Week Two
What is the Gospel of Peace? Genesis
Week Two: Our Quest Begins - Part Two
Content of this week’s study:
Day One: Is My Testimony Enough?
Day Two: Why we need to Learn Yeshua’s Story
Day Three: New vs. Renew
Day Four: Conviction vs.Condemnation
Day Five: What is Sin?
Day Six: The Name of God
Day One: Is My Testimony Enough?
Just share my testimony? I have done it so many times. I mean, it was really all I knew well enough to share - and to defend against someone who wanted to debate the details.
Surely you have fallen back on your own story too because, like me, you knew you could not articulate with true surety what scripture says in a clear, meaningful and convicting way.
Perhaps at some time in the past you also, again-just like me, asked church leadership for a deep and concise explanation of the gospel so you could know what and how you were supposed to share. Maybe you asked for answers to questions and "discrepancies" where things didn't quite line up, but, like me, you were given answers which just led to still more confusion, so you figured it was a personal problem; after all, the person who gave the answer surely knew more than you. Maybe they went to seminary! Just look at the way they flip through that Bible - pulling up pages; not to mention the way they can quote chapter and verse. Impressive!
Let's just get this out of the way right now, it is really not about knowing chapter and verse. Some of the people who have taught me the most have trouble remembering the references (which were added later by the way). I assure you, however, that it is some of those very folks who have been able to make the Bible clear and real to me.
It is also not about sharing our journey to faith. Oh, you can share that if you want, but it wont cause modern man to want to join you on this journey.
Anyone who has tried to share their own testimony within the past twenty years has heard something like this in response; "I'm so happy for you. I'm glad you found something that works for you and makes you feel fulfilled, but I am not ready (or sometimes; 'I am working out my own path')".
First we must understand the path most modern people are on or looking for; including many in the church. Take a look at the people around you. Ask yourself, what are their priorities and what are they focused on?
Chances are that you are well acquainted with someone who is addicted to illegal drugs, and if you have any acquaintances at all I can guarantee you know at least two people who are secretly addicted to prescription medications - which may or may not have been prescribed for them by a healthcare professional. You probably have several friends who are addicted to pornography and there are most likely a few who frequent various places like strip and/or sex clubs. How many people of your acquaintance are addicted to shopping, and how many spend a lot of their income on designer clothes or online shopping?
Perhaps you fall into one of these or a similar category yourself; if so, I want you to know I am not condemning you. This is not about attempting to adjudicate anyone's sins; not even my own. I am not God. I can't condemn anyone; not even myself.
We all have issues. This fallen age is a struggle for us all, yet we are supposed to be learning to obey God and overcoming our obsession with gratification, and then we're supposed to share that "straight and narrow path" which Yeshua spoke about in Matthew 17:13, 14 --- with others who are tired of feeling lost and coping with constant uncertainty.
*Yes, the root problem that most often trips us up in our walk with the Lord is obsession with gratification. This condition manifests in many different forms and is the primary reason so many people don't want to follow Yeshua; because they, and often even "we", would rather just spend our time trying to give ourselves pleasure, in what ever ways we find most stimulating.
The kind of happiness we can achieve by indulging our mania for gratification, however, is an empty shell which quickly dissipates; leaving us frantically searching for the "sweet comfort" it promised to grant us if we would only drop our better judgement and indulge ourselves.
John 15:10, 11 [vs. 11, 12 in some Bibles] CJB
If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love — just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love. 11 I have said this to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy be complete.
I am re-adding the statement from above where I quoted a comment which I said everyone who has tried to share their own testimony has heard. Please fill in my missing word and then make an entry in your journal about what that word means and how it might apply here. You can use any resources you have to glean a meaningful definition .
Statement:
"I'm so happy for you. I'm glad it works for you and makes you feel ______________."
Q) Do you think the words "joy" from our scripture [John 15:10 -11] and "fulfilled" (from the statement above) relate, how?
In the Strong's:
Joy 5479G chara, khar-ah; calm delight... from 5463G khah-ee-ro; (Primary verb) to be cheerful, calmly happy or well off...especially used as salutation or greeting (on meeting or parting), be well: --- farewell... God speed...
X___________________________________________________.
The salutation which is the (PR) of the Greek word translated as joy is "Shalom" in Hebrew. Shalom is a very common greeting in Jewish communities. The word "Shalom" means - the covenantial peace we spoke of in our day six study last week. Re-read John 15:10 again substituting Shalom (covenantial peace) for joy.
Romans 15:13 CJB
May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh *[God's Spirit] you may overflow with hope.
Journaling:
Write your thoughts about this statement.
*We need to learn to walk in covenant to gain Yeshua's covenential shalom, and it is also the shalom which comes from walking in covenant which will cause many of the people we know to want to make this journey with us; even in this modern, hedonistic age.
Kingdom Principle Three: God is ready
1 Peter 4:7(a) CJB
The accomplishing of the goal of all things is close at hand.
Matthew 3:2 CJB
2 “Turn from your sins to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!” (at hand in KJV)
"At hand" is an idiom which means ready, near or here...
Have you ever wondered what Yeshua's proclamation "The Kingdom of Heaven is at-hand" meant to His Jewish audience?
Yeshua was saying the Kingdom was ready then, but doesn't prophecy tell us there is a set time for God's kingdom?
It is a template, actually, which is revealed in the beginning of Genesis i.e. God created the world and everything in it in six days, and God "rested" on the seventh day. This understanding is well known in Christian, Jewish and Messianic circles. The six days of creation represent mankind's time to rule. The seventh day, Shabbat [Sabbath] represents Messiah's [Yeshua] reign.
This scripture is also considered a template.
2 Peter 3:8 CJB
Moreover, dear friends, do not ignore this: with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day
There seems to be a mystery being hinted at here in 2 Peter 3:8; that there is some connection between one day and a thousand years. So, if we apply this template to the first template (creation week), each day of creation would represent one thousand years of the time God granted mankind rulership over God's creation, and the Shabbat represents Messiah's millennial reign.
According to the Jewish [God's] calendar, we are now in the sixth day, i.e. the sixth millennium from creation. This would mean that the year 2022 is some 218 years from the return of Messiah.What scripture makes clear, however, and what is common knowledge in the Jewish community, is that God's kingdom is ready now. He is just waiting on us to get ourselves ready and share the Kingdom as Yeshua said.
Matthew 24:14 CJB
And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come.
Journaling:
We are told in Matthew 24:14 that we are to take the good news about God's kingdom to the world (means teach, not just to preach). Do you now believe sharing our own testimony will fulfill this mitzvah (commandment)?
Also, write your thoughts on the following statement:
The King is ready, are you? If not or if you're just not sure, ask God for guidance on what you need to do today to continue getting ready.
Day Two: Why we need to Learn Yeshua’s Story
Note: today's lesson is not intended to, nor could it possibly, provide even a brief synopsis of the gospel. Our focus today is to
further explore the understanding of what we are to share that will more effectively reveal to people 1) a glimpse of God as the creator and king 2) who we are to God, 3) why we need Yeshua's sacrifice and 4) what it actually means to follow Him.
Picking up from yesterday's study, if you have attempted to share your testimony recently, you may have (probably) heard something like this in return, “I’m not hurting anyone else, so I’m OK”. How do you explain the urgency of our situation to someone who thinks sin is simply about hurting others?
If you were a non-believer, having “fun”, spending most of your time indulging yourself in worldly pleasures, but being nice, friendly and trying to be a good, helpful person, and one day I came to you and said that “sin has separated you from your creator who loves you, and your own sin is keeping you from building a true relationship with God”; I'm guessing that you would be most inclined to reject what I say as crazy, after-all, you are trying to be a “good person”, and you believe you are - at least compared to all the ax murderers, rapists, thieves and haters in the world.
In today’s world, so heavily influenced by Eastern mysticism; which teaches that "all roads lead to god"; if I simply told you there is only one way to overcome our fallen-ness and come back into a relationship with God; you would surely brush me and my God off as unworthy and continue on with your own god who fits your own idea of what a god should be.
If I then said that “Yeshua, who is God, came in human flesh to die on a cross at the hands of the Roman Governor; at the behest of ancient Jewish religious leaders and that Yeshua did this of His own free will; as an act of mercy to pay for our sins - though you may, now, see my faith as heartwarming and meaningful, you would still probably reject my message. The truth is that most people do reject this message today.
In modern Western society, most people, even in the church, reject the notion that what they are involved in is sin, and they don’t want to be told that it is - or what the end result of their choices will be. The reason is primarily because the church itself has created a whole culture of confusion regarding sin, forgiveness and redemption. There is a chasm of unanswered questions in the minds of most church goers about what actually constitutes a sin, how harshly or passively God views sin and how we are supposed to “live for God”.
Over the past several years of intensifying my commitment to learning God’s Besorah [gospel = good news], I have realized the problem has come about as a result of relegating the Tanakh [Old Testament] and the instructions “from God” which it contains - to the past and, taking the Brit Hadasha [New Testament] as a stand -alone document; which is something that, as many of us are now realizing as a result of deeper study, was never its purpose.
Having said all this; I will tell you that, as a result of my own studies and research, I now believe the only way to be effective at either living in or sharing the gospel [Yeshua’s testimony], is to learn the gospel - the whole gospel for ourselves; not simply regurgitating what we've been told or heard (that's what I did for most of my life).
Although people will still have the right to choose, and many will still choose to go their own way; the effective ministry is prepared to explain to hurting, broken people that accepting God as our king and learning how to live in covenant with Him is able to bring victory over addictions, feelings of desperateness, worthlessness, loneliness and hopelessness.
Before any of this can happen, however, we ourselves must learn what God's standards and expectations are and make the commitment to learning to hear, revere and obey His statutes and decrees.
In a nutshell, the only way for any of us to be effective ambassadors of the kingdom is if we commit to learn and follow Yeshua's example of reverence, obedience, observance and servitude.
Though it is not easy to actually follow Yeshua's example, allow me to assure you, it is not as difficult as we tend to imagine.
Kingdom Principle Four - "Be ready to teach":
2 Timothy 4:2 (CJB)
2 proclaim the Word! Be on hand with it whether the time seems right or not. Convict, censure and exhort with unfailing patience and with teaching.
We touched on this principle briefly last week as part of our "Kingdom Principles" study titled "Go". We will consider similar questions from time to time, but it is so important that we establish the roots of this understanding here at the beginning of our study.
It seems intimidating; the thought of needing to instruct others. You may well be cringing at the thought; feeling ill-equipped and self-conscious. I assure you, I know!
To help ease your possible anxiety, allow me to make clear that God does not require us to answer that which we do not yet know. Though we are supposed to be continuously laboring to learn and adapt (as we are in our studies); you are where God has you right now at this time. All He asks of us is that we be devoted, eager to continue learning and share what we know.
Beyond our own level of understanding God has raised up an army of people who have, and are, dedicating their lives and resources to uncover God's truth which has been concealed and distorted for generations.
I work hard to link good, reliable, readily available information (on commonly used, secure sites) to make it a bit easier to become familiar with and contemplate a wide array of research from a variety of resources.
For this reason it is really important to follow the links and familiarize ourselves with the people on the cutting edge of research.
Journaling:
Pt. 1) Write your current understanding of what constitutes a sin.
Pt. 2) The video at the link below is a long one, and I don't feel I can shorten it as I usually do. I know it is a dedication of your time, but I cannot imagine a better investment. This teaching clarifies an issue which is so vital for us to understand moving forward that I do not believe we can fully comprehend the events which are documented in the Brit Hadashah [the New Testiment] until we grasp this key.
Do yourself a favor, grab some snacks, get settled in a comfy place and watch this video. If it helps, watch the second half for tomorrow's journaling exercise. Maggie
Link - Youtube video- Pastor Jim Staley - Identity Crisis
Day Three: New vs. Renew
Is it really a “New” Covenant Yeshua established? You decide:
Matthew 26:28 (CJV)
28 For this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven.
Word Definition-Ratify:
“Sign or give formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.” [Definition from the Oxford Living Dictionary – on line (if interested, see link below)]
- Link - Word Definition - Oxford Dictionary on line – “Ratify”: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ratify
New
The word translated as “New” [Covenant] in the above scripture [Matthew 26:28] is a Greek word.
In the Strong’s:
New 2537G kainŏs, kahee-nos´; (of uncertain affiliation); new (especially- in freshness); *[from here, the Strong’s definition compares (as an opposing view) this word to another (3501G which is more associated with "young age")].
X___________________________________________________.
To add to the above Strong's definition; we now know that the book of Matthew was originally written in Hebrew. Compare Matthew 26:28 with the following reference from Jeremiah and consider the meaning of this Hebrew word translated as "new" (below).
Jeremiah 31:30 (CJB) (vs. 31 in some Bibles)
30 “Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Y’hudah [Judah].
*Although the Covenant discussed in Jeremiah is clearly not what Yeshua did on the cross because Jeremiah’s prophecy has not happened yet (we’ll try to discuss that in the future). The word interpreted as “New” in Jeremiah is, however, presumably, the same “Hebrew” word Matthew used in chapter 26:28 of his testimony.
From the Strong’s:
“New” in the Hebrew text
New 2319H --- comes from a primary root word 2318H châdash, khaw-dash´; (PR); to be new; causatively- to rebuild: --- renew, repair.
X___________________________________________________.
Note: Yeshua said His blood would ratify [sign] the (new or renewed) covenant. The video we watched as our journaling assignment yesterday gives an explanation for why Yeshua’s signature was needed on the covenant; which God had already signed with the descendants of Jacob who God renaimed "Israel".
The following verses are from the prophecy of Zechariah [the father of “John the Baptist”]: which is found in Luke 1
Luke 1:72,73(CJV)
72 “This has happened so that he might show the mercy promised to our fathers — that he would remember “his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore before Avraham avinu *[Abraham]"
Zechariah relates the events surrounding Yeshua’s birth [his prophecy is more about Yeshua than his own son, John] to the promises God made as part of His Covenant with the patriarch Abraham. Therefore, Zechariah’s words in vs. 72 evidence God’s plan to bring, not a new covenant, but to fulfill His original promises which He made to Abraham.
More evidence of a “renewed” Covenant:
*having spent the better part of the day studying the following scripture; including spending much time looking up the meaning of the words in the Strong’s; I will tell you, I believe the following is the clearest translation of these verses I have found in English.
Matthew 5:17-19 (The Voice)
17 Do not think that I have come to overturn or do away with the law or the words of our prophets. To the contrary: I have not come to overturn them but to fulfill them. 18 This, beloved, is the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not one pen stroke, will disappear from the sacred law—for everything, everything in the sacred law will be fulfilled and accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks even the smallest, most obscure commandment—not to mention teaches others to do the same—will be called small and obscure in the kingdom of heaven. Those who practice the law and teach others how to live the law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
In the Strong’s:
The Greek word which is translated “fulfill” in vs. 17 above:
Fulfill 4137G plērǒō, play-rŏ´-o; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: - accomplish, x after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
X ___________________________________________________.
Note: Replete means:
- Abundantly supplied; abounding.
- Filled to satiation; gorged.
- Complete.
- Link - Word Def. - American Heritage - "Replete":
https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=replete
Yeshua came to fulfill the promise of what is known in Judaism as "the Suffering Messiah" which is revealed throughout God's law and prophets. The duty of the Suffering Messiah was to remove the curse which comes from breaking our covenant with God --- and to make a way back into the safety of covenant with God for those who had been cut off (divorced).
What we call the “Law” is simply God’s instructions on how we are to conduct our lives in His Kingdom. As Christians we have been taught that Yeshua came to “save us from - God’s law”. I was told that the word "fulfill" in Matthew 5 means that Yeshua lived the law so perfectly that He fulfilled the requirements in the law so that we no longer have to follow - God’s instructions.
I hope you can see how ludicrous this idea is, but let me assure anyone still in doubt, that in Matthew 26:28 Yeshua was speaking with Jews who had no such belief. From antiquity, the Jews understood, from the Gospel, that the Messiah would fulfill God's promise to Abraham to restore Abraham's wayward descendants to covenant with God.
Most Orthodox Jews still reject Yeshua as Messiah today because the church has insisted that He preached a gospel of chaos, disobedience, no consequence and an earthly Messiah who replaced God's eternal statutes and decrees. That is the exact opposite of what Messiah was prophesied to do, and, in fact, the opposite of what Yeshua said He came to do.
Kingdom Principle Five - Obedience:
Of course, we'll see as we journey on through the scriptures in this study, that Yeshua did not come merely to be the “Savior of the World” so we all get a free pass to heaven without even being willing to obey God.
Let’s just cut to the heart of the matter; Yeshua came to re-establish “God’s Kingdom Rules” in the world and to make it possible for those who were cut off to return to walk in covenant with God again.
Journaling:
If you weren't able to finish it yesterday, finish watching this video instead.
Link - Youtube video - Pastor Jim Staley - Identity Crisis
Write a brief description of what you think Yeshua meant in the following verses. Be sure to slow down and consider what's being described according to what we've been learning so far.
Matthew 7:21-23 (CJB)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!
A little encouragement: Though our goal is to unearth a better understanding of long concealed and distorted information about Yeshua; it is going to take some time, so don’t just seek the destination, but be patient and allow yourself to enjoy the journey.
Day Four: Conviction vs. Condemnation
Let's define the difference between conviction and condemnation because we often blur the lines of application between these two principles. As we will see, there is actually a big difference.
Let’s start in the dictionary; My old 1947 Webster’s defines:
1 Convict: as “to prove or find guilty”.
This is the “guilty” verdict which in the divine court room, applies to all mankind as perpetrators of rebellious, lawless deeds; however, though it is often mistaken as such, it is not the prescribed punishment.
Interestingly, the Bible identifies God as a righteous judge who is worthy to condemn mankind for sin; although it also highlights His mercy and provision of grace through Yeshua to overcome the curse which resulted from our lawless choices (i.e. breaking our covenant).
2) Condemn: on the other hand, means -
3, To pronounce a judicial sentence against; to sentence to punishment; to doom. 5, To adjudge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service. 6, To pronounce incurable”.
*May God save us all from such a pronouncement!
In the Strong's:
1) Convict:1651G ĕlĕgchō, el-eng’-kho; “to confute, admonish: --- convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove. Used in James 2:9
James 2:5-9
5 Listen, my dear brothers, hasn’t God chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to receive the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him? 6 But you despise the poor! Aren’t the rich the ones who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name of Him to whom you belong? 8 If you truly attain the goal of Kingdom Torah, in conformity with the passage that says, “Love your neighbor as yourself”, you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, your actions constitute sin, since you are convicted under the Torah as transgressors.
*Note, James is not saying we are "condemned" by the law, but God’s law "convicts” us; or points out our offense to make us aware of our perilous situation and our need to repent (turn back) so God can show us mercy.
2) Condemn: Strong’s shows there are several words interpreted as, “condemn” in the New Testament scriptures. Some do mean primarily the same as convict. We’re going to discuss a few of the others here.
a. 2632G katakrinō, kat-ak-ree’-no; to judge against, i.e. sentence: --- condemn, Damn. Used in Mark 10:33, Luke 11:31+32, John 8:11.
b. 2618G katakaiō, kat-ak-ah’-ee-o; to burn down (to the ground), i.e. consume wholly: --- burn (-up, utterly). Used in Luke 6:37.
c. 2919G krinō, kree’-no; …: --- avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, …, sentence, …. Used as "condemn" in John 3:17.
d. 2631G (this word is actually translated as “condemnation” rather than condemn), katakrima, kat-ak-ree-mah; an adverse sentence (the verdict): --- condemnation. Used in Romans 8:1.
Conviction:
*So, Conviction, it would seem to me, is the pronouncing of our guilt, and In the case of our holy God --- He convicts us (pronounces us guilty) of our wrongs to bring us to repentance.
*We are to gently use conviction to bring people to the point of acknowledging their own offenses against the King in order to highlight the graciousness of Yeshua’s provision of another chance to be in union with the King of the universe.
Condemnation:
Condemnation on the other hand, means the matter is settled. The jury has found you guilty and the judge has pronounced your sentence. You are being sent to prison; or “hell” in the matter of unrepentant, unredeemed mankind.
*Note: I believe this is where many people go astray in understanding our authority. It is not our job to decree someone’s fate or to pronounce someone’s (even our own) fitness or unworthiness to inherit Yeshua and God’s Kingdom.
Yeshua will, one-day, sentence unrepentant people, principalities, powers and forces of darkness to doom, but I would venture to say that if you feel "condemned" now; you have either misunderstood a matter of "conviction"; or you have believed the lie of the enemy --- that he has authority to adjudge against you, and let me assure you ---- he does not!
Acts 17:31 (TLV)
31 For He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, through a Man whom He has appointed. He has brought forth evidence of this to all men, by raising Him from the dead.”
Revelation 20:11-15 (TLV)
11 Then I saw a great white throne, and the One seated on it. The earth and heaven fled from His presence, but no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne. The books were opened, and another book was opened—the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what was written in the books, according to their deeds.
Note: these scriptures describe a future event my friends. Although one-day Yeshua will hand down a judgment for or against each of us, that day has not yet come.
God has not yet judged. Yeshua will do that in the future, but there is still time to heed the conviction we feel, acknowledge our disobedience and lack of reverence; throw ourselves on His great mercy. Turn and follow God’s statutes and decrees today.
There is, likewise, time to learn to communicate these truths to others.
The possible exception:
There does seem to be one situation where there will be immediate "condemnation". In Revelation 13 there is a description of two beasts representing two last days world entities.
*I define these entities as: The “One World” Movement which includes, beast 1, the “One World” government and beast 2, the “One World” religion. Scripture says that these entities will require everyone to take a “mark” on their hand or forehead to identify with the “One World” movement. It seems that if you refuse to take this mark, you will not be able to buy or sell. Also, (most?) people who refuse to align with this movement will be sought out and put to death, see Revelation 13:15 -18.
If you take the mark, however, the Bible says you will be eternally "condemned", see Revelation 14:9-12.
The mark itself is still a mystery but is identified with the number 666.
We'll discuss these issues in our video chat.
Kingdom Principle Four – Hearing God
Although God is the King of the universe; infinite beyond comprehension and eternal; He loves us and all His creation. God sees us, knows us, and if we submit ourselves to Him; He will diligently, firmly and lovingly direct our paths.
God, if we submit and commit ourselves to Him --- speaks “with” us.
It is God’s desire that we learn to recognize His voice (which by the way: is often spoken through other people) and begin to condemn all other voices.
To learn to distinguish whether it is God’s voice “spiritual, personal” that we are hearing, we must first learn His “written, tangible, historical voice; in His word.
The Difference:
A wise leader once told me that when He convicts us,God will typically point out very specific things we’re doing wrong, but the enemy most often uses generalizations. For instance, God will remind you of a lie you told yesterday so you can repent and your wrong can be corrected. The enemy, on the other hand, sneers at you, "you lied, therefore, you are a liar. There is no hope for you anymore."
Do you see the difference? The enemy wants us to think we’re already condemned and give up. God wants us to listen to Him as He corrects us so we can make “teshuvah” (return).
Journaling:
Make an entry in your journal about a condemnation the enemy has tried to deceive you with and note whether clarifying the difference between conviction and condemnation has given you new hope in your relationship with God.
Day Five: What is Sin?
If sinning is a great offense which, without true repentance, results in terrible consequence; and if, as scripture says, God prefers obedience - even over sacrifice; shouldn’t we be learning to define, for ourselves, what constitutes sin - so we can avoid it and learn to obey God?
*When I was a child, about once a week my Mother would tell me to go clean my room, adding, “if it’s not done to my specifications you’ll redo it until it’s done right”. After a few short minutes of aimless wandering, I’d typically get distracted with a toy I was supposed to be “picking up” and start playing. Some time later; I’d emerge from my room claiming the job was done.
Unfortunately for my child-self, my mother never just took my word that I had my room cleaned - to her standards. After cross examining me in a way that would have made dear old Perry Mason proud; she’d stop what she was doing to go evaluate the job I’d done, and, inevitably, when Mom, AKA ‘both judge and jury”, pronounced her verdict, the ruling inevitably had me spending another hour or two “working” on my room.
To be fair to my child self, I sometimes question whether Martha Stewart herself, would have cleaned my room to my mother’s illusive “expectations”, yet, let’s face it, parents have the right to dictate reasonable rules and standards to children living in their house; and, even more important, parents have a responsibility to teach children how to function as responsible adults one day.
As a conclusion to my 😉“sad tale” of “living by my mother’s standards”; when I matured enough to appreciate having my room clean, and when I finally learned how to get in and get the job done --- there was always a reward attached to my successful choices; such as fresh homemade cookies, going to a friend’s house, etc.
The “Big- Deal” of Rules and Expectations:
What is the big deal with imposing rules and standards?
Let me clarify; I’m not asking why we have standards - it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the value of upholding reasonable rules and expectations for a home or a society. I am asking why it seems so hard and limiting to live with the imposition of standards and rules when they are usually established for the common good.
Growing up attending church, we never really discussed what it means for God to have authority over us; oh, people would say “we must follow and obey Jesus” and, in the church where I spent my early childhood we sang hymns, including one called “Trust and Obey”; but how exactly we were to determine, and meet the Father’s “expectations” was, at best, an elusive topic.
*As I have mentioned before, I have become convinced that the questions we have about what constitutes sin and the issues with moral standards in the church today directly result from relegating over half of the Bible, God’s inspired word, to the scrap heap of history.
How can young people today (or adults – for that matter) possibly learn to live their lives in obedience and relationship with God if we are not teaching them that God has standards. Instead, it has long been taught in the church that God did away with His rules, and today, the whole first section of scripture, the Tanakh i.e. the description of God’s rules and basic standards, is said to be a nice bunch of “moral stories” that we “really don’t have to bother ourselves with”.
The unspoken message in this unfortunate teaching --- is that God must have tossed out His “rule book” because He no longer cares if He is left with a Kingdom [house] full of lawless, self-willed, rebellious --- children. This is just not the truth my dear brothers and sisters.
Like a good parent, God will wield His power over us in one way or another. If we are following His rules to the best of our ability, based on our (ever increasing) level of competence and dedication, we will receive the stated reward; but, if we insist on living our own way, ignoring the fact that we live in God’s creation, eat God’s food, enjoy God’s sunshine, how can we doubt that we will face the consequences that are due us as usurpers and thieves?
Please read slowly through the following.
1 John 3:3, 4 (CJB)
3 And everyone who has this hope in him continues purifying himself, since God is pure. 4 Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah.
Q) What constitutes sin?
X ___________________________________________________.
Note: this is the Brit Hadashah [New Testament] which tells us quite clearly that sin is violating God's rules [Torah].
Now, let’s reconsider our question from the first paragraph of our discussion. If sin is failing to obey God’s rules to His standards; doesn’t it seem reasonable to think we need to learn His rules and His standards?
Q) Could you now consider that in His loving kindness [khessed] God has given us clear instructions, based on His challenging yet fair and “achievable” standards to enable us to become successful in inheriting a place in His Kingdom?
X ___________________________________________________.
1 John 5:2(b),3 (CJB)
2(b) [W]hen we love God, we also do what he commands.
3 For loving God means obeying his commands. Moreover, his commands are not burdensome...
Q) God's commands are not what?
X ___________________________________________________.
Journaling:
We are doing something a little different in our journals today. This assignment is a bit more in-depth, so we will wait to do our final Kingdom Principle exercise tomorrow.
As I often do, in the following exercise I have added the definitions from the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Be sure to write your conclusion of what the words translated as sin actually mean --- on the line or in your journal then consider the bigger picture of what it means to sin as is revealed in this exercise.
In the Tanakh [Old Testament]: we find several Primary Root Words (PR) interpreted as Sin.
From the Strong’s:
816H ′aŝhêm, aw-shame; (PR); to be guilty; by implication- to be punished or perish: --- x certainly, be (-come, made) desolate, destroy, x greatly, be (-come, found, hold) guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.
*This is the root word for 817H which is used in Proverbs 14:9, Isaiah 53:10 --- 818H and 819H which is used in Leviticus 4:3, Amos 8:14 all of these mean “the separation from God which is the natural result of our unrepented guilt, fault, trespass, offense”.
X___________________________________________________.
2398H châtâ′, khaw-taw´; (PR); properly- to miss … trespass. Genesis 39:9, 42:22
X___________________________________________________.
5753H ′âvâh, aw-vaw´; (PR); to crook, literally- (as follows): --- do amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity, pervert, (do) perverse (-ly), trouble, x turn, do wickedly, do wrong. Not used; (PR) – only.
X___________________________________________________.
5771 H ′âvōn, aw-vone´; (from 5753H, above); perversity, i.e. (morally) evil: --- fault, iniquity, mischief, … 2 Kings 7:9, Psalm 51:5
X___________________________________________________.
6586H pâsha′, paw-shah´; (PR); … to break *[run] away (from just authority), i.e. trespass, apostatize, quarrel: --- offend, rebel, revolt, transgress (-ion, -or). This is the (PR) of 6588H peh´-shah; a revolt (national, moral or religious): --- rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass. Proverbs 10:19
X___________________________________________________.
7686H shâgâh, shaw-gaw´; (PR); to stray (causatively- mislead), usually- (figuratively) to mistake, especially- (morally) to transgress; by extension- (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, (figuratively) be enraptured: --- (cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander. Leviticus 4:13
X___________________________________________________.
In the Brit Hadasha [New Testament]: the word translated as sin in the Brit Hadasha is, overwhelmingly:
In the Strong’s:
Sin 266G hamartia, ham-ar-tee´-ah; sin (*[used –] proper or abstract): --- offence, sin (-ful), from 264G ham-ar-tan-o; properly- to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize)… perhaps from *[two root words]:
#A 1G which is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. When added as a prefix to a word, this letter often indicates the idea of a (negative particle). This is my paraphrase of the rabbit trail through the root words.
X___________________________________________________.
#B 3313G mĕrŏs, mer´-os; … from an obsolete but more primary [word] - (to get as a section or allotment); a division or share (literally or figuratively- in a wide application): --- behalf, coast, course, craft, particular (-ly), part (-ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some sort (-what).
X___________________________________________________.
You may have your own understanding of what the combination of the above two New Testament [Greek] elements are meant to convey. I do hope you have taken a few moments to consider a possible understanding - so you won’t be automatically, conclusively influenced by the idea I am going to share with you.
*Consider that #B suggests an inheritance or prize, and, when combined with #A [the negative particle] may reveal that in this case sin is, simply, failing to qualify for the inheritance or reward offered.
This idea seems to fit with Paul [Sha’ul’s] words in:
1 Corinthians 9:23 - 25 (CJB)
23 But I do it all because of the rewards promised by the Good News *[Besorah (gospel)], so that I may share in them along with the others who come to trust (faithfulness). 24 Don’t you know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one wins the prize? So then, run to win! 25 Now every athlete in training submits himself to strict discipline, and he does it just to win a laurel wreath that will soon wither away. But we do it to win a crown that will last forever.
Philippians 3:13 -14 (CJB)
13 Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God’s upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua.
2 Timothy 4:7- 8 (CJB)
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 All that awaits me now is the crown of righteousness which the Lord, “the Righteous Judge,” will award to me on that Day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for him to appear.
Day Six: God's Name
Before you start today's study, please see my graphic titled "God's Name" and the associated link in the Images menu on the home page.
Today we are going to discuss an issue regarding the audible utterance of God’s name.
*In the King James and many other translations of the Bible, when you see the word – LORD, written all in caps; it is the representation of the “Tetragrammaton”; the name of God in Hebrew letters.
*Some people refer to the Tetragrammaton by the Hebrew letter names: “yud, hei, vav, hei”.
The following links will give us some food for thought on the issue of using God’s actual name. I’ll leave you to pray and consider whether you agree with the Rabbinic decree that God’s name is too holy to be spoken - outside of scripture study and prayer until Messiah comes and so it is better to refer to Him with a title such as Lord, Adonai or “Hashem” (literally-“the name”); or, if you concur with Nehemiah Gordon that we have Biblical and historical precedence for proclaiming God’s actual name, or- perhaps another opinion.
Whatever your personal conviction, we are all family, and, hopefully, we are all mature and dedicated enough to set our differences aside to respect one-another so we can study together and honor our King by choosing to be united in His love.
Link – Article – Chabad.com – “Why Don’t Jews Say God’s Name?”: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1443443/jewish/Why-Dont-Jews-Say-Gds-Name.htm
Note: Chabad is a sect of Orthodox Judaism with a passion for sharing God's Torah with the nations. I find the studies at Chabad lighthearted though insightful and always interesting. Please know ahead that Chabad does not believe Yeshua is Messiah. If you use the Chabad website please be respectful of their beliefs; after all, we are using their resources not the other way around.
Link – Youtube Video – Nehemiah Gordon with Christine Darg – “Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TN1B1V2-_g
Note: Nehemiah is a Karaite Jew (Karaites consider possible insights in Rabbinic writings, etc. but follow only Torah) and the author of several books (available online). You can also go to his website nehemiahswall.com
Nehemiah also has many videos on Youtube if you’re interested in more information; search for.
Journaling:
Journal your thoughts on the case made by each of the above resources. Write what you believe at this time while achnowledging that the other view could actually be the correct even if it does not seem so to you now.
Kingdom Principle Six: roadmaps
It has long been understood that God laid out a lot of "roadmaps" in scripture; little mysteries and puzzles which work to keep those who truly seek Him clued in to His character, method and plans. We will be examining two interesting examples of this phenomenon next week. Stay tuned my friends.
Our Introduction Phase is Now Complete. Be Strong and Courageous friends!
