Is it Truly Grace or is it Lawlessness?

The difference is critical because it’s life and death

By Brother R. Michel Lankford
 
In today’s modern Christianity, many pastors and teachers will teach that because of God’s Grace through the death and resurrection of Messiah, God’s Law has been done away with, and that God’s Law is no longer valid, binding, or necessary for the Christian. Some pastors and teachers are so deeply entrenched in this new definition of Grace, that they will go so far as to teach, that if a person tries to obey or keep the Commandments of God, then trying to obey God and keep His Commandments, supposedly means that the person is now guilty of denying that what Yeshua the Messiah did through His death and resurrection is sufficient.
So what it amounts to according to this new definition of Grace, a person must come to accept Yeshua of Nazareth, the Son of Yahweh Almighty God, as their Savior and their Master. At the same time, according to this new popular definition of Grace, the person who comes to Messiah must not put in any effort into obeying God too closely, and they must not copy what Messiah did in obeying the Heavenly Father’s Commandments, because if they do, they are now supposedly guilty of denying that what Yeshua the Messiah did was enough to save us.
Now, I am put in a position where I am either forced or heavily encouraged to do the opposite of what Yahweh Almighty God Commanded, and what Messiah and the apostles followed in order to demonstrate that I’m supposedly, “Under Grace,” and not trying to become righteous by obeying what Yahweh Almighty God Commanded.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS NEW DEFINITION AND APPLICATION OF THE WAY WE NOW DEFINE GRACE, NOW LOOKS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT DEFINITION OF THE TERM LAWLESSNESS.
If you don’t want to believe me, that is one thing, but look at the definition for yourself: the term for lawlessness in the Greek New Testament is, “Anomia.” Take a look at how it is clearly defined the Greek New Testament:

 

Quick Definitions

Thayer Brown Driver Briggs

anomia" which carries the following definition: BDB/Thayers # 458 anomia {an-om-ee'-ah} from 459; TDNT - 4:1085,646; n f AV - iniquity 12, unrighteousness 1, transgress the law + 4060 1, transgression of the law 1; 15 1) the condition of being without law 1a) because ignorant of it 1b) because of violating it 2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness
Strong’s Lexicon
Now for a second witness here is the definition of this in the Strong's Hebrew Lexicon:
458. anomia, an-om-ee'-ah; from 459; illegality, i.e. violation of the law or (gen.) wickedness: --- iniquity X transgress (ion of) the law, unrighteousness.
Now note that in both lexicons it states that both of these words come from the Greek word #459. This word means "To be destitute or in violation of the Mosaic or Jewish Law" (See Thayer's and Strong's Lexicons). Now the word #458 is translated "transgression of the Law" in the King James version of 1john 3:4
Please keep in mind how significant this is. We have two Greek New Testament original language dictionaries which directly define violating God’s Law, transgressing God’s law or living outside of God’s Law and Commandments as LAWLESSNESS.
Obeying Yahweh Almighty God and the Messiah is the fruit of righteousness and it’s the fruit of belonging to God. That’s not just my opinion. It’s the precise definition that Jesus the Messiah HIMSELF established. Messiah describes that we shall be able to identify the truth from the false by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). IMMEDIATELY after that statement, He then makes this declaration:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV)

So only those who DO the will of Yahweh Almighty God the Father in Heaven, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That’s Messiah’s teaching. I respectfully submit to you that it is ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE to successfully DO the will of God, if we are living a lifestyle that does the opposite of what God’s Laws, Commandments, and Instructions requires us to do. Messiah then continues, referring to the future Day of Judgment:

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” (Matthew 7:22, NKJV)

According to Messiah HIMSELF, many people will have believed upon Him. They will have identified and called Him as their Lord and Master. They will have had enough faith to prophesy in Messiah’s name. They will have had enough faith in Messiah to successfully cast out demons in His Name. They will have had enough faith to perform at many wonders in Messiah’s Name. Please notice and pay attention to the fact that Messiah specifically will not say that they had not successfully done the marvelous things that they will claim to have done. Messiah will not deny that they will in fact have done these things, but what will His response be to them, in spite of the fact that they will have had successfully done these marvelous things?

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:23, NKJV)

Messiah will deny that He ever knew them before the very courts of Heaven. And why will Messiah deny ever knowing these people, even in spite of the fact that they believed Yeshua to be their Lord and Master; in spite of the fact that they prophesied in His Name; in spite of the fact that they cast out demons and perform marvelous wonders in His Name?
Messiah will deny ever having known these people because they will have lived their lives walking in the state of Lawlessness or anomia. Messiah says that many people will be rejected on the Day of Judgment because they will have lived in a lifestyle or state of being outside or without God’s Law. They will be rejected because they will have lived a lifestyle where they were violating or transgressing God’s Laws, either because they were ignorant of God’s Laws, or because they willingly chose to live outside of God’s Laws, Commandments, Instructions.
Obviously from the context of the Scripture, these people will have ardently believed that they were walking under God’s Grace. From the people’s point of view, they will be wholeheartedly convinced that they will have walked under God’s grace, and that they are ready to inherit the Kingdom of God, but will Jesus (Yeshua the Messiah), proclaim that what they will have been walking under was God’s True Biblical Grace? Judging from Messiah’s reaction, obviously He will not think that they will have been living under His Grace and Power, no matter what they believed and claimed they were doing.
Where do you think these people which will be appearing before Christ on the future day of judgment will believe that they are expecting to spend eternity?Where do you think they believe that they are heading? Obviously, from Messiah’s point of view God’s Grace was never intended to be lived outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, because that’s the definition of lawlessness, and lawlessness will not inherit the kingdom of God.

*********

“Abba Yahweh Almighty God, Yeshua Messiah; have mercy upon me. Save me according to Your unfailing love. I confess that I have previously been guilty of Lawlessness, and anomia; either because I was ignorant of Your Law or I foolishly believed that Your Laws Commandments and Instructions did not apply to me because of Messiah. According to Your Word, what I previously believed to be Grace, was in fact Lawlessness, and sin. Please forgive me. I want to live in Your True Biblical Grace. The same Holy Spirit which moved on the face of the deep in creation, which conceived Yeshua in the virgin’s womb, which empowered Yeshua to obey Your Law, which gave Him the willingness to live unselfishly and deny His comfort and well-being for my sake; that same Holy Spirit which physically resurrected Him from the dead; that same Holy Spirit can surely come and live in me. Surely that same Holy Spirit can empower me to delight in, to learn and to obey God’s Law, with Love, with Faith, and with Grace, but still obedient to God’s Law. Surely this is not too hard for the LORD. Please mercifully come live in me. Help me to ever more fully cooperate with You, as You accomplish this great work of Grace in me. Please save me from all Lawlessness, and give me grace to obey Your Law and to truly do Your will, so that I may be truly counted as a child of Yahweh Almighty God, and will be well received into Your Everlasting Kingdom. Amen”

Discipleship 101 - Review

By brother R Michel Lankford
Occasionally, we have to boil things down to their simplest form. As God's little children, we tend to be pretty forgetful. Just like little children, as up-and-coming disciples, we need to periodically remind ourselves of the fundamentals. I need it, so I figured we all do. So here's a review of the bare minimums. It’s Discipleship 101 in its simplest form:
1. Yahweh Almighty God is God, and we are not.

2. Choose to use God's Definitions, because those are the Only Ones that Truly Count

3. Since God is perfect, we must be transformed to agree with God, because He will not change to accommodate us.

4. Take God Seriously, because He IS NOT Kidding.

5. Before we can successfully make disciples, we first have to be a Disciple.

6. To make successful disciples, we must teach people how to obey EVERYTHING Messiah commanded.

7. We Must Remember Our New Citizenship: (Think Heavenly, Desire Heavenly, Speak Heavenly, and Choose Heavenly things).
 

 

1. Yahweh Almighty God is God, and we are not.

We believe that the One True Creator (Genesis Ch. 1-2), Who is Perfect Love (1 John 4:8), the One Who revealed Himself to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, and to Moses; the One Who sent Yeshua of Nazareth; He alone is God (Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 45:18). He is God. He is our master, and we are not Master over Him. He is God, we are not.
While He is merciful and compassionate beyond measure, everyone will be judged by Him, and we shall not be judges over Him (Hebrews 4:12-13). While Yahweh delights to do good and provide well for His children (Psalm 103; Matthew 7:7-11), we were created for His pleasure, and not to please ourselves (Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11). Therefore, by definition, if we are not desiring, if we are not seeking, if we are not learning, if we're not choosing, and if we are not progressively doing what Yahweh Almighty God says is pleasing to Him, then we are failing that purpose for which we were created, and we are wasting the gift of life which He gave us. Yahweh is our Father, we are the children (Matthew 18:3-4). We must keep that straight.

 

2. Choose to use God's Definitions, Because those are the Only Ones that Truly Count:

We cannot walk with God correctly unless we first learn to AGREE with God (Amos 3:3). Since Yahweh Almighty God is God, and since He is the ultimate Judge Who is going to judge us, then we MUST LEARN to DEFINE EVERYTHING, as God defines things in His Word.
For just one example, we know that Almighty God REQUIRES that we repent, that means that we MUST turn AWAY from SIN, and TURN TOWARD what God says is pleasing to Him. The problem is that if we hold a definition of sin that is different from what God defines as being sin, then we will fail to repent in some important areas, because we will have developed a belief and mindset that tells us that we are not sinning, when in fact God thinks and says that we are sinning (1 John 3:4; Hosea 8:1; Daniel 9:11).
For this reason, God's Word specifically COMMANDS US NOT TO RELY UPON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING (Proverbs 3:4-7; Jeremiah 9:23-24; Proverbs 26:12). That's because our own heart and our own understanding can deceive us with sin (Jeremiah 17:9; Hebrews 3:13). We can fall into desires, thoughts, attitudes and behavior patterns that we have convinced ourselves to be perfectly fine, but in reality, they lead to our destruction (Proverbs 21:2; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 16:25).
One of the biggest snares of deception that we often fall into is the snare of redefinition. By redefining key concepts to match our own preferences, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we are walking correctly with God when we are in reality disobeying God (e.g. Luke 10:25-29). When Yahweh Almighty God judges us, He is not going to judge us according to our standards of right and wrong. On the contrary, the One Who created all things is going to judge us according to HIS OWN Righteous Standards. So, we are not walking in love, unless HE defines what we are doing as being loving. We are not walking in faith, unless HE defines what we are doing as being faithful. We are not walking in obedience, unless he says that what we are doing is obedient. Our definitions are virtually meaningless. God's definitions are the only ones that count.

 

 

3. Since God is perfect, we must be transformed to agree with God, because He will not change to Accommodate us.

Yahweh Almighty God is God and He does not change: (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hebrews 13:8). Yahweh's Word, His Ways and His Laws are perfect (2 Samuel 22.31; Psalm 19:7-10;Psalm 119:142-144; James 1:25). We who claim to be HIS people are called to STRIVE to imitate HIS Perfection (Matthew 5:48; Ephesians 4:25-5:1; 1 John 2:1-6) Therefore, authentic discipleship is about submitting to God and allowing HIM to change our hearts and minds and our desires so that we will come into agreement with HIS definitions in all matters. It is NOT expecting God to adapt His definitions or adapt His standards to suit our own definitions, preferences and desires. There is a huge difference, (Amos 3:3; Isaiah 5:20-24; Matthew 6:22-23; Romans 8:5-8; Romans 12:1-2).

 

4. Take God Seriously, because He IS NOT Kidding

Yahweh Almighty God created everything in creation by the words of His Mouth (Genesis Ch. 1-2; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Revelation 4:11). He spoke the universe into being thousands of years ago, and it still functions, despite the fact that we have corrupted the world with sin. His words will not return empty, but they will accomplish the purposes for which He spoke them (Isaiah 55:11). The Creator said what He means, and He means what He said. Scripture is full of the Creator's Promises (2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Peter 1:2-4). With virtually every promise that God made there are specified conditions which must be met to receive the promises. If we are not experiencing the blessings and benefits of a promise that we see in Scripture, it is because we have not properly met the conditions which God has established in order for us to receive that particular promise. I call them the "IF" clauses. For example, God is very forgiving. He provides promises in His Word to forgive our sins:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB95)

God offers forgiveness to me for my sins. He also offers to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Those two things are exceedingly great promises, but there is a definite condition attached. I can only receives the forgiveness that God offers IF I agree with God, and speak in agreement with God that the thing I did for which I desire forgiveness, IS in fact SIN because it violated His Laws and His standards of righteousness, (this is because that is how God defines what it means to confess, so if I do not do that, then I did not truly confess). Another condition to receiving God's forgiveness for my sins, is that I must forgive those who sin or trespass against me (Matthew 6:14-15). Scripture is clear that if I wish to receive God's forgiveness, those are the conditions which I must meet. Almost every promise in Scripture functions in the same manner. If I want the benefits of the promise, I have to take God seriously enough to comply with the conditions which He has established.
True reverence and respect for God means that we take what God says seriously.
For example, when the Creator specifically teaches that certain desires, attitudes and lifestyles WILL inherit His blessings, believe Him. Take God and His Word seriously, and develop those characteristics, because He means it, and we need those characteristics; (Psalm 24:1-6; Psalm 15:1-5; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Revelation 21:7)
Conversely, when the Creator specifically teaches that certain desires attitudes and lifestyles WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, take God seriously and turn away from such things, because He means that as well (Matthew 7:21-23; John 3:36; John 8:34-36; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 6:15–16; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; just to name a few key areas). For a complete Scripturally detailed Biblical list of what Yahweh Almighty God specifically says will not inherit His Kingdom click here:
http://discipleshipsuccess.blogspot.com/2012/01/should-we-really-cry-out.html
“GOD SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. THE WISE PERSON IS THE ONE WHO LISTENS CAREFULLY, WHO TRULY TAKES ALMIGHTY GOD SERIOUSLY, AND CHOOSES TO WALK ACCORDINGLY. EVERYTHING LESS IS FOOLISHNESS; GOD SAVE US FROM ALL FOOLISHNESS.”

 

5.  Before we can successfully make disciples, we first have to be one

That's pretty simple and straightforward, but it's so simple that the concept is often neglected. A healthy, productive Apple tree is known to be healthy when it produces healthy apples. Likewise, a healthy and productive disciple, will help to produce other healthy disciples (Matthew 7:15-20). By definition, a disciple is one who believes, one who follows, obeys, and walks in the steps of, and then who spreads the teachings of another. So by definition, a true disciple of Messiah would be; one who believes the Messiah, one who follows, obeys, and walks in the steps of Messiah, and then spreads the teachings of Messiah both by the way they speak and by the way they live their lives. That is a disciple (Genesis 15:6; John 8:39; Habakkuk 2:4;. Romans 14:23b; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Proverbs 21:3; John 14:21; John 15:14; 1 John 2:1-6; Matthew 10:8b; Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 9:26)

 

6 To make successful disciples, we must teach people how to obey EVERYTHING Messiah commanded

When Messiah left this world, he gave us a very specific charge, which we of commonly called the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19-20, NRSV)

First, it is worth noticing that according to Messiah, disciples are MADE. We are not physically born into discipleship, and neither is discipleship automatic when we are born again. Disciples are MADE, NOT born.
Second, Baptism is the beginning of discipleship, it is not an end unto itself. In other words, to confess belief and submission to Messiah as Lord, and then to be baptized into Christ is not an end unto itself. It is merely the beginning of the story.
Third, In order to be a successful disciple maker, WE MUST TEACH new converts how to obey EVERYTHING that Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah commanded. If we do not teach people how to obey everything that Yeshua the Messiah commanded, then by Messiah's own words and principles, we have failed to make a disciple of that person. Remember as in all other key concepts, we MUST define disciple making the way that Messiah defines disciple making. According to Messiah Himself, if we are not teaching people how to obey and follow EVERYTHING that Messiah commanded, then by HIS own definition, we are NOT successfully making disciples. In such a case we are failing to obey the Great Commission. It's that simple.
Fourth, Yeshua the Messiah promises that He will be with us always even to the end of the age, but He promised that in order to give us the courage and confidence to DO the Great Commission which He sent us out to do. He also equally promised that if we were ashamed of Him and His Words, then He would be ashamed of us (Luke 10:26). If we shrink back from Him and His Words, then He will not take pleasure in us (Hebrews 10:38). So we must become unashamedly committed to believing, to obeying, and to declaring His Words and His Ways.
 

7 We Must Remember Our New Citizenship

This can be one of the most challenging aspects of true biblical discipleship, but it's one of the most critical ones. So we must pay close attention. If we are truly committed to Yahweh Almighty God, and to Yeshua the Messiah, then we have to remember that we do not LIVE in this world, we are merely passing through, or traveling through this life, on our way to our eternal destination. Our true citizenship is in Yahweh Almighty God's Eternal Kingdom. We are part of the Israel of God. We are passing through this life on our way to our future eternal home.
For example, let us say that you had an important and lucrative new job opportunity in a far-off country, which required you to move your entire family and household abroad. If you truly want to do well in the new place where you would be living, you would have to know something about the language, the mindset, the ideology, the laws and the customs of your new country. If you are bound and determined that everyone in your new home country would have to be Americanized so that you would not have to change at all, then you would have a very hard time succeeding in your new home. The same principle holds true with the Kingdom of Heaven.
As members of the body and bride of Messiah, our main objective as we travel through our temporary existence here, is to learn how to truly please our Savior and Bridegroom. We must learn to overcome our temporary surroundings, and adopt the mindset and lifestyle that agrees with the Laws, Principles and Attitudes that agree with God and the Kingdom in which we intend to dwell for eternity.
People in Covenant Relationship with Almighty God are Called to Be Holy, which Means to Be Separate from the rest of the sinful world, and devoted to God: (Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2; 20:7; Isaiah 48:20; Jeremiah 50:8; Zechariah 2:6-7; Isaiah 52:11-12; Isaiah 56:1-7).
Holiness looks like this:
· We are NOT to adapt or incorporate pagan worship practices into the worship of the One True God (Deuteronomy 12:29-32; Jeremiah 1:1-2; John 4:24; Matthew 5:48; 1 Corinthians 10:1-21, 31; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.
· We must think with a renewed mind, and not think like the world Thinks (Isaiah 26:3; Proverbs 3:5-7 Isaiah 55:7-8 Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 8:5-8 Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:5-8; Philippians 4:8 Colossians 3:2). We cannot successfully do Kingdom things, unless our thinking agrees with Kingdom thoughts.
· We MUST learn to talk and speak differently than the world does (Matthew 12:34).
o Mouth control or the lack of it will make the difference between whether or not we have any Fellowship with God at all (Psalm 15:1-3).
o Mouth control or the lack of it will make a difference between whether we have genuine religion or a meaningless one (James 1:26; Proverbs 15:4).
o Mouth control will make the difference between whether we stand or we stumble (Psalm 15:3,5b; James 3:2).
o Mouth control will make the difference between our life and death (Proverbs 18:21; 1 Peter 3:10).
o Mouth control will make a difference between whether or not we stand after the judgment of God. God will judge our every word; (Matthew 12:36).
o It will literally make the difference between whether we go to heaven or hell (Matthew 12:37).
o King David understood this by the Holy Spirit, which is why he specifically asked God to set a watch over his heart and mouth so that he would not enjoy, delight in, or speak anything evil (Psalm 141:1-4).
o Healthy maturing Christians don't talk trash, and don't talk smack. We don't talk like the world. Healthy maturing Christians don't double-speak or give room for the devil to work in their mouth (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12).
o Avoid vulgar speech, foolish talk, dirty or off-color joking (Ephesians 5:4).
o When Christians speak to God it should be with humbleness and Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4; Colossians 2:7).
o When Christians speak to each other it should be directly agreeable to and echo with Scripture (Ephesians 4:15,25, 5:19).
o When we speak to the unbelieving world it should be with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16).
o As Christians, we should seek to only say those things that are necessary to build others up and help them do right (Ephesians 4:29).
o Messiah points out that if we lose our ability to impact the world in these ways we are basically useless. This is why we should not absorb the flavor of the world. We should be "flavoring them" with a distinct flavor of Jesus Christ; Yeshua the Messiah (Matthew 5:13-16)
· We MUST LEARN to desire, to seek, and pursue different things than the sinful world does (Psalm 42:1; 1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 37:4; Matthew 5:6; Matthew 6:24-33; 1 Corinthians 14:1a).
We CANNOT be friends with the sinful world and be friends with the Holy God at the same time. As it is written:

James 4:4 "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4 NASB;)
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)

Beloved we are deciding nothing less than whether to be God's friend or His enemy.

 

Who is on the LORD's Side?

Brother R. Michel Lankford

Do the Math: A Strong Call to Greater Excellence

Brother R Michel Lankford
Some people wonder how I can love Yahweh Almighty God and the Messiah so much, and yet still criticize modern-day Christianity as much as I do. It's a fair question. The simple answer is I've done the math. It's a simple and straightforward math problem: 24% is NEVER a passing grade!
1. Two thirds or 66% of Scripture is found in the so-called Old Testament. The remainder is the so-called New Testament.
2. Within the New Testament a minimum of 10% is a direct quote or a direct principle quoted from the Old Testament.
3. The majority of Christianity ardently believes and teaches that God's Laws Commandments and Instructions in the Old Testament were either completed, nailed to the cross, or abolished in some fashion, so that we no longer need to train ourselves to obey those principles (that's because we train ourselves to believe that this is what Paul taught - even though that is clearly not what Paul was teaching, (Romans 8:5-8). So we seem to only agree with Paul's words when they APPEAR to tell us that we can live without obeying God's Commandments and Instructions any longer. We practically ignore every other passage Paul taught where he brought people back to obeying God's Laws, but to do so with the right and renewed spirit.
4. We completely ignore the words of Jesus where He specifically told us that He would not be abolishing the slightest jot or tittle of God's Law (Matthew 5:17-20).
5. We almost completely ignore the words of Jesus where He tells us that only those who DO the will of God will enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21). So far, no one can answer to my satisfaction, "How can we truly and successfully DO the will of God by doing the explicit opposite of God's Commandments?"
6. We ignore about half of the Great Commission:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19-20, NRSV)
We're pretty good about going throughout the world baptizing people into Christ and declaring the gospel as we understand it per se, but in my 25 years of Christianity I have yet to see any church, Sunday school, Bible study class or home group, or seminary course even so much as provide a scriptural list of every Commandment that Yeshua gave in the New Testament, let alone giving any kind of specific instruction on how to obey EVERYTHING that Messiah commanded. So, we really don't do that altogether either.
7. Most devoted churchgoing Christians offer worship to Almighty God on a regular weekly basis, but according to Jesus the Messiah what they offer to God is what God and the Messiah have CLEARLY IDENTIFIED as being VAIN WORSHIP. That is because the Christianity that is most commonly practiced such as; Replacing the seventh day Sabbath with Sunday worship, Replacing the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Frstfruits with communion and Easter Sunday, Replacing the Biblical Feast of Tabernacles, with Babylonian Greco Roman traditions of Christmas. This was all done by the decrees of pagan Roman emperors, Roman Imperial senates and Roman Catholic popes, in direct defiance and disobedience to Holy Scripture; (Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:1-4, 8, 29-32; Jeremiah 10:1-2; Matthew 5:17-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-21; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).
According to Yeshua the Messiah Himself, when we teach the commandments of human beings as though they were doctrines of God, then we are offering vain worship to God. When we set aside the Commandments of Yahweh Almighty God in order to keep and maintain our own human religious traditions, then we are worshiping God in VAIN (Matthew 13:9; Mark 7:1-13).
I did not decide to call it vain worship on my own initiative. Yeshua the Messiah Himself taught that offering God worship in this manner is Vain Worship. Now beloved, a servant is no greater than his master (John 13:16). No matter how firmly held or deeply cherished a human religious tradition happens to be, if Messiah calls it vain worship, then I cannot call it valid worship, and remain a faithful ambassador to the King.
Messiah declared that God clearly did not accept it when His own people traded and replaced God's decrees with the human traditions of Rabbinical Judaism, which is far different than biblical Judaism, but at least had some roots in Judaism. How much more likely is He then to reject worship, that has its very origins in worshiping false gods and demons in the first place? Please think about it.
8. Paul the apostle of grace himself wrote that everything which was written before hand was written for OUR instruction (Romans 15:4).
9. Paul, the apostle of grace himself specifically wrote that a mind set on the sinful nature was hostile against God, it does not subject itself to God's Law, it cannot please God, and such a mindset leads to death (Romans 8:5-8).
10. Paul, the apostle of grace himself specifically wrote that we should actively and persistently seek to separate ourselves from everything which GOD CONSIDERS unclean (1 Corinthians 10:1-21; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Romans 12:1-2), and according to the teachings of these passages, he even taught that separating ourselves from what God considers unclean, is STILL necessary to being accepted by God.
11. Paul the apostle of grace himself wrote that we should be very careful that we are not led into the captivity of following the rules and traditions of men, especially if those rules and traditions of men are contrary to what Christ taught (Colossians 2:8).
12. Paul the apostle of grace himself wrote that ALL Scripture is God breathed, empowered and inspired. ALL of it, (not just some of it but ALL of it), is STILL profitable for establishing doctrine (which is true and right beliefs about God). ALL Scripture is STILL profitable for reproof (to turn us from errors). ALL Scripture is STILL profitable for correction (to reform our character from evil to good). ALL Scripture is STILL profitable for our instruction to righteousness (which means to correct, to discipline, to chastise and to train into righteous behavior).
Think about it for a moment. When Paul wrote these words, he was referring to the books of Genesis to Malachi, because the New Testament had not yet been compiled. He wrote these words about the Old Testament, long after the death and resurrection of Messiah. So he wrote these words about the so-called Old Testament well after we had entered the supposed age of grace. Notice that he DID NOT say that Scripture WAS (past tense) God breathed, Paul said IT IS (Present tense) God breathed and IT IS profitable for all these great purposes. So here's the big problem. If Paul truly believed and taught that God's Laws Commandments and Instructions were nailed at the cross so as to mean that we no longer needed to train ourselves to obey them, then why would he write that ALL SCRIPTURE (including the Old Testament) is still valid for all of those great purposes? What's more, here's what he said it would lead to if we were trained by the Scriptures, "So that the man of God will be adequately equipped and thoroughly furnished for every good work (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

So to summarize here is the crux of the problem.

We have basically trained ourselves to believe that we can largely disregard the Old Testament which makes up 66% of the Scriptures.
Of the New Testament 10% is a direct quote of the Old Testament.
So at a minimum we often train ourselves to largely discount or disregard or diminish at least 76% of God's Instructions before we even begin to study.
That leaves 24% which we still declare to be COMPLETELY valid for us today.
From the remaining 24% which we declare to be completely valid, we routinely disregard what Messiah taught concerning the Law, because it is routinely believed and taught that He did not REALLY MEAN what He physically said.
Moreover, we typically routinely only fulfill about half of the Great Commission, almost completely ignoring the other half of that instruction.
Even that which we follow religiously, Jesus himself often declares to be VAIN WORSHIP in the New Testament, because we are disobeying the explicit Commandments of God in order to keep maintain and retain religious traditions of human beings. So such things does not even count as valid worship, because that is what VAIN means.
Most modern Christians claim to base their theology on Paul in defending what occurs on a regular basis, but I think I've clearly demonstrated that we are not traditionally diligent and obeying all of Paul's teachings particularly well. In practice, we generally rely heavily upon the passages from Paul which APPEAR to tell us that we can be lawless, and still live in God's grace and His blessing, even though there is clear evidence from Paul's own words that this was not what the apostle was teaching.
So, let's be conservatively generous and say that we are faithfully training ourselves to obey 24% of the Scriptures. Is it any wonder that we are not finding ourselves more successful in church and ministry? Is it any wonder that the offerings of our time our talent our treasure are often only marginally successful? If at our best we are only following 24% of the instructions which Yahweh Almighty God gave, is it any wonder that we are not finding ourselves thoroughly furnished and well-equipped to overcome the world or to successfully do every good work which God desires for us to do? Is it any small wonder that the enemy runs roughshod over our homes, over our families over our communities, our schools and our churches? Is it any great wonder why the world is having exceedingly far more impact on the church than the church is impacting the world? It makes complete sense when you look at our circumstances squarely in the face, you compare it with the Word of God and you do the simple straightforward math.
Imagine for a moment that your very physical life and well-being lay in the hands of a professional of some kind. Let us suppose for a moment that your very physical life, or the well-being of your family or the well-being of your children, depended on some professional in our world doing their job well. Let's say you needed a doctor for example, and let's say that you found out in advance that this particular doctor actively disregarded 76% of all the professional instruction he receives, and of the 24% of the instructions which he still regarded as being valid, he did not fulfill or perform those tasks to its fullest either. If you knew this in advance, would you put the well-being of yourself and your family in such a doctor's hands? Applying the same basic statistics as these, would you trust the architect with such an ethic to build your house or office building? If you are on trial for your life, would you trust the lawyer who exercised that standard? Would you trust an auto mechanic or airline mechanic who operated under such a standard? With people's eternal lives at stake, it is high time that we expected much more from ourselves as Bible students and as Bareans. It is high time we expected more from our pastors, our teachers, our elders, and ourselves as a community of believers
Some of you will no doubt say, "You are being awfully tough on the church and Christianity in general." To that I say perhaps. Then again, perhaps I'm not nearly tough enough. Scripture clearly says that the judgment will begin in the house of the Lord (1 Peter 4:17), and that those who claim to be teachers of God's word will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). To think about it another way, I believe that our modern religious system is clearly lost perspective. Please, think about it another way for a moment. We take much greater care of our finances and our children's college choice than we do about carefully handling the word of God. Part of it is a priority problem. How we handle the Word of God will affect our lives, and the lives of those we influence for all of eternity. I am crying out. I am calling myself and our church leaders to much greater degrees of excellence. We have the same Holy Spirit that Messiah had. We have the same Holy Spirit that the apostles and early Christians had. We have infinitely more access to Bibles and study resources than they had. Surely the bride of Messiah which is supposed to be preparing itself to be pleasing her husband, and to live in His kingdom for eternity should be able to do better than 24%. Please, think about it.
Brother R Michel Lankford

 

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV)