Narrow is the Way...

Understanding What Legalism Is, and What It Is NOT

By Brother R Michel Lankford

Even the most passionate free grace teachers and advocates, if they are honest, must admit that the term legalism, and specific warnings against legalism in those actual terms, does NOT exist in Scripture at all. So, right off the bat, we need to realize that the concept of legalism has been invented by human beings to define what THEY have pieced together from various parts of Scripture, (mixed with their own traditions), and what THEY personally believe Scripture allegedly INTENDS to say. Why do I make this distinction upfront? I do so because most of the people who argue against legalism are from the very foundation of their argument speaking about human terminology, and rightly divided Scripture often times is not the foundation of their basis for debate. It’s often humanism disguised as Christianity.

Legalism in simple everyday English

At its core, legalism is the belief that one will somehow EARN or GAIN Eternal Salvation by keeping rules. This can be an effort to earn or gain salvation either by keeping man-made religious rules, or by keeping rules which were legitimately given by the Creator. That is the definition of legalism at its lowest common denominator. I keep a set of rules, and keeping those rules is what CAUSES me to EARN or to GAIN Eternal Salvation. There are a lot of other dynamics that we could take many pages to discuss, but obeying rules in order to earn or to gain Eternal Salvation is the common thread.

Two Main Types of Legalism

Institutionalized Legalism

Crucial examples of institutionalized legalism would have to include such a religious organization as Roman Catholic churches Episcopalian and Lutheran churches, (as well as some other lesser-known organizations. The reason that these qualify as institutionalized legalism is because each one of these churches has a strong hierarchy which all have long-established religious rules, and it is believed by many that obeying these man-made religious rules and traditions can actually cause an individual to be saved. For example, there are some people who believe that if their children are baptized in the Lutheran Church that eternal salvation is confirmed to that child because they were baptized as an infant in the particular church organization. This was a man-made rule which was carried over from the Roman Catholic Church, but it has NO basis in biblical fact whatsoever. 

Sometimes people are so convinced that the Almighty’s blessings rest upon the particular organization, that some will sincerely believe that even if these religious rules disobey Scripture, that the Heavenly Father will supposedly still accept a person who disobeys Scripture for the sake of obeying their institutions religious rules, because supposedly the Almighty’s blessings rest upon the institution and the authority of the clergy to confer the Creator’s blessings upon those who adhere to the institution. That’s one form of legalism; obeying institutionalized religious rules to gain or to earn salvation.

Another example of institutionalized legalism would be such denominational rules as, “If you have musical instruments in your churches, you are going to hell because, there is no example of musical instruments being used in the New Testament, so therefore there should be no musical instruments in church. That is utter NONSENSE. That is a man-made religious rule which is NOWHERE in Scripture whatsoever. That is another example of institutionalized legalism; trying to obey man-made religious rules, to earn or gain salvation. In reality, even the so-called New Testament clearly tells us that we are to use ALL Scripture in forming our doctrine, (2 Timothy 3:14-17); NOT just the New Testament, but ALL of Scripture. There is no telling how many heresies we would prevent if we just kept the biblical instruction. The largest book in all of Scripture, (the book of Psalms), is dedicated to giving instructions to the musicians on how to worship in the sanctuary.

Personal or Individualized Legalism

Personal or individualized legalism is a little bit trickier. That’s because the individualized rules that Christians can use to regulate their lives and behaviors might partially in fact be based upon a true and Biblical Commandment, (or some rule that someone sincerely believes to be in Scripture, but it’s not; or they may have misunderstood what that Scripture actually says. Nevertheless, this person believes that by obeying certain particular rules, (whether in Scripture or not), will cause them to be saved and to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Notice that in either case, when the person is involved in institutionalized legalism or individualized personal legalism, both sectors are dependent upon their obedience to particular sets of rules in an effort to earn or to gain their Eternal Salvation.

The Same Outfit in Different Colors

Whether one is walking in institutionalized legalism, (depending upon observing the rules and traditions of an institution), to cause one’s salvation, or whether one is depending upon keeping one’s personal understanding of a Biblical rule or Commandment or other traditions to CAUSE one’s salvation; at its core, BOTH forms of legalism, are exactly the SAME; the belief that HUMAN effort, and HUMAN obedience will ultimately CAUSE a person to be saved. In either form of legalism, the ultimate dependency is on human flesh, and not upon Yahweh Almighty, nor upon the life, the instructions, the debt or the resurrection of the Messiah to bring salvation. The ultimate question is; upon what are you depending to CAUSE your salvation? If we are depending on human flesh and human effort to save us, (whether institutional or personal), we are under a curse:

As it is written:

Thus says YHWH, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from YHWH. “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will Not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. “Blessed is the man who trusts in YHWH And whose trust is YHWH.”  - (Jeremiah 17:5–7, NASB95; with the Biblical Name of the Creator re-inserted).

Trying to Prevent Legalism through Lawlessness

I was doing things around the apartment one day, and had the TV on in the background. I suddenly heard an advertisement that stopped me dead in my tracks. There was a commercial for a pharmaceutical product that would prevent yellowing toe fungus. What shocked me was at the end of the ad; it said, ‘In some cases this product causes liver cancer and DEATH.’ Are you kidding me; SERIOUSLY?! I’ll pay you a ton of money for this medicine. It can cause permanent liver damage, cancer, and I might even die from complications of this medicine, but I will look much better if I should happen to wear sandals at the beach. That’s insane!

Or please consider these riddles for a moment…

Let’s say that a patient should enter a hospital with a severe case of influenza. Would it be good and sound and ethical medical practice to kill the patient and to euthanize him so that he does not develop cancer? Could that hospital legitimately advertise that they help prevent cancer among their patients?!

Or, a driver is driving on a narrow steep and treacherous road with sheer cliffs on either side. Is it better for the car and driver to plunge to his death falling off of the LEFT side of the cliff, or would it be better for the car and driver to plunge to his death falling on the RIGHT side of the cliff?

Notice that in both our scenarios, every option presented caused the same result. The patient dies of influenza, or he is killed and euthanized in hopes he won't develop cancer, but he still dies. Whether our driver pledges to his death on the right side of the steep cliff, or on the left side of  the cliff, the end result is the same. The driver dies.

Modern Protestant evangelical Christianity has fallen into the same type of scenario. It’s a deadly trap. 

Modern Christianity has become so deathly afraid of, ‘Legalism’ that they have often promoted lawlessness as the alleged cure for legalism. According to many in modern Christianity the supposed cure for legalism, is to get rid of every biblical Commandment. According to many, Christians should not try to obey anything instructed in Scripture, because that leads to works righteousness and to legalism, and the way to avoid legalism is supposedly to actively and to purposely DISOBEY Biblical instructions, so that you do not try to become righteous by your works of obeying Scripture. That’s killing the influenza patient on purpose to prevent the possibility that he might develop cancer. That’s the driver intentionally driving off of the left side of the cliff on purpose, in order to ensure that he might not accidentally drive off of the cliff on the right side.

LAWLESSNESS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION TO WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS or LEGALISM

In an effort to avoid works righteousness legalism modern Christianity has opted to teach that Christians should actively DISOBEY the Creator’s instructions on purpose. 

In an effort to make sure that I am not trying to become righteous by my own human efforts of keeping the Creator’s Commandments; let’s BREAK YHWH’s Commandments on purpose, because I’m, “Under Grace.” If we think about it carefully, works righteousness legalism;(trying to EARN or to GAIN salvation by obeying the rules), is the RIGHT side of the sheer cliffs. Purposely DISOBEYING a Biblical instruction; that’s LAWLESSNESS, that is the LEFT side of the sheer deadly cliffs. Lawlessness, (walking outside of YHWH’s Laws Commandments and Instructions is GUARANTEED Eternally FATAL; (Matthew 7:21; Matthew 13:41-42). 

Driving off the cliff on either side is equally deadly. The solution is to learn to keep the car on the road and not drive off either the right side of the cliffs or the left.

Learning to Keep the Car on the Road

Messiah SAID: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”; (Yeshua; the Messiah; Matthew 7:13-14; NKJV)

When Messiah said that the gate is narrow and that the way is strait; (literally tight or constricted) which leads to life; Messiah wasn’t kidding. He was serious. 

As a side note, Matthew 7:13-14 should be enough to convince anyone who uses the brains and common sense that YHWH gave them, that Lawless Grace; Works Free Grace; Obedience Free Grace; Obey Nothing but claim faith in Jesus type of Grace; this is NOT and this CANNOT POSSIBLY be the STRAIT and NARROW path that leads to Life. Way too many modern Christians get swept up into that. That is a very BROAD and popular way to travel through life, while you claim to believe Christ. It’s obviously NOT the narrow path.

• Obeying man-made religious rules believing that this will CAUSE your salvation; (THAT’S LEGALISM). 

• Trying to obey Yahweh’s Commandments without Messiah; believing that our obeying apart from Messiah will CAUSE your salvation; THAT’S LEGALISM.

•  Rejecting and refusing Yahweh’s Commandments; doing the OPPOSITE of what Yahweh’s Commandments requires you to do, because you think that’s what living in HIS Grace means; that’s LAWLESSNESS; that’s INSANE; that’s Eternal SUICIDE, (Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 13:41-42; 1 John 3:4; Isaiah 5:20-24).

• Becoming born-again and getting saved by grace through faith in YHWH, and in Messiah which YHWH has sent FIRST, and THEN progressively learning, practicing and DOING the Commandments of Yahweh AFTER receiving the gift of salvation; that’s NOT LEGALISM. That is RIGHTEOUSNESS (Romans 6:19; Ezekiel 36:25-27). That’s DISCIPLESHIP (Matthew 28:19-20). That is LOVING Yahweh (1 John 5:3). That’s BIBLICAL Living. That is REQUIRED, (e.g. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

We must learn the CRITICAL difference. It’s a life-and-death distinction.

So What Part Does the Law Rightly Play in the Life of Believers?

In simple terms, YHWH’s Law, CANNOT CAUSE,  and it does NOT CAUSE your salvation, but lawless grace, (which is counterfeit grace) will not save you either. The key is to understand the real and essential part which the Creator’s Laws, Commandments, and His Instructions accomplishes within the life of an individual AFTER they are saved by Grace through Faith in YHWH and in Messiah.

The Law CANNOT CAUSE your salvation, but Yahweh’s Torah DOES train and DISCIPLE you AFTER you are saved by Grace through Faith.

Natural children DO NOT first obey a Father in order to BECOME that Father's Child. Children are only required to learn to obey their Father AFTER they have already become His child, because He already IS THEIR Parent. That's what gives Him the authority to make the rules for that particular youngster. FIRST a child gets born or adopted and accepted into the family. AFTER he or she IS a family member, THEN the child is REQUIRED to progressively learn and obey the Father's Rulings and Instructions. First a Child of YHWH gets Born Again and saved by Grace through Messiah. THEN AFTER they are already accepted by Grace as YHWH’s Children THEN we must progressively learn and KEEP the Father's Laws, Rulings, Commandments and Instructions in His Torah; because He IS our Father. That's what gives Him the right to make the rules that we children of YHWH must learn to obey. It's a simple concept that Christians love to confuse in order to justify disobedience and rebellion, in the name of Grace.

I have been an active believer in YHWH and a follower of Messiah for more than a quarter of a century. I have been in active ministry for more than 20 years. The more I walk with YHWH in all that time, the more convinced I have become of the priceless value of the Creator's Commandments. Every Law, every Commandment, every Instruction that YHWH has given from Genesis chapter 1 to Revelation 22,  is intended to fulfill either one of two purposes in the life of a Covenant child of Elohim. Any given Commandment of YHWH will either train us HOW to love YHWH more perfectly, or a specific command will train us how to love our neighbor as ourselves more perfectly.

For example, when you choose to honor and to keep the biblical seventh day Sabbath, obeying that particular Commandment trains you to love YHWH with all of your being more perfectly, and purposely separates you from honoring the traditions of false gods, by purposely honoring what YHWH has decreed. So when ever you purposely obey YHWH's Sabbath decree, you are training your being to love YHWH with all your being, and you are building yourself in loving Yahweh.

At the same time, when you choose to honor YHWH's biblical Commandment to always use honest and true measures, and you choose never to use a dishonest weight or standard of measurement, you are pleasing your Heavenly Father, but you are also reinforcing and training yourself in the standards of how to love your neighbor as yourself, because you yourself would not enjoy being cheated or ripped off.

Whenever you practice obeying any Biblical Commandment; it is intended to train you into loving YHWH more perfectly, and or into loving your neighbor as yourself, more perfectly. When we neglect any instruction or Command that YHWH has given, we neglect the opportunity either to learn how to love YHWH with all our being more perfectly, or we neglect the opportunity to learn how to love our neighbor as ourselves more perfectly. 

Brother Michel Lankford

As It Is Written: 

Psalm 119:30-32 

I have chosen the way of truth;

Your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies;

O Lord, do not put me to shame! I will run the course of Your commandments, 

For You shall set my heart free.

Free Grace Theology : It Just Doesn't Add Up

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

Today’s modern Christians seem to be virtually obsessed with the concept of Grace. If today’s pastors, teachers, and rank-and-file Christians were truly defining God’s Grace in the same way that Scripture defines it, I wouldn't really have a problem. The sad reality however is that the definition of grace most Christians use today is usually the direct OPPOSITE to the definition of grace that Scripture teaches, and most people don’t even realize there is a difference.

What Most Christians THINK That Grace Means

Truthfully, I challenge you, no; I DARE you to ask your average Christian, (or even many pastors) coming out of church on Sunday mornings to define grace. What does Grace mean? How does Grace truly function? Most likely, the majority of the time these are the types of answers you will probably get:

·       

•          “Grace is God’s undeserved or unmerited favor.”

•  “Grace is God’s Righteousness at Christ’s Expense.

• “Grace means that God forgives our sins. He does not hold our sins against us.”

•  “Grace means that we are not under the law.” “We don’t have to obey God’s law anymore, because Jesus did it for us, and then he died on the cross.”

•  “We don’t have to worry about learning or doing the Commandments of God anymore, because we are under grace. Jesus did it for you, so you don’t have to obey those Commandments anymore.”

•  As long as you, “Love Almighty God with all your heart soul mind and strength,” (whatever that means), and as long as you, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” (whatever that really means), then you have fulfilled the law, and so you can DISREGARD virtually anything else that God said that He desires and that He requires, as long as you, do the opposite of God’s Commandments,(because obeying God is supposedly legalism); so disregard God's Commandments, but, “Do it in Love."

• “Anyone who still tries to honor or obey ANY Biblical Commandment is practicing, “Legalism,” they are not under grace. “They have denied Jesus Christ.”

•  “Purposely doing the OPPOSITE of what God’s Laws, Commandments, and Instructions, tells us to do; that is how you avoid legalism. So, doing the OPPOSITE of God’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions is PROOF that you are under grace, and that you are not in legalism, because doing the opposite of God’s Instructions proves that you are not trying to justify yourself by obeying God.”

Honestly, if you ask your typical minister or average Christian today how to define grace, these are the types of answers that you will most likely get. It’s scary, but it’s true. What is even more frightening, if you look at the above descriptions of grace, only TWO of the above descriptions are even remotely part of the biblical definitions of grace whatsoever. The rest of the above descriptions are completely OPPOSITE of how the Bible defines what grace is, and most Christians don’t even recognize the difference.

Taking what God calls SIN, and Calling that Grace

What is perhaps the most frightening phenomenon in all of modern Christendom is the fact that if you look carefully at the modern understanding and descriptions of what people think that grace is, and you look at the biblical definition of SIN; the two definitions are practically IDENTICAL. In other words, what modern Christians have managed to do over the centuries is to take the biblical definition of SIN, (even in the New Testament), and they have taken the definition of SIN and called it grace. I’m not kidding. It’s true. Let’s review the New Testament definition of sin:

Even in the New Testament, Sin is defined as breaking, violating or doing the opposite of Yahweh’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions (e.g. 1 John 3:4; c.f. Hosea 8:1; Daniel 9:11; James 1:25; James 2:12; Isaiah 5:20-24; cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1) ANOMIA (Lawlessness - Greek Strong’s #'s 458-459 Literally meaning to walk outside or in violation of or to transgress Yahweh's Law which He gave to Moses, (1 John 3:4).

As it is written:

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4, NASB95)

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4, KJV 1900)

Note: First John was written approximately 50 years after Messiah died and rose again. So even half of a century AFTER we entered the supposed age of grace; walking outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions was STILL the definition of SIN that the apostles were routinely using.

Greek Strong’s # 458-459 –(ANOMIA Lawlessness IS SIN 1 John 3:4)

• ·        The condition of being without Law
• ·        Being ignorant of the Law
• ·        Violating/ Breaking the Law
• ·        Having contempt for the Law
• ·        "To be destitute or in violation of the Mosaic or Jewish Law“ A.KA. Illegality; iniquity; to break, transgress or walk in violation of the Law- (see also 1 John 3:4)
• *(See both Thayer's and Strong's Original Greek Language Lexicons)

The scariest part is that all too few Christians are asking the critical question, and they should. Since living outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions is part of the New Testament biblical definition of what SIN IS, then HOW can living outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions possibly be what it means to live in God’s Grace at the same time? It simply is NOT possible. What God has already defined to be sin, cannot be what it means to live under God’s Grace at the same time.

It is a most serious hazard to take a concept that God has described to be sin in Scripture, and to change His definition, and calling grace what God has defined to be sin:

As it is written: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right! Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble And dry grass collapses into the flame, So their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; For they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 5:20–24, NASB95)

As it is written: To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” (Isaiah 8:20, NASB95) If we do not speak in agreement with God’s Law, then we don’t have dawn in us, and such a case we’re still in darkness. That’s SERIOUS. The New Testament touches on the same concept:

As it is written: If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6–7, NASB95)

Please think about it. If we do not speak according to the Law and the testimony of YHWH, then we have no dawn in us. If we have no dawn in us then are we walking in light, or are we walking in darkness?

If we say that we are walking in fellowship with Messiah, and yet we are walking in darkness, then even according to the New Testament, we are lying and not practicing the truth.

The Free Grace/Lawless Grace Message Simply Doesn't Add Up

The bottom line is that even if you are, a “New Testament Christian,” even if you are not a Whole Testament Pursuant believer in Messiah, but you mistakenly believe that only the New Testament is truly binding upon the Christian, even then, the Free Grace/Lawless Grace is NOT biblical; not even by so-called New Testament Standards. A simple look at the facts will prove the truth of the matter. Let’s run it by the numbers.

·        

         Fact: Depending upon how you divide up the verses, and on how you combine or separate out the various Commandments, the Torah of Yahweh, (Genesis through Deuteronomy); contains between 613 to 650 Commandments which various God followers are told to obey. Keeping in mind that NOT every single Commandment in YHWH’S Torah, applies to every single individual. Some Commandments are given specifically to men, others are given specifically to women, others to priests, some Commandments are given specifically to Kings, other Commandments are given specifically to farmers, and many are given to God followers in general, but not every Command applies to everyone. But overall, the Torah of Yahweh has between 613 to 650 Commandments that various God followers are required to obey.

·        Fact: The so-called New Testament, (I say so called because the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation is actually ONE Complete Testament, and NOT two separate ones, and there is NOTHING really NEW in the, “New Testament”); but the so-called New Testament has 1050 Commandments, the vast majority of which apply to all believers. Most are universal Commandments to all believers and followers.

·        Fact: There are MANY MORE, (at least 400 more), imperative Commands listed in the New Testament than there are in the, “Law,” or the Torah.

·        Question: Something just doesn't add up. IF being under God’s Grace REALLY means that we are NOT REQUIRED to HONOR, or to OBEY, or to DO ANYTHING, because supposedly Jesus did it ALL for us, then WHY are there 400 MORE imperative Commands in the New Testament, then there are listed in the Law. If Grace truly means that we do not have to honor, obey, or do anything like so many free grace teachers are teaching today, then WHY are there 1050 Commandments in the New Testament at all? The entire, “New Testament” was written AFTER the death and the resurrection of the Messiah; after we had entered the supposed age of grace. So if Grace truly means not having to obey anything, then why are there 1050 imperative commands in the New Testament? Why are they there at all, if God did not intend for us to DO them?

    

·        Fact: Scripture contains about 7,487 promises from God to man.

·        Fact: All of the promises of God are yes and amen in Messiah (2 Corinthians 1:20). Meaning essentially that all of the promises of God are made available to every believer without partiality or favoritism, (cf. Romans 2:11-16). So basically, if I desire or I want to receive the blessings and benefits of a biblical promise, then the biblical promise is available to me as a believer in Messiah.

·        Fact: However, almost every single promise that God has given in Scripture has specific CONDITIONS which are attached to each promise. In other words, almost every single promise that God gives in Scripture has conditions attached; there are specific things which the believer is REQUIRED to BELIEVE and/or to DO, in order to receive and abide in the blessings and the benefits of almost every biblical promise. So if I believe and I am willing to meet the conditions, then I can have the benefits and the blessings of a biblical promise. However, if I refuse to meet the God given conditions to receive the promise, then I have no legal or biblical right to the promise at all. So far, I have only found ONE promise in all of Scripture, which had absolutely NO God-given conditions attached to it; (Genesis 9:11; cf. Genesis 9:15). So far, in all the other promises I've seen in Scripture have some specific conditions attached, in order to receive or abide in the promise. That one is the only one that is totally unconditional.

·        Question: IF being "Under God’s Grace," REALLY means that you don't have to OBEY or DO ANYTHING, because Jesus did it all, then WHY is almost every promise of God CONDITIONAL and NOT Unconditional? IF being under grace really meant that we don’t have to do or obey anything, then shouldn’t the overwhelming majority of God’s promises be unconditional promises, instead of having conditions attached to them as most of the promises do?

     

Did Paul the Apostle Really Teach that Lawlessness is living in Grace?

If you ask most Free Grace/Lawless Grace preachers and teachers to give a biblical support for their notion that in order to walk in God’s grace, you must then walk outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, most of them will quickly run to selective bits and pieces of what they THINK that Paul said which appears to support their position, (while conveniently ignoring everything else that Paul said which clearly refutes that position). Once again, simply by running it through the numbers, the Free Grace/Lawless Grace doctrine simply does not stand up under biblical scrutiny. It is not supported at all, by the weight of biblical evidence against it. Let’s run the numbers and see.

·        Fact: Even in the, “New Testament,” there are 15 Warnings AGAINST Lawlessness, (Anomia) in 13 verses.

·        Fact: Of the 13 verses that warn us AGAINST Lawlessness in the, “New Testament,” 6 to 8 of those verses come from Paul's writings. (Depending on whether or not you believe that Paul wrote Hebrews)

·        Fact: Paul warned against lawlessness more than any other apostle in the New Testament.

     

Question: Are you absolutely CERTAIN that the apostle Paul was truly teaching you to be Lawless; to BREAK God's Commandments in the name of Grace? Seriously?!

The True Grace That Paul Taught Included OVERCOMING Anomia

Perhaps the most telling thing of all, which most clearly indicates that modern Christianity has almost completely derailed concerning the message of grace, is that Paul himself gave a CLEAR definition and description of what Grace is, and HOW Grace functions, in the New Testament. What I earnestly encourage you to do is to carefully look at polls definition of grace in the New Testament, and look at the typical definition of grace that you find among modern Christians, (see section 1 of this teaching); then compare the two. If you compare them carefully you can clearly see that the modern Christian teaching of grace, and Paul’s description of Grace in the New Testament, have almost NO real resemblance to each other.

As it is written:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” (Titus 2:11–15, NASB95)

What Paul Really Taught about Grace

Beloved, Grace does NOT mean that we do not have to obey what God says. True Grace HELPS us and empowers us to OBEY what God says to do. 

Beloved, I strongly urge you to do a New Testament study of the word LAWLESSNESS, what it means, and what the consequences of lawlessness are.

Look at what TRUE Grace does according to Paul:

·         Grace brings salvation.

·         Grace makes salvation appear, (or evident, or visible) to all mankind.

·         Grace teaches us to DENY or in other words to REJECT ungodly lusts, worldly passions and desires. True grace does NOT require us to accept every ungodliness, sinful passion and worldly desire in the name of love. True grace teaches us to REJECT certain things, even according to Paul.

·         Grace teaches us that we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age.

·         Grace teaches us to actively look for the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.

·         Through Grace, Christ gave Himself up to REDEEM us FROM EVERY LAWLESS DEED. So Grace through Messiah appeared in order to REDEEM US FROM every lawless deed, NOT to cause or to permit more lawlessness. That's critical. So, living outside of God's Laws Commandments and Instructions is what Jesus Christ and the Grace of God came to save us FROM doing. Therefore, continuing to live in lawlessness; continuing to live outside of God's Laws Commandments and Instructions CANNOT POSSIBLY be what it means to live under Grace, because living outside of God's Laws Commandments and Instructions; that is the very lifestyle that the Grace of God and Messiah came to SAVE US FROM continuing to do, according to Paul.

·         God's grace came through Jesus Christ to make us God's own special people; a people ZEALOUS FOR GOOD DEEDS, (which is the very OPPOSITE of sin and lawlessness). Therefore, doing what God considers to be good works CANNOT possibly mean that you are walking outside of grace, as so many modern Grace teachers teach today, can it?

·         And Paul specifically tells us to speak these things. He tells us to exhort and to rebuke with all authority in the context of these things. And he tells us to NOT allow anyone to disregard us concerning this teaching about Grace. I find verse 15 very telling because obviously God understood that people would be tempted to disregard this New Testament definition of Grace, so the Holy Spirit obviously directed Paul to write the specific instruction in verse 15. So we are called to speak, to exhort, and to rebuke using this definition of grace, and not allow anyone to disregard us, (Titus 2:15). This is what Paul said that Grace does. This is the Grace we are COMMANDED to teach, even in the New Testament. It’s far removed from the lawless, totally works free grace, that we so often hear preached in today's pulpits.

The Consequences of Lawlessness Are Serious

It should be abundantly clear even in the New Testament that the Free Grace/Lawless Grace/Completely Works Free Grace; that we so commonly hear preached and most pulpits today, it is simply NOT the grace that was being taught by the apostles in the first century, in the New Testament. What is most commonly defined as grace today actually fits the New Testament definition of what SIN is, by New Testament standards; and what God has called sin, simply CANNOT be God’s Grace at the same time.

Even Paul taught AGAINST lawless grace more than any other apostle in the New Testament. Even Paul taught that we are REQUIRED to SEPARATE FROM lawlessness; to SEPARATE FROM, anomia, in order to be accepted by Almighty God as one of His children, (See 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). 

Even the definition of grace that Paul gave in the New Testament includes OVERCOMING every lawless deed, and being zealous FOR DOING GOOD DEEDS, even while we eagerly wait for the return of Christ. Free Grace/Lawless Grace/Completely Works Free Grace, is simply NOT Biblical Grace; NOT even by, “New Testament” Standards. When you compare it with Scripture, lawless grace simply does not add up to sound doctrine.

What is perhaps the most frightening phenomenon of all in modern Christianity today is the shocking depths to which modern Christian pastors and teachers are willing to sink, in order to support a lawless grace doctrine that is clearly not taught in the New Testament. They are willing to reject the very words and teachings of Jesus Christ Himself to support this very evil lawless grace doctrine.

Question: Christian, do you believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, (Yeshua the Messiah), the Son of the Living God, (YHWH)?

Question: Christian, do you believe that the Messiah will be at the right hand of YHWH Almighty, and that He will judge the living and the dead, just as Scripture says that He will, (e.g. Matthew 25)?

Question: Christian, do you believe that Yeshua the Messiah KNOWS which attitudes, which beliefs, and which behaviors WILL enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and which ones will NOT enter the Eternal Kingdom? When Yeshua the Messiah said that certain beliefs, attitudes or behaviors will NOT ENTER the Kingdom of Heaven, did He know what He was talking about, or didn’t He? When Jesus specifically said that certain attitudes and behaviors would NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven, was He serious, or was He kidding? Was Messiah telling the truth, or was He lying? The repercussions of how we answer that question are nothing short of Eternal Life, or Eternal Death in the balance. So let us consider carefully.

As it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Yeshua Messiah; Matthew 7:21–23, NASB95)

Notice: Messiah clearly SAID in the New Testament that those who DO the Father’s Will, will enter into the Kingdom. Notice also that Messiah did NOT specify those who do Messiah’s will, but He specifically said those who do The Father’s Will, will enter into the Kingdom. That is especially noteworthy for those who mistakenly believe that obeying the Father, and that learning and doing the Father’s will is supposedly not as important compared to obeying what they THINK Christ must have meant. That’s NOT what Messiah taught, is it? Notice that those who practice lawlessness, (anomia - same Greek word used), will NOT be getting into the Kingdom of Heaven, according to Messiah, even in the New Testament.

Question: Christian, is it even remotely possible to DO the FATHER’S WILL by BREAKING the Father’s Commandments?!

Question: Christian, is it even remotely possible to DO the FATHER’S WILL you will, by doing the OPPOSITE of what God Father’s Laws, Commandments, and Instructions specifically tells us to do?!

Question: Christian, when you teach people to disobey what God clearly Commanded, supposedly in the name of Grace, then are you truly teaching them to do God the Father’s will, or are you teaching them AGAINST doing God’s will?

As it is written:

“The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Yeshua the Messiah; Matthew 13:41–42, NASB95)

Question: Christian, where did Messiah say that those who practice lawlessness, (anomia - same Greek word used); where do they end up going?

Question: Christian, where did Messiah say that those who cause others to stumble into lawlessness or anomia end up going?

Yeshua the Messiah SAID that those who practice lawlessness, (anomia); those who commit anomia; and those who cause others to stumble into anomia, (lawlessness); will NOT enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they will be in the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Any way that you slice it, that’s NOT Heaven. And that’s even in the New Testament

Question: In light of Messiah’s own Words, Christian, how SAFE is it really, to teach people that doing the opposite of or that living outside of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions is supposedly what it means to live under God’s Grace? According to Messiah where are you REALLY leading people would you believe and teach that sort of thing?

 Beloved PLEASE THINK: Since Messiah CLEARLY SAID that living in Lawlessness, Committing Lawlessness, and causing others to stumble into Lawlessness WILL NOT enter into the Eternal Kingdom, then how can rejecting and living outside of God's Laws Commandments, and Instructions; truly be what it mans to live under the Grace of God? Even those who mistakenly believe that only the "New Testament" is supposedly valid for the Christian CANNOT RIGHTLY continue supporting and teaching such an obviously FALSE doctrine, because it runs directly CONTRARY, to the very words and teachings of the Lord and Savior Himself. That's BEYOND dangerous. It's Eternally SUICIDAL. 

It’s NOT MY judgment. Messiah already SAID it. Your argument is with Him, NOT ME. I simply BELIEVE Him and try to faithfully declare and progressively obey what He specifically SAID. You either believe and respect what Messiah said, or you don’t. The responsibility and consequences are yours, and 

I pray that you will earnestly ask for, seek after, and knock at God’s door until you truly receive HIS True Biblical Grace; the grace that empowers you to overcome Lawlessness, that empowers you to learn and to progressively do His Will, by obeying His Commandments, and that you will never settle for a lawless and counterfeit grace which leads to certain destruction. May YHWH give you His True Grace to obey Him; to do the Father’s Will, so you may truly be accepted in the Eternal Kingdom, and will not be rejected. May YHWH deliver us from all evil, and help us to walk in ways which are truly delightful to Him. Amen.

   As it is written:

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46, NASB95)  

“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12–13, NASB95)

: 

Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the Commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12, NASB95)

Scripture clearly tells us how we can successfully persevere and endure to the end. Are we willing to learn to do it?

Brother Michel Lankford

Understanding the Fruit of the New Birth

By Brother. R. Michel Lankford

It’s a spiritual law which the Creator designed. In its original natural state, every tree produces seeds and fruits after their own specific kind, (Genesis 1:12). Apple trees produce apples. Lemon trees produce lemons. Fig trees produce figs. If you want corn you plant corn seeds. If your goal is corn, you do not plant carrot seeds. If trees could talk, and you encountered a lemon tree who insisted that he was really a banana tree, but all that he regularly produced was  lemons, then you can be certain that one of two things were happening. Either this lemon tree was having a huge identity crisis, and he had no true knowledge of what he really was, or this lemon tree which was claiming to be a banana tree would be lying, wouldn’t he?

Messiah said it this way, “A good tree CANNOT produce bad fruit, and a BAD tree CANNOT produce GOOD fruit… And you shall recognize them, by their fruit.” (See Matthew 7:15-20). So according to Messiah, we should be able to recognize a true prophet from a false one according to the fruit of their lives.

The New Birth is NOT a New Testament concept

When we discussed the concept of being a born again believer in the Messiah, many people automatically assume that the New Birth is exclusively a New Testament idea. It’s not. Remember this critical biblical principle:

As it is written:

Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7, NET).

This means that if the Almighty is going to require that people be Born Again in order to enter the Kingdom of God, then the concept of the New Birth must have been recorded by the prophets of the Creator, somewhere in Scripture, because otherwise YHWH Almighty would not do it.

What I am saying is further proved by the discussion that Messiah had with Nicodemus in John chapter 3. Nicodemus, (a Pharisee and ruler of the Hebrew people in Messiah’s day), comes to see Messiah by night. In the course of the conversation, Messiah clearly states that people are required to be Born Again, and that if they are not born again, then they will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, (John 3:1-4).

Nicodemus, (thinking in his natural mind), asks Messiah, how is it possible for a person to be born twice. After all, a person cannot return to infancy, reenter the physical mother’s womb and come out again, so how is it possible to be born again, he asks, (see John 3:4).

Messiah restates the premise that a person must be born again. In order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, a person must be physically born of water, by coming through the water of the womb, and then by being born again, by receiving a renewed spirit (see John 3:5-8).

Nicodemus is thoroughly confused and asked, “How can this be?” (John 3:9).

Please notice Messiah’s reaction to Nicodemus’ bewilderment and confusion. Messiah’s reaction to Nicodemus is perhaps the most telling thing of all in this whole passage.

As it is written:

Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?” (John 3:10, NASB95)

Messiah clearly expected Nicodemus to understand the concept of the New Birth. The only Bible that Nicodemus had available to him was what we call the Old Testament, (Genesis - Malachi). So the crucial concepts of the New Birth had to have been discussed in the prophecies of the Old Testament, otherwise Messiah would not have rebuked Nicodemus for not understanding the idea that we need to be Born Again. So then, WHERE is the concept of the New Birth discussed in the Old Testament?

The New Birth is discussed in the Old Testament

·        The natural wicked inclination of the human being, (Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Psalm 14:1-3; Proverbs 6:18; Jeremiah 17:9-10).

·        YHWH promises to change and to convert His people into righteous people, (Deuteronomy 30:6, 16; Ezekiel 11:19-20; Ezekiel 36:25-27).

·        YHWH Almighty God promises to accept and deliver those who repent. The soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4; cf. Romans 6:23; Romans 8:6). The righteous person will live, (Ezekiel 18:6-9). If a wicked man repents, if he turns away from wickedness and walks in righteousness, he will be completely forgiven and his past sins will not be held against him, (Ezekiel 18:21-23; Ezekiel 33:13-16). Sidebar: The opposite concept is also true however. The righteous person who turns away from righteousness and walks and wickedness; then his righteous deeds will not be counted to his credit either, (Ezekiel 18:24; cf. Ezekiel 3:20; Ezekiel 13:12, 13). This concept is critical because it completely refutes the heresy of, “Once saved always saved.” 

      Messiah was not promoting a new religion at all. He was calling people back to the Ancient Paths of YHWH, (Jeremiah 6:16).

So the concept of the New Birth is clearly discussed in the Old Testament, the only Bible that Nicodemus would have had, and this is why Messiah expected Nicodemus to understand what He meant when He spoke that a person must be Born Again in order to enter the Kingdom.

What kind of ‘FRUIT’ does the New Birth produce?

To review, we know that every tree produces fruit after its own specific kind, (Genesis 1:12). We know that Messiah said we would be able to recognize a true prophet from a false one by the kind of FRUIT that their life produces, (Matthew 7:15-20). So by extension, we should also be able to tell a truly Born Again Christian from a false Christian by the fruit which his life produces. So the natural question then becomes what is the fruit of the New Birth? What is the physical tangible fruit; (the evidence); that the Holy Spirit of YHWH has truly come into a person and taken up residence in that person? Does the Bible answer those types of questions? You better believe it. Absolutely it does. When you look at the Scripture carefully though, the fruit that it describes as the evidence that the Holy Spirit has taken up residence inside a human being may very well surprise you. Let’s take a look.

As it is written:

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27, NKJV)

Scripture clearly describes the work that God will do inside a human being:

·        The Holy Spirit of YHWH coming to live inside a person will cleanse us and make us truly clean, (Ezekiel 36:25a).

·        The Holy Spirit of YHWH will separate us from all forms of filthiness and all forms of idolatry. (Therefore anything PROMOTING idolatry CANNOT be the working of the Holy Spirit, (Ezekiel 36:25b).

·        YHWH Almighty God will give us a new heart that is more receptive and compliant to His Instructions. Therefore, by definition, anything that tells us to resist or reject what God has instructed in Scripture cannot be the working of the Holy Spirit, (Ezekiel 36:26).

·        YHWH promises to put His Holy Spirit within us. Now, when YHWH gives us a new heart, and He puts His Spirit within us, that is the definition and description of being Born Again, if there ever was one. At the same time, He also tells us what will be the RESULT, what will be the effect of the Holy Spirit coming to take up residents inside of a believer, and it’s very specific (Ezekiel 36:27):

o   When the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in a believer, His Spirit in us will CAUSE us to WALK IN God's Statutes.

o   When the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence inside a believer, God's spirit working in us will CAUSE us to KEEP God's Judgments.

o   When the Holy Spirit comes to live inside a person, God's Spirit working in us will CAUSE us TO DO God's Judgments. The same concept is stated again, (Ezekiel 11:19-20).

So, the first KEY part of the Fruit; the evidence that the Holy Spirit of YHWH has truly come to take up residence inside a believer is that the Holy Spirit living inside them will cause the believer to WALK by YAHWEH’S Statutes; to KEEP YAHWEH’S Judgments; and to DO YAHWEH’s Judgments. According to the Almighty, this is the RESULT; this is what will happen when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside a believer. This is a critical concept because it highlights three crucial things.

First, good works are NOT the CAUSE of salvation, but they are the result of the New Birth. Obeying YHWH’s Commandments is NOT the CAUSE of a person being saved. YHWH Almighty saves us by His Grace transforming us from the inside by the renewing of our being, even the so-called Old Testament teaches this.

Second, on the other hand, OBEYING the Father’s Commandments is the RESULT that will take place when the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence inside a believer. Obeying YAHWEH’S Commandments is the stated result; it’s the FRUIT that demonstrates that the Holy Spirit is truly living inside of us, because that is the result which Almighty God said would happen when He puts His Holy Spirit in us.

Third, The person who believes and teaches that being under the Grace of the Almighty supposedly means that we should no longer walk in Yahweh’s Statutes; that we should no longer keep Yahweh’s Judgments; the one who teaches that under God’s Grace, we should no longer do Yahweh’s judgments; such a believer, and such a teacher CANNOT POSSIBLY be speaking by the Holy Spirit of the Almighty Creator, because they are speaking against the explicit result of what Almighty God said the Holy Spirit would accomplish inside of people, when He comes to live inside of a person. One cannot be speaking contrary to the Holy Spirit’s stated function and be speaking by the Holy Spirit at the same time. That’s delusional and extremely dangerous.

It is with this clear understanding of the New Birth from the Scriptures that John the apostle was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write as he did. John the apostle understood that the Holy Spirit could not teach a believer to go contrary to the commandments of YHWH, that’s why he wrote as he did:

As it is written:

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6–7, NASB95)

As it is written:

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;” (1 John 2:3–4, NASB95)

Based on what Almighty God clearly said would happen when the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence inside a person, if someone claims to know YHWH as their Father; if they claim to know Messiah as their Lord and Savior, but they have little or no regard for learning and for keeping His Commandments, then biblically I have to question the truth of that person’s statement. They are much like our proverbial lemon tree which claims and espouses to be a banana tree, but they continually produce lemons. Such a believer has either completely deceived himself, or they are purposely lying. In any case, they are anything but healthy and sound as Christians. 

If and when the Holy Spirit truly comes to take residence inside of us, we will have the growing desire and the growing ability to walk in Yahweh’s Statutes, to keep, and to do Yahweh’s Judgments. If that is not happening, that either the person is not truly born-again, or they are not allowing the Holy Spirit to truly take charge of them. They are deceiving themselves, and they do not see themselves as they truly are, or they are outright purposely lying. Whatever the case, it is extremely unhealthy and dangerous. Remember, how we respond to the Commandments of the Creator, reveals a lot about the true condition of our hearts, and where we truly are as believers, (Deuteronomy 8:3; 1 John 5:3).

As it is written:

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3, NKJV)

As it is written:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NKJV)

So test yourself. Examine yourself carefully. Are you truly Born-Again? Do you have the growing desire and the growing ability to learn and to walk in Yahweh’s Statutes, to keep, and to do Yahweh’s Judgments? If so, are those desires and abilities growing and increasing inside of you, or are they stagnating or decreasing? 

If those desires and abilities are not truly there, or if they are not growing and not increasing, then I strongly exhort you in the Love and admonition of YHWH to earnestly seek the Father, and to do something about it, (Matthew 7:7-11; Matthew 19:16-17; Colossians 1:9-10).

As it is written:

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” (Colossians 1:9–12, NKJV)

Don't take your position in His Kingdom for granted. Make certain of it. Be diligent to grow in it and to persevere in it.

Brother R Michel Lankford