities, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the God of Abraham,___ That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Responsibility of the Society to determine to do right nevertheless, clinging to the foundation of such principles in the fear of God, in spite of the lack of Safety and Happiness.

This was not the way it was constructed.

In the same manner as the new American Patriots, the Puritans, Baptists, Methodists—all denominations and congregations broke away from other denominations and congregations. Each sought freedom from tyranny and error or liberalism, but they always became like their parents. The strictest churches of our day seem liberal contrasted with churches after the Great Reformation.

Many denominations historically determined to stand against the Enthusiasts, folks who were convinced that the Spirit of God moved men and women into forms of worship that were considered scandalous. Enthusiasts were known for their shouts, contortions, eruptions and other disturbing behaviours, claiming that the Spirit of God was moving them, coming upon them, filling them, etc. Pastors commonly preached fervently against such ‘devilish’ behaviour. Years later, Pentecostalism formalized Enthusiastic practices, and the Assemblies of God was later formed, establishing the Charismatic Movement.

The separation between non-Pentecostal/non-Charismatic Protestant and Catholic churches and the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches was so great that anti-Pentecostal sermons were preached that condemned the Enthusiasts for their excesses and evils, while Pentecostal sermons were preached condemning spiritual deadness among non-Pentecostals. Protestant churches stood against Catholicism, Catholic priests spoke against the wayward Protestants, and each group saw the need to inoculate its own against the evils of the others. Nothing had changed in 1600 years.

From the 1960s to the 1990s, walls began coming down. Non-Charismatic congregations began using catchy Charismatic choruses—miniature hymns repetitively quoting pieces of Scriptures or catchy personal-relationship-with-God issues.

Individualism became much more important, following cultural trends at large. Charismatic churches that had rejected ‘doctrine’ as a great evil began to look to non-Charismatic churches for examples of doctrine. Baptist churches that had once spoken out against the Charismatic Movement now embraced its freedoms in ‘worship,’ adopting Charismatic choruses months after they were popularized in Charismatic churches instead of decades. Some Catholic churches embraced Charismatic doctrines, desiring the accompanying enthusiasm. Catholicism had no trouble adopting protestant ideas without violating Catholic standards. As walls came down, standards of Christianity followed.

The Draw

What draws someone to a Charismatic or a non-Charismatic church? Is it the doctrine? Very few churchgoers are aware of their church’s doctrines. Church attendance is usually a matter of feel and fit. Some folks attend a church because it is what they are used to, and some attend because of the beliefs of the church. Most attend because it either fits with their personalities or because it directly contrasts with their personalities and lives, providing a welcome change.

Charismatic/Pentecostal churches are far more feelings oriented than non-Charismatic churches, and anti-Charismatic churches are far more structure oriented. Charismatic churches tend to attract strong, vocal women, and men attracted to those women. Anti-Charismatic churches tend to attract folks who desire order and peace at least on Sunday. Charismatic churches tend toward excitement and expectation (“God is moving again!”). Anti-Charismatic churches tend toward quietness and formalism (“Stand for the recitation of the Apostles’ Creed…”)

There are curious crossovers. Some anti-Charismatic churches attract very Charismatic women who take them over. Other women look to those Charismatic women as supreme examples of Godliness and take-charge activism.

Women, not men, are the backbones of nearly all churches. Men are put on the pulpits and are usually the preachers, but women hold authority and sway. Charismatic churches tend to exaggerate this trend.

Today’s churches are designed to meet the ‘needs’ of as many as possible. They must attract Charismatics and non-Charismatics alike. Many ‘services’ have a Charismatic music segment followed by a traditional hymn and a message. If the congregation is mainly Charismatic, the message will be louder, with the preacher making rapid motions and gestures and the audience verbally responding. If the congregation is mainly ‘conservative,’ the message will be shorter, quieter, and with little audience response. Newer churches combine the active with the formal and quiet. They employ exciting music with miniature soothing concerts and even dance. The service moves more like a show.

Attraction

Very formal churches attract Charismatic Sunday School teachers, and few notice the inconsistency. They are like a breath of fresh air. Charismatic churches will attract doctrinally oriented ‘Spirit-filled’ Sunday School teachers. It is becoming very difficult to tell the difference between churches based upon the music and the Sunday Schools. There are no institutions that maintain such low standards for its teachers as Protestant churches. (Roman Catholic and the various ‘Orthodox’ churches don’t do better.)

What attracts a conservative, non-Charismatic person to a Charismatic church? Whatever attracts opposites to each other in marriage is the same force. Many non-Charismatics hate feeling bored. A Charismatic church offers excitement and a closer relationship with God.

Bitterness

Some are weary of their bitterness toward God and their guilt feelings, and they seek refuge in Charismatic churches. They ‘lose themselves’ in ‘the Spirit’ and obtain ‘a refreshing’ and a new ‘filling of the Holy Spirit.’ They want to become closer to God, hoping to solve their bitterness against Him. Non-Charismatic churches have no means to solve the bad feelings from bitterness.

Refuge

Charismatic activities have helped many to temporarily forget their troubles, while others who are not as ‘churched’ get drunk to forget theirs. This does not indicate a lack of fervency in their faiths, but their fervency is from a position of weakness. They are seeking a refuge, a hiding place, looking to go ‘under the shadow of the Almighty’s wings.’ Church is their escape from day-to-day problems. They seek an infilling of the Spirit of God to give them overcoming power throughout the week.

The Attraction of Formal Churches

What attracts a vivacious, Charismatic person to a ‘Formal’ church? Again, opposites attract. Some naturally very Charismatic folks live chaotic and somewhat empty lives. They long for quiet, majestic hymns, uplifting, quiet homilies and the formal majesty and beauty of a well-kept and well-run church. They do not want some inner power, but a transcendental Being Who rises above all and Who governs from the heavens in majesty. Naturally Charismatic folks attending high churches feel God’s majesty in the beautiful pipes sounding out majestic hymns.

Benefits of Religion, and Religious Holes

What attracts non-religious folks to a Charismatic/Pentecostal church in the first place? Some have described an imaginary ‘hole’ in one’s heart that only God can fill. There is no hole that God can fill; a new heart is the only acceptable solution. There is a hole that only religion can fill.

Religion serves vital purposes in society and in the individual, restraining society from total decadence and giving some ideal of right and wrong. It serves as a basis for law, justice and culture. It provides answers where answers are not possible, explaining the unexplainable through various gods. It adds rhythmic normalcy without which citizens would be constantly nervous. It provides ways of restraining fear and anger. Without it, folks would blame other folks for natural disasters, but instead that can look to the gods over whom they have some sway.

Religion soothes the individual by giving him a sense of hope, a reason for living, a reason for planning for the afterlife, a feeling that the god or gods can be convinced to intervene when things get too bad, a consolation after the death of a friend, songs for refreshment, and something upon which to focus besides oneself.

Charismatic/Pentecostal religions are much stronger than conservative religions, as if their volume controls are turned up. Folks with higher bitterness, frustration, thought wars, greater helplessness and emotional shifts are attracted because these religions offer greater distractions and more active solutions.

Non-Charismatic/non-Pentecostal religions offer a long-term anchor. Their volume controls are turned down for folks who prefer to meditate or who want to be left alone.

Some Baptist churches that are fervently anti-Charismatic are truly very pro-Charismatic! They just deceive themselves. Their services are at least as active, noisy with “Amen!” and carrying on as any Charismatic church. They are out to win souls!

Biblical, Frustrating Religion

All religions except the one described in the Book of James help folks not think about teachings in the Jewish Bible.

The Bible is frustrating to many because it shows valiant and ignoble folks, giving no excuse for the ignoble, and giving every reason why anyone created in the image of God can be valiant through His power. Each person is responsible for not being valiantly righteous, Godly and centered on Yehovah instead of self.

Charismatics often have a very difficult time with the Bible because it is so cold. It states things in ways that would hurt anyone centered on feelings. New translations have helped make the God of the Bible a much nicer guy.

Non-Charismatics have less difficulty with the Bible because so few read it. It is a good book to take to church, maybe, but once one has his ‘faith’ (religion), reading the Bible is an extracurricular activity.

Today’s Churches

Today’s churches reach out for folks from these extremes. They want to bring the bitter and the joyful together in ‘fellowship’ and ‘unity of the Spirit.’ Some churches even offer formal services at one time on Sunday morning and Charismatic services at another!

What does all this have to do with the Bible? Nothing. It is totally unrelated to the Bible. The Word of God does not center on any individual’s liking or preference, but on the plan of Yehovah for Israel, and Truth. An individual’s circumstantial bitterness or joy has nothing to do with Israel’s Spiritual status and Yehovah’s judgments on Israel.

The Bible is not designed for the self-centered bitter person nor the self-centered joyful person. It is not designed for politicians, doctors, lawyers or money managers. It is designed to portray what is important from Yehovah’s perspective.

While Charismatic and Pentecostal churches keep declaring that ‘God is moving again,’ and non-Charismatic churches declare that God has ceased speaking, leaving it up to men and women to be His hands and feet to the world, Israel is still in unbelief. Many Jewish individuals having no knowledge or interest in the Jewish Scriptures; some having a liberal interest; some have rabbinic fervency.

Churches and Judaism

All churches follow various forms of Judaism. Charismatic Judaism includes Hasidic Judaism, and liberal Judaism includes Reform Judaism. Conservative Jewish congregations are like Conservative churches: they stand somewhere between a strict orthodox stand and a liberal stand, bent toward the liberal stand. And like their Christian counterparts, the most bitter and the most joyful are attracted to the most Charismatic forms. The Jews combined the most Charismatic and the most Formal forms of Judaism long ago, and the churches are just now seeing the light.

What does all this have to do with the Bible? Nothing. It is totally unrelated to the Bible. Judaism centers on rabbis’ teachings. In the meantime, Israel is still in unbelief, and holocausts always recur. As the population increases, new plans for the next holocaust and new inventions for disposing of Jews are made.

True Believers

There are a few Jewish and non-Jewish folk here and there who Biblically believe the Word of God. If they are bitter, they are bitter like Naomi whose bitterness led to Salvation. They await the Consolation of Israel, the Spirit of Yehovah of Hosts. They know that one Jewish or non-Jewish person’s salvation is good, but not satisfactory until all Israel is in faith. They desire to know the Word of God in order to live righteously, do justice, love Grace, and to selflessly walk with Yehovah. They also desire to properly present the plan, goodness and Grace of Yehovah to anyone, especially the People of Israel. If a fearer is also a pastor, he will instill this Hope and these things into all who will hear.

April 9, 2009August 22, 2016

Church – What Biblically is the Church?

What Biblically is

The Church?

Reviewed or considered by Angela Lewis,

Bert Botter,

Lynn and Martha Rowe,

Ann Miller,

Elaine Nesmith,

Angela Reeves,

Miriam Wilson

Re-Edited by Elaine Nesmith

“It’s too much! It’s many papers in one! Is this the answer to one lady’s question? How much time does she have? I had to stop at page 24!” —Cheryl M., Staff Editor

[Warning! This Paper is hazardous, causing serious brain overload and theological frustration. Read at your own risk. All writers, reviewers and participants claim no responsibility for its contents. The computer’s random selection did it all, just like in Evolution.]

The following are ‘hyperlinks’ that will jump your screen to its corresponding section.

Introduction

Local Church Assemblies. 4

Church of God. 4

Church in the Lord Jesus. 6

Churches in Christ

Church Responsibility

Churches are Responsible for Other Churches. 7

Taking Care of the Church of God. 7

Collecting for Poor Saints. 7

No Charge to the Church. 10

Establishing the non-Jewish Branches of the Body. 11

Door of Faith unto the Gentiles. 11

Elders in Every Church. 13

Persecution of the Jerusalem Church. 14

Thanks to the Churches of the Gentiles. 15

Unified Greetings. 15

More Church Salutes. 15

Church in Jerusalem.. 16

Church at Antioch. 16

Cenchrean Church. 16

More Churches. 17

Other Texts. 17

House of God as the Church of the Living God. 20

Church Identified As Body of Christ 29

Messiah as Head of the Body, the Church. 29

The Purpose of the Church. 30

Adding to the Church. 30

Feeding the Church of God. 31

Ministry Varieties and Ranks in the Church. 32

Putting Fear into the Church. 33

Glory of Messiah in the Church. 33

Persecuting and Wasting the Church. 33

Church Being Israel 34

When the Church is Israel 34

Church of the Firstborn. 34

The Unclean, Unholy Church As Messiah’s Wife. 39

Other Church Texts. 41

Messiah’s Church Building. 41

The Church in Contrast to Gentiles. 42

Church Bully. 42

A Pagan Church. 42

The Seven Churches: Introduction. 43

The Seven Churches: Ephesus. 43

The Seven Churches: Smyrna. 45

The Seven Churches: Pergamos. 46

The Seven Churches: Thyatira. 47

The Seven Churches: Sardis. 48

The Seven Churches: Philadelphia. 49

The Seven Churches: Laodicea. 50

Jewish and non-Jewish Saints in One Body. 55

Many Members in One Body. 57

Body. 58

Body Members. 59

Body Is of Christ 60

Head of the Church. 60

Head of the Body. 61

At Home in the Body. 62

Responsibilities in the Body. 63

Body Bearing Dying for Life. 63

Body for Yehovah, Not Fornication. 63

Temple of His Body. 65

Preserved Body. 65

Clothing and Food for the Body. 66

Light of the Body. 67

The Torah and the Body. 68

Out of Body Experience?. 75

Conclusion. 75

Introduction

In order to discover what church means Biblically, all texts with church or churches were collected and sorted according to the following categories:

1. Local Church Assemblies

2. Church Identified As Body of Christ

3. Church Being Israel

4. Other Church Texts

5. Assembly

6. Body of Christ [without church being used]

These artificial categories, texts and usages will help us derive acceptations for church. Please read all Biblical texts to see for yourself how the Bible uses it. At the end of each pertinent subsection, I will conclude with what constitutes the church in that section.

Local Church Assemblies

Church of God

1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours…

The expression, Church of God, implies there are churches not of God. Church must carry a generic definition. According to the Thayer’s Lexicon, church holds the following definitions:

ekklesia ek-klay-see’-ah

1) a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly

1a) an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating

1b) the assembly of the Israelites

1c) any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously

1d) in a Christian sense

1d1) an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting

1d2) a company of Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake

1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body

1d4) the whole Body of Christians scattered throughout the earth

1d5) the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven

The King James Version translates this word two ways:

AV: church 115, assembly 3; 118

One acceptation refers to the assembly of the Israelites.

Using a Biblical term in an unbiblical manner will introduce wrong theology, beclouding every text where it is found. When a Biblical term is used right, the likelihood that truth will be seen and understood greatly increases.

The above text, 1 Corinthians 1:2, uses Church of God, showing His ownership (of God) of that local assembly. While the Corinthian church was mainly made of Gentiles, do not assume that no Jews were part. In fact, both theirs and ours demonstrates that Jews (like Paul) were a part of the Church. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Church in the Lord Jesus

1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians that is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Church might be in God the Father without being in the Lord Jesus Christ if its participants fear Yehovah, but have no knowledge of or belief in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). A Jewish, non-Messianic congregation would also be a church since a church is an assembly. The same is true in the next text.

1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews…

These folks became followers of the churches, the congregations being examples to others. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Churches in Christ

Galatians 1:22 …and [I, Paul] was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ…

The text shows a plurality of congregations holding the faith of Messiah in one location. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Church Responsibility

Philippians 4:15 Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

Congregations doing right voluntarily communicated (participated) in giving and receiving, giving for the needs of others and receiving Saints, making sure their needs were met. Paul was not impressed by the other congregations’ lack of responsiveness. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Churches are Responsible for Other Churches

2 Corinthians 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

Paul was angered that ministry to the Corinthian congregation had to be at the expense of other congregations that were far poorer. He taught the connection of one congregation to the others. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Taking Care of the Church of God

1 Timothy 3:5 For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?

One person is usually not capable of taking care of the entire ‘Body of Christ’ (located all over the world), but he can take care of a local assembly if he is called to this responsibility. If he is not capable of ruling his own house, he is not fit to take care of a congregation. (Paul speaks of his own care for all the churches in 2 Corinthians 11:28.) The text does not declare of what the above Church consists, except that it is God’s.

Collecting for Poor Saints

1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

The Churches of Galatia collected for the poor Saints in Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

Paul established an order, a way to do this. It was a responsibility, not an elective.

Gathering

1 Corinthians 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

This Church cannot refer to the Body of Christ, because one does not gather in the Body of Christ, but instead gathers in a congregation, the local assembly.

Edifying

1 Corinthians 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church [not churches].

Rarely has one person been assigned to edify the entire Body of Christ. Edifying is building and strengthening a building, as a home builder or a skyscraper contractor would do. This text addresses a group (ye is always plural) with the assignment to edify the Church. Are the ye (the Saints in Corinth) supposed to edify their own local group without ministering to the Church in Jerusalem if Jerusalem has a pressing need? Ministerial gifts are intended mainly for local use and needs (I propose). If these folks excel, however, they will be able to edify the Church—the entire Body made of all the churches that hold the faith of Messiah—even if it is only through their example.

1 Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

A Psalm (like the Psalms in the ‘Old Testament’) nearly always refers to Israel’s restoration. It is a praise, usually of Yehovah, for what He has done (once it is accomplished), and also gives details of End Times events. A doctrine is a necessary teaching prophetically received from Yehovah. A tongue is a function of prophecy; once it is interpreted, a prophecy has gone forth. A revelation is a prophecy, nearly always pertaining to Israel’s future. An interpretation, when combined with a tongue, is prophetic and understandable by all present. All are given to benefit Israel and all who will hearken. The Church is only strengthened when psalms, doctrines, tongues, revelations and interpretations that are truly from Yehovah and are infallible are communicated in an orderly fashion. (Paul was angry in the above text!)

Customs

1 Corinthians 11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Churches of God are local assemblies. This text discusses customs, not local church issues. Customs may be employed as long as they do not breed contentions and are not contrary to the Word of Truth. The churches of God have few customs, and each is Biblical and proper. The text does not declare of what the above Church consists. Two groups are mentioned: we and the churches of God. If the we consist of Israelis, the churches of God could refer to congregations of Saints since they are of God. (If the congregations are of Israelis, some will believe and some won’t until the Tribulation has been accomplished.)

Understanding

1 Corinthians 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

The purposes of assembling are destroyed if unintelligible things are occurring. If the speaker does not understand what he himself is saying, how will he know if an interpretation is correct? Who will judge? If everything that occurs in the congregation is clear and confirmable, much good can be accomplished.

1 Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

Being accused of insanity is not good. Continuing with such practices under the claim of the Spirit of God degrades the Spirit’s reputation. Many like to play this form of religion; Yehovah does not back up this practice.

1 Corinthians 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

He must first establish or know that an interpreter is present before he starts to speak with his language. If he cannot determine this, it isn’t from Yehovah.

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. ³⁴Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. ³⁵And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Any congregation practicing something confusing cannot claim Yehovah’s authorship. If a woman desires to learn something from her husband (she is assumed married in this text, due to a question that was raised in a letter from Corinth to Paul), she is to do it at home. If she is asking questions and he is answering while prophecies are being stated, it is a distraction to those in the congregation. Why should her question and his answer cause distractions? She can wait. Yehovah has nothing against women and everything for them. If the men were doing the same thing, the command would be the same. Order is vital for the message to be heard. The above Churches in 1 Corinthians 14 consist of local congregations of Saints.

1 Corinthians 14:4 He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself, but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

What Church (singular) does he edify by prophesying? It must be the Church that hears his words. That will first be the local congregation.

‘Old Testament’ prophets spoke of Israel, and Yehovah’s plan involving the congregation of Israel. They told of events to come, what should be done, avoided, and taught how to stand firm in the evil day. Has God changed?

Thus, the local congregation learns in order to profit Israel.

1 Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied. For greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

If all were to prophesy, what Church would receive edifying? Won’t Israel and believers benefit from true prophecy?

No Charge to the Church

1 Timothy 5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

One purpose of the local congregation is to relieve widows. Some will have lost husbands because of their Godliness and witness (martyrdom). Local congregations had a great burden to carry, supplying widows with what they needed. An individual in a family could do far more for his or her widowed relatives, like providing housing that is already present.

Establishing the non-Jewish Branches of the Body

Acts 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Acts 18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

I will repeat that these mainly non-Jewish congregations were not necessarily (or likely) devoid of Jews. Some may have had many Jewish participants. Paul’s wording in the four letters (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians), however, seems to indicate that Jews were few in them. They all had elders, folks who would wisely lead the congregations, just as Israel had elders. The churches’ framework was akin to Israel’s framework. The above Churches in Acts 16:5 consist of local congregations of Saints.

Door of Faith unto the Gentiles

Acts 14:27 And when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

This text is evidence that until this time, the Church and the churches were Jewish. Did a Body of just Believers exist? Wasn’t Abel, a non-Jew, a Believer? Were others Believers, forming a Body? But these Jewish Saints hadn’t realized that both Jews and non-Jews in faith could be one body. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—namely Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren.

The whole text must be given. Please read it with great care. It shows the Jewish Church (believers in Yeshua) determining how to respond to newly formed non-Jewish churches.

Acts 15:1 And certain men who came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” ²When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. ³And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. And they caused great joy unto all the brethren. ⁴And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and by the apostles and elders. And they declared all things that God had done with them. ⁵But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Torah of Moses. ⁶And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. ⁷And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, “Men brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. ⁸And God, Who knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost even as He did unto us, ⁹and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they.” ¹²Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. ¹³And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, “Men brethren, hearken unto me. ¹⁴Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His Name. ¹⁵And to this agree the words of the prophets as it is written, ¹⁶After this I will return and will build again the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down. And I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up ¹⁷that the residue of men might seek after Yehovah, and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called, saith Yehovah who doeth all these things. ¹⁸Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. ¹⁹Therefore my sentence is that we trouble them not who from among the Gentiles are turned to God, ²⁰but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood. ²¹For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.” ²²Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—namely Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren. ²³And they wrote letters by them after this manner: “The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. ²⁴Forasmuch as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls, saying, ‘Ye must be circumcised, and keep the Torah!’ to whom we gave no such commandment, ²⁵it seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶men who have hazarded their lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. ²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things—²⁹that ye abstain from foods offered to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication, from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.” ³⁰So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch. And when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle ³¹which, when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. ³²And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. ³³And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

The question of circumcision arose, and the matter was not immediately solved. The apostles and elders at Jerusalem would solve the dissention.
The Church supported their journey to find the answer.
All the brethren were happy that the Gentiles were being turned to righteousness.
A believing sect of the Pharisees thought circumcision and keeping the Torah was necessary for Gentiles. The apostles and elders had not considered this issue before.
Peter, not Paul, spoke of his experience, showing that Yehovah had purified their hearts by faith, and the Holy Spirit was given to them making no difference between them and Jewish Believers.
Peter stated that being circumcised and keeping the Torah, in order for them to demonstrate faith, was a burden that neither the patriarchs nor the apostles were able to bear. Both Jews and non-Jews obtain Salvation through the grace of the Lord and Messiah Yeshua.
Paul and Barnabas next detailed the works of God among the Gentiles through them.
James spoke about Simeon’s declaration of Yehovah’s taking out of the Gentiles a people for His Name, referring to the People of Israel. The rest of man can seek after Yehovah once Messiah has come and built the Tent of David, including Gentiles upon whom Yehovah’s Name is called.
Yehovah did all these works from the beginning of the world, and He remembers them all.
James ruled that only four stipulations should be placed on non-Jewish Saints (besides the stipulations of common righteousness shown by Saints before the Torah was given): abstinence from pollutions of idols (including foods offered to them, Acts 15:29 and items offered to them, Acts 21:25), abstinence from fornication, abstinence from eating strangled animals and abstinence from eating blood. He ruled that the Torah is read in every city, and the rest they could learn from that on the Sabbath day.
Letters were dispatched with a number of men, including two prophets who prophesied exhortations and who confirmed the non-Jewish Saints.

Jewish and non-Jewish Saints worked together respecting each other and forming one group. The Jewish Body of Christ recognized that non-Jewish Saints were part of their body. This was a miniature of things to come, since it is very rare in earth’s history. The above Church consists of a local congregation of Saints.

Elders in Every Church

Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed.

Jewish elders ordained elders (Jewish or non-Jewish?) in these mainly non-Jewish congregations. They then left.

Persecution of the Jerusalem Church

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Persecution caused dispersal, not destruction.

Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Paul attacked the church, sending folks to prison. (That probably did not have the effect he desired!)

Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Two characteristics of the churches as whole entities were walking in the fear of Yehovah, and walking in the consolation of the Spirit of Yehovah. They looked to the time when Israel will be saved, and Messiah will return. (The Consolation of Israel is implied, as well as the assuagement of their own personal mourning.)

Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

The church is often viewed as a unit, just as is Israel. Congregations were like persons, doing and thinking as one.

Thanks to the Churches of the Gentiles

Romans 16:4 …who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

Paul referred to non-Jewish congregations of Saints as churches of the Gentiles. He therefore kept them separated in his mind (by the Spirit of Yehovah). The ministry of these churches was unified, coordinated together, in agreement to minister to and work with the churches consisting of Jewish Saints. They were of one mind, yet distinct.

Unified Greetings

Romans 16:16 Salute one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

The churches are again described as thinking as individuals, and the individual churches send greetings as a group. The above Churches consist of local congregations of Saints.

Romans 16:23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

One person can be the host of an entire congregation.

Romans 16:27 To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.

One person can be a servant of an entire congregation.

More Church Salutes

Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

House churches were as much churches as those of larger congregations.

Titus 3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.

A bishop is an EPISKOPE, episkope, meaning over + observe, watch. He keeps the goal in mind, and watches to make sure it is being pursued in a proper way; he also watches for hazards and dangers. The church in this text is not identified with the location, but with a people: the church of the Cretians. Some churches are identified with locations, others with groups in locations.

Church in Jerusalem

Acts 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church that was in Jerusalem. And they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch.

A church has ears!

Acts 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul. ²⁶And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Barnabas and Saul gathered themselves with the assembly for a year. Antioch was in Syria. The congregation was still distinct, but the two men served the mainly non-Jewish assembly. Many years after Pentecost, when more churches (Jewish and Gentile) are formed, this church in Antioch will be labeled ‘Christian.’

Church at Antioch

Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

This congregation is not identified as the church of the Antiochans or the church of Antioch in this text, but is identified by its location.

Cenchrean Church

Romans 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church that is at Cenchrea.

Consider the privilege of being called a servant of a Godly congregation! (How many pastors could legitimately be classified that way today?)

More Churches

Colossians 4:15 Salute the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in his house.

The brethren, Nymphas and the Church are being separately greeted.

Colossians 4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

This church was identified with the Laodiceans. Paul’s letter to the folks at Colossi was also pertinent to this church.

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) ²and all the brethren who are with me, unto the churches of Galatia…

More than one congregation existed in Galatia. Paul coauthored this letter with all the brethren for its reading to all Galatia’s congregations.

Philemon 1:2 And to our beloved Apphia and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house…

Other Texts

1 Corinthians 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Asia is a big place. I don’t know how many churches there were; I suspect that there were more than seven. They sent greetings to the Corinthian congregation.

1 Corinthians 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

Paul did get around!

1 Corinthians 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

He was angry in this letter, and especially here. Someone in this congregation had to have sense enough to judge.

1 Corinthians 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

This section pertains to a Godly person married to an unbeliever. Paul’s ruling went to all the congregations regardless of the cultures in which they were placed.

1 Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

How would you like to be a member of the Church of Babylon? (It was a Godly congregation.)

2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia…

2 Corinthians 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Paul had a big load. Yehovah put him in the position of the care of all the congregations. (Why do Roman Catholic leaders think Peter was the first pope?)

2 Corinthians 12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong.

Churches were compared or contrasted with other churches.

2 Corinthians 8:1 Moreover, brethren, we want you to know of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia.

Grace was bestowed on several congregations under intense persecution.

2 Corinthians 8:18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches.

Someone else was also well traveled!

2 Corinthians 8:19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace that is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind…

The various churches chose folks to travel and do certain functions. The text does not say how choosing was accomplished. I have never seen a text in which a vote was taken.

2 Corinthians 8:23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you, or our brethren be enquired of, they are the apostles of the churches and the glory of Christ.

Apostles are missionaries. (Many use a definition that does not fit Biblical usage—especially one about necessarily seeing Jesus.) Titus was an apostle. The above Churches consist of local congregations of Saints.

2 Corinthians 8:24 Therefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

Saints and congregations had to prove themselves and their love to other congregations. Paul boasted about them, and he determined that they would fit his boasting!

2 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

2 Thessalonians 1:4 …so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.

Churches ‘root’ for other churches and their successes by standing firm against persecutions while being faithful.

2 Timothy 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.

The above Churches consist of local congregations of Saints.

House of God as the Church of the Living God

1 Timothy 3:15 …but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

This text can be explained by the following texts, if you are willing to take the time:

Genesis 28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Judges 18:31 And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

Judges 20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.

Judges 20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

Judges 20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

Judges 21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

1 Chronicles 6:48 Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

1 Chronicles 9:11 And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;

1 Chronicles 9:13 And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

1 Chronicles 9:26 For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.

1 Chronicles 9:27 And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them.

1 Chronicles 22:2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

1 Chronicles 23:28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

1 Chronicles 24:5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the houseofGod, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

1 Chronicles 25:6 All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.

1 Chronicles 26:20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

1 Chronicles 28:12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

1 Chronicles 28:21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

1 Chronicles 29:7 And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

2 Chronicles 3:3 Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

2 Chronicles 4:11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;

2 Chronicles 4:19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;

2 Chronicles 5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.

2 Chronicles 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

2 Chronicles 7:5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

2 Chronicles 15:18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

2 Chronicles 22:12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

2 Chronicles 23:3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

2 Chronicles 23:9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s, which were in the house of God.

2 Chronicles 24:7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

2 Chronicles 24:13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

2 Chronicles 24:27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 25:24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

2 Chronicles 28:24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 31:13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

2 Chronicles 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

2 Chronicles 33:7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

2 Chronicles 34:9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 35:8 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.

2 Chronicles 36:18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.

2 Chronicles 36:19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

Ezra 1:4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:68 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:

Ezra 3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.

Ezra 3:9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

Ezra 4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

Ezra 5:13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

Ezra 5:14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

Ezra 5:15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

Ezra 5:16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

Ezra 5:17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Ezra 6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

Ezra 6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

Ezra 6:7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

Ezra 6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

Ezra 6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

Ezra 6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

Ezra 6:17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

Ezra 6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra 7:24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

Ezra 8:36 And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

Ezra 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

Ezra 10:6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.

Ezra 10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Nehemiah 6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

Nehemiah 8:16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

Nehemiah 11:11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God.

Nehemiah 11:16 And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.

Nehemiah 11:22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God.

Nehemiah 12:40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:

Nehemiah 13:7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

Nehemiah 13:9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

Nehemiah 13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Psalms 42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Psalms 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psalms 55:14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Daniel 1:2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

Daniel 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

Zechariah 7:2 When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

Matthew 12:4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Mark 2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

Luke 6:4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

The Temple, the House of God, is always in Israel. The House of God consists of Israelis in the following two texts:

Hebrews 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Include this text also for consideration:

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye [mainly non-Israelis] are the Temple of the living God; as God hath said [to the Israelis], I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The House of God often refers to the Temple, but not always. It refers to where Yehovah dwells: Beth El, Jerusalem, Nob, Believing Israelis. Us in 1 Peter 4:17 are Israelis. The Church of the Living God in 1 Timothy 3:15 also refers to the Temple, being the Body of Messiah. Judgment begins at the House of God (1 Peter 4:17), with the [Israeli] Saints (who obey the Gospel of God):

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Israel has been assigned to be the pillar and support of Truth, but will only live that way after all Israel will be saved. In the meantime, Jewish Saints will be the first judged.

Church Identified As Body of Christ

Messiah as Head of the Body, the Church

Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the Body, the Church—Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence.

Of what does this body consist? From its context, it would seem to be mainly of non-Jewish Saints.

Colossians 1:24 …who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body’s sake, which is the Church.

Messiah’s Body is the Church. (Don’t forget this when you read about His Body broken/given for ‘you.’) Paul gladly tolerated sufferings knowing they benefited the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all under His feet, and gave Him the head over all to the church…

Yehovah gave Messiah to the Church in the position of headship over all. Has this been fulfilled? (It must be obvious even to an unbeliever that this is the case before one can declare a prophecy as fulfilled.)

The Purpose of the Church

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ ⁹and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery that hath been hid in God from the beginning of the world—Who created all things by Jesus Christ—¹⁰to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be known unto the principalities and powers in heavenlies by the Church ¹¹according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul’s assignment was to preach the unsearchable riches of Messiah to the Gentiles.
Paul also was assigned to cause all to see what the participation of the mystery is that has been hidden by God from the beginning of the world.
This was done so that the principalities and powers in the heavenlies (specifically referring to the demonic hosts, as well as the good angels) might know the multifaceted wisdom of God by means of the Church.
Yehovah purposed this from the beginning and throughout time by means of Messiah Yeshua.

Adding to the Church

Acts 2:47 …praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as are being saved.

Yehovah always causes the additions to the Church. While being added to the Church and being saved are not exactly the same thing, this text shows the relationship between the two events. This church cannot refer to unsaved Israel, since the ones being added were already Israelis. The above Church in Jerusalem, gathered for Pentecost, consists of only Jewish Saints.

Feeding the Church of God

Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. ¹⁸And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, ¹⁹Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: ²⁰And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, ²¹Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²²And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. ²⁴But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. ²⁶Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all. ²⁷For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. ²⁸Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. ²⁹For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ³¹Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. ³²And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Messiah purchased this church of God with His own blood.
After Paul’s departing, grievous wolves shall enter in among the Jews, and will not spare the flock. Had the flock consisted of folks who were born of God, the dangers would have been different.
Men shall arise from the overseers themselves who will speak perverse things in order to draw disciples away after them. The text indicates that they will have success.
Paul ends with this: God and the Word of His Grace is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all the sanctified folks. Paul knows that this will be true of some, and not true of the ones who speak perverse things. He is prophesying.

Do these things sound like a description of the Church made only of Saints? If not, this group is certainly made of Israelis, and after the Tribulation has been completed, all Israel will be saved. {Elaine’s reply: “I do not see the timing of Paul’s prophecy as being tied to Tribulation. He is addressing the churches at Ephesus about events to occur soon and after his death. I need more proof.”}

Ministry Varieties and Ranks in the Church

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

An apostle (as mentioned above) is a missionary, one who is sent. A prophet is one who quotes Yehovah/Messiah straight from His Spirit, giving His exact wording. A false prophet is one who errs even one time while communicating (or claiming to communicate) the Words of Yehovah. An example of an apostle is Moses, a prophet is King David, a teacher is Ezra, a worker of miracles is Elijah, gifts of healings is also Elijah, helps (perception, taking hold of) is Bezaleel, governments is King David, diversities of tongues—I could find no example of this. I don’t remember any prophet having difficulty communicating with folks in other cultures; Jonah certainly had no difficulty. Yehovah gave all these gifts to the Church (congregation) of Israel. If the Body of Christ is the present set of Christian churches (as of 2009), why are real forms of the gifts so rare? If one applies the lowest possible standards of judging whether gifts are real and from God, all the gifts are active and working just fine. An honest appraisal only brings contrast with the Biblically described examples. The verse above presents these gifts as if they are a normal part of the normal Church. Is Paul speaking of a future, prophesied truth? Is this describing the Tribulation’s norms?

1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.

Paul teaches that ranks exist. He persecuted the Church of God, and was later given the assignment to greatly build and establish many congregations. The Church of God he persecuted consisted of Jewish Saints and folks associated with them, whether Saints or not. He never had much interest in persecuting Gentiles for perceived violations of the Torah (from what little can be gathered from texts about him).

Putting Fear into the Church

Acts 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

This statement came after the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira. The church that feared consisted mainly of Jewish Saints, though some Jewish non-Saints could have been involved. I found no evidence that Gentiles were involved. The folks who were not in the church who heard these things and feared were also Jewish.

Glory of Messiah in the Church

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ²¹unto Him be glory in the Church in Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Yehovah will receive the importance (glory) in the Church in Messiah Yeshua in the Millennium. He has little importance in this world at the present time. Folks in other religions can live their entire lives ignoring Him and His relation to the creation and sustenance of the earth. Folks who claim to be Christians include many who ‘worship’ and give importance to another god as foreign to the Bible as Baal. This text is prophetic. Us (verse 20) are the Israelis (prove me wrong!). What could this Church be? (I will present drawings later that show the parts of the Church.)

Persecuting and Wasting the Church

Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it.

Philippians 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the Church; touching the righteousness which is in the Torah, blameless.

Paul did not mention his persecution of individuals, but saw the Church as a unit. He recognized that persecuting one member of the Church was the same as persecuting the Church. Was he harming Israel at this time? He was doing his best to keep Israel from the faith of Yeshua! He put fear into every Israeli who might consider Yeshua’s credentials.

Church Being Israel

When the Church is Israel

Acts 7:38 This is he [Moses] who was in the church in the wilderness with the Angel Who spoke to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles to give unto us…

This church is the congregation of Israel. The angel who spoke to him (Moses) was the Angel Yehovah, Messiah Himself. If all the ‘Old Testament’ congregation and assembly texts were added to this document, it would more than double in size, but would still refer to the church.

Church of the Firstborn

Hebrews 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, ¹⁹And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: ²⁰(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: ²¹And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake!) ²²But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, ²³To the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. ²⁵See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that is from heaven!

The first set describes to what they had not come:

The mountain that might be touched, refers to Mount Sinai when the Torah was given. Anyone or any animal who touched that mountain would be killed.
The mountain burned with fire from Yehovah portraying His character as a consuming fire.
They are not come unto blackness describes the smoke of the fire that allowed no light to penetrate.
They are not come unto darkness describes how the entire area around Sinai became very dark as if a powerful storm were about to arrive.
They are not come unto tempest describes the great winds and lightnings that accompanied the Mount Sinai event.
They are not come unto the sound of a trumpet describes what the Israelis heard from the mountain, its volume very intense.
They are not come unto the voice of words describes the thunders the Israelis heard that characterized Yehovah’s speaking, though to Moses the words were perfectly intelligible.

The next part describes unto what they are come:

They are come unto Mount Zion. But this Mount Zion is Millennial, since at the time of Paul’s writing Mount Zion was a small hill to which few gathered. The future Mount Zion will be a huge mountain.
They are come unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. This is likewise Millennial, for this city will be translocated at Messiah’s coming. (This is not the same as New Jerusalem.) It is the city of the living God, because He is dwelling there in person.
They are come to an innumerable company of angels (messengers, referring to either angelic beings or to Saints who have been sent on errands throughout history). I suppose these messengers to be the cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. They are only come to these folks when Messiah returns and sets up the Millennial kingdom, else they are dead! (That’s the only way to get to the heavenly Jerusalem before it comes to earth.)
They are come to the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn who are written in the heavens, again describing resurrected folks having returned in the Millennium. Since firstborn and firstfruits are the same in Hebrew, firstfruits texts apply:

Romans 8:23 And not only but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Our Body refers to the Body of Israelis, since the pronoun our refers to the Israelis.

Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

1 Corinthians 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

The book of James is written to Jewish folk.

Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

These texts tend toward Jewish Saints being firstfruits or firstborn of Messiah’s creation (re-read James 1:18 above keeping ‘us‘ in mind).

They are come to God the Judge of all, Who will judge just before the Millennium.
They are come to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, having their incorruptible and immortal bodies. I suppose this text appeals to the following:

Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope by which we draw nigh unto God.

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;

Hebrews 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Made perfect, therefore, refers to anything or anyone who obtains the goal and final state that the creator and designer determined. That will occur near the end of the Tribulation for Israel, the resurrection of the dead Saints at the end of the Tribulation, and the Millennium when all Israel will be only righteous.

They are come to Yeshua, the Mediator of the New Covenant, which Covenant will be in placetoward the end of the Tribulation just before the Millennium.
They are come to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than Abel, Messiah’s blood shown in the restored sacrifices (again, during the Millennium).

All these texts tell to what they have come, not where they have arrived.

All the above texts are used to propose that Hebrews 12:23’s Church of the Firstborn refers to Israeli Saints, with the addition of the spirits of righteous men made perfect added to it, referring also to non-Jewish Saints.

Those written in the heavens are written in the stars. The same information is what the wise men read who came to visit Yeshua. They knew Israel was the place to come and see the Messiah, and they knew of the Israelis’ position in the plan of God. This also gives evidence that these texts refers to the Israelis.

Messiah is sometimes the object of firstborn texts. Firstborn above is plural:

Numbers 8:17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

Psalm 89:20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: ²¹With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. ²²The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. ²³And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. ²⁴But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. ²⁵I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. ²⁶He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. ²⁷Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. ²⁸My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. ²⁹His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Isaiah 14:29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. ³⁰And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

Jeremiah 31:9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Hebrews was written to Jews.

Hebrews 2:12 Saying, I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren. In the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee.

This church is the congregation of Israel, and this is a quote from a psalm:

Psalms 22:22 I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren. In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Church is used in the same manner in the following text:

James 5:14 Is any sick among you? He shall call for the elders of the Church, and they shall pray over him anointing him with oil in the Name of Yehovah.

James wrote to the Jews:

James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad: greeting.

These texts demonstrate that church and congregation (or assembly) are equivalent, referring in these cases to Israel.

The Unclean, Unholy Church As Messiah’s Wife

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Saviour of the Body. ²⁴Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. ²⁵Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for her ²⁶that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷that He might present her to Himself a glorious church—not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and perfect. ²⁸So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. ²⁹For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church. ³⁰For we are members of His Body, of His flesh and of His bones. ³¹For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife. And they two shall be one flesh. ³²This is a great mystery—but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.

The text, Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for her that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, shows Messiah’s act before Pentecost. This Church was unholy and unclean, and Messiah’s sacrifice would sanctify (make her owned by Him instead of unowned, profane) and cleanse her (she was unclean) by the washing of water by the Word (referring to the Torah):

Ezekiel 36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Yehovah, I don’t do this for your sakes, House of Israel, but for my holy Name’s sake that ye have profaned among the races where ye went. ²³And I will sanctify my great Name that was profaned among the races—that ye have profaned in the midst of them. And the races shall know that I am Yehovah, saith the Lord Yehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. ²⁴For I will take you from among the races and will gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land. ²⁵And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. ²⁶A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. ²⁷And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes. And ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. ²⁸And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹I will also save you from all your uncleannesses. And I will call for the grain, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. ³⁰And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the races. ³¹And ye shall remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. ³²Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord Yehovah—be it known unto you! Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, House of Israel!

Two texts follow showing the washing effect of the water of the Word:

Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy Word.

John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you.

The unclean Church will be rendered clean. Messiah will present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she should be holy and perfect. This Church is spotted. In the following text, spots and blemishes represent great evil:

2 Peter 2:12 But these, as natural stupid animals made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption. ¹³And they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness as they who count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you, ¹⁴having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls. They have a heart exercised with covetous practices—cursed children—¹⁵who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousness ¹⁶but was rebuked for his iniquity. The dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest —to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

If this Church has spots and blemishes, she has evil, though Messiah is her head and He died for her. Ephesians 5 describes the Congregation of Israel, but at the same time the ‘Body of Christ’ (that some supposed began at Pentecost). Who in her right mind would say, “I want to be a Christian! I want to join myself with that unholy, unclean, sin-tainted body with Messiah at the head”?

Why does the Ephesians text declare, Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her, thus relating it to the cross? If the Church started at Pentecost, how did He love her? Was this in advance of her being formed? That makes no sense. Messiah died for Israel’s redemption and Salvation (Israel being a Body, the Church), as well as the sins of the world.

The text also stated, For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Who can say we are members of Messiah’s flesh and bones? Israelis alone fit all these descriptions: the Body of Messiah, His flesh and bones; they are for the most part unholy, yet will be holy; they are unclean like the world, yet will be clean; they are spotted and blemished, even while being the light of the world, but will give that light in all its glory.

How do non-Jewish believers fit into this Body of Christ? They become part of the tree as Romans 11 describes (see the graphic at the end), and their desire will be Israel’s coming to faith, thus rendering this Body holy, righteous and perfect.

Other Church Texts

Messiah’s Church Building

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of Sheol shall not prevail against her.

Messiah promised to build His Church on a rock unnamed in this verse. The next text may give a clue:

1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; ²And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³And did all eat the same spiritual meat; ⁴And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Messiah recognized the Church as His. He said He would build it, not the same as birthing it.

Matthew 18:17 uses church as if it is already in place:

Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell unto the church.

This church is not a building (the Gates of Sheol are no threat to buildings), but consists of persons. The Gates of Sheol are on earth:

Isaiah 38:10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years.

Proverbs 7:27 Her house is the way to Sheol (referring to an evil woman seducing folks).

If the Gates of Sheol will not prevail against these folks, they will arise in the Resurrection or before. (I do not forget Ezekiel 37’s resurrection of the House of Israel back to mortality and faith.)

The Church in Contrast to Gentiles

Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell unto the church. But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

This church either existed before Pentecost or it will be a future assembly of folks, and Messiah is prophesying. I have seen no record of chapter 18’s events occurring, so I view it is a future event.

Heathen is the same as Gentile, meaning non-Jewish races. The text addresses a strictly Jewish congregation. Treating one as a Gentile and a publican is excommunication. While Gentiles who become Believers will be in the Church during the Tribulation, Messiah is not speaking to a Believing Church, but is using Church in the same way as assembly and congregation are used in the ‘Old Testament.’

[I have not found texts indicating that the Church will be permanently removed at the Rapture, though all Saints up to that time will be gathered to Messiah.]

Church Bully

3 John 1:10 Therefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds that he doeth, prating against us with malicious words—and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church!

An evil man named Diotrephes bullied the entire congregation over which he gained control, excommunicating all Saints. This is a Jewish congregation, not a Christian church.

A Pagan Church

Acts 19:37 For ye have brought hither these men who are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

This church is a pagan temple Saints were falsely accused of robbing. This is not the same Greek word for church used elsewhere, being IEROSULON, hierosulos meaning Temple robber.

The Seven Churches: Introduction

The seven churches of the initial Revelation chapters do not easily match any other churches listed in the Bible except in name. Each one will be considered in its full text.

Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you and peace from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits Who are before His throne.

Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and what thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches that are in Asia—unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea.

Revelation 1:19 Write the things that thou hast seen and the things that are and the things that shall be hereafter, ²⁰the mystery of the seven stars that thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks that thou sawest are the seven churches.

The first clues to these churches are given above. What John saw was in three tenses: what was, is and will be.

The Seven Churches: Ephesus

Revelation 2:1 Unto the messenger of the church of Ephesus write, “These things saith He Who holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks—²I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them who are evil. And thou hast tried them who say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars. ³And thou hast borne and hast endurance, and for my name’s sake hast laboured and hast not fainted. ⁴Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. ⁵Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent. ⁶But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate. ⁷He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

The following is a listing of commendations:

Works
Labour
Endurance
Not bearing evil folk
Testing false apostles
Bearing
Endurance
Labour
Not fainting

The first love is Works at the top of the list. Study the list. It goes up, then down on almost the same items. Why isn’t faith mentioned? What kind of a pastor is the messenger of this congregation? What constitutes his congregation (church)? ‘Candlesticks’ are the churches. If the candlestick is removed out of his place, Yehovah will cause this church to be exiled or dispersed—because of its messenger’s behaviour!

Jewish populations have been forced off lands where they resided at various times in history because they followed leaders who taught them error. Yehovah is threatening the entire congregation based on the actions of the messenger alone!

Who are the Nicolaitans? I have not heard anyone’s ideas of a historical group that fits this description, accompanied by evidence strong enough that I buy it. If this is a future event, the Nicolaitans will be a future group.

Messiah then called to any individuals having ears, telling them to hearken to what Yehovah the Spirit says to the churches. Faith comes by hearkening. Hearkening comes by the Word of God. Anyone truly hearkening (believing and listening very carefully to it, including doing what it says if it has commands for the person) can be a recipient of faith.

Eating of the tree of the life is Salvation.

This church text commands the messenger to return to the original works. If he doesn’t, he will cause the entire congregation to go into exile! Is this Christian church theology?

The Seven Churches: Smyrna

Revelation 2:8 And unto the messenger of the church in Smyrna, write: “These things saith the First and the Last Who was dead and is alive, ⁹I know thy works and tribulation and poverty—but thou art rich! And I know the blasphemy of them who say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Fear none of those things that thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried. And ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. ¹¹He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches! He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”

The Hope of the resurrection is immediately introduced (Who was dead and is alive). This messenger’s list of attributes are:

Works
Tribulation
Poverty, being rich

Messiah also mentions a blaspheming group claiming to be Jews who are not Jewish. They are typical adherents of Replacement Theology (the teaching that Israel has been set aside, and a non-Jewish potpourri of Saints has taken Israel’s place—a teaching widely held in many ways in traditional fundamental/conservative churches). If they are blaspheming, they must be saying very insulting or untrue things about Yehovah (like His Covenant with literal, physical Israelis has been abrogated, and He now has a Covenant with Christians that replaces it). These Gentile liars are great trouble to this church. Members of this church will have a ten-day period of tribulation that will include a slaughter, and the messenger will suffer many things, finally being killed: Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. This information will give stamina to the messenger and to others in this Church who suffer this intense persecution.

The crown of life is elsewhere mentioned:

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

The crown of life is Salvational, is it not? How can one obtain Salvation by enduring temptation? Is this not Salvation by works? But the text does not say he will receive the crown of life because of his works, but rather by promise. Salvation is by Grace, but the Grace of God does not eliminate Him from making promises of Salvation to whomever He desires.

Obedience and love are directly linked in the Scriptures:

John 14:21 He who hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is who loveth me. And he who loveth me shall be loved by my Father. And I will love him and will manifest myself to him.

No one can truly say, “I love God!” while disobeying His commandments. If Yehovah promises a crown of life, He will do it by His Grace.

This text also ends with a call for individuals with an ear to hearken to what Yehovah the Spirit says to these churches. The overcomer will not be hurt by the second death. This is also a promise of everlasting life (Salvation). Faith is not mentioned in this text. Overcoming pertains to temptation:

Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

The Seven Churches: Pergamos

Revelation 2:12 And to the messenger of the church in Pergamos, write: “These things saith He Who hath the sharp sword with two edges, ¹³I know thy works and where thou dwellest—even where Satan’s seat is! And thou holdest fast my Name, and hast not denied my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth. ¹⁴But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel—to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. ¹⁵So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate. ¹⁶Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth! ¹⁷He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches! To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone. And in the stone is a new name written that no man knoweth saving he that receiveth.”

This sharp sword is used for deadly purposes: I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth!

This congregation’s messenger has the following attributes:

Works
Where he dwells (Satan’s seat)
Holding fast Messiah’s Name
Not denying Messiah’s faith

The messenger of this church is making two great errors: not excluding folks with the doctrine of evil Balaam who taught the Israelis to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication, and not excluding folks who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. If this messenger doesn’t turn and do something about these folks, Messiah will come quickly unto him, and will attack these folks with the sword of His mouth! (Much blood will be shed!) This never historically happened. Who are these evil unbelievers that are part of this church?

While the messenger has not denied Messiah’s faith and has held to His Name, he has not taken necessary stands. What kind of an assembly is this?

The hidden manna is also Salvational. Anyone with a hearkening ear for what Yehovah the Spirit is saying to the churches, and who overcomes, will obtain Salvation. The white stone is Messiah’s vote for the person!

The Seven Churches: Thyatira

Revelation 2:18 And unto the messenger of the church in Thyatira, write: “These things saith the Son of God Who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine copper, ¹⁹I know thy works and love and service and faith and thy patience and thy works, and the last to be more than the first. ²⁰Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel who calleth herself a prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. ²¹And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. ²²Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds. ²³And I will kill her children with death. And all the churches shall know that I am He Who searcheth the reins and hearts. And I will give unto every one of you according to your works. ²⁴But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira—as many as have not this doctrine and ‘have not known the depths of Satan,’ as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden ²⁵but that which ye already have. Hold fast till I come. ²⁶And he who overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations! ²⁷And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father. ²⁸And I will give him the morning star. ²⁹He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This text directly identifies Messiah as the Son of God; the others didn’t. His eyes like a flame of fire and feet like fine copper demonstrate His fury, vengeance and doing justice against enemies.

The attributes of this messenger are:

Works
Love
Service
Faith
Endurance
Works

The last works are more than the first. The messenger is permitting a false prophetess to teach and seduce Yehovah’s servants into fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Yehovah gave the woman opportunity and time to repent, and she didn’t. When Yehovah casts her into bed, it won’t be to have sex. Folks who have committed adultery with her (not the same as fornication!) will be cast into great tribulation. Her children will be targeted by Death (who later rides the horse, traveling throughout the earth). This killing will cause all the churches to know that Messiah is the One who searches reigns (kidneys, where one’s strength tends to concentrate) and hearts (minds).

The threat/promise, I will give unto every one of you according to your works, should terrify the hearers (plural—the messenger and members of the church).

Folks not holding evil doctrines and not knowing the depths of Satan, holding fast till Messiah comes (a blatant reference to the end of the Tribulation, exposing the timing of all these events), will be doing right.

Who overcomes and guards Yehovah’s works unto the end of the Tribulation?

The Seven Churches: Sardis

Revelation 3:1 And unto the messenger of the church in Sardis write, “These things saith He Who hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, I know thy works—that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead! ²Be watchful and strengthen the remnant—that are ready to die! For I have not found thy works perfect before God. ³Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent! If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee! ⁴Thou hast a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵He who overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment. And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. ⁶He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The seven Spirits of God are listed in the first part of Isaiah 11. This church’s messenger has a reputation for being alive, but he is dead. He is commanded to do the following:

Be watchful
Strengthen the remnant—those who are ready to die
Remember how he received
Remember how he heard
Hold fast
Repent

Holding fast implies grasping. If he remembers how he received and heard, he will know to what he must hold.

The Torah gives light unto repentance.

He is being threatened with destruction (if Messiah comes as a thief, it is to destroy the ungodly as 1 Thessalonians 5 describes). Apart from the messenger and the majority of folks in this church, a few names have not defiled their garments (of righteousness). The others will have their names blotted out of the book of life (damnation guaranteed). What kind of church is this?

The Seven Churches: Philadelphia

Revelation 3:7 And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: “These things saith He Who is holy, He Who is true, He Who hath the key of David, He Who openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, ⁸I know thy works! Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it. For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denied my name. ⁹Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee ¹⁰because thou hast kept the word of my patience. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. ¹¹Behold, I come quickly! Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. ¹²Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the name of the city of my God which is new Jerusalem that cometh down out of heaven from my God. And I will write upon him my new Name. ¹³He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Messiah is described as the following:

Holy
True
Having the Key of David
Opening, no man shutting
Shutting, no man opening
Knowing

The first item He identifies is the messenger’s works. He then reveals an opportunity: the open door. The attributes of this messenger are:

Works
Strength
Keeping His Word
Not denying His Name
Keeping the Word of His endurance

Messiah will force liars falsely claiming to be Jews to worship before this messenger’s feet. This is not historical. Anything the Bible prophesies must be publicly fulfilled. No Biblical prophecy is for private use:

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.

No Biblical or public fulfillment was recorded, so it hasn’t happened.

What event will come upon the entire world, trying them that dwell upon the earth? This describes the future Tribulation. This messenger must be alive during this future time, and is therefore not a historical figure.

Who is this who overcomes and becomes a pillar in the Temple of Yehovah, who never goes out of the Temple? Look at the names written upon him!

The Seven Churches: Laodicea

Revelation 3:14 And unto the messenger of the church of the Laodiceans, write: “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, ¹⁵I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. ¹⁶So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. ¹⁷Because thou sayest, ‘I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing!’ and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear. And anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see. ¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. ²⁰Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. ²¹To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne. ²²He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Messiah’s descriptions include

The Amen
The Faithful Witness
The True Witness
The beginning of Yehovah’s Creation
The knower of this church’s works

If this messenger is spewed out of Messiah’s mouth, what is his Salvational status? Messiah has nothing good to say about him. He warns, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. If this messenger is not being chastened, he is not loved.

Messiah then gives a strange invitation: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. What chamber does this door serve? Why is Messiah knocking? Why doesn’t the text say, “If any man hear my knocking…”? What is the purpose of this meal? Who is this overcomer who will sit with Messiah in His throne?

The seven Churches do not correlate to Church history (as some errantly teach). They are real, future, and very important to Israel and the plan of God.

Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Which churches does Messiah have in mind? Aren’t these the churches mentioned in the beginning of Revelation?

Assembly

The Greek word usually translated church was sometimes translated assembly, as the following demonstrate.

Diana’s Assembly

Acts 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.²³And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.²⁴For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen²⁵whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation. And he said, “Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.²⁶Moreover ye see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods that are made with hands²⁷so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised and her magnificence should be destroyed whom all Asia and the world worshippeth!”²⁸And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”²⁹And the whole city was filled with confusion. And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.³⁰And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.³¹And certain of the chief of Asia who were his friends sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.³²Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused. And the majority knew not why they were come together.

This assembly consisted of idolaters, not Saints. The text continues including the following two verses where the same word usually rendered church is rendered as shown:

Acts 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

Acts 19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Body Of Christ

Some texts do not use church, but refer to the Body (Body of Christ). The following texts show they are equivalent:

Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the Body, the Church—Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence.

Colossians 1:24 …who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body’s sake, which is the Church.

Texts referring to the Body must therefore be included in this discussion.

Only One Body

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called ²with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, ³endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all Who is above all and through all and in you all. ⁷But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ⁸Therefore He saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ⁹(Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.) ¹¹And He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers ¹²for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ ¹³until we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive, ¹⁵but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, Who is the head—even Christ ¹⁶from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Verse 11 mentions a vocation (singular) the ye are to walk. What is this group vocation (calling)? Unity is vital along with the standards of the Spirit of Yehovah.

Paul’s initial address is to the ye, to the Ephesian Saints. He beseeches them to walk worthy and to keep the unity of the Spirit. He then compares this with the unity of the body and Spirit, again comparing the unity with:

One Hope of their calling
One Lord
One faith
One baptism
One God
One Father Who is above, through and among them all.

Paul then turns the focus by changing the pronouns: Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. He didn’t say, “unto every one of you.” He continued referring to the experiences of the Israelis, showing that Yehovah gave some individuals the gift of apostle, others prophet, others evangelist, others pastor, others teacher, others a combination of some of these, others many other things, and others little. All the gifts He gave are for the perfecting of the Saints, the work of the ministry, and the edifying of the Body of Messiah until we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Who are the we? All (true) Saints await the time that Israel becomes righteous, coming in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, perfect, measuring up to the stature of the fullness of Messiah, no longer children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, etc.!

Until that time, the Israelis will still be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. The increase in the body and its edifying itself in love describes the responsibility (among other things) of non-Jewish Saints to minister the truth to Jewish unbelievers (in ways that are Biblical, and not according to the modern evangelistic means of ‘Churchianity’).

One Body

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one Body; and be ye thankful.

Is that one Body part of the Body of Jewish Saints? Is that one Body present and obvious today? All things that ever have been fufilled have always been obviously and openly fulfilled.

Jewish and non-Jewish Saints in One Body

Ephesians 2:14 For He is our peace Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition ¹⁵having abolished in His flesh the enmity (the law of commandments in ordinances) for to make in himself of twain one new man, making peace, ¹⁶and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, ¹⁷and came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh. ¹⁸For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. ¹⁹Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God, ²⁰and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone ²¹in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord ²²in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

This text defines the relationship between Jewish and non-Jewish Saints, and how they will come to be in one Body out of two: Who hath made both one. A middle wall of partition existed, much like the cloud that separated the Egyptian army from the Israelis after they had left Egypt. The middle wall was made of enmity due to an improper Jewish view of responsibilities toward Gentiles through misunderstanding the Torah (law of commandments in ordinances), and an improper Gentile view of the baseness and arrogance of Torah worship among Jews. Both groups did wrong due to vile prejudices.

While the text sounds like it is historical in nature, it is future, since this has never happened. Many prophecies that are future in time are recorded in the past tense.

Messiah will make in Himself one new man out of two by making peace. He will reconcile both to God in one body. He will slay the enmity.

The next statement also has a future-sounding fulfillment: Messiah came and preached peace to the Ephesians and the Gentiles who were very distant. Messiah did not preach to the Gentiles in His first coming:

Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Since this has not happened, it must be future. He will also preach peace to those who are nigh. He did this before, but that does not eliminate His doing it again.

Access for Jewish and non-Jewish folks to Yehovah the Father is through the Messiah and by one Spirit.

By this means, Gentiles who come to faith in the Salvation of Israel (Yeshua) are no longer strangers and foreigners, but are fellowcitizens with the Saints and are of the household (kin) of God. They are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets of the ‘Old Testament’ (including Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), part of the building in which Messiah Yeshua Himself is the keystone of the Temple, a place for Yehovah to reside by the Spirit of Yehovah. The basic foundation was laid at the beginning, Avraham, Isaac and Jacob being key elements to this foundation.

Ephesians 3:1 For this cause I Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles ²(if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me toward you ³how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery as I wrote before in few words ⁴whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ ⁵that in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit ⁶that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same Body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel) ⁷whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

This text explains how Paul was given the Gospel that believing Gentiles would be fellowheirs, of the same body and partakers of His promise (of the Spirit). Examine it closely.

The Gentiles (who believe) will be fellowheirs. With whom? With the Jews—with Israel. The promise does not include ownership of the Land of Israel or any other of the various promises in the Covenant made with Avraham except the promise of the Spirit of Yehovah and the resurrection. The races have their own blessings they will receive.
The Gentiles (who believe) will be of the same Body. What Body? It must have already been established in other ages. This single body must have already been made of Jews and non-Jews who believe, but its singleness was not made known unto the sons of men as the Spirit reveals it now. Just because it was not so blatantly revealed does not mean it did not exist, but until it is made open and plain, it is not fulfilled. Numerous texts in the ‘Old Testament’ testify to a body made of Jews and non-Jews, including events with Rahab and Ruth. Avraham was not exactly Jewish!
The Gentiles (who believe) shall be partakers of His promise in Messiah. The Promise can be one of the two following (or both if they are one):

Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

2 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus…

The text assumes a continuance of the Body of Christ from other ages. Like the Kingdom of God/heaven, however, its existence does not mean that it has come to earth as a fulfillment.

Many Members in One Body

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service. ²And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ³For I say to every man that is among you through the grace given unto me not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ⁴For as we have many members in one Body, and all members have not the same office…

Paul uses bodies when necessary (12:1). Non-Jewish Saints must present their bodies as a living sacrifice (singular), as a service (singular), willingly giving of themselves and themselves for the salvation of others. This is only reasonable, since Messiah gave Himself for their Salvation. Verse 2 shows that these Romans have one mind (singular), and it must be made new.

The Body, not individuals, is always foremost in Biblical texts. Individuals are discussed in their relation to the group. The behaviour of one affects all. If an individual does not fulfill his responsibility to the group, he becomes arrogant (verse 3), sometimes causing many to die. Verse 4 declares that the many (Jews and non-Jewish Saints) are one Body in Messiah. Paul in Romans shows Jewish responsibility to non-Jewish folks and vice versa.

Body

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 therein? ³Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? ⁴Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death that, like 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 also be 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 be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more. Death hath no more dominion over Him. ¹⁰For in that He died, He died unto sin once. But in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. ¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you! For ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Who is this old man (verse 6)? Our is plural, and old man singular. The text is not referring to individuals, else it would have been worded, “Knowing this, that our old men are crucified…”

Verse 3 identifies the group by saying, “…that so many of us.” He was referring to Israelis, else he would have said, “Know ye not that so many of you as were baptized…” After using us and we (verse 11), he states, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,” thereby including the Romans.

If our are Israelis, old man is the Body of Israel. This Body is not yet righteous. Messiah will purge out the old leaven by force if the Israelis do not do so voluntarily, and He will destroy the sinful body of Israel, leaving the righteous Body, the Israeli remnant.

This text is universally viewed as referring to individual Christians, but the text’s pronouns do not allow this.

Once Israel is righteous, the body of sin will be destroyed out of Israel. Were this referring to individuals, it would have been worded this way: “…that the bodies of sin might be destroyed…” which would cause death; individuals would lose their bodies. From erroneous theology has come the notion of duel natures, the idea that one who is born of God has a new creature and an old man of sin that are in constant war with one another, one winning at one time, the other winning at others. This view eliminates victory over sin.

Once the sin is removed from the Body of Israel and the New Birth cancels the power of sin, being born from above (from Jerusalem that is free—Galatians 4:26), Israel will be freed from sin.

Verse 11 deals with individual Roman Church hearers who must view themselves as dead and thus freed from sin (living accordingly!), yet alive unto God via the Messiah. They are also part of a body, as verse 12 shows: Let not sin therefore reign in your (plural) mortal body (singular).

Why is this body described as mortal? The entire body of Roman Saints is a physical, mortal group, and the entire group is capable of dying (mortal). Sin kills. If sin reigns in this group, the whole group will die. Every group or body (Jewish, non-Jewish or mixed) with a reasonable claim of loyalty to Messiah that lets sin reign in it will eventually be physically destroyed. Such a threat does not hang over other groups.

Body Members

1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body—whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free—and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For the Body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot shall say, “Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body!” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear shall say, “Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body!” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? ¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased Him. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the Body? ²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one Body. ²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, “I have no need of thee!” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you!” ²²Nay, much more those members of the Body that seem to be more feeble are necessary, ²³and those members of the body that we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴For our comely parts have no need. But God hath tempered the Body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked ²⁵that there should be no schism in the Body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷ Now ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular. ²⁸And God hath set some in the church—first, apostles, secondarily, prophets, thirdly, teachers, after that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts.

Jews and Gentiles baptized into the Body of Christ by the Spirit of God are one Body. This text describes the way Yehovah arranged Israel, including apostles like Moses, prophets like Isaiah, governments like King David, etc. Many theologically and practically exclude Israel from the Body. Does this mean that Yehovah sees it that way? Consider doctrines of nearly all Christian denominations to see that they teach Israel’s joining them to become right with God! How arrogant! They violate the blatant teachings of Romans 11!

Body Is of Christ

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in food or in drink or in respect of a holyday or of the new moon or of the sabbath days ¹⁷which are a shadow of things to come, but the Body is of Christ. ¹⁸Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things that he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind ¹⁹and not holding the Head (from which all the Body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together increaseth with the increase of God). ²⁰Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances—²¹(Touch not, taste not, handle not) ²²which all are to perish with the using—after the commandments and doctrines of men, ²³which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh?

This text identifies Israel’s food, drink, holy day, new moon and Sabbath commands as shadows of things to come. They are vital practices for Israel to teach the races the plans and character of Yehovah, but the Body of Saints originates from Messiah who dictates what the Body members are to do. He gave commands and responsibilities to Israel in the Torah, teaching all His plans in shadows. He did not give the same commands to non-Jewish Saints. Men invent their own ordinances or twist His teachings into theirs, but all man’s twistings will perish.

Head of the Church

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set at His own right hand in the heavenlies ²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named—not only in this world, but also in that which is to come—²²and hath put all under His feet, and gave Him the head over all to the Church ²³which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.

Verse 22 gives the timing: and hath put all under His feet. This has not yet occurred, and will occur by the end of the Tribulation.

The Spirit of Yehovah through Paul desired the Ephesian folks to have the following:

The Spirit of Wisdom
The Spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Him
Enlightened, understanding eyes
The knowledge of the Hope of His calling
The knowledge of the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints
The knowledge of the exceeding greatness of His power toward the Israelis who believe according to His mighty power’s working that He worked in Messiah when raising Him from the dead and placing Messiah at His own right hand in the heavenlies far above every power and authority and Name and rank
The knowledge that Yehovah has put all under Messiah’s feet
The knowledge that Yehovah gave Messiah to the Church, His Body, as head over all.

The Hope awaits a future fulfillment.

The wealth of the glory of His inheritance awaits a future fulfillment.

The exceeding greatness of His power toward the Israelis who believe awaits a future fulfillment.

Yehovah’s putting all under Messiah’s feet awaits a future fulfillment.

Therefore, is it unreasonable to state that Yehovah’s giving Messiah to the Church, His Body, as head over all awaits a future fulfillment?

Head of the Body

Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the Body, the church—Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead—that in all things He might have the preeminence. ¹⁹For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. ²⁰And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself—by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. ²¹And you who were at one time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled ²²in the body of His flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight ²³if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel that ye have heard and that was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister, ²⁴who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body’s sake, which is the Church, ²⁵whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, ²⁶even the mystery that hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints ²⁷to whom God would make known among the Gentiles what are the riches of the glory of this mystery—which is Christ in you, the Hope of glory— ²⁸whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, ²⁹whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working that worketh in me mightily.

This text declares that Messiah is the head of the Body, The Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. He will have preeminence in all things. (Does He have that now, in all things?) All fullness will dwell in Messiah, and this pleased Yehovah the Father. For,

Messiah made peace through the blood of His cross.
All things in earth and in the heavens are reconciled unto Yehovah via Messiah.
Messiah has now reconciled these believing Gentiles, who at one time were alienated and were enemies in their minds by wicked works, via His flesh’s body through death.
Messiah did this reconciliation to present the believing Gentiles holy, unblameable and unreproveable in Yehovah’s sight (if they don’t back away)

And Paul was made a minister

by the dispensation of God given to him for the Gentiles
in order to fulfill the word of God
in order to fulfill the mystery that has been hidden fro ages and generations
in order to fulfill the mystery that has been now made manifest to His Saints

Yehovah determined to make known to His Saints, among the Gentiles,

What the riches are of the glory of this mystery: Messiah in you (plural, referring to non-Jewish believers), the glorious Hope and the Hope of glory.

The ultimate goal of the Israelis’ preaching and warning, and teaching everyone in all wisdom is so that they will present every man perfect in Messiah Yeshua. Paul is simply doing this work earlier than the rest of the Israelis.

This text again identifies the Church with the Body of Christ.

At Home in the Body

2 Corinthians 5:5 Now He Who hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁶Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the Body, we are absent from the Lord ⁷(for we walk by faith, not by sight)—⁸we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. ⁹Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the body according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Whose body is in mind in this text, the person’s individual body or the Body of Christ? Does verse 10’s body refer to the individual’s physical body, or should it be Body, referring to Messiah’s Body (Body of Christ)?

Responsibilities in the Body

Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. ²Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ³Remember them who are in bonds as bound with them, and them which suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the Body.

The letter to the Hebrews address Jewish non-Saints mixed with a few Saints. (I leave this up to you to prove or disprove this for yourself; just note the continual appeals in the document.) Warnings to enter into His rest and to not refuse Him Who speaks is pointed at folks who are not yet believers:

Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more if we turn away from Him that is from heaven!

When the speaker says, Remember them who are in bonds as bound with them, and them who suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the Body, he is referring to the Body of Israel. Is this distinguishable from the Body of Christ?

Body Bearing Dying for Life

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed—¹⁰always bearing about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body. ¹¹For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

Why does verse 10 use our (plural) with Body (singular)? Were this referring to individuals, wouldn’t it have read, our bodies? We (verse 8) …bear about in the Body (verse 10), not ‘in our bodies.’Individuals suffer and die for righteousness, but the Body of Christ is the target that manifests the life of Yeshua.

Body for Yehovah, Not Fornication

1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. ¹³Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats! But God shall destroy both it and them. Now the Body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the Body. ¹⁴And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by His own power. ¹⁵Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? Absolutely not! ¹⁶What? Know ye not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? “For two,” saith he, “shall be one flesh.” ¹⁷But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. ¹⁸Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is outside the Body, but he who committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. ¹⁹What? Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit in you which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ²⁰For ye are bought with a price! Therefore glorify God in your Body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Verse 13 refers to a Body (my capitalization), saying it is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the Body. Does this refer to the individual’s personal body, or the Body of Christ?

Paul uses a parable, showing that meats (foods) are made for the belly (otherwise the person with the belly would starve), and the belly is designed to handle the meats (food). The Body is in the same way for Yehovah’s usage, and Yehovah is for the Body (the Body needs Yehovah).

Verse 14 identifies us with the Body.

Verse 15 has a pronoun change (from we to ye), and refers to their bodies as members of Messiah. All member bodies together form one Body with Messiah.

Verse 18 is a mysterious text not easily explained without verse 20. Two situations are contrasted: outside the Body and in (or inside) the Body. Anyone part of a Godly Body who sins does an act outside the Body and its functions, behaving as one not born of God, not part of the whole. (Glorifying God in the Body is the opposite behaviour.) Sin does not represent the Body, but is foreign to it—outside of it. Committing fornication is not only violating the Body, but is working against his own physical body, and also sins against Messiah’s own Body!

Every body is owned, including the Body of Christ (verse 19). Anyone owned is obliged to show his master’s importance. Sinning shows the opposite.

Verse 19 again places your (plural) with Body (singular) as the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the place where the Holy Spirit resides (besides His being omnipresent). How great is the sin of a Saint! It not only is done against himself, but against Yehovah and the entire Body of Christ!

Temple of His Body

John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, “What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?” ¹⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up!” ²⁰Then said the Jews, “Forty and six years was this Temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?” ²¹But He spake of the Temple of His body. ²²When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them. And they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had said.

The statement, He spake of the Temple of His body refers to what? Was He prophesying His own resurrection? Did they destroy His physical body? Or is this a prophecy of a Tribulation event? His disciples believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had said, recalling a text or texts referring to this. What was (were) the text(s)?

Hosea 5:15 “I will go and return to my place till they declare themselves guilty and seek my face! In their Tribulation they will seek me sunrise!” 6:1 “Come! And we shall return unto Yehovah! For He hath torn, and He will heal us! He hath smitten, and He will bind us up! ²After two days will He revive us! In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight! ³Then shall we know! We shall follow on to know Yehovah! His going forth is prepared as the morning, and He shall come unto us as the rain—as the latter, the former rain unto the earth!”

The event that takes place in three days is not the same as the event that took place after three days. Messiah rose from the dead after being in the heart of the earth three days and three nights, but the resurrection described in Hosea 6:2 will take place after two days, and therefore on the third day. The expressions He will revive us and He will raise us up along with we shall live in His sight describe resurrection events in which folks are brought back to mortal life. Ezekiel 37 also describes such a resurrection event. Could these texts relate?

Preserved Body

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This text again identifies the singular Body (as well as the spirit and soul) with your (plural).

Clothing and Food for the Body

Luke 12:22 And He said unto His disciples, “Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life—what ye shall eat, neither for the body—what ye shall put on. ²³The life is more than food, and the body is more than raiment. ²⁴Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, that neither have storehouse nor barn. And God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls? ²⁵And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? ²⁶If ye then are not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies—how they grow. They toil not, they spin not. And yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸If, then, God so clothe the grass that is today in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, ye of little faith? ²⁹And seek ye not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. ³⁰For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. ³¹But rather, seek ye the kingdom of God! And all these things shall be added unto you.”

This text seems straightforward, especially if pronouns are ignored. Contrast the following two statements:

Take no thought for your life.

Take no thought for your lives.

Do you see the difference? Your always shows plurality in the King James Version. If life is singular, it is corporate—all together have one life (not referring to their separate lives). In the same manner, the text continues,

Take no thought… for the body.

It didn’t say, Take no thought for your bodies. This body is also corporate. What Body is this?

The need for food is addressed in the following text:

Matthew 6:9 Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. ¹⁰Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.

This is a corporate prayer: Our Father Who art in heaven.

When did Yehovah historically provide daily bread? Was it not in the wilderness for forty years? He will do it again! Did the Israelis have clothing and shoe problems in the wilderness? The Body of Israel will have the same provision, and greater:

Deuteronomy 29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.

The Israelis are commanded to seek the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom’s righteousness (see the parallel text in Matthew 6), including that heroism by which one is willing to give his life for another, rather than food and clothing sources.

Light of the Body

Luke 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick so that they who come in may see the light. ³⁴The light of the Body is the eye. Therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole Body also is full of light, but when thine eye is evil, thy Body also is full of darkness. ³⁵Take heed, therefore, that the light that is in thee be not darkness. ³⁶If thy whole Body therefore is full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

What Body is in mind in verse 34? This text is warning an entire Body to be full of light and having no part dark! What is the light of the Body? Prophets of old were called Seers:

1 Samuel 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

The singleness of the eye will only be achieved when Israeli prophets speak with one voice, of Truth. Until then, at least two voices will be heard, one from True prophets and another from all false prophets. If a prophet is false, he is also evil, and the Body following him will be full of darkness.

The Torah and the Body

Romans 7:1 Know ye not, brethren—for I speak to them that know the law—how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? ²For the woman who hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth, but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. ³So then, if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband be dead, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. ⁴Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the Body of Christ that ye should be married to another, even 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 now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Paul (by the Spirit of Yehovah) commences with a Torah argument, speaking to the Roman recipients of his letter who know the ‘law’. The Torah has dominion over a man as long as he lives, and adultery is not permitted. If a spouse is dead, however, the marital state is dissolved, and the surviving spouse may freely marry another. Verse 4 addresses the mainly non-Jewish Roman Saints:

They have become dead to the law (of sin and death, for the Torah never was their rule) via the Body of Christ
They will be married to another, to Messiah Who is raised from the dead
They will bring forth fruit to Yehovah.

Paul then switches pronouns from ye to we, referring to the Israelis (verse 5). When the Israelis were in the flesh (opposite of being in the Spirit or Spiritual, Godly), the calamities (wrongly rendered motions) of sins defined by the Torah worked in our members (of the Body of Israel) to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we (Israelis) are delivered from the Torah, the accusation in which we were held being dead, so that we will serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

The Dead Body

Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded, life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that 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 dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. ¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the Body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹But if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth 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 through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the Body, 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 ‘childrenship’ whereby we cry, “Abba!” “Father!” ¹⁶The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. ¹⁷ And 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 creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity—not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. ²¹For the creature 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 groaneth and travaileth 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 ‘childrenship’—the redemption of our Body! ²⁴For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵But if we hope for what we see not, we with patience wait for it. ²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. ²⁷And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to God. ²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that 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. ³⁰Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called. And whom He called, them He also justified. And whom He justified, them He also glorified. ³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³²He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God Who justifieth. ³⁴Who is he who condemneth? It is Christ Who died—yea rather, that is risen again, Who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh 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, “For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” ³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that 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 creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

In verse 10, the Body is dead because of sin. What body is dead? What sin killed the body? The text assumes that the readers know. The you comprises a living group because of righteousness (verse 10). The text makes sense if the Body refers to Israel.

Even with Messiah’s being in (among) the corporate body of Roman Saints, Israel is still dead, and the Roman Saints wait for the redemption of the Body (of Israel). Yehovah, Who raised Messiah from the dead, will also make the Roman Saints’ mortal bodies alive via His Spirit in the Resurrection. Just as the Israelis are debtors to live through the Spirit, killing the deeds of the Body, so the non-Jewish folks are debtors to live righteously.

Roman Saints did not receive the spirit of slavery again in order to fear the wrath of God, but instead have received the Spirit of ‘childrenship’ (placement as full children, exceeding the legal relationship of adoption by becoming true blood kin) so that now, they also can do as the Israelis can do, calling Yehovah Papa. The Spirit of Yehovah Himself bears witness with the spirit of the Israelis that they are children of God. If they are children, they are also heirs, heirs of God! And they are joint heirs with Messiah if they suffer with Him, in which case they will also be glorified with Him.

The sufferings of the present are not worthy to be compared with the importance that will be revealed in the Israelis. The entire creation waits for the time when the sons of god will be clearly seen by all! Yehovah made the creation unwillingly subject to vanity (usually referring to idolatry) in Hope (waiting for Messiah’s restoration of all things). The creation will be delivered from the slavery of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Until then, the entire creation painfully groans and travails to this day. They are not alone in this, but folks with the firstfruits of the Spirit of God also are suffering, waiting for the time when the Israelis will be placed as sons, kin of the other Saints, when the Israeli Body will be redeemed. All this has not yet happened, because it is part of the Hope; what is seen needs not be viewed in hope. This requires patient waiting. (This is one reason why calls for Christians to ‘celebrate for the joy’ due to their own personal salvations goes contrary to the Word of God.)

In the meantime, the Spirit of Yehovah helps the Israelis’ weaknesses, because they don’t even know what to pray for, so the Spirit of Yehovah intercedes for them with groanings that cannot even be spoken or sounded. Yehovah knows the mind of the Spirit of Yehovah, and He makes intercession for the Saints toward Yehovah!

Israelis (who are knowledgeable in the Bible and believe its pages) know that all things work together for good to lovers of God, to folks who are the called according to purpose. Anyone Yehovah foreknew He predetermined conformed to the image of Yeshua so that Yeshua will be firstborn among many brothers. Yehovah called all the ones He predetermined to be conformed to Yeshua’s image. He made righteous all the folks He called, and He demonstrated as very important (glorified) all He made righteous. (These things have not yet happened.) If Yehovah is for the Israelis, who is against them?

Yehovah did not spare His own Son! He delivered Him up for all—for the Israelis and for all humans! How could He possibly not freely give the Israelis and Messiah all things?

Who will accuse Yehovah’s elect? Yehovah is the One Who justifies! Who condemns? Messiah is the One who died and indeed rose again and is indeed at the right hand of Yehovah, and Messiah makes intercession for the Israelis! Who will separate them from Messiah’s love? Will tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword? The text witnesses regarding the Israelis that for Messiah’s sake they are killed all day long, accounted like sheep for slaughter.

But no, in all these things the Israelis are more than conquerors through Messiah who loved them. (They are not conquerors yet, but will be!) Paul, by the Spirit of Yehovah, knew that none of the following could separate the Israelis from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua their Lord:

Death
Life
Angels
Principalities
Powers
Present things
Future things
Height
Depth
Any other creation

The Roman Saints have life because of the Spirit of God Who will also bring Israel to life during the Tribulation. No non-Jewish group or individual should glory in his own salvation while the Salvation of Israel is still unattended. (Don’t boast against the branches, Romans 11:18.)

Verse 13 shows the deeds of the Body are evil. The Body of Israel lives after the flesh—according to the way it feels, earthly rather than according to the Torah. Yehovah’s fury comes out against Israel every so many years.

Verse 16 confirms that the Israelis are the children of God:

Isaiah 64:8 But now, Yehovah, Thou art our father. We are the clay, and Thou our potter. And we all are the work of thy hand.

If Yehovah is the Israelis’ father, they are children of God. Verse 17 describes the conditions under which this status will be realized: if they will suffer with Messiah. If they will not, they will be cut off, but a few Israelis will always believe, and thus be ‘permanent’ children of God.

The whole creation is awaiting Israel’s redemption and Salvation, and Messiah’s return (verse 19, and especially verse 23). Once the body of Israel is redeemed, all the creation will rejoice, and the Hope of the Saints will be realized, the resurrection of the dead being completed by the return of the Saints with Messiah.

Eating His Body

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and brake it and gave it to the disciples. And He said, “Take. Eat. This is my body.” ²⁷And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it; ²⁸for this is my blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sins. ²⁹But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom!”

This text (and the next two) seems to refer to Yeshua’s physical body, but do they?

Mark 14:22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed, and brake it and gave to them. And He said, “Take! Eat! This is my body.” ²³And He took the cup. And when He had given thanks, He gave it to them. And they all drank of it. ²⁴And He said unto them, “This is my blood of the new testament that is shed for many. ²⁵Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God!”

Luke 22:14 And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. ¹⁵And He said unto them, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷And He took the cup. And He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. ¹⁸For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come.” ¹⁹And He took bread, and He gave thanks. And He brake it and gave unto them, saying, “This is my body that is given for you. This do in remembrance of me.” ²⁰Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood that is shed for you.”

1 Corinthians 10:15 I speak as to wise men—judge ye what I say. ¹⁶The cup of blessing that we bless—is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break—is it not the communion of the Body of Christ? ¹⁷For we being many are one bread and one body. For we are all partakers of that one bread.

This text gives a clue: The bread which we break—is it not the communion [fellowship] of the Body of Christ? This wouldn’t make much sense if body referred to Yeshua’s physical body. It carries a different sense and fits the way it is being used if it refers to the Church. Separated, crushed flower is mixed with water then baked into one body of bread, one unleavened piece. (Leaven is always a type of sin when it is used as a type in the Bible.)

He states, Forwebeing many are one bread and one body. Communion implies different parts or persons coming together for a common purpose. The physical body of Messiah needed no communion. It was already in one piece.

If the above is true, how can This is my Body that is given for you be explained? Will the Body of Christ be given for the Israelis? We already covered the following text:

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The Broken Body

1 Corinthians 11:17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁸For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you—and I partly believe it. ¹⁹For there must be also heresies among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest among you. ²⁰When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s Supper! ²¹For in eating, every one taketh before the other his own supper, and one is hungry and another is drunken. ²²What? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the Church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not! ²³For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread. ²⁴And when He had given thanks, He brake it and said, “Take! Eat! This is my body that is broken for you! This do in remembrance of me.” ²⁵After the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood! This do ye—as oft as ye drink it—in remembrance of me.” ²⁶For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He comes. ²⁷Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. ²⁹For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body! ³⁰For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ³¹For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. ³³Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. ³⁴And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Paul gives us additional information in Messiah’s words: This is my body that is broken for you! Messiah’s body was never broken, as the Scripture states:

John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they brake not his legs. ³⁴But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. ³⁵And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true. And he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. ³⁶For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “A bone of him shall not be broken.”

If Messiah’s body was never broken, this must prophetically refer to the Body of Christ, the Church. When was the Body of Christ (the Church) historically broken? (The word broken refers to bread being separated, divided in order to be dispensed to folks to eat; it is not used for breaking pottery or bones.)

Verse 29 states, For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. How can one discern what he cannot see? But one can discern Yehovah’s Body, the Body of Christ!

Our Vile Body

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ ²¹Who shall change our vile [humiliated] Body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious Body according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The hope here is not that Messiah will change “our humiliated bodies,” but our humiliated Body (singular). The Israelis form one body. When it is changed, it will be a glorious Body:

Ephesians 5:25-b Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her ²⁶that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷that He might present her to himself a glorious Church—not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

He will accomplish the subduing in verse 21, Who shall change our humiliated Body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious Body according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself, according to the following text:

Hebrews 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

This awaits a future fulfillment.

Out of Body Experience?

2 Corinthians 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. ²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the Body, I cannot tell, or whether out of the Body, I cannot tell—God knoweth)—such a one caught up to the third heaven. ³And I knew such a man (whether in the Body or out of the Body, I cannot tell—God knoweth), ⁴how that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words that it is not lawful for a man to utter.

This first man was in Christ. Thus, he was born of God. Paul could not tell whether this man was in the body or not when he was caught up to the third heaven. He knew a man like this man who was caught up into paradise hearing words that could not be spoken or uttered. Was he caught up physically, or was he, like John, transported in some other way? I point this text out, since it is a ‘body’ text.

Conclusion

Church can refer to:

A local congregation of Jewish and non-Jewish Saints,
A congregation of only Jewish Saints,
The congregation of Israel,

and

Various pagan entities unrelated to Biblical faith.

Jews are participant in the first three references. The Bible (to my knowledge) does not mention a church/assembly/congregation before the existence of Israel, though I am certain of Saints’ membership in the Church from Abel to Israel. Yehovah has made Israel the core of the Church with Avraham as the trunk and Messiah as both the root and the offspring of David:

Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but through their fall is salvation unto the Gentiles, I order to provoke them to jealousy. ¹²Now if the fall of them is the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? ¹³For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles. I magnify mine office ¹⁴if by any means I may provoke my flesh to emulation and might save some of them. ¹⁵For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what is the receiving but life from the dead! ¹⁶For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷And if any of the branches are broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree, ¹⁸boast not against the branches! But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. ¹⁹Thou wilt say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in!” ²⁰Fine! They were broken off because of unbelief, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear! ²¹For if God spared not the natural branches—lest he also spare not thee! ²²Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God—on them who fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness—if thou continue in goodness—otherwise thou also shalt be cut off! ²³And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural be grafted into their own olive tree? ²⁵For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery—lest ye should be wise in your own conceits—that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. ²⁶And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written, “There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. ²⁷For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins.” ²⁸As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. ²⁹For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. ³⁰For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief, ³¹even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. ³²For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all. ³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! ³⁴For who hath known the mind of Yehovah? or Who hath been His counselor? ³⁵Or Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? ³⁶For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom is glory for ever! Amen. ¹I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable unto God—your reasonable service.

The firstfruit (verse 16) is holy, and so is the lump (of dough, referring to bread making). The root is holy (Messiah is the root), and so are the branches (referring to the Israelis).

Some the branches are broken off because of unbelief; some of the Israelis have been excised from the Tree. Another tree, a ‘wild olive’, has branches consisting of Gentiles. If a Gentile becomes a believer, he is cut out of the wild olive tree and is grafted into the good tree (connected to Avraham’s section), and rising among the branches from Jacob. This grafted wild olive had best not boast against the Jewish branches! Yeshua is the root, and He bears all the branches!

A Gentile might say, “The branches were broken off so that I would be grafted in!” Jewish individual branches were broken off because of unbelief, and the non-Jewish Saint remains by faith. But he had better not get cocky, but fear, because if Yehovah didn’t spare the natural branches, He might not spare a cocky wild branch that claims to have faith! The wild branch had better continue in goodness!

If the Israeli branches that were cut off from unbelief turn from unbelief to faith, Yehovah is able to graft them into the Tree again!

Israel’s blindness is in part, and will remain in part until the fullness of the Gentiles manifests itself. (When this happens, the Gentile attempts against Israel, Yehovah and Messiah will reach their climax; the cup of their iniquity will reach its fullness. Yehovah will cause them to drink of His wrath and their doings.) Then all Israel will be saved.

Verse 31 shows that the non-Jewish Saints have an obligation toward all Israel, so that through mercy (not religiosity nor arrogance) the Israelis will obtain mercy. Romans 12:1 shows that the non-Jewish Saints are to present themselves as a living sacrifice for the sake of the Israelis, because it is only reasonable in light of what the Israelis have done by procuring for the non-Jewish folks the Great Salvation. For, as Messiah states,

John 4:22-b For salvation is of the Jews.

The True Church is made of Jewish and non-Jewish Believers as pictured by Paul in Romans 11 when he discusses the Good Olive Tree. The Jewish Believers are the Natural olive branches, whether grafted or not, and the non-Jewish Believers are the wild olive branches grafted in. This has been true from the beginning.

The trunk of the Good Olive Tree is Avraham
Messiah is the root and offspring of David, the root of the Tree
Messiah is one of the offspring through Jacob
Saints who lived before Jacob are all connected to Avraham as branches parallel to, but not the same as, Jacob’s branch
Non-Jewish Saints are connected in one of two ways: to Avraham, or to Israel if they opt to become part of Israel

April 7, 2009August 22, 2016

Carnal Christians – Do They Exist?

Carnal Christians — Do They Exist?

In the Flesh

“What about carnal Christians? They sin, but they are still saved, right?” In order to answer this question, I needed to find the words related to carnal in the Bible. This also included the phrase in the flesh. See if you are able to conclude what in the flesh means from the following texts:

1 Corinthians 7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh. but I spare you.

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.

2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with the Messiah. Nevertheless I live–yet not I, but the Messiah liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Colossians 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and them at Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh…

Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in the Messiah.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness! God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Philemon 1:16 …not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved–specially to me, but how much more unto thee–both in the flesh and in the Lord?

1 Peter 3:18 For the Messiah also hath once suffered for sins, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit…

1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

1 John 4:2 By this ye know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Messiah Yeshua is come in the flesh is of God, 3and every spirit that confesseth not that Messiah Yeshua is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that of antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already it is in the world.

2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Messiah Yeshua is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as the Messiah hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 2that he no longer should live the rest of time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3For the time past of life will suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings and abominable idolatries 4wherein they think it strange that ye run not to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you 5who shall give account to Him Who is ready to judge the alive and the dead. 6For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, and live according to God in the spirit.

Ephesians 2:11 Why remember that ye, in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, 12that at that time ye were without the Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13And now in Messiah Yeshua ye who some time ago were far off are made nigh by the blood of the Messiah. 14For He is our peace, Who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition, 15having abolished in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments being in ordinances, to make in Himself of both one new man, making peace, 16and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. 17And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them who were nigh.

Galatians 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of the Messiah. 13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised so that they will glory in your flesh. 14And God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Messiah Yeshua by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. 15For in Messiah Yeshua neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is the Messiah and to die is gain. 22And if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour. Yet what I shall choose I know not. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with the Messiah, which is far better. 24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith 26that your rejoicing will be more abundant in Messiah Yeshua for me by my coming to you again.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Messiah Yeshua and have no confidence in the flesh, 4though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more–5circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews. As touching the law, a Pharisee. 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church. Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7And what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for the Messiah.

Romans 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither circumcision who is outward in the flesh, 29but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God. 1What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? 2Much every way–chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God.

I understood that the expression in the flesh meant physical or physically.

Carnality

I next desired to see what the Bible meant by carnal or carnally. See if you can discern the meaning from the following texts:

Leviticus 18:20 And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife to defile thyself with her.

Leviticus 19:20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman who is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her, investigation shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

Numbers 5:13 …and a man lie with her carnally and it be hid from the eyes of her husband and be kept close and she be defiled and no witness against her, neither she be taken…

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual. And I am carnal, sold under sin.

Romans 15:27 It hath pleased them verily. And their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang from Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵And it is yet far more evident that after the similitude of Melchisedek there ariseth another Priest ¹⁶Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. ¹⁷For he testifieth, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek.”

Hebrews 9:6 And these things were thus ordained. And the priests went always into the first tabernacle accomplishing the service, ⁷but into the second the high priest alone once every year–not without blood which he offered for himself and the errors of the people, ⁸the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was yet standing, ⁹which is a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience, ¹⁰only in foods and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. ¹¹And the Messiah 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, ¹²neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.

I understood that the words carnal and carnally meant physical and physically respectively. The following texts, however, showed me that the word carnal means something more, having to do with evil fleshly desires and actions.

1 Corinthians 3:1 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal–as unto babies in the Messiah. ²I have fed you with milk and not with food. For up to now ye were not able, neither yet now are ye able. ³For ye are yet carnal! For whereas among you is envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men? ⁴For while one saith, ‘I am of Paul!’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos!’ are ye not carnal? ⁵Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? ⁶I have planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. ⁷So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God Who giveth the increase. ⁸Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one. And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. ⁹For we are labourers together with God. Ye are God’s husbandry, God’s building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation. And another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. ¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. ¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, ¹³every man’s work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. ¹⁶Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁷If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which ye are. ¹⁸Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. ²⁰And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. ²¹Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours, ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come–all are yours, ²³and ye are the Messiah’s, and the Messiah is God’s.

When Paul said that they were carnal, what was he saying? Was he saying that they were Saints, ones who are born of God, but are also carnal?

In the Flesh and Carnality

2 Corinthians 10:2 And I beseech that I will not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. ³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. ⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, ⁵casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Messiah, ⁶and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. ⁷Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is the Messiah’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is the Messiah’s, even so are we the Messiah’s. ⁸For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority which the Lord hath given us for edification and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed ⁹that I will not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

This text seemed to link the expression in the flesh with carnal.

Enmity

Romans 8:1 Therefore now, no condemnation is to them who are in Messiah Yeshua. ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua hath 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 ⁴so that 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 that 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. ⁸And 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 dwell in you. And if any man have not the Spirit of the Messiah, he is none of his. ¹⁰And if the Messiah 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 up Yeshua from the dead dwell in you, He Who raised up the Messiah from the dead shall also make alive your mortal bodies by His Spirit Who dwelleth 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. And if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The above text made the difference in my understanding. Anyone who is carnally minded and who has a carnal mind is an enemy of God (is in enmity against God). Anyone who is in the flesh cannot please God. And no person is in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwells in him. Therefore the expression in the flesh not only meant physical or physically, but it also could mean invested in the physical or physically invested.

According to Paul, it was a terrible thing to have a carnal mind–it was death. If this is the case, what was he declaring when he said, “For ye are yet carnal! For whereas among you is envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men? For while one saith, ‘I am of Paul!’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos!’ are ye not carnal?” Paul explained the state of unbelievers when he said,

Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. ⁶And now we are 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.

When Paul said, “I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal–as unto babies in the Messiah,” he was telling them that he could not speak to them as Saints, or at least as nothing more than baby Saints. When he said carnal, he showed that this was the opposite of Spiritual. When he said babies in the Messiah, he showed that this was the status of a Saint who was totally unlearned in righteousness, unable to do anything except eat, cry and wet.

If carnality is the opposite of Spirituality, no one can be a “carnal Christian.” How can a Christian be an enemy of God? Those who were saying, “I am of Paul!” and “I am of Apollos!” were proving themselves carnal. Paul warned them to stop this and prove themselves Spiritual.

Ending Up Dead

A Saint may stupidly behave carnally, and he may end up dead in the process. See how Paul referred to one man who did this:

1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles!–that one should have his father’s wife! ²And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned, so that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. ³For 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!–⁴in the name of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, ⁵to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua!

Paul commanded them to set this man up to be killed by Satan!

Anyone who shows himself to be an enemy of God when he should know better, being a Saint, is asking for much greater trouble than an unbeliever who is by nature an enemy of God, toward whom Yehovah shows longsuffering.

What About Carnal Christians?

I will now finish answering the question, “What about carnal Christians? They sin, but they are still saved, right?” Carnal Christians do not exist. No text mentions a carnal Christian. Christians have managed to behave carnally by sinning. They were still saved. Some were dead. Others suffered greatly. Paul warned,

1 Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily [i.e., in an unworthy manner], shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. ³⁰For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [i.e., are dead]. ³¹For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord so that we should not be condemned with the world.

Peter did not spare words to a man who was supposedly a new Believer:

Acts 8:9 But there was a certain man called Simon who previously in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one, ¹⁰to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God!” ¹¹And to him they had regard, because for long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. ¹²But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Messiah Yeshua, they were baptized–both men and women. ¹³Then Simon himself believed also. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip. And he wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. ¹⁴Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John ¹⁵who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶For as yet He was fallen upon none of them. Only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua. ¹⁷Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, “Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit!” ²⁰But Peter said unto him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money! ²¹Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter! For thy heart is not right in the sight of God. ²²Repent therefore of this thy wickedness! And pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee! ²³For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.” ²⁴Then answered Simon, and said, “Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me!”

Conclusion

Anyone who has the attitude, “I am a Christian, I still sin, and God understands this and accepts me the way I am” does not fear God, is not born of God, will not be chastised as a Saint would be, and is not fit material for Salvation. Simon had more Spirituality, and Peter said, “if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee!”

April 7, 2009August 23, 2016

Disinterestedness–What is it?

What is Disinterestedness?

Definition

Dictionary.com states that it is one who is “unbiased by personal interest or advantage; not influenced by selfish motives.” Such a person demonstrates true impartiality.

While dictionaries will claim that this word also has the same acceptations as uninterestedness, the older usage of this word and the Biblical concept never have to do with a lack of interest. Being uninterested in others and their situations is a subtle form of contempt.

Advantage of Being Disinterested

The main advantage of being disinterested is so that another can benefit from the disinterested person’s perspective and/or actions of justice and propriety.

Anyone having an interest in an outcome will tend to answer, advise or act in a way that will gravitate toward that outcome even if that outcome is not for the best for others or self.

One who practices disinterestedness will guide another or others to a proper outcome even if that outcome is not to the advantage of the disinterested person. A disinterested person has more investment in justice and propriety than in any advantage.

With Whom Can One be Disinterested?

One person usually demonstrates disinterestedness with another person or persons, and not with self. Applying disinterestedness to oneself is a little difficult, but can be done.

Self-Esteem

Disinterestedness kills all forms of self-esteem (high, low or normal). Every form of self-esteem is automatically an antagonist against humility, and is pride—and cannot be otherwise.

Low self-esteem is pride. A person with low self-esteem feels less responsibility and a greater freedom to place blame. This person feels special in a low way. The focus on self is always detrimental. Some with very low self-esteem opt for suicide, intentionally determining to destroy the image of God (though perhaps not thinking of this). Low self-esteem corresponds to low self-worth. No person is able to gauge his or her value with any accuracy. Thus, a person who claims to be able to do so is taking upon himself a characteristic permitted only to a god. That is arrogance.

High self-esteem is pride. A person with high self-esteem feels great ability to take on personal power, and feels little responsibility for damage to others. The focus on self is always detrimental. Some with very high self-esteem are cruel and even murderers, intentionally determining to destroy the image of God in others. High self-esteem corresponds to high self-worth. No person is able to gauge his or her value with any accuracy. Thus, a person who claims to be able to do so is taking upon himself a characteristic permitted only to a god. That is arrogance.

Normal self-esteem is pride. A person with normal self-esteem will view self in comparison to others. The focus on self is always detrimental. Some with normal self-esteem are inconsistently cruel and cold or kind and warm, rarely thinking in terms of responsibility and often thinking of advantage. Normal self-esteem corresponds to normal self-worth. No person is able to gauge his or her value with any accuracy. Thus, a person who claims to be able to do so is taking upon himself a characteristic permitted only to a god. That is arrogance.

The only proper esteem is directed to others:

Philippians 2:3 Nothing is through strife or vainglory. But each shall esteem another better than themselves in lowliness of mind.

Destructive Bitterness

A person practicing true disinterestedness will not be driven or controlled by destructive bitterness. Naomi in the Book of Ruth demonstrated the only type of bitterness that is not destructive. She was truly bitter; she had lost almost all. Her bitterness led to Salvation and the greatest events in Israel’s history. Her bitterness did not set her into that anger that burns and keeps building. She was not like terrorists whose bitterness against their gods builds their hatred and desire to hurt and kill others. Her bitterness led to life and peace.

Diplomats

The best diplomats must always prove disinterested in diplomacy, since the interest of the diplomat cannot interfere with the outcome. A diplomat who falters in diplomacy will be a diplomat who has a personal interest in an outcome.

Joseph

Joseph in Genesis proved to be a truly disinterested slave and brother. He saved many lives. His brother Judah proved to be the opposite, having personal interests in outcomes. Having a personal interest in an outcome is the first step in justifying corruption and in overthrowing justice.

Relationships

How does disinterestedness affect the way the disinterested person sees relationships, situations and responses? A disinterested person will value relationships with a value that is at least as great as those with personal interests, and likely even more. That person will see relationships in a way that isn’t centered on feelings, but rather on benefit, on liability, on considering more carefully the symptoms of good behaviour and bad. Intentional disinterestedness almost always demands that a person focus on the details of what is occurring in a relationship and how that relationship is affecting others. Cause and effect become very important, and the outcome is very important even though the person will intentionally not sway the outcome for personal interest.

A truly disinterested person will pursue peace in relationships.

While many may see the benefit of being candid and open in a relationship, a disinterested person will consider whether candidness and direct openness is truly the best for justice, propriety, and for the relationships. That doesn’t mean that a disinterested person doesn’t speak his or her mind, but rather considers benefit, often in a manner that appears fearless. Daniel spoke disinterestedly to Nebuchadnezzar in a way that others would have been terrified to express. Daniel was not interested in his own aggrandizement. He was interested in benefit to the king.