But Abba, Paul Told Me I Could… (Part Four) Romans 8:5-8

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

In This Study:

- Paul was NOT teaching that we should be CARNAL MINDED in order to walk in grace.

- How can the same things which Paul said is carnal minded; is hostile against God; is what cannot please God; and is what leads to death; how can these same things be the Grace of God at the same time?

REMEMBER: Paul wrote this letter to a predominantly Gentile congregation who came to faith in Messiah. Paul wrote this letter approximately 25 years after the death and the resurrection of Messiah, (so we were already in the so-called, ‘Age of Grace,’ when Paul wrote these words). Paul taught this predominantly Gentile congregation that the Law and the first writings, (the Old Testament), is still valid for teaching and training Gentile Christians, (Romans 15:4-6; 1 Corinthians 10: 1-6, 11-12).

So he was NOT teaching AGAINST the written Old Testament as so many Christians believe and claim today. On the contrary, Paul repeatedly taught IN FAVOR of the WRITTEN Law and the Scriptures. Paul REPEATEDLY taught AGAINST BREAKING the Commandments of God throughout many of his writings in the Second Writings, (New Testament), this is part of the reason that many of us do NOT ACCEPT the false doctrine that Paul the apostle taught that we should now break and do the opposite of Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions given to Moses because we are saved by grace through faith in the Messiah.

We do not believe that this is what Paul taught for two reasons. First, it forces too many other parts of Scripture to become false, and it contradicts many things which Paul himself taught and said in many of his own writings. Therefore the doctrine of lawless grace is simply not biblical and not true; regardless of its popularity and long-standing favor, it’s a false doctrine.

The BIBLE SAYS, as it is written:

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5–8, NKJV- With emphasis)

Paying Attention to What Paul SAID:

Q:  What are the two distinct mindsets that Paul the apostle is discussing here?

A: Paul is clearly discussing the distinct differences between a mindset that is controlled by the sinful nature versus a mindset that is controlled and renewed by the spirit.

Q: Which mindset does Paul favor in his teaching? Does Paul recommend that we adopt and maintain carnal mindedness? In the passage, does Paul favor the idea that we should allow our minds to be controlled by our sinful nature and its passions? OR, according to his own teaching in the passage, does Paul favor that we adopt a mindset that is renewed and controlled by the Spirit?

A: It should be obvious and clear to anyone who can read that Paul is clearly teaching AGAINST having a mindset that is controlled by our sinful nature, (carnal mindedness), and he is advocating IN FAVOR of us adopting and maintaining a mindset that is renewed and controlled by the spirit, which is the OPPOSITE of carnal mindedness.

Why? He clearly said, “For to be CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH.” Therefore, Paul CANNOT be promoting carnal mindedness, because he already said it leads to DEATH. Conversely, Paul is advocating having a mindset controlled by the Spirit, (as opposed to being led by our sinful nature), because having A MINDSET THAT IS LED BY THE SPIRIT, IS LIFE AND PEACE, according to Paul. According to Paul, being truly led by the Spirit is also proof that you are a child of God, (Romans 8:14).

Q: How does Paul specifically define and describe the carnal mind which is controlled by the sinful nature?

A: Paul clearly describes being carnally minded which leads to DEATH with the following description:

(a). The carnal mind is at enmity against God; (meaning to be hostile against and make yourself an enemy of God by your mindset).

(b). The carnal mind which is hostile against God, does not subject itself to the Law of God.

(c). The carnal mind which is hostile against God, CANNOT subject itself to the Law of God.

(d). Those who live in carnal mindedness and have a mindset controlled by the sinful nature, CANNOT please God.

Please remember and do not forget that Paul specifically said that this mindset which is hostile against God, which does not subject itself to the law of God, which is unable to subject itself to the law of God, is of the sinful nature and leads to DEATH, not eternal life, but DEATH.

Q: Why does Paul say that the carnal mind is hostile or an enemy against God, what is the cause of this enmity or hostility according to Paul?

A: Paul gives a clear definition of why the carnal mind is an enemy hostile against God. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; “FOR IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD.”

FACT: According to Paul’s own teachings, being in a place or situation where we do not subject ourselves to God’s Law; that is NOT a sign that you are, “Under Grace,” according to Paul, not subjecting yourself to the Law of God is a sign that you are being controlled by your sinful nature and your carnal mind. That’s not God’s Grace.

FACT: According to Paul’s own teachings, being in a place or situation where we do not subject ourselves to God’s Law; that is NOT a sign that you are, “Under Grace,” it’s a sign that you are hostile against God, and that you are at enmity, (an enemy against God, not a friend). Therefore, not submitting to God’s Law CANNOT be God’s Grace at work.

FACT: According to Paul’s own teachings, being in a place or situation where we do not subject ourselves to God’s Law; that’s NOT a sign that you are, “Under Grace,” it’s a sign that you CANNOT be pleasing to God. That CANNOT be God’s Grace at work in our lives.

FACT: According to Paul’s own teachings, being in a place or situation where we do not subject ourselves to God’s Law; that’s NOT a sign that you are, “Under Grace,” that is NOT a sign that you are walking in a way that leads to eternal life; not subjecting yourself to God’s Law is a sign that you are walking in DEATH, according to Paul, because that’s the end to which being carnal minded leads. It does not lead to life, it leads to death.

DILEMMA:

• Since not submitting to God’s Law is a sign of carnal mindedness and a sign of being hostile against God, how can it be the Grace of God, not to submit to His Law?

• If Paul was teaching you not to subject yourself to Yahweh’s Law, then he would be teaching you to be carnal minded, by his own definitions.

• If Paul was teaching you not to subject yourself to Yahweh’s Law, then he would be teaching you to be hostile against God, and to make yourself God’s enemy, by his own definitions. How can it be God’s Grace to make yourself God’s enemy?!

• If Paul was teaching you not to subject yourself to Yahweh’s Law, then by Paul’s own definition, he would be teaching you NOT to please God.

• Paul himself said that being carnally minded, (which includes not subjecting ourselves to the Law of God), leads to DEATH. It DOES NOT lead to Eternal Life, but it leads to DEATH according to Paul. So how can the same thing which Paul just said causes death, also be the Grace of God working at the same time?! It’s impossible!

Contrary to what we have been trained to believe by habit and tradition, the apostle Paul WAS NOT teaching us to DISOBEY and to do the opposite of Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, as a matter of Grace . By his own definitions, if he was teaching us to disobey and do the opposite of Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, Paul would then be teaching us to be carnal minded. He would be teaching us to be hostile against God and to make ourselves God’s enemy. He would then be teaching us NOT to please God, and Paul would be teaching us to walk in DEATH and not life, according to his own teachings.

Moreover, when Paul taught as he did in Romans 8:5-8, he was also AGREEING and being consistent with what God had already said through the prophets, through the Messiah, and through every other apostle. In teaching as he did in Romans 8:5-8, Paul was upholding in confirming the rest of Scripture, and not contradicting it as he would have been opposing Scripture, if he had been teaching a lawless grace, which most Christians mistakenly accept in Paul’s name.

Brother Michel Lankford

But Abba, Paul Told Me I Could…Part 3

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

In This Study:

-          Series Review - What’s This All about?
-          In Reality Paul Taught Torah Principles to Gentile Congregations  (Romans 15:4-6)
-          Paul Teaches Torah Principles to Gentiles in Corinth, (See 1 Cor. 10:1-14)

Series Review:

-          A Christian FANTASY has developed that Paul the apostle supposedly taught that Christians should no longer keep, but are allegedly now supposed to do the OPPOSITE of our Creator’s Laws Commandments and Instructions given to Moses, because we are saved by Grace through faith in the death and the resurrection of the Messiah.  The simple reality is that no matter how widely believed, accepted and widespread this doctrine is throughout modern-day Christendom, the reality is that such a belief is in fact FALSE DOCTRINE, even by New Testament, (Second Writings) standards. The fact is that The Weight of Biblical Evidence simply DOES NOT SUPPORT the idea that Paul was truly teaching us to do the opposite of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, because we are under grace. No matter how desperately modern Christians desire this to be true, no matter how passionately they believe this false doctrine to be gospel, it simply is NOT the TRUTH, even by New Testament standards.

-          Part 1: We explored 9 specific BIBLICAL reasons, (even New Testament ones), why we KNOW that Paul was NOT TEACHING believers AGAINST KEEPING the Creator’s Commandments. The 9th reason in that critically important list is that IF Paul was truly teaching that Christians should NOT keep God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions given to Moses, Paul would then be CONTRADICTING HIS OWN TEACHINGS, found in many of his own writings. This entire teaching series is intended to biblically detail both what Paul was, and what Paul was not teaching according to Paul himself. Taking everything Paul said into consideration, it’s NOT even remotely possible that Paul was teaching against the Commandments of Almighty God.

-          Part 2: Paul taught the value and importance of the Torah and the Old Testament to Gentile Christians in Rome, (Romans 15:4-6).

The BIBLE SAYS, as it is written:

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” (1 Corinthians 10:1–6, NKJV - with emphasis)

Paying Attention to What Paul SAID:

Q: To WHOM was Paul Addressing this letter?

A: Paul the apostle was writing this letter to believers in Corinth. These were believers in Jesus Christ, (Yeshua the Messiah), who were based in the Roman commercial trading and shipping center of Corinth. Originally a Grecian province it was later rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 46-44 BC. It became a major trading and shipping center in the Roman Empire. Although there was a Hebrew synagogue in the city, it was predominantly a pagan and Gentile commercial trading center.  It was filled with pagan temples and over 1000 temple prostitutes filled with worshipers who worshiped Roman, Egyptian and Grecian gods.

Q: Who is Paul’s most likely audience here? Was Paul writing to a congregation made up of Hebrew born believers or predominantly Gentiles who came to faith in Christ?

A: These were most likely Gentile people in Roman Corinth, who have accepted the Lordship and Messiah-ship of Yeshua of Nazareth the Son of God. The letter itself also indicates that Paul was writing to Gentile and not primarily Hebrew born believers in Messiah. As it is written: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.” (1 Corinthians 12:2, NKJV)

Q: Were these words from the apostle Paul to the Corinthians written BEFORE or written AFTER the death and resurrection of Messiah? (Again, I only address this because many people get mistakenly hung up on that point, because they’ve been trained to believe that God’s Standards of right and wrong somehow fundamentally CHANGED, after Messiah died and rose again for our atonement). This idea is NOT TRUE of course, but the notion is so deeply ingrained in people’s thinking, that it must still be addressed. So, was Paul’s letter to the Romans written BEFORE or AFTER the death and resurrection of the Messiah for our atonement?

A: Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthian Christians circa 55 A.D; Messiah died for our atonement in circa 33 A.D. So Paul wrote this letter to Messiah followers in Corinth, some 22 years AFTER Messiah paid for our atonement with His death and resurrection.

Q: Almost without exception, every instruction in 1 Corinthians 10 is a direct reference to a Torah Commandment or a Torah example. WHY does Paul specifically SAY to these New Testament Gentile Christians at Corinth, that the Torah is STILL VALID for them? What reasons does he specifically give them that the Torah and the First Writings are STILL VALID for the Gentiles?

A: Paul taught Gentile believers at Corinth. He specifically told them that the Torah is still valid and useful for them, and he told them WHY it’s STILL VALID for the Gentile: “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” (1 Corinthians 10:6;cf. 10:11-12). He then proceeds from that point and goes on to teach the Gentile Corinthian Christians, and he specifically, and repeatedly uses the Torah to teach them, throughout all of chapter 10 and in many other places throughout the book of Corinthians.

MYTH BUSTING: There is a prevailing MYTH in modern-day Christianity that insists on FALSELY teaching that Paul the apostle supposedly taught believers to DISOBEY and do the OPPOSITE of Almighty God’s Laws, Commandments, and Instructions, given to Moses, because we are saved by grace through faith in Messiah. The mythology goes on to teach, that the First Writings, (a.k.a. the Old Testament), are supposedly exclusively for the Hebrews or Jews, and supposedly Gentile Christians need only concern themselves with the Second Writings, (a.k.a. the New Testament).  People who teach these absurd myths as if they were Christian doctrine often use their favorite bits and pieces of Paul’s epistles, (often excluding anything else Paul specifically taught and said), in an effort to further support this outlandish falsehood.

The reason that I do not accept this popular myth is because Paul the apostle himself repeatedly contradicts it, in his own teachings and letters. Therefore, since Paul contradicts these supposed doctrines himself, he could not be teaching what we have been told he was teaching, because Paul’s own teachings deny it. Paul himself taught the OPPOSITE of these ideas, both to the Gentile congregations in Rome, (Romans 15:4-6), and again here (1 Corinthians chapter 10).

So this is now the SECOND predominantly Gentile congregation in the New Testament where Paul was teaching of the value and importance of the Torah and the First Writings; first that we may gain instructions from them, and second that we should learn from ancient Israel’s bad examples; that we should not copy their mistakes in disobeying God’s instructions.

Q: IF the First Writings of the Scriptures, (the Old Testament), are only for the Jews, and if they do not concern the Gentile Christians at all, as so many believe and teach today, then WHY is Paul teaching the exact OPPOSITE concept to TWO separate Gentile congregations; one in Rome, and one in Corinth?

A: Paul was OBVIOUSLY NOT TEACHING that the first writings were not valid for Gentile Christians, because he specifically taught the OPPOSITE concept to two separate Gentile congregations in Rome and in Corinth, as we’ve seen so far. We will see even more examples as we continue studying Paul’s words.

Q: The apostle Paul specifically said, “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” (1 Corinthians 10:6). So these things were written so that we would learn from ancient Israel’s mistakes, and so that we would NOT copy or repeat ancient Israel’s mistakes. Isn’t that right? Once again the Old Testament was written for us to learn from according to Paul.

Since these things were written to become OUR example so that we would NOT repeat Israel’s mistakes, let us do what Paul suggested we do here. Let us learn from Israel’s example. Please pay attention to this CRITICAL question.

Q: Was there ever a time in all of Scripture where Israel HEARD God’s Instructions, where they BELIEVED what God said, and after they had OBEYED what GOD COMMANDED them to do, God then turned around and punished them for OBEYING His Commandments after the OBEYED Him? In all of Scripture, did God EVER punish these people for OBEYING His Word?

A: You will NEVER see an example anywhere in rightly divided Scripture where Israel OBEYED God’s Instructions, and where God then criticized and punished them for OBEYING what He commanded them to do. Although the examples are few and far between, whenever Israel DID OBEY God’s Instructions, God then honored, praised, and rewarded them when they OBEYED Him.

Q: Did God ever refer to the ancient Israelites as rebellious, as unfaithful, as stiff necked or, as an obstinate people? When did God refer to ancient Israel with such adjectives? Did he refer to them with those adjectives when they were OBEYING His commandments, or when they were DISOBEYING His Instructions?

A: God ONLY referred to the ancient Israelites as rebellious, as unfaithful, as stiff necked or, as an obstinate people, when they were DISOBEYING His Commandments. He NEVER referred to them that way when they were OBEYING what He commanded them to do.

Just a Few of the Many Examples of Torah Used in 1 Corinthians 10

• 1 Corinthians 10:1 - (cf. Exodus 13: 21-22; Exodus 14: 21-22, 29) - the pillar of cloud by day; the pillar of fire by night… Baptism pictured in the Red Sea Exodus crossing.

• 1 Corinthians 10:3 - (cf. Exodus 16:4, 15, 31, 35; Deuteronomy 8:3); Learning to live by God’s Word, and what He provides.

• 1 Corinthians 10:5 - (cf. Numbers 14:29, 37; Numbers 26:64-65); God judges and punishes His people in the wilderness for disobeying Him; Lesson: Many people who were intended to inherit God’s blessings and dwell in the Promised Land, did not make it because of rebellion and disobedience. Correlation: Messiah HIMSELF also SAID, that many people who claim to know Him as Lord will not enter into or inherit the Eternal Kingdom, because they practiced ANOMIA, (Lawlessness); they refused to learn and to do God’s will (Matthew 7:21-23). 

  

• 1 Corinthians 10:7 - (cf. Exodus 32:1-10; The Golden calf incident; Israel attempts to copy and to incorporate pagan Egyptian religious practices, and they tried to incorporate Egyptian pagan practices into the worship of Yahweh Almighty God. Israel called what they were doing worship to Yahweh Almighty. Yahweh Almighty considered it idolatry, regardless of what is real thought they were doing. Lesson: just because people think they are worshiping Yahweh, does not automatically mean that God approves of it. (cf. John 4:24; Isaiah 56:1-8). The key is to learn, to choose, and to do, what God SAYS is pleasing to HIM. That is worship.

  

• 1 Corinthians 10: 9-10 - (Exodus 12: 23; Exodus 16:2, 17:2, 7; Numbers 14:29-37; Numbers 16: 41-50 etc. etc.). Do not put God to the test, or grumble in difficult times, etc.

This is just a sampling. There are many, many more such examples where Paul teaches Torah principles throughout the books of Corinthians. He repeats himself again:

As it is written:
Now ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED to them AS EXAMPLES, and THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore LET HIM WHO THINKS HE STANDS TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL.” (1 Corinthians 10:11–12, NKJV - with emphasis)

Q: IF the first writings, (Old Testament) have no real bearing for the Gentile Christians, then WHY does Paul teach Torah principles to Gentile Christians throughout the book of Corinthians? WHY does the apostle of grace teach that these things were written for us, to take admonition and warning from these things?

Q: WHY does Paul the apostle of grace specifically warn Gentile Christians NOT to DISOBEY the Creator like ancient Israel did, if it supposedly doesn’t matter whether you obey what God Commanded or not, because you are, “Under Grace?” WHY did Paul write his he did in 1 Corinthians 10?

Q: If all you need to do is accept Jesus Christ, but obeying God, and overcoming sin and temptation doesn’t really matter, then why did Paul write what he did in 1 Corinthians 10?

Q: If once saved always saved is true doctrine, if it is absolutely impossible to be lost after coming to Christ then, WHY does Paul the apostle of grace warn us that when we think we stand, we need to take heed that we do not fall? If falling from grace is not possible, if failing to inherit the Eternal Kingdom is not possible after coming to Christ, then why does Paul the apostle of grace warn us as he does, in 1 Corinthians 10:11–12?

DILEMMA: Paul specifically wrote to the Gentiles that the things which were written before hand, were written for OUR instruction, so that through the perseverance, (meaning the continuing validity of the Scriptures), we might have hope, (Romans 15:4-6). Now he writes to the Gentiles in Corinth that the things that were written beforehand became our examples, so that we would NOT repeat the same mistakes that ancient Israel did, (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 11-12).

So now, after all of that, Paul supposedly is going to REVERSE himself.  After teaching us NOT to copy Israel’s mistakes; after telling us NOT to crave evil things, and that the Old Testament was written for our example so that we would NOT DISOBEY God like Israel did; then Paul is supposedly going to suddenly REVERSE himself, and teach us that copying Israel’s mistakes and doing the OPPOSITE of Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, (just like the ancient Israelites often did do, and were punished for doing so), this is now supposedly a good thing because of Grace?!! Beloved, he just taught the opposite of that concept right here.

Brother R. Michel Lankford

But Abba, Paul Told Me I Could…

(Part Two)

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

 

 

 

In This Study:

- The Purpose of the First Writings (A.KA. The Old Testament) According to Paul.

- The Continuing Value of the First Writings for the Gentile.

- Understanding the Biblical vs. the Pagan Concept of HOPE.

- Hope & the Bride of the Messiah.

 

The BIBLE SAYS, as it is written:

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:4–6, NASB95)

Paying Attention to What Paul SAID:

Q: To WHOM was Paul Addressing this letter?

A: Paul the apostle was writing this letter to believers in Rome. These were believers in Jesus Christ, (Yeshua the Messiah), who were based in Rome. So these were people in Rome who have accepted the Lordship and Messiah-ship of Yeshua of Nazareth the Son of God.

Q: Who is Paul’s most likely audience here? Was Rome predominantly a Jewish religious city or was it predominantly populated by people with non-Hebrew, and non-biblical religious backgrounds?

A: Of course, anyone with the slightest knowledge of history KNOWS that Rome was certainly NOT the epicenter of Hebrew or Jewish culture and religious life. It was quite the opposite. So the culture was predominantly pagan, (NOT Christian), and it was certainly not Hebrew in nature. So the likelihood is that the Roman congregation was predominantly made up of non-Hebrew born, Gentile believers, who were previously pagans and had now come to faith in Messiah.

Q: What did Paul mean when he referred to the things that were written in earlier times?

A: Paul the apostle HIMSELF refers to, whatever was written in earlier times… So he’s obviously NOT referring to the Second Writings, (a.k.a. the New Testament), first, because those were being written in his present times, not earlier times of his day. Second, because no such volume of Scripture such as the New Testament even exists at this time. It was not widely accepted or distributed as commonly accepted Scripture until after the 300s A.D. so Paul was NOT referring to the Second Writings or the New Testament. By context of the time and place and events which were occurring at the time, as well as the written text, we know that Paul was referring to the so-called Old Testament, or more accurately, the First Writings of the Whole Testament; because the Bible is intended to be ONE WHOLE BOOK, NOT two separate unrelated books, as the majority of Christianity now most commonly uses Scripture by tradition and practice.

Q: Were these words from the apostle Paul to the Romans written BEFORE or written AFTER the death and resurrection of Messiah? (I only address this because many people get mistakenly hung up on that point, because they’ve been trained to believe that God’s Standards of right and wrong somehow fundamentally CHANGED, after Messiah died and rose again for our atonement). This idea is NOT TRUE of course, but the notion is so deeply ingrained in people’s thinking, that it must still be addressed. So, was Paul’s letter to the Romans written BEFORE or AFTER the death and resurrection of the Messiah for our atonement?

A: Paul wrote his letter to the Roman Christians circa 57-58 A.D; Messiah died for our atonement in circa 33 A.D. So Paul wrote this letter to Messiah followers in Rome some 25 years AFTER Messiah paid for our atonement with His death and resurrection. So this was written a quarter of a century after Messiah died and rose again for our atonement. Does Paul say forget everything that was ever written beforehand, because none of it matters anymore? NO HE DOES NOT! He DOES NOT SAY; ignore everything that was ever written beforehand because there is an entirely new system of right and wrong. He says just the opposite. Instead, what does he say?

Q: According to Paul the apostle, WHAT IS the PURPOSE of the Scriptures which were written in earlier times? What was the purpose of the First Writings, or the Old Testament?

A: Paul the apostle specifically SAID that what was written in earlier times, (the First Writings; Old Testament, were written for OUR instruction. This is incredibly important, and it is often conveniently overlooked by traditional Christianity. Today we are often told something to the effect of, the Old Testament doesn’t apply to the Christian today. The Old Testament is supposedly exclusively for the Jew and the New Testament is supposedly exclusively for the Christian. While that interpretation is widely accepted, and very convenient, it is CLEARLY NOT what Paul taught the Christians in Rome concerning the Old Testament, now is it?

What did Paul SPECIFICALLY SAY to the Christians in Rome, concerning the First Writings, or the Old Testament? Notice that Paul specifically said, “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction.” Notice that Paul did NOT SAY to these Roman believers that the Old Testament Scriptures were written, for MY instructions, because I was born a Hebrew, and you guys are Gentile, so what was written beforehand does not apply to you. Paul did not say that. Notice also that he did not say, these Old Testament Scriptures which were written beforehand were written for YOUR instruction, because you Gentiles are so ignorant of the Scriptures, therefore you need these things. Paul included himself as part of them, and he included their group as part of himself. He said, “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction.”

Note: The Torah; the first five books of Scripture are often referred to as the books of the LAW, but they are also synonymously referred to the books of INSTRUCTION. So Paul’s choice awards Romans 15:4 highlight the continuing validity not only of the Old Testament, but more specifically the Torah.

He established the necessity of the Old Testament Scriptures as being equally necessary for the Roman believers as he did for himself. Thus, in Romans 15:4, the apostle Paul firmly establishes the fact that the First Writings; the written Old Testament was written to give instruction to every believer, and belongs to ALL believers.

So that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope

CRITICAL: Again, do not forget that Paul is referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, or First Writings. There was no New Testament at the time. Here he refers to the, “Perseverance of the Scriptures.” This refers to the continuing validity of continuing in the First Writings or Old Testament Scriptures. Why do I say that? Well naturally, once you stop walking in something, by definition you are no longer PERSEVERING in it because you have stopped. If something stops being valid, then by definition, it ceases to function, and it is no longer persevering. So the fact that he still refers to the perseverance of the Old Testament Scriptures, and our continuing to be instructed by them, obviously means that he could not be teaching that they are done away with and abolished, or obsolete at the same time. Something is either persevering, or it is obsolete, but it CANNOT be BOTH at the same time.

Another reason why we can gain hope and encouragement through the perseverance of the Scriptures is that they demonstrate that GOD DOES NOT CHANGE. He is RELIABLE, because He is CONSISTENT, and UNCHANGING.

 

God’s Consistency and the Consistency of His Word build our HOPE

Paul the apostle specifically said that what was written in former times was written for our instruction so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. One thing about Yahweh’s reliability, His consistency, and His Unchanging Word, and Character, they all work together to produce both perseverance and hope in us as well. Why? Since Yahweh is so reliable, and unchanging we can more easily act in faith. This builds our hope as well.

Understanding Biblical vs. Pagan HOPE

While this can be difficult for some people to understand, it’s true nonetheless. Even though the Scriptures were translated into many different languages, almost every one of the biblical writers were raised, trained and educated as Hebrews. That means that they filtered, understood, interpreted and applied both their worldview, and the Scriptures through a HEBREW mindset. No matter how this may offend our Gentile pride, or traditional anti-Semitic tendencies, that does not change the fact of the matter. Most biblical writers interpreted reality, and wrote what God inspired them to write from the Hebraic mindset and point of view. They were NOT writing with a Greek, Roman or Babylonian philosophical mindset or point of view in their hearts. They believed, lived and wrote as Hebrews. Yes, anointed and led by the Holy Spirit, but still as Hebrews nonetheless. That’s how the majority of the Scriptures were written, even if some were later translated into Greek for popular distribution. They were still originally written from a Hebraic Biblical mindset, not a pagan philosophical one. Remembering this critical distinction is important because it can change our perception, and how we understand the Scriptures.

The reason this makes such a difference is when you encounter a key word such as, HOPE, for example.

In our traditional Greek style of education, which originated from a Babylonian, Greek, Roman pagan Gentile anti-biblical origin, we tend to think of hope more in terms of a strong wish or passionate desire for something, instead of thinking about it in the way that the Bible describes what it means to hope.

In the pagan Gentile mindset; I want something really badly. My heart yearns for it deeply. I have a strong wish. I pray for, wish upon a star so to speak, therefore, I am said to have hope. Please understand that BIBLICALLY, when you see the word HOPE, the above picture is NOT what it means to have real HOPE from the biblical point of view. When you see the word HOPE in the Scriptures which were written with the biblical Hebraic mindset, the word picture is NOT of a passionate heartfelt wish upon a star. Biblical HOPE is NOT wishful thinking.

From the biblical point of view, to HOPE has a completely different picture attached. In the Bible, to HOPE means to have a CONFIDENT EXPECTATION of a result. The picture is more of a bride expecting to be married, or of an expectant mother, expecting to deliver her baby.

When a bride is confidently expecting to be married, all kinds of preparations and actions take place, both for the wedding ceremony and for her upcoming life with her new Groom. She’s confidently expecting to be a wife, and she prepares herself for the enormous upcoming change in her life that this entails. The same holds true with the expectant mommy, who joyously makes countless preparations to get ready for her newborn. Biblically, this is what it means to hope for something.

 

Hope & the Bride of the Messiah

It’s NO accident that throughout the Second Writings, the body of believers is constantly referred to as the BRIDE of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit uses that context throughout the Scripture ON PURPOSE. How does an expectant bride who truly LOVES her betrothed behave? Does a faithfully engaged and betrothed woman go out and prostitute herself in the streets? Does she look up all of her old high school puppy loves, and does she seek to fornicate with each one of them one more time, before she marries her beloved bridegroom? Does a faithfully engaged woman defile her body and purposely disfigure her face in such a way that will bring disgust and revulsion to the bridegroom whom she supposedly loves and intends to live with forever? Would her future bridegroom and husband be honored with this? Is that the behavior of a faithful betrothed woman who expects to spend the rest of her life with a man she loves and is preparing to marry? On the contrary, that behavior is the OPPOSITE of someone who is hoping or confidently expecting to marry.

The faithfully betrothed bride who is hoping and confidently expecting to marry does the extreme opposite of the behaviors described above, doesn’t she? If she loves her bridegroom, and she is joyously expecting to spend the rest of her life with Him, she will go out of her way to purify herself and to be ready for that relationship. The little black books of phone numbers and romantic pictures with the old boyfriends get burned. The future bride goes out of her way to make sure that there is absolutely nothing that could come between her and the beloved bridegroom that she intends to spend her life with. Her desire is to learn what delights Him, what pleases Him and what honors Him, and the faithfully betrothed woman wants to be that kind of person for her future bridegroom. She anticipates her new life with Him and joyously looks forward to it. She doesn’t want to do anything or live in such a way that would ruin their relationship or future life together. That’s how a faithful bride who expects to be married and spend the rest of her life with her new beloved husband behaves. She is behaving according to her HOPE; according to the future results which she expects to receive. Please keep this CRITICAL picture in mind, because we will be using it again in future studies.

 

 

 

Key Points to Remember - (Romans 15:4-6):

· Paul clearly taught that the First Writings (the Old Testament), is still valid and useful to instruct Gentile Christians in Rome. He clearly was NOT teaching that the First Writings were in any way abolished, done away with, or obsolete as many so commonly believe today. He SAID precisely the OPPOSITE here.

· Paul the apostle clearly SAID that the things which were written in former times were written for OUR INSTRUCTION, so that through the PERSEVERANCE of the SCRIPTURES, we may have HOPE. Since the Scriptures continue to persevere, they continue to be valid, and since we continue to persevere in being instructed by them this builds our HOPE.

· To have the BIBLICAL concept of HOPE is to have a CONFIDENT EXPECTATION of an anticipated result; such as a bride preparing for her wedding, or an expectant mother preparing for her baby. Since the Old Testament is useful to instruct us and to build are confident expectation of an anticipated result, how can the Old Testament fulfill that stated purpose of instructing us and building our HOPE, if it’s been abolished, done away with or made obsolete in any way? When we undermine the Old Testament, we undermine our own hope at the same time.

· Paul specifically instructs us that we are to be of ONE MIND, united to glorify God, ACCORDING TO CHRIST. So did Christ glorify God by DISOBEYING the written Scriptures, or by OBEYING the Scriptures? What was Christ’s mindset and point of view concerning the Old Testament Scriptures? (Matthew 4; Luke 4; Matthew 5:17-20 Matthew 12:49-50; Matthew 15:3; Matthew 15:9; Matthew 22:31; Matthew 12:3; Mark 7:1-13; Mark 12:36; John 15:10; etc. etc.). So how can we be of one mind ACCORDING TO CHRIST, if we have the OPPOSITE point of view of the Old Testament Scriptures, then Messiah had? How can we be of one mind glorifying God according to Christ, if we consistently choose to live the opposite way then the way in which Christ lived?

Brother R Michel Lankford

But Abba, Paul Told Me I Could (Part One)

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

In This Study:

-          9 Biblical Reasons Why We KNOW That Paul Was NOT Teaching against the Law

9 Biblical Reasons Why We KNOW That Paul Was NOT Teaching against the Law.

The majority of modern-day Christians are passionately convinced by tradition and by practice that Paul the apostle SUPPOSEDLY taught AGAINST KEEPING Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions given to Moses. This EXTREMELY FALSE doctrine is exceedingly popular and widespread. This false doctrine attributed to Paul, is the primary reason why the majority of Christianity feels completely justified in actively disobeying what Almighty God COMMANDED, what Messiah and the apostles actually PRACTICED, and even many of the things which Paul himself specifically SAID are IGNORED to support this supposed Pauline doctrine.

The reason that we CANNOT rightly support the common, “Lawless Grace,” or, “Abolition,” doctrine which is so commonly attributed to Paul, is simply that it is NOT TRULY BIBLICAL, regardless of what we have been taught to believe by tradition. This paper outlines the biblical basis for this assertion. I’m not speaking by my opinion, but by what SCRIPTURE, yes even NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE, actually says.

This paper gives the KEY bullet points and overview of the BIBLICAL reasons we KNOW that Paul WAS NOT teaching AGAINST KEEPING Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions given to Moses. Here is why we know that Paul WAS NOT teaching that:

Paul would be destroying the very foundation of the gospel: Paul specifically SAID, that God’s household was built on three things: the foundation of: (a) The apostles; (b) The Prophets; and (c) Jesus Christ, (See Ephesians 2:20). By definition, Moses is a prophet. If the words of Moses and the other prophets have been abolished, done away with, or removed, then the very foundation of the gospel is also undermined by definition. Moreover, Paul is the ONLY apostle who is even remotely believed to have taught AGAINST KEEPING Yahweh’s Commandments, (even though this is mistaken), every other apostle, and Jesus Christ is known by clear teaching to have supported KEEPING the Father’s Commandments. Paul would not have gone against that which HE defined to be the foundation of God’s household. Paul would be CONTRADICTING GOD’S Word. He would be CONTRADICTING MESSIAH’S Word. He would be CONTRADICTING EVERY single PROPHET. He would also be CONTRADICTING EVERY APOSTLE.

Paul Would Then Be Teaching AGAINST the Biblically Established Definition of TRUTH. Because Messiah said that God’s Word IS TRUTH. God’s word also describes God’s Law to be truth AND EVERLASTING: so if Paul taught that God’s everlasting law and everlasting truth could be abolished at the cross, he would be teaching against what Scripture already defines to be truth.  (John 17:17; Psalm 19 7-14; Isaiah 8:20; Isaiah 40:8; Psalm 119:142; Psalm 119:144; Psalm 119:151; Psalm 119:160 etc.).

Paul Would Then Be PROMOTING the Biblical Definition of SIN: (1 John 3:4; Hosea 8:1; Daniel 9:11; Isaiah 5:20-24).

Paul Would Then Be PROMOTING what Jesus already SAID will be CONDEMNED on the future DAY OF JUDGMENT, (so Paul would then be preaching AGAINST Jesus Christ’s teachings, (Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 13:41-42; Matthew 24:12-13; John 8:34-36).

Paul Would Then Be Undermining His Own Apostleship, According to Christ. Paul was an apostle and servant of Jesus Christ (e.g. Titus 1:1). An apostle means to be a messenger. According to Messiah, the messenger who is sent with a message is NOT greater than the ONE who SENT him to deliver the message, (John 13:16). So Messiah is the One who sent Paul. Messiah already declared that those who lived a lifestyle of walking outside the Laws Commandments and Instructions which God gave to Moses will be CONDEMNED, on the future Day of Judgment, (see preceding item). That’s what walking in lawlessness means. If Paul was saying that the same thing which Jesus already says will be condemned is now the NEW Grace, then Paul would be putting his own word above what Jesus Christ has previously said. Paul would not be a legitimate apostle of Jesus Christ by definition, if he taught the opposite of what Christ said, and claimed that what Christ condemns is now Grace.

Paul Would Then Be Teaching AGAINST the Biblically Established Definition of LOVING GOD. Depending on the biblical translation you use, God’s word DIRECTLY LINKS LOVING Him, with KEEPING His Commandments 18 times throughout Scripture. By comparison, God NEVER ONCE teaches that we can show our love toward Him, by disobeying His Commandments; (e.g. 1 John 5:2-3; John 15:10; John 14:15; John 14:21; cf. Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 11:1; Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 19:9; Deuteronomy 30:16; Joshua 22:5; etc. etc. etc. and on and on…). So IF Paul was teaching AGAINST KEEPING Yahweh’s Commandments as so many suppose, he would literally be teaching us AGAINST LOVING GOD, according to Scripture.

Paul Would Then Be Preaching a SCHIZOPHRENIC Gospel. In reality, there is not one place in all of RIGHTLY DIVIDED Scripture, where one can truly demonstrate that they LOVE God by DISOBEYING His Commandments. Likewise, there is not one place in RIGHTLY DIVIDED Scripture, where one can demonstrate that they truly BELIEVE God, by doing the OPPOSITE of what He SAID to do. Throughout Scripture we are told that the way we demonstrate that we LOVE God, is to KEEP His Commandments. The way that we show that we BELIEVE God, is to hear His Words, and to DO what He SAYS (e.g. Deuteronomy 9:23; Luke 11:28; John 3:36; James 1:19-25, 2:14,17-18, 20,24, 26). So we demonstrate that we love God by KEEPING His Commandments. We demonstrate that we believe God by hearing the word of God and doing what He says to do. But in order to walk in the grace of the same God, we must now turn around and do the opposite of Yahweh's Commandments. So we walk in love by obeying God's commandments. We walk in faith by  hearing in doing what He said to do, but were been walking the grace of the SAME God, by doing the opposite of His Laws Commandments and Instructions?! That creates a situation where in order to walk in love and faith we must walk in one way of life, but in order to walk in God's Grace we must walk in the completely OPPOSITE way of life. Can God's love and God's grace truly be the mutual opposites of each other?! Not a chance!

Paul Would Then Be Making Himself into a Liar and a Hypocrite by Definition. Paul specifically SAID, “I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets." (Acts 24:14-16). So, if Paul was truly teaching that people should now DISOBEY what God said in the Law and in the Prophets, he would be lying when he testified about what HE BELIEVED and how HE WORSHIPED God. That's serious business. Paul also specifically said, “I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers.” (See Acts 28:17-21). Once again, if Paul was truly teaching people to DISOBEY the Commandments which Yahweh gave to Moses, this statement also would be a lie, (cf. Acts 25: 7-10). If Paul was telling the truth about his own testimony and how he lived, and how he believed, then there is no way that he could of been teaching people to do the opposite of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions - Because HE SAID he wasn’t.

Paul Would Then Be CONTRADICTING Many of HIS OWN Teachings: this is perhaps the most pregnant point of all. When you do a diligent search of Paul’s teachings and compare Paul’s words with Paul’s words, it becomes clear that Paul was NOT teaching that we should now DISOBEY and do the OPPOSITE of God’s Laws Commandments and Instructions because of grace in Messiah. The problem is that if Paul was teaching that idea, he would be contradicting other teachings which HE HIMSELF TAUGHT.

The problem is that most Christians don’t bother comparing what Paul said in one area of Scripture, with what Paul supposedly said in another area of Scripture. When you do a diligent comparison of what Paul said with other things that Paul said, it becomes a lot clearer that Paul COULD NOT have been teaching AGAINST KEEPING Yahweh’s Laws Commandments and Instructions, without CLEARLY DENYING other PARTS of HIS OWN TEACHINGS at the same time.

As we continue with our studies in the future, we will look very closely at the teachings of Paul the apostle. We will compare Paul’s writings with Paul’s writings. We will see what Paul did say about the Old Testament Scriptures. Will inspect what Paul did say about the Law of God. In future studies will also see the common Scriptures which are used to teach that Paul taught against keeping Yahweh’s Commandments, and we will carefully investigate whether the claims truly hold water, or not. See you then.

Brother R Michel Lankford

Truth or Consequences

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

In This Study:

- Whose Standards Should We Use?

- Why Our Individual Personal Dictionaries are Dangerous.

- What God SAYS that SIN IS

- What are the Consequences of Sin?

 

Whose Standards Should We Use?

One of the biggest problems with societies, and sometimes even churches is that all too often people like to tinker around with the Almighty Creator's definitions of key concepts and principle terms. As a result Yahweh's true intent for our lives often gets disfigured or even lost in the shuffle. The truth is that if we want to walk successfully with the Almighty, we must define our terms the way Yahweh defines them in His word. “For how can two walk together unless they are agreed,” (Amos 3:3).

Q: Who Will Judge the Living and the Dead?

A: We will all be Judged by Almighty God, (Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Ecclesiastes 12:12-14).

Q: What Standard of Measurement will God use to decide whether we have been right or wrong? Will God measure us in keeping with our own definitions desires and preferences? Or will God use HIS OWN Standards of right and wrong to judge us?

A: God will Judge us According to HIS Righteous Standards; (Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 Peter 1:17, 4:6; Psalm 119:137; Psalm 19:9).

 

Why Our Individual Personal Dictionaries are Dangerous:

 

Q: Since God will ultimately judge us according to HIS OWN righteous standards, is it really SAFE to continue to evaluate our own behaviors according to OUR own definitions desires and preferences?

That's WHY we are COMMANDED NOT to use OUR OWN standards in evaluating our lives. It’s dangerous:

A: Every person’s own way seems right in his own eyes. God clearly tells us NOT to lean on OUR own understanding; (Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 3:4-5; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 16:25; Proverbs 21:2; Hebrews 3:13; Proverbs 12:15).

As it is written: "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Proverbs 26:12, LEB).

FACT: It is a sin to manipulate or to change God’s standards to match our own personal preferences:

As it is written: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!  Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 5:20–24, NKJV)

KEY POINT: Did you catch the CRITICAL POINT that Almighty God spoke through the prophet Isaiah? Changing God’s Standards around to suit ourselves is the SAME as despising God! Did you also catch the idea that rejecting God’s Law is the same as despising God’s Word? That is how God defines DESPISING HIM. That’s beyond dangerous. That is suicide!

My own preferred definitions of sin and righteousness, about what is right or wrong are ultimately meaningless. Your own preferred definitions about sin and righteousness or what is right or wrong are ultimately also equally meaningless compared to Yahweh's. Since He is going to be the judge, HIS is the ONLY opinion that counts. When He judges me or you, He is not going to adjust His definitions of right and wrong to suit our personal preferences, regardless of how right we think or feel that we are. It's Yahweh's estimation that matters.

The bottom line is this: I will either submit to Yahweh and cooperate with Him to allow the Creator to change my heart, to change my mind, to change my beliefs, to change my attitudes, to change my desires, to change my behaviors and to change my lifestyle until they agree with what HE defines as being good and righteous; otherwise, I'm the one in the wrong and I'm inviting wrathful judgment.

Unless YAHWEH CHANGES ME to agree with what HE says is good, then I am doomed, because Yahweh is NOT going to change His virtues or His Decrees to agree with me. It's that simple. So I must be transformed until I come into agreement with Him (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Jeremiah 31:31-34). That's a critical concept that is almost completely lost in modern Christianity.

 

What Does God SAY that SIN IS?

 

The ultimate question is not what you consider being sin, or what does Michel Lankford consider to be sin. The real question is what Yahweh Almighty Creator of the universe considers a particular thing to be sin; because HIS is the only opinion that matters.

-  Sin is missing the mark of Yahweh’s Highest Standards- (e.g. Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). The key Greek words: HARMATIA (Greek Strong’s #266) - which is to miss the bull's-eye or to miss the mark of Yahweh's best standards. (E.g. Romans 6:23)

-  Sin is breaking, violating or doing the opposite of Yahweh’s Laws, Commandments and Instructions (e.g. 1 John 3:4; Hosea 8:1; Daniel 9:11; James 1:25; James 2:12) 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. (E.g 1 John 3:4).

• Greek Strong’s # 458-459 –(ANOMIA Lawlessness IS SIN)

• 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 Thayer's and Strong's Lexicons)

-  Sin is anything done outside of Yahweh’s definition of Love (e.g. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Matthew 22:36-40; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Leviticus 19:34). Since God’s Word IS TRUTH, (John 17:17); and True Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;” (1 Corinthians 13:6); then, whether we like it or not, if we are not rejoicing in the standards spelled out by God’s Word in the Law and in the prophets, then we are NOT TRULY BEING LOVING, according to how Yahweh Almighty has already defined what it means to LOVE.

-  Sin is anything done outside of faith in Yahweh (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 14:23b)-‘Whatever does not come from faith is sin.’

-  Sin is anything done outside of obeying Yahweh and outside of obeying Messiah, who Himself also Obeyed Yahweh (e.g. Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; John 5:19; 8:31-32; John 14:15, 21, 23; John 15:10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 5:1-3).

-  Sin is anything done outside of purposefully and intentionally glorifying Yahweh (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17-23)

-  Sin is any time that I know what Yahweh considers to be good, and I choose not to do it, or I choose to do something else instead of what Yahweh has taught me to be what He considers good (James 4:17; cf. Isaiah 5:20-24)

 

The Real Consequences of Sin

 

• Sin breaks Fellowship with God and our fellow human beings. It makes those relationships infinitely more difficult  (Exodus 33:3 Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2; Psalm 95:7-11; Proverbs 15:8-9, 29; Matthew 5:21-26).

• Sin hardens our heart so we cannot hear God anymore. That's why God has to give us a totally new heart when we are born again. (Matthew 13:4, 19; Ezekiel 36:25-26; Deuteronomy 30:6)

• Sin leads to captivity, slavery and bondage. Sin leads us captive into deception (Hebrews 3:13; Isaiah 44:20; Matthew 8:31-34; Romans 6:16; 7:11; 7:14; 7:25; Ephesians 4:22).

• Sin leads to death (1 Chronicles 10:13; Proverbs 11:19; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 5:12; James 1:13-15; Romans 6:23).

• Sin leads to Eternal Separation from God (Matthew 25:41; Matthew 13:42; Matthew 24:41; Matthew 25:30;  Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8).

Missing God's highest standards is called sin, and just as God is serious about not tampering with His definitions of key principles and concepts, He is equally serious about making sure that people do not misrepresent the real consequences of missing God's true standards.

Sin is real and the consequences of missing the mark of God's standards is equally real, and extremely severe. That is why it's so extremely critical to overcome and destroy sin out of our lives, before it destroys us. If we do not keep the serious consequences of our sin in mind, we won't be in much of a hurry to get rid of it, and the consequences will be unfathomably detrimental.

Here's the key that Christians often neglect: At least FOUR times throughout the Gospels, Yeshua the Messiah Himself specifically said that those who choose a lifestyle of HARMATIA and ANOMIA will be cut off, and WILL NOT' be allowed to remain in Yahweh's Everlasting Kingdom, it's not my opinion. It's what MESSIAH has said: (Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 13:41-42; Matthew 24:12-13; John 8:34-36; cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Titus 2:11-15). We will either repent and will progressively leave lawlessness behind us, or we will not be allowed to remain in Yahweh's Kingdom. It's that simple.

 

As it is written:

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17, NKJV)

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your Law is truth.” (Psalm 119:142, NKJV)

You are near, O Lord, And all Your Commandments are truth.” (Psalm 119:151, NKJV)

The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” (Psalm 119:160, NKJV)

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;” (Deuteronomy 30:19, NKJV) :

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”” (2 Timothy 2:19, NKJV).

 

Prayer

Yahweh, have mercy upon me and save me through Your love and through Messiah. I acknowledge my sin before you. I acknowledge that only Your standards are ultimately true and right. I have transgressed Your Laws Commandments and Instructions. I have often and thoroughly missed the mark of Your Highest and Best Desires. Please forgive me. Mercifully transform me, re-create me and fill me to overflowing with what YOU call good, righteous, honorable and pleasing. Help me to ever more fully submit to You and cooperate with You, to turn away from what YOU consider to be sin, and to agree with and choose what You consider to be truly good. Help me to persevere in cooperating with you as You accomplish this true work of grace in my life, and grant that I may truly overcome, and reach Your Everlasting Rest, and Eternal Joy. Amen.

For the Love of God

By brother R Michel Lankford

In This Study:

-          Identifying False Doctrine

-          As Long as You Love that’s All You Need.

-          God and His Gospel Are NOT Schizoid

Identifying False Doctrine

There are basically two KEY ways of identifying False Doctrine

• It Does Not Agree with Scripture: Any idea that is NOT CONSISTENT with RIGHTLY divided Scripture is not the truth, because according to Messiah, God’s Word is the definition of TRUTH, (John 17:17).

• It Does Not Consistently Agree with Itself: Any doctrine that does NOT remain true to itself and its own standard of measurement is man-made, it’s NOT of God, and is therefore NOT true. So any doctrine or belief system that contradicts itself or violates its own stated standards, is not consistent, it’s not of God, and such a doctrine is obviously FALSE.

As Long as You Love That is All You Need

What we’re going to address now is one of the most prevalent false doctrines in all of modern-day Christianity. It’s extremely popular. It’s widespread. It’s EXTREMELY FALSE.

If you talk to most Christians about the need to obey almost any Commandment in Scripture which either they do not personally favor, or which they have been taught by tradition to ignore as obsolete, most believe that they should not have to do any more, (no matter if the commandment comes from the Old Testament or the New Testament), the response you will hear is generally always the same:

Since Messiah died, the only Commandments which we must obey now is to love God with all our being and love our neighbor as ourselves. Since we are under Grace through Messiah, we can now ignore and do the opposite of every other Commandment as long as we obey these two.

Because supposedly in obeying these two, you fulfill the rest even if you willfully disobey all the others.

"You shall LOVE the LORD your God, with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two concepts depend the entire Law and the Prophets," (Matthew 22:36-40).

The majority of modern-day Christians will tell you, and in fact will passionately insist upon the concept that this law, is still binding upon the Christian. In fact most Christians today believe that as long as you KEEP this particular Commandment, then you can ignore and do the opposite of all the other Commandments because, supposedly, since Jesus died on the cross, the greatest Commandments are supposedly the only ones that are still binding upon the Christian. The problem is, how do you truly FULFILL and truly OBEY this ONE ALL IMPORTANT Commandment?

According to the NEW TESTAMENT, we have the biblical definition of what it means to LOVE GOD:

As it is written:

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For THIS IS the love of God, that we KEEP His commandments. And His commandments are NOT burdensome.” (1 John 5:2-3, NKJV-with emphasis)

FACT: According to the NEW TESTAMENT, the way we show that we are growing in love for the children of God, is when we love God and we KEEP His Commandments.

FACT: According to the NEW TESTAMENT, The DEFINITION of LOVING GOD is KEEPING God's Commandments.

FACT: According to the NEW TESTAMENT,(1 John 2:5-6), one of the principal ways that we can tell that our love for God is growing and becoming more perfected is that more and more we will be obeying Yahweh's commandments in the same manner that Messiah KEPT Yahweh's Word. The more I am able to keep Yahweh's Word the same way Messiah did, the more I can identify that my Love toward Yahweh is in fact growing, and I'm being perfected in love.

FACT: Remember that in the original biblical text, the apostolic epistles, they were letters. They were not broken up into chapters and verses as we see them today. So keeping that in mind, let's take the concepts that we learn and 1 John chapter 2, and 1 John chapter 5, and put them together as one piece:

SUMMARY: According to the NEW TESTAMENT, (If you put 1 John 2:1-6, and 1 John 5:3 together as one letter), then you have the biblical definition of loving God:

• The way we love the children of God is by loving Yahweh and Keeping His Commandments.

• We know that we are growing in Love, when we understand the TRUTH, that learning and KEEPING Yahweh's Commandments is NOT burdensome. His Commands are a blessing, NOT a burden.

• The way that we know that we've come to KNOW God is to KEEP His Commandments.

• The way that we know that we have come to KNOW Messiah is to keep His Commandments.

• The one who says that he has come to KNOW Him, and yet does not keep the Commandments, is a LIAR.

• If I claim to abide in Jesus, then I need to learn and to walk as Jesus walked through this life, (1 John 2:6).

• Did Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God OBEY the Commandments of the Almighty Heavenly Father? Yes he did! And if I claim to abide in Jesus, then if I'm going to learn to walk as Yeshua walked, then I must learn to do the same.

• Did Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God KEEP the biblical feasts of the LORD? Yes he did! And if I claim to abide in Jesus, then if I'm going to learn to walk as Yeshua walked, then I must learn to do the same.

• Did Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God REFUSE to mix pagan religious customs with worshiping Yahweh, as He was Commanded to KEEP SEPARATE from those things in Deuteronomy 12:29-32; Jeremiah 10:1-2; did Messiah obey those Commandments?  Yes he did! And if I claim to abide in Jesus, then if I'm going to learn to walk as Yeshua walked, then I must also learn to do the same.

• The proof that my love for God is growing and increasingly becoming perfected is that I'm able to obey God more and more IN THE SAME WAY that Jesus obeyed God's Commandments. According to first John, that is the sign that my love toward Yahweh is being PERFECTED. That's what the apostle John said in his letter.

• Messiah was full of BOTH GRACE AND TRUTH (John 1:14). He was full of God's Law (Deuteronomy13:1-5; Psalm 119:142; Matthew 5:17-20). He Was full of God's Word (e.g.Deuteronomy 18:18; John 5:30). Jesus demonstrated that he loved the father by KEEPING the FATHER'S Commandments (John 15:10). Jesus ALSO walked in God's Grace and compassion at the SAME TIME (Matthew 20:34; Mark 5:19).

• We are instructed to walk AS MESSIAH WALKED (1 John 2:6). So it MUST be possible to obey God's Commandments, to agree with God's Word, and to be full of God's Grace at the same time. Jesus was full of BOTH GRACE and TRUTH, so the two concepts cannot be opposite of each other as most Christians so commonly believed today.

MAJOR DILEMMA: God and His Gospel are NOT SCHIZOID

Don’t Fall for the LIE.

If you ask the majority of Christians today they will tell you, (and most will be firmly convinced), that since Messiah died at the cross, and because we are, "Under grace," then Christians are no longer obligated to either learn or to keep Yahweh' is Commandments as Messiah did. In fact, what many of them believe and practice by tradition, is actually doing the DIRECT OPPOSITE of what Messiah said and did.

Many Christians believe that it's okay to do the opposite of what Messiah did, because they firmly believe that doing the OPPOSITE of what Yahweh Commanded is now supposedly what it means to be "Under Grace."

But we just read that KNOWING Yahweh is KEEPING His Commandments. We just read that knowing Messiah is KEEPING His Commandments. We just read that the person who claims to KNOW Him, and does not keep the commandments is a LIAR.

So modern-day Christianity has created a major theological dilemma. Because according to THEM; the way they MISINTERPRET GRACE, and the biblical definition of love ends up, being the DIRECT OPPOSITE of EACH OTHER.

According to the Bible, the way that we SHOW that we know and that we LOVE GOD, is to learn and to KEEP His Commandments and to learn to WALK AS Jesus walked before God. That's what it means to walk in the love of God, according to Scripture.

But the same Christian who claims to believe the same Scripture will also say that the grace of God means not having to learn and keep God's Commandments anymore.

So according to traditional Christian logic, that would mean that you walk in God's LOVE by KEEPING the Commandments of God, but you supposedly walk in the same God's GRACE, by NOT OBEYING the Commandments.

Since OBEYING Yahweh's Commandments is what defines walking in God's love, then how can BREAKING the Commandments of God be a sign that you are walking in God's Grace?! Think about It! Can Walking in God's Love Truly Be the Opposite of Walking in God's Grace? Can walking in God's love and walking in God's grace really be the total OPPOSITE of one another?!

Modern Christianity has created a theological paradox that they refuse to confront and refuse to acknowledge. They have created a man-made religious system where they claim to believe Scripture, but they no longer truly USE Scripture to define their key terms. They have created a man-made religious system that has abandoned more than 76% of the Scriptures, and so it is no longer true to God’s Word.

Equally important. Modern Christianity has adopted a doctrinal system that is not even true to itself and its own standards; because it puts believers in a position where they claim to believe the Scriptures, but at the same time, they essentially teach that to walk in God’s Love I must learn and KEEP Yahweh’s Commandments as Messiah did, but walking in the same Creator’s Grace, supposedly now means that I can and should do the OPPOSITE of what Yahweh Commanded, and live in the OPPOSITE way from how Messiah lived.

So they created a religious system where in order to walk in God’s love I take the right fork of the road, and to walk in the SAME Creator’s Grace, I must take the left fork of the road and walk in the opposite way of life. So they created a situation where the love of God and the grace of God are the direct opposite of each other. God does not deny or contradict Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). 

Walking in God's Love, and walking in God's grace CANNOT correctly be the OPPOSITE of ONE ANOTHER. Modern Christendom has obviously taken a WRONG turn somewhere.

To Walk in the GRACE of God turn LEFT.

To walk in the LOVE of God, turn RIGHT. Can Walking in the LOVE of God and walking in the GRACE of the SAME God, truly be the OPPOSITE of EACH OTHER?!!

Something is obviously NOT right. For the love of God, PLEASE repent.

As it is written:

Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16, NKJV)

Brother Michel Lankford