Who's Son is the Messiah?

• While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. (Mat 22:41-46)

Yeshua quotes Psalm 110.

• A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. (Psa 110:1-7)

David recognized Yeshua as Adonai, not YHVH since David plainly differentiates between YHVH (LORD) and Adonai (Lord). Peter gives us the second witness.

• ^NKJ Acts 2:34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The LORD (YHVH) said to my Lord (Adonai), "Sit at My right hand, ³⁵ Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' ³⁶ "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Yeshua, whom you crucified, both Lord (Adonai) and Messiah."

The more important thing that David brings out is that this Adonai is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek; this is the order of the Branch in Zechariah who is a priest upon a throne. With this Psalm in mind, what does the apostolic writings say about salvation?

• 1^st Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Yeshua accursed: and that no man can say that Yeshua is the Lord (Adonai), but by the Holy Ghost. Peter had already come to understand this Spiritual principle when inspired by the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit).

Here, referring to Psalm 110, just as David called Yeshua Adonai by revelation of the Ruach, we must declare Yeshua Adonai by revelation of the Ruach. This does not tell us that the Ruach will reveal to all men that Yeshua is indeed YHVH; it indicates that the revelation of David only comes by the Ruach.

• Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord (Adonai) Yeshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that God (YHVH) hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Again, salvation is not based on understanding that Yeshua is God but by understanding that He is David's Adonai. No man can come to YHVH directly; we must all go through the man/High Priest (Hebrews 9, 10) Yeshua.

• 1^st Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Messiah Yeshua

• Hebrews 8:4-6 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: ⁵ Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. ⁶ But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

• Hebrews 12:24 And to Yeshua, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel

Salvation, according to scripture, comes from making Yeshua Adonai in your life and trusting in His atoning blood of the brit chadesha, not from an understanding of Him being YHVH. The understanding of Him being YHVH comes as a word of knowledge, just as Peter’s understanding.

• Matthew 16:17 And Yeshua answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

It would appear that the understanding of Yeshua being YHVH in the flesh is an indication of spiritual maturity, or possibly an indicator of one of the five fold ministry's anointings, not as an indication of who is a brother or who is truly born again. Yeshua plainly states that a brother is one who does the will of His Father in Heaven. He does not say a brother is one that understands the mystery of the godhead. Satan most assuredly understands this concept but no one would call him a brother would they?

• For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Mat 12:50)

What is the will of the Heavenly Father? Is it the will of the Heavenly Father that we fully understand Him, His infinite wisdom, power, mercy etc.,? Does it matter if we have all faith even to move mountains or that we give all our possessions to the poor or our very lives for Him if our heart's motive is not love?

• Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (Love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1^st Co 13:1-3)

Without simple love coming from within us we have nothing. Just because we understand ALL mysteries (the deity of Yeshua for one) does it save us or make us a brother in Messiah? Again I say that the devil knows this truth but is he a brother?

• Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. (1^st Co 8:1-3)

Just having head knowledge is nothing if one does not have love. Since God is love it follows that a person that loves others, even the stranger, has the Spirit of God's Word within them which is made known to the world by the fruits of the Spirit that they bear.

• Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1^st Jn 4:7-13 See also John 13:35)

God is all about what true love is. Those that are loving, kind, generous, merciful, patient, just and faithful are being obedient to the heart or purpose of the Law (Word). Thus they are one with God as Yeshua is one with the Father. One in Spirit, purpose and mind. Not everyone that calls Yeshua Lord is a servant of Yeshua or a true brother.

• Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 7:21)

Only those that do (not just talk about) the will of our Heavenly Father are our brothers & sisters. (Matt. 12:50) Salvation and thus adoption into the family of God is not about head knowledge but heartfelt love poured out for the sake of our fellow.

Now in conclusion please remember that knowing that Yeshua is the Son of God is knowledge that is revealed by the Spirit of YHVH to man. Again I repeat:

• Matthew 16:17 And Yeshua answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

• No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)

Yeshua never tells us that we must fully understand that He is YHVH come in the flesh in order to be saved or that those not able to understand this truth are not brothers and sisters. God simply created a body that could exist in this world that men could see, hear and touch so that men would be without excuse in the day of judgment.

• Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Heb 10:5)

• If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. (John 15:22-25 See also Psalm 35:19, 69:4)

Yeshua came to teach by word and deed how to be a son of God. Yeshua came to be an atonement for sin. (Rom. 5:11) Yeshua came to become a quickening Spirit. (1^st Cor. 15:45) Yeshua did not come to condemn but save. (John 3:17) He is our master and example to follow. Let us not love in word only but in deed. A brother or sister is one that loves and cares for others unselfishly without expecting any reward. Yeshua was such a man and being so He reflected the true image and nature of God here on the earth. Who's son is He? Better we ask who's son/daughter are we? How will the angels know you from the children of darkness, the children of Satan the devil? By your knowledge?By your faith? By wisdom or by your heart?

Shalom,

Avi

Seeking the Kingdom

^{A new look at an old verse or two}

• And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Luke 12:29-31)
  

Many today preach all manner of sermons using this particular verse or ones similar but it seems most simply do not understand that Yeshua (Jesus) was a Jew who read and studied the only Bible that existed in His day, the wrongly titled (my opinion) 'Old Testament'. Here in this verse Yeshua is directly referencing a promise made by God to the children of Israel found in the book of Deuteronomy.

• And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently (this does not say listen if you feel like it) unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: (If God is your King then you will obey His every Commandment and thus you will be a subject of His Kingdom) And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.(Deuteronomy 28:1-14)
  

To seek the Kingdom of God is to simply repent of doing things your way (this is the definition of sin See 1st John 3:4) and to begin doing things God's way; in other words, to submit to and obey God's Holy and perfect Laws and Commandments. If we learn to love and obey God He will bless us with abundance sufficient to meet our needs. Yeshua did not come to die for our sins in vain. He did not come to atone for our sins so that we could continue in sin (God forbid!) No rather Yeshua came to save us from sin and death. If we have true faith in Him who is the Son/Word of God made flesh (Jn. 1:14) then we will trust and do what He says. We will keep His Commandments which are actually God's Commandments since Yeshua was and is God in the flesh. (1st Tim. 3:16)

Notice how Moses states in verses 14 how straying to the right or left  of following God's Word is equal to serving other gods? It is the same thing that always happens to unconverted man that does not have the Holy Spirit of God living inside his mind and body. In the garden man strayed to the left and the the right of God's simple Commandment not to eat from the tree of knowing good and evil. We listened unto the serpent Satan the devil/dragon. The dragon became our king and thus god when we followed his words over God's Words.

If you carefully look at all the Words of Yeshua (Jesus), His sayings and parables, you will find that He never once tells anyone following Him that one day some of God's Holy Laws and Commandments; such as the Sabbath day being on Sunday in place of Saturday or the dietary Laws, will be done away with. To do so would make Him like the devil and thus a false prophet/god. Most Jews when approached by Christian missionaries are basically told that certain of God's Laws were done away with when Jesus died on the cross for their sins. Jews know that God will test them from time to time with false prophets. (Deut. 13:1-5) It is because Jews are so wary of false prophets; all of whom have come from amongst their own brethren, that they will not listen to any Christian who does not understand that the true Messiah (Yeshua) would not and could not come to do away with the Laws but rather to once and for all establish the Law of God. In fact ALL of God's Holy prophets always preached only the Word of God. All of the Holy Prophets always called upon the children of Israel to repent from sining against God which is defined as breaking His Law's and Commandments. (See 1^st John 3:4) See what Yeshua has to say in Matthew 5:17-19 on the subject of the Law & Prophets. In fact reading on past verse 19 you will see that Yeshua makes the Law even more clear by giving the full meaning of the Laws. It is a fact that we are made holy or clean by the very words of Yeshua that abide in us. (See also 30:29 to understand the concept of holiness by contact)

• Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3) Who's Words were they?
• If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7) Compare to Deut. 28:1-14
• If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10)
• He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:48-50)
  

It's all pretty simple and laid out here for all to see and understand. Seeking the kingdom first is the same as seeking to make Yeshua your Lord and is the same as repenting from transgressing (breaking) the Laws of God. If by faith you receive the Son you also receive the Father and also the gift of the Holy Spirit which makes you continually clean or holy. (John 15:3) The Holy Spirit works to purge you of the sin nature (works of the devil 1^st John. 3:8) you were born with and over time you will begin to bear the fruit of righteousness. What is the fruit of righteousness? Simply put the fruit of righteousness is LOVE as defined by the observance of God's Holy Laws and Commandments. If you love God with all you are you will love all who are created in His Holy image... your fellow man. If you love your neighbor as yourself you will not murder, steal, slander or hate him. You will not seek his possessions. You will learn and obey God's royal Laws and loving Commandments and practice them during the rest of your born-again life because the Holy Spirit is inside you. Remember a tree is known by it's fruit. Faith is not true faith unless works of righteousness are seen as evidence. (James 2)


Peace be with you and may your needs be fully met by the grace found only in Messiah Yeshua!



Your brother in Messiah Yeshua,



Avi

The Spirit of Love

the image of God

• John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 is what God our Father in Heaven is all about. Love as defined by God is giving to others. Giving of your substance to rescue and sustain those in need is love and is what the Law of God is all about. (Ex. 20:6, Lev. 19:18, Deut. 6:5, Mat. 22:37-39) God has made the ultimate sacrificial gift of love to all the world by giving the only gift that truly keeps on giving... Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.

God is a Spirit and God is Love (Jn. 4:24, 1^st Jn. 4:8, 16) and if you understand this you understand that God's Words given to man represent Him and since He is about love so are His spoken Words and His Word are His Laws and prophecies spoken through His prophets. God's Words reveal His thoughts to man. It stands to reason that since God is a Spirit and God is Love then His Words are an image of Him we can comprehend. One such example can be seen when Moses asked God to show him His glory. The word translated as 'glory' is in the Hebrew tongue 'Kavode' which also can be translated as weight as in substance. Substance can also be understood to mean 'nature' or character. God's Character is tied to His Holy Name and His Holy Name to His Glory. God is truly One and His Name one or unified. (Deut. 6:4, Zec. 14:9)

The Glory of God

There are many references in scripture to God's glory and many think they know what God's glory is but it is God Himself that defines what His glory (kavode) or nature is. Moses asks God “show me your glory”. Here is His reply.

• Exodus 33:18-23 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. (19) And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. (20) And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. (21) And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: (22) And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: (23) And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Consider that when Moses asked God to show him His glory God does so by proclaiming that He is merciful, gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth and who pardons sin. Moses did not actually see God's form. Moses could not actually see God's face and live but Moses could hear all about God's true nature and see His hinder parts.

• Exodus 34:5-7 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. (6) And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (7) Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

This is how mankind may know God. Man can only know or see God in a spiritual sense in what God says and does but not what God looks like. Men recognize each other by appearances but as God says no man can see God and live. So it is a fact that man can only know God by what God says and does. Therefore God is known to mankind by His Holy Words which contain His Promises, Commandments and Laws. All these things are His glory revealed for us to experience... to live by. Jesus said that man must live by EVERY WORD that comes from the mouth of God. (Mat. 4:4, Deut. 8:3) God's Word is His glory or His nature revealed for man to see. What is God's Word? His Laws and Commandments and the prophecies spoken by His Holy prophets!

Jesus walked before man and God the Father in righteousness. Jesus was the very image of God in human form. It was not how Jesus looked but what He said and did that manifested the true image of God. Phillip asked Jesus “show us the Father”.

Jesus explained to Philip:

• “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9)

The life of Jesus revealed the Father in human form. (See 1^st Tim. 3:16) Jesus was merciful, gracious, long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Jesus pardoned sins and thus Jesus reflected the true image or nature of God the Father in every way.

• Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

• John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

• Matthew 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

• Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Jesus manifested the divine nature or glory of God the Father in all He said and did. God is Holy or set apart from all other's by His divine nature. So too is Jesus and it is the fact that God and Jesus' character are the same that reflects or models who He is. When you think and act like Jesus then you are also acting like God the Father. You are not God but you can spiritually look like God by learning to think and act like God. This is accomplished by learning His Laws and Commandments and then living by them as Jesus did. God is good and God is love and it is these positive traits or characteristics that truly are represented by His Holy Name. God's Holy Word is Spiritual so when you accept His Son as Lord and Master over your life you actually are accepting God the Father as Lord and Master. And since God's Son is the Word of God made flesh that lived with us (Jn. 1:14) then you are also accepting God's revealed nature or glory to rule over you. Do you see how this is? This is why when you are truly lead by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8) you will act like God. You will be patient, merciful, gracious, forgiving and filled with truth.

Reputation

Reputation is everything in our world. People's names are always associated with the type person they are. Are they good, God fearing, honest, trustworthy? Is their word good? Are they kind to others even strangers? Are they generous and hospitable towards others? All these are positive traits that describe a good and godly person. On the other hand a sinner is one who is often the exact opposite. The sinner is not trustworthy, honest, charitable and kind to others and their names are also associated with who they are and how they are.

One's nature or substance is revealed by what they say and do:

People have a name and God has a name and both are known by what they say and do. Jesus came to show all mankind the way to eternal life was through Him. To believe in Jesus' Name is to follow His Law abiding ways. It is by faith and so trust and emulation of Jesus that we are placed on the straight and narrow path to life eternal. His blood covers us only if we have faith in Him and so His ways. His ways are the Father's ways which are explained or revealed to us through the Laws of God all of which an ever sinless Jesus kept. (John 15:10)

How faith works

In Egypt those that believed in God's Word obeyed God's Word and killed the lamb as commanded. Its blood was placed upon the door posts and lintels as commanded and death passed over. No house with the blood of faith upon it suffered death of its first born. This is salvation by faith through obedience to God's Commandment. As James the brother of Yeshua says “faith without works is dead” (Ja. 2:18-26). Something more to consider is that the lamb had to be eaten completely up with nothing left over. Eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (See Ex. 12) All these elements were and are symbolic of a life totally and sacrificially given to save and sustain God's holy people Israel. When we come to be under God's Heavenly rule through true faith and obedience we too will live as Jesus did... a sacrificial life that is offered up for the good of many. Not an easy way in the flesh and only possible if you are one with God who is the Spirit of Love. True faith will cause you to bear the cross as Christ tells us.

• Matthew 16:24-25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

This kind of self sacrifice can only be done from the heart and by the Spirit of God within. The Spirit of love must rule your heart and if so then truly God's Heavenly Kingdom is come to be within you. Paul tells us that unless you have this Spirit of Christ you are not God's (Rom. 8:9) and this is what Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3 when He said that a man must be born of the water and Spirit. To have God's Spirit is to Have His nature and thus His Word (Laws) within you always guiding you to abide in faith which really can only work by love. (2^nd Cor. 6:6, Gal. 5:6, 13)

John 3:16 is the reason we who believe will inherit eternal life. God so loved all of mankind that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus to die for our sins that we might be justified by our faith in Him. This is the Spirit of life and the Spirit of Love that has saved us from our sins whose non-repentant reward is eternal death. You see salvation is really a simple matter of faith. Yes, all you have to do is believe and then act on your belief. Like the children of Israel so long ago in Egypt had to accept God's Word and obey it to be saved today's believer must accept Jesus (God's Word made flesh Jn. 1:14) as Lord. Now Lord means master and if He is your master then you do what He commands. What did He command? That we love him when we keep His and thus God's Commandments. God is pleased and we are fulfilling God's Holy Laws when we love one another and this love is no ordinary love it is a love that is all consuming. We must become love for our fellow man as Jesus became love for all of us. True godly love is sacrificial. Paul tells us in 1^st Corinthians 13 what godly love is all about.

• 1^st Corinthians 13:4-8 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (5) doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; (6) rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; (7) beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (8) Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.

God is all about love and so God's Holy Word is all about love. This is why He says that if we truly love Him we will keep His Holy Commandments.(Jn. 14:15, 23) His Commandments are true and eternal as He is. His Commandments are spiritual. (Rom. 7:12, 14) This is why true godly love of others fulfills God's Laws and Commandments. (Gal. 5:14, 1^st Tim. 1:8) Thus to walk in Love is to walk in the Spiritual image of God and it is in this same Spiritual image God has created man. If we walk after the flesh we are children of the devil and so God's wrath to come. If we walk after the Spirit of God we will also live by what the Spirit tells us and so we will naturally abide in the Commandments of God. If we have godly love ruling over our hearts we will not murder, rob, lie, steal, commit adultery, covet or blaspheme. We will long to be close to God and we will seek out and unite with Him in all His holiness. We will rest when He rests on His Sabbath days. We will refrain from eating things He calls unclean. We will refrain from sexual sins and in fact we will not do what God calls evil because we will be the exact opposite of evil we shall be as God... we shall be good in all ways! We will abide in or live a crucified life with Christ Jesus the Son of God and serve one another by love if the Spirit of God which is Love fully and truly lives and reigns as supreme ruler and King of kings within us.

• Galatians 5:13-26 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (26) Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

A warning:

Living a crucified life is not ignoring those things contained in God's written Laws and Commandments. Do not suppose as some have wrongly taught that even the least of God's Holy Laws and Commandments have been done away with (See Matt. 5:17-19) Living a crucified life is living your life by the power of God's Holy Spirit inside you that has written God's Laws upon your heart. (Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 8:10) Thus your new Jesus like nature will be an image of the eternal and loving Father of us all. If you truly have God's Holy Spirit in you then you will truly want to be close to Him in every way. You will want to know His thoughts and ways and to walk with Him and talk with Him always. You will be zealous for righteousness!

If you do not wish to learn His ways or walk in them then you do not have His Spirit and you are not His thus you have no salvation! Examine yourself to see if you are walking in His ways. (Read 2^nd Corinthians 13:5) Look in your Spiritual mirror (The Bible) to see who you truly are the image of! (Read also Matt. 25:31-46)


Shalom,


Avi 

Days of Sanctification

What God has Sanctified do not call common or unclean!

Definition:
sanc·tify (saŋk′tə fī′) transitive verb -·fied′, -·fy′·ing
to make holy; specif.,
to set apart as holy; consecrate
to make free from sin; purify
to make binding or inviolable by a religious sanction
to make productive of spiritual blessing
to make seem morally right or binding a practice sanctified by custom
Gen 2:2-3: "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made".
Act 10:15 “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”
As you can see from the dictionary definition above it is understood that the word 'sanctify' can mean 'purify' and purify shares a common meaning in the expression “to clean' or 'make clean'. When Yeshua (Jesus)spoke to Peter as recorded in Acts 10 we find that the Gentiles who believed were now considered 'clean' or sanctified as in 'holy or set apart'. This passage has no connection to food or to God's commanded dietary laws that are still required of us who are 'set apart' by His word that dwells in us. I propose that the reason God used the concept of unclean beasts was this: We who are Israel by faith and or faith plus birth are to distinguish between the clean and unclean, not allowing ourselves to be defiled by the unclean things of this world be they thoughts, persons, animals or of such as the Heavenly Father has called unclean, detestable or abominable. (Lev. 11:44, Lev. 20:26, Lev. 22:32, Heb. 10:22, 1st Peter 1:22, 1Jn. 3:3, Ex. 22:31)
Example:
Lev. 11:44 “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify (purify) yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
God's laws that govern our bodies teach us spiritual principles to keep our souls without spot or blemish. There are many of this world that teach against God's laws because of ignorance, personal gain or perhaps both but I say this is like the reasoning many use today to convince young girls that their virginity is no longer necessary! If the church believes that we can remain chaste virgins until marriage (another old testament law) then why is it the church teaches us to commit acts of spiritual harlotry? If the church teaches us that it is sin to commit adultery against our spouse why is it now alright to commit spiritual adultery against God? You see it is plain and simple to understand the concept of the natural laws for our flesh teaching us the spiritual for our souls when you put it in proper perspective isn't it?
The first followers of Yeshua were all Jewish and they were the body of Messiah. God had now sanctified (purified) believing Gentiles (Non-Jews) (Acts 15:9,17) and since To fulfill the prophecy of God taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles it was necessary to first make them clean spiritually by faith even as Yeshua's Jewish followers were. In fact salvation has always been by faith even for those believers (Joshua and Caleb) in the wilderness (Acts 7:38) so long ago. (Acts 15:9, Is. 11:10, Is. 49:6, Mal. 1:11) Now being the body of Christ; which is of course symbolic, the concept of eating some unclean animal or beast was abhorrent to any Jewish believer as it should still be for all today. The Gentiles were now to be brought into the midst of the body which for a Jew was an equally unpleasant thought. Yet Yeshua revealed His will to His Jewish followers and they obeyed. Now I mention all this to share this thought with you. The fact is that all peoples both Jew and Gentile are made clean or holy being sanctified by faith in God's word made flesh that dwelt amongst us (John. 1:14) and God's word, namely Yeshua, contains all God's commandments, statutes and laws and so to truly follow Jesus you must learn His ways and He says His ways are NOT His but His Father's in Heaven. (John 14:24, 15:10) Yeshua kept the Sabbath day holy (Luke 4:16, Matt. 5:17-19) shouldn't we who follow do as He did? What God has made clean or holy and so sanctified should not be called common or unclean by anyone Jew or Gentile whether it be a place, person, thing or time and since God declares the 7th day Sabbath Holy along with Gentiles who believe who can say that either is not? Certainly not Paul, James or Peter and most certainly not Yeshua! Do you dare contradict God? In Paul's letter to the Colossians many teach that these verses (Col. 2:16-17) prove that believers are set free from keeping days holy or our bodies from unclean foods but is this even possible when we understand the concept of Acts 10:15, Ex. 30:25-33, Ex. 3:5, Gen. 2:2-3 where God reserves the authority to declare who, what, where or when is clean, sanctified and or holy? I dare not call God a liar do you? Now we must understand Col. 2:17 clearly since it tells us that the Holy days, Sabbaths and dietary laws are a shadow of things to come. What can this word shadow truly mean? Well one thing to consider is the fact that the Tabernacle on earth was patterned after the one in Heaven (Ex.25:9,40, 1st Ch. 28:11-19, Heb. 8:5) And we are now a mere shadow of Messiah Yeshua created in Him by faith but He has ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven (Acts 2:33). See we are to be as He is and because of His works and our faith we will be someday. (2nd Co. 3:18) However we are still carnal vessels that contain the spirit of holiness even the seed of promise Yeshua (1st John. 3:9). We need food, water, shelter and rest for these earthen vessels or tabernacles and we must not deny these things to ourselves while we remain in the flesh. Thus I maintain just as we must not commit murder, adultery, robbery, idolatry etc. so we must rest our bodies, minds and souls on holy days and feed our flesh with holy foods since to break any of Gods commandments willfully is sin (1st John 3:4) And sin defiles these temples of God of which we are commanded by God to keep holy! (Lev. 18:30) So in conclusion I ask you to carefully and prayerfully seek the Lord and read what He says in His Holy Word the Bible and forsake the misleading doctrines of men that teach you the way of destruction and take you away from the true word of life Yeshua!