Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Righteousness / Serving God, Sin

Yeshua Sets Us Free from Which Law, Paul?

Many people become confused when Paul teaches us that Yeshua sets us free from the law. They mistakenly choose to use that as a means to excuse not obeying all of God’s law and instructions. The key question is, however… “which law, Paul?”

Perhaps it is worth highlighting here as a reminder that Paul was accused of not following the law throughout his ministry and argued in his defense that it was not true. Further, Yeshua was judged righteous and without sin by living out His earthly life as our example in full compliance with the law of God.

The answer to the question above is that the grace and life we find in discipling ourselves after Yeshua sets us free not from God’s commandments or instructions, but from the law of sin and death. This law of sin and death put simply is as follows. “We all sin. The penalty for sin is death.”

Romans 3:23

23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23

23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s law (e.g. commandments and teaching of the prophets) can not save us, but neither do we need to be set free from it. God’s law is not bondage. It is a guide to help us identify and reject sin. It is sin that holds us in bondage. It is sin from which we need to be set free. But we are unable on our own to stop sinning. How then can we be set free?

We are set free from the law of sin and death only through accepting Yeshua as Lord.

Romans 8:1-25

Deliverance from Bondage

      1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

      9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

      12So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

      18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Take care to study God’s word carefully. The sacrifice of Christ does not set us free from God’s word, from God’s law… that would be foolish since Jesus lived and taught God’s law. In fact Jesus is the Word made flesh to dwell among us. How could He come to set us free from Himself!?

John 1:14-15

 14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”

Jesus came to set us free from the law of sin and death. Though we sin and deserve death, we have an offer of forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must choose to disciple ourselves after Him, turn from our sins and wrong ways, and turn toward God’s ways of doing things. It is not sufficient to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord… even Satan knows that! Truly believing Jesus is Lord will transform our lives and will be evident in our actions as well as our attitudes and thoughts.

Praise to Yahweh, who provided a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled with Him through Jesus Christ!

Learn more about the Law of God and what it means today. Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for sending Yeshua to set us free from the law of sin and death. Though we sin, we can be forgiven and reconciled to You! It is not through our actions or obeying Your law that we are saved, but through grace by faith in Yeshua. Please help us have discernment and wisdom and faith in living according to Your instructions! Amen.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Repenting from Sin, Suffering / Adversity, Wickedness / Evil

Should Saying “No” to Sin Be Easy for a Disciple of Yeshua?

For those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord, turned from our sinful and worldly path and endeavor wholeheartedly to disciple our lives after Christ, saying no to sin easy… right? Of course not! We are constantly battling between our old sin nature, the flesh, and our desire to follow after Christ.

Romans 7:14-25

The Conflict of Two Natures

      14For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

      21I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

We can clearly see that man is not inherently good, but actually evil and selfish. Even as we desire to turn from sin and turn toward God’s way, we still have a battle upon our hands. The evil within us draws us toward sin.  Do not be discouraged if you are struggling with sin. The desire to sin does not just go away after we decide to disciple after Christ. It remains. We must pray and seek after the kingdom of God. Through Christ we can be set free from sin. Overcoming sin may not be quick and the potential for sin never fully goes away. However, we can be set free from sin and our lives transformed through Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to overcome my sin nature within me. Help me to live in a way that is pleasing to You. Let me not live according to what my flesh desires, but rather according to my spirit. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discerning / Judging, Humility, Study the Word, Wise

Do Not Redefine God, Rather Redefine Your Understanding of Him

Today’s message is brief, but important. Take a few minutes to reflect on it prayerfully. Some will simply say, “this is obvious”, and that is great. Others may really need the reminder as they experience difficult situations in which they may feel a bit lost.

When we find scripture that is confusing or seems contradictory based on our current understanding, we have a few choices.

  1. Ignore the confusion and keep going about focusing on what we do understand.
  2. Redefine God and His word to fit into our current understanding.
  3. Let His word challenge and redefine our understanding so we can grow further, even if it makes us uncomfortable.

Option 1 may actually be ok sometimes, if the point at question is fairly minor. However, we should acknowledge that we may be missing an opportunity the Spirit is trying to use to help us grow in our understanding of God.

Option 2 is never the right choice, and few ever choose it intentionally. They do not say, “let me redefine God”. Rather, they allow themselves to interpret scripture very liberally and stretch beyond what it actually says. Often, they can lean into false teaching that is so prevalent in churches today to back up what they believe. We should be very careful to test our understanding against other scripture, not just against what our pastor says. Many pastors are teaching flat out bad doctrine, typically mixed with a lot of truth as well, which makes it seem believable.  Many do not realize they are teaching bad doctrine. They are simply lost in the cultural understanding or God rather than the Biblical one.

An example of this may be when God tells the Israelites to take the promised land and take no prisoners. Many may struggle with understanding the context and instead of searching out true understanding, push away from God and the Bible as if their own understanding is the source of truth.

Consider this article on BibleProject.com, Joshua: Judgment or Cruelty? Conquering the Promised Land | BibleProject™

Of course, option 3 is best. Allow yourself to admit you don’t fully understand something. Then, if it is troubling you, put in time and effort to study and pray to seek an answer. However, start with the following premise: God is perfect and just. The Bible is the most accurate source of instruction from God to His people on how to live. My understanding and that of culture and churches around me is often flawed. If I am not redefining my understanding of God based on His revelation and His word, I am not learning.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people to remain humble in our understanding of You so that we would be ready to learn as You reveal new things to us rather than clinging to what we think we already know and redefining You and Your word to fit our current view. Lead us to redefine our understanding of You based on Your word and not to redefine You and what Your word means based on our current views. Amen.  

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discipline / Correction, Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Study the Word, Teachable

The Great Commission – Personal Discipleship Plan

This teaching is really a core part of our personal walk with Yeshua. Please take the time to read through it prayerfully, even though it may be a bit longer than average.

At Hearing From Jesus, we take the commands of our Lord very seriously and that certainly includes The Great Commission. In fact, it is this command that most directly inspires our ministry. We want to obey Yeshua and make disciples of all the nations.

Besides being the command of our Lord, it is also a natural desire we have in gratitude to Yahweh for His grace and forgiveness and also out of love for other people, who may be headed for eternal separation from Him in hell, unless they hear and study the true word of God.

Matthew 28:16-20

16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

To learn more about the Great Commission given to us by Yeshua, we recommend you study our teaching, The Great Commission – Make Disciples Of All The Nations, before continuing with this teaching on building a personal discipleship plan.

Whether Hearing From Jesus is a primary source for your personal study and growth with the Lord or just another valuable reference site, we have structured our ministry to help you become a disciple, a learner, of Christ and then to prepare to go and make disciples of others. This last point is important… it should not be our goal to do the absolute minimum we can and still get into Heaven. Those who have this attitude are far from the kingdom of Heaven. Our goal is to grow spiritually to the point that we are feeding ourselves from Yahweh’s word and growing in our relationship with Him from now until we die. It is a journey that we never finish, but it transforms us along the way to become more like our Messiah and less like our old sinful nature. We are to learn well enough to then teach others effectively and help them become disciples as well… so they can , in turn, teach others.

Overwhelming? It can be. So, how do we begin such a task?

Let us begin by studying and then following the example of Yeshua. Likewise, we can review how others, like Paul or Moses or Elijah practiced discipleship. In all the examples I just mentioned, these servants of Yahweh knew the ultimate authority was the Creator, not a religious authority figure or scholars or traditions. We must seek to develop a personal relationship with Yahweh. We must not cling to traditions of men, even if they are taught by religious authority figures. The Pope, like the earthly head of every religion, is quite fallible and what he teaches must be tested against the word of Yah in the Bible. Sadly it often contradicts God’s word. We must test everything against the truth of the scripture and seek Yahweh in prayer consistently. To be a disciple of Christ we must be willing to put Him first, above and before all other parts of our lives and it will be hard. We must lose our own lives in order to find true life with Jesus.

Matthew 10:34-39

34“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35“For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

37“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Yeshua did not attend formal schooling or study at seminary. These things may be helpful, but are not necessary and for most of us, not practical. Yeshua studied the scriptures rigorously and with devotion since He was as child. So knowledgeable was He, that when He was twelve, He was amazing the scholars and teachers of the law.

Luke 2:46-47

46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

If you are coming to know Yeshua later in life, do not worry. Use the time our Father has given you and get started studying (not just reading) the Bible consistently today. He will reveal much to a devoted disciple through His word. Yeshua’s disciples certainly did not start studying scripture as children but God used them in a mighty way!

Yeshua had a powerful prayer life. Communicating with the Father to receive instruction through prayer is essential to live as an effective disciple. Yeshua did not pray when convenient… when He had time. Yeshua stayed up late and got up early. Consistent prayer is essential to staying submitted to the Father’s will rather than our own. To study more about Yeshua’s prayer life, I recommend reading Experiencing Prayer with Jesus, by Henry and Norman Blackaby.

When it was time for His public ministry to begin, Yeshua found a small set of disciples, or followers. He had an inner circle in which He invested much time (Peter, James, John) and He had a wider group, but still small, that included all twelve disciples. He invested much time in the twelve, but not as much as He invested in the closer circle of three. Yeshua also taught the masses who sought to hear God’s word. He never turned away those who were genuinely seeking the word of God.

We must recognize that Yeshua forced no one to be a disciple or to listen to His message. Instead He choose people as disciples who came enthusiastically and willingly. They were eager to learn and they were not rebelling against Yah, insisting on clutching onto their traditions or their personal lives before meeting Yeshua. They were willing to put Yeshua as a priority above all other things. They left much behind of what they knew to follow Him. Others whom he invited, such as the rich young ruler introduced in Matthew 19:16, could not put him first and thus chose not to follow him.

Yeshua made time for people and demonstrated compassion, but also remained focused on going about doing God’s work. He dealt with mockers appropriately so as not to let them distract Him from getting to those who wanted to hear. Yeshua would reply to those trying to trick Him, but only to provide a teachable moment and an opportunity for them to hear truth and repent, and then He would move on.

In three years He created a team of disciples who could go out and teach others. This is what disciple means… Yeshua does not call us to just remain a “baby” in the faith, needing constant care and feeding. Rather He calls us to be disciples who can learn and teach others to learn. Those others then teach more and there is a multiplying effect that has dramatically impacted the world over the last two thousand years… starting from the humble beginnings of a poor carpenter who taught truth and stood up against the established teachers and scholars of the time and against centuries of traditions of men which were put above the commands of God.

We will briefly comment regarding Moses, Elijah, and Paul but of course you can study and learn more about them by reading the scriptures.

Moses trained judges to be prepared to help meet the needs of the people in order to properly lead such a large number of people. [Exodus 18:17-26]

Elijah invested time to disciple Elisha, who became his successor. [1Kings 19:19-21]

Paul managed his disciples over a wider geography, across many different cities and regions. He taught to crowds, big and small, on his missionary journeys. However, he clearly had a close circle of disciples with whom he traveled and invested significant time and a wider circle of individuals whom he discipled through occasional visits and more frequently through correspondence (e.g. letters).

So… what do we learn from Yeshua and some significant servants of Yahweh? What is a practical way to begin?

We must all begin with study of the scripture and prayer. We must develop a strong personal relationship with the Father. Do not get in a hurry to be the teacher. Yeshua did not start discipling others immediately, he studied from time of child and started with disciples at 30 years old. His disciples spent three years under His instruction and care before going out to disciple others on their own. They maintained a support structure often going out in pairs and coming back to consult with one another.

Most of us need to identify resources and techniques for studying scripture, and possibly find a teacher or disciple who is further on the journey than we are to help lead the way and answer questions. We must learn to feed ourselves with Yah’s help, still listening to the wise, but testing all they teach against scripture.

When you are ready, start seeking those you can invest time and relationship in to come together to study Yah’s word with commitment and devotion. Seek your disciples, without giving up or forsaking your relationship with your teacher or with the Father. Keep feeding yourself and continue on the journey to know, love, and serve Yahweh or you will not be effective in leading others. Even if you do not feel comfortable guiding a Bible study on your own, set up a Bible study anyway. You can use material from our ministry or from other teachers who have already prepared and shared the message of God’s word. Just remember to test everything against the whole of scripture using your own discernment and prayer… as even good teachers have some doctrine incorrect… and some of it quite significant.

After a time, do not rush it, and staying connected to the disciples you study with… each of you perhaps in pairs can also set up separate small groups to disciple others. Invest in more than just Bible study, but in life activities and support one another. Do not tolerate among your disciples those who would tempt you to sloth or to disregard and rebel against God’s word by rationalizing sin or worldly culture as acceptable. Do not tolerate among your close disciples those that refuse to submit to Yahweh and repent of their sin, clinging to their sin nature and refusing to change behaviors to honor God. Follow Jesus’ instructions found in Matthew 18:15-17.

15“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Listen, also, to your fellow disciples when they point out to you your sin… for the wise listen to good advice with thanksgiving and become wiser. A fool despises correction.

Stay focused. Consider writing down a plan for your personal discipleship both as a learner and as a teacher. Review periodically, perhaps a few times a year, to evaluate your progress and commitment to this mission. Pray for our Father’s help frequently… “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Please reach out to us with questions through our Contact Us page. Our intent is to teach you and support you in becoming a disciple, not just to give you a word from the scriptures daily… though that is a great start.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in Your word with wisdom and courage. Help me to develop the passion to pursue the truth and depth of Your word. Give me a humble heart so that I may learn from others, even as I become more mature spiritually. Help also prepare me to lead others and to go forth and make disciples. To You be all the glory and honor. Amen. 

Shalom

Teaching by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Baptism, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Share the Good News, Submitted / Servant

The Great Commission – Make Disciples Of All The Nations

This is an important core teaching, so please take some extra time to read through it as it is a bit longer than perhaps an average post. It is worth it. Pray for the LORD to speak to you and guide you as you reflect on the message.

Yahweh came down to live among us in the person of Yeshua (Hebrew name of Jesus). Both fully man and fully God, He demonstrated a perfect sinless life of devotion and submission to the Father. He set a perfect example for us to learn from and replicate. Then Yeshua fulfilled the purpose for which He came through His suffering, death, and resurrection… providing a path for those of us who accept Him as Lord to be reconciled with our Father regarding the punishment of our sins.

After His resurrection, Yeshua gave a clear command to His disciples regarding what He wanted them to do. We should study this command and obey it as well. It not only applies to the disciples who walked with Yeshua during His earthly ministry, but to all who truly submit to Yeshua as Messiah and therefore commit to do His work and obey His will and honor His kingdom. The command may not be easy to follow, but neither was dying on the cross easy. Yeshua’s command should be very important to each of us that declare Him “Lord”.

Matthew 28:16-20

16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Those of us who serve Christ have our marching orders, a mission if you will. Yeshua did not say… “Live comfortably and according to your own desires. When you feel like it and when it is convenient and easy, please consider telling others about me.” Not at all. Quite the opposite. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all the world! Do not think that this was easy for the disciples either, but rather it was a challenging task. Let’s examine the command a little more closely as we begin.

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

This statement clearly confirms to us that Yeshua has the full authority to speak for God. Yeshua’s tone is different now from earlier in His earthly ministry when He consistently said He could do only His Father’s will. He absolutely has authority over us and to refuse to obey His command is to rebel. You either obey or rebel. There is no “comfortable” middle ground where we sort of obey, but not fully.

But what is He asking us to do when He says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

“Go”

“Go” certainly seems clear. It is an action very different from “wait”. We should take action to fulfill the request, not wait for people to come to us and ask about Yeshua.

“therefore”

“Therefore” refers to the sentence preceding… because Yeshua has all authority, He has authority over us and He is commanding us to perform this mission. We either obey or rebel. There is no comfortable and convenient middle ground.

“…and make disciples…”

To make “disciples” is to make “learners”, people who can learn about Yahweh and then, once ready, teach others. We are not commanded to make “converts”, who accept Yeshua, but then require constant care and feeding (spiritually) from a pastor or other members of the body of Christ. We are to first lead them to conversion and then prepare the new followers of Christ to be able to “feed” themselves, growing in their relationship with the Lord for the rest of their lives. This obviously implies that we, too, must learn first how to feed ourselves and become mature disciples of Yeshua, seeking and submitting to the Father and obeying His word while constantly learning to know Him more intimately.

“…of all the nations…”

Of whom are we to make disciples? Just those like us? Just those nearby or just those far away? No. We are to make disciples of “all the nations”. To accomplish this we will clearly have to work together as the body of Christ, united in one mission… one purpose… each using the gifts and abilities Yahweh has given us to fulfill this great commission. Everyone must participate; no one can sit on the sidelines just watching and letting others complete the mission. Notice He does not command us to make disciples of all the people… as many will reject Him and we can not force someone to accept Yeshua. But we are to bring the message around the world so all can hear the good news of the gospel.

“…baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”

Baptism is important because it represents a public proclamation of submission to our Creator. Yeshua commands us to publicly acknowledge Him before others. There is no such thing as a private or secret faith. Such faith is not faith at all. Many ask if the name of Yahweh matters… YES, the name matters. God revealed through Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is very different than other false gods and false representations of God. God revealed through Father, Son, ands Holy Spirit is, by definition, different than even the incorrect Jewish belief that worships the God of the Old Testament (which is correct), but rejects Yeshua as God (incorrect). All religions are not equal. Only one is correct. This is not opinion. They contradict one another. Those who accept Yeshua will have eternal life with Yahweh, those who follow other gods will be separated from Him for eternity in hell… as a result of their own choice to reject Him. If this is a hard teaching and you want to reject it, your argument is not with me, but with our Father, Himself.

“…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…”

How can we teach others if we do not first learn ourselves? We must study and seek Yahweh consistently and for a lifetime. Do not only read the Bible in a year. Read it over and over for a lifetime. Focus on understanding and applying rather than just reading a target number of pages in an arbitrary timeline such as a year. Reading scripture was not helpful to the Pharisees and religious leaders as they were not truly applying it correctly. They read it, and memorized it, but did not fully understand and apply it correctly. Truly there was more rejoicing in heaven for the sinners who repented and sought forgiveness in Yeshua, despite not knowing the scriptures well, than for all the “learned” and “well read” scholars that refused to submit to Yahweh. That said, when we submit to Yeshua, we must take on the serious work of reading scripture and understanding it and applying it in our lives.

Note also that Yeshua commands us to obey and teach others to obey “all that I commanded you”. All means all. Those truly submitted to Christ do not get to pick and choose which of His teachings they want to follow and which they reject because they do not like them or understand them or because they are unpopular. Righteousness is unpopular. So is holiness. So was Yeshua. Seek to please the Father rather than men. Obey and teach all that Yeshua commanded.

Just for clarity, this includes observing the laws given by Yahweh through Moses in the Torah, or first 5 books of the Bible, to the extent they have not been fulfilled by Yeshua. (We should be careful in studying what has been fulfilled and what has not. Yeshua clearly states he did not come to abolish the law.)

Matthew 5:17-19

17“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The earthly ministry of Yeshua did not change right and wrong so as to lead us away from following Yahweh’s law or “set us free” from Yahweh’s law. Rather Yeshua constantly lived the example of honoring the law including things like honoring Sabbath and celebrating Passover, which have been incorrectly tossed aside by mainstream Christianity today. For more on this subject, read our teaching on Understanding The Law – What Does It Mean For Us Today?

“… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

It is amazing and at times overwhelming how much significance is contained inside this command from Yeshua, commonly called the Great Commission. To obey such a command may seem a daunting or intimidating task. So, too, it must have seemed to the disciples when Yeshua first commanded them. That is why He finishes by assuring them that He will be with them throughout this mission and beyond.

We now have the benefit of seeing the successes and failures of God’s people in living out the Great Commission 2000 years later. While individuals and groups of people often fail, God has none the less used many courageous servants to spread the good news of the gospel across the world. (For more on the gospel, read our teaching The Message Of The Cross – Salvation.)

But there is much more work to be done. The mission is not complete. Now it is our turn!

How do we begin such a task? Study and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Likewise, we can study how others, like Paul or Moses or Elijah practiced discipleship to share God’s word. We explore this in more detail in our teaching, The Great Commission – Personal Discipleship Plan.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father help draw me near to You and open my eyes to Your wonderful ways. Let me not live for men or for myself, but rather for You. Help show me how to live out the great commission consistent with Your calling for me. Amen. 

Shalom

Teaching by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Sin

Under the Law or Under Grace, God’s Standard for What Is Right and Wrong Is the Same

I hear Christians often declare that we do not need to follow the law of God anymore, because “we are covered by grace through Jesus Christ”. It is true we are covered by grace through Christ, but that is not an invitation to disregard His life example and His teaching and just keep sinning or living in a way that is inconsistent with the law which He followed.  If we do this, how can we claim to be His disciples?

Truly for those who prayerfully reflect this becomes clear. Imagine a father who loves and forgives his children. Does this mean that the children are right to ignore whatever rules or instructions he provides that they do not like? Of course not. Will not the father measure out consequences for the children to address their unrepentant rebellion by refusing to obey instructions?  Further, some instructions are there for the children’s benefit. If the children refuse to obey, will they not suffer the natural consequences of their decision? If a child disobeys his father and plays in the busy street, will he not risk getting run over by a car and hurt?

We are not under the judgment of the law, which is that punishment for sin is death. Instead, we are under grace through faith in Yeshua. We can be reconciled to the Father and forgiven of our sin. We need not be slaves to sin as we can now be set free from bondage to sin. But none of this means we should disregard the teaching of the law of God as our guide to how we are to live.

Would it surprise you that Paul even specifically addressed this in scripture… and clearly? He did.

Romans 6

Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God

      1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7for he who has died is freed from sin.

      8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

      12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

      15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

      20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We need not remain slaves to sin when we submit to Jesus Christ as Lord. We are set free from sin and are called now to righteousness… living according to Yahweh’s word and Yeshua’s example.

You serve whom you obey. Ask yourself, and measure the answer by evaluating your actions rather than your intentions …“Do I obey sin or righteousness?” Pray for Yahweh to help you turn from sin completely… to be set free from it… and instead follow Jesus Christ in the ways of righteousness according to Yahweh’s instructions.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for setting us free from bondage to sin. Help Your people to have discernment to live out their lives according to Your instruction in the scriptures and according to the example of Yeshua, who was judged perfect by the standard of Your law for us. Let us not use grace as an excuse to sin or redefine how we are to live. Open our eyes to the wonderful ways of Your law. Let the Spirit guide us consistent with Your word. Amen. 

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Merciful, Righteous, Sin

One Act of Righteousness

It is sometimes hard for me to fully understand how sin entered the world through one man in Adam. I wrestle with understanding why the rest of us would suffer sin and death as a result of Adam’s mistake. On the other hand, I conclude quickly that all of us are just as imperfect as Adam and would ultimately make a similar if not the same mistake that he did. In fact, we all make mistakes and rebel against God even today.

While I humbly admit I do not have all the answers, I know the one who does, and we can trust our heavenly Father.  He loves us and demonstrates mercy by sparing us punishment for our sin and grace by providing a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sin on our behalf.  Yeshua lived a perfect and righteous life as both God and man and then died for our sins. His act of righteousness was sufficient for all of our justification, being forgiven and reconciled with God for our transgressions.

Romans 5:12-21

    12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

      15But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

      18So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I previously had a chance to dialog with a man who felt he had done too many bad things to be forgiven. He had served in the military and done things which he clearly regrets. People died at his hands in ways he wishes he could forget. He was convinced not even God could forgive him. I had the opportunity to share with him the grace and forgiveness of God through Christ. There is no transgression or sin too great to be forgiven when we humble ourselves, admit our wrong, ask forgiveness, and turn away from our sin to do things God’s way. I hope and pray that I was able to help that man to start to understand and accept the forgiveness available to him. I challenge each of you to take time to reflect on the sins and mistakes you have made in your life. Consider with thanks and praise… and humility… how gracious our Father is that we can all be forgiven.

I invite You to pray with me:

Father, thank You for offering reconciliation and forgiveness as a gift through Yeshua. Please help me to humbly accept that gift and change my life to be more like His example. Show me where there is sin in my life or misunderstanding of Your word so that I may increase in wisdom and obedience to You. Teach me Your ways and how to walk with You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Sin, Study the Word

Sin Exists Without the Law, But It Is Harder to Identify

Many Christians today are taught incorrectly that God’s commands are a burden and we have been “set free” of the law by the death of Christ. This concept is definitively false. Jesus Christ was the living embodiment of the word of God. He is the word come to life to dwell among us.

John 1:14-15

      14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”

How can it make sense that the word became flesh to free us from the word? Jesus lived according to all of God’s commandments and instructions and we, as His disciples, should do likewise. He clearly taught that the law, instructions of God, were not to be done away with because of Him.

Matthew 5:17-19

   17“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The law is very important. It sets a framework that helps identify what sin is so that we can turn from it and follow God more effectively. Sin existed before God brought the law through Moses and the law did not eliminate sin. The law allows us to better distinguish man’s ways from God’s ways. The law reveals to us sin so that we can turn away from it.

Romans 5:12-14

      12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Paul makes an important point in these verses. Being without the law does not change what is and is not sin. It simply is not called out clearly as sin because there is no law to point to what is right or wrong. Similarly, if we as Christians say the law is no longer valid, we do not change the nature of sin but rather only conceal and make less clear what is sin and what is righteousness.

Some will claim the law is invalid and has changed because it is now written on our hearts. That does not really make sense. If I have a law in a ledger written down and I commit it to memorization or write it down in a computer document, have I changed the law? No. I just rewrote the same requirements somewhere else. The written law is still quite relevant and helpful. Paul speaks further about what this means in Romans 2.

 12For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

The emphasis in bold above is mine. Note the focus from Paul’s perspective. To have the law written on your heart means you do what the law says even without having a written copy of the law taught to you. It does not mean you change the law and act differently.

I grew up in a church that taught the false doctrine that the law of God was just for the past before the death of Jesus. It was not until much later that I came to better understand the will of our heavenly Father. I have found much joy in studying, understanding, and following what He calls us to do. It is not easy, in particular because so many Christians have a false understanding that the law is no longer relevant. What is really intriguing, is that much of what Christians believe is from the law, but they say the law is obsolete. However, obeying the full instructions of God provides a wonderful structure to guide us through life the way He intends.

It is important to actually read the Bible personally and not just read books written by others, though that can be a helpful supplement. Challenge yourself to apply God’s instruction in your own life and share it with others.

Read more: Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today? 

I invite you to take a few minutes right now. Prayerfully ask God to reveal to you the truth of His word and study daily.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Salvation

Would You Die for Someone Who Rejects You?

As a father and a husband, I consider at times if I am prepared to die for my wife or children. I love them, and I believe I am ready… with God’s help. Of course, I would prefer to avoid having to give up myself or my family.  It is much harder to extend the same love to others for whom my love is not so great. To imagine giving up my life for someone who is my enemy is more difficult. If it is my child or close family member, who is rebelling against me, but whom I still love, then perhaps it is a bit easier to visualize. It is love that makes the difference!

That is precisely what God has done for us. He loves us, even though we were sinners and rejecting Him. Yeshua died for each of us!   He gave His life to suffer and die, and then rise again, so we could be forgiven. He demonstrated this love toward us while we were yet sinners, in rebellion to God. What an amazing God we serve!

Romans 5:6-11

 6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Praise God that He came in the person of Jesus Christ to save us sinners! If He would do that for us while we were yet sinners, than surely those of us who truly submit to Him and follow Him will be saved from His wrath and reconciled to Him.

Take time to give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father for His love and grace to make a way for us to be forgiven, despite our faults and mistakes. What a glorious Father!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for making a way for me to be reconciled to You even before I was submitted to You! Thank You for Your love for each of us as Your children. Help us to be grateful and not take it for granted. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Peace / Rest, Suffering / Adversity

Can We Truly Have Peace and Rejoice During Difficulties?

How many of us naturally maintain a peaceful attitude even in difficult times? Some of us, some of the time? How many of us actually rejoice in our tribulations? Anyone… anyone? Not many, I suppose. However, this is precisely what Paul tells us about living a life submitted to Yeshua. What an amazing statement!

Yeshua is the only way to the Father. We come to know the Father through Yeshua and we can be reconciled with the Father by accepting Yeshua as Lord, asking forgiveness and repenting from our wrong ways. Yeshua was without sin and took our punishment. He died on the cross and rose from the dead. Because of His sacrifice, we can be forgiven and live in right relationship with our heavenly Father. A healthy relationship with our Father powerfully transforms our lives, if we embrace it.

In part, our peace comes through justification by faith. We don’t have to earn forgiveness from our sin by living to some perfect standard, constantly striving for perfection. We should still do our best to obey God, because we love Him!

Romans 5:1-5

      1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Since submitting my life to Yeshua and making Him lord of my life I have certainly felt the Holy Spirit lead me to become better and better at living in peace regardless of circumstances. I still have a way to go. Sometimes I still allow circumstances to deflate my peace. I am definitely not yet exulting in my tribulations yet, but I am less frustrated by them.

Paul’s attitude is inspiring considering the truly difficult things he faced for his faith in Yeshua… beatings, jail, whipping, shipwrecks, stoning, and on and on. He points out how our heavenly Father can even use bad circumstances to help us get better and better at honoring and glorifying Him no matter what the circumstances we find ourselves in.

I encourage each of you to join me in prayer asking our Father to help us as disciples of Yeshua to rejoice even in tribulation, recognizing how He can use those circumstances to build our character and strengthen our hope in Him.

Father, thank You for Your written word to lead and guide us. Thank You for justification by grace that we don’t have to try to achieve it ourselves through our actions. Please forgive our sin. Help us to have peace consistently and to rejoice in our tribulation as it helps grow our character to become more like You want us to be. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.