By: Eric Turner
In this teaching, we will not be politically correct, we will be BOLD.
What does the Spirit say to the Churches? Why is the Spirit speaking to the Churches? What is the Spirit given to us for anyway? We will start with the first and most dangerous issue, the accusation that Paul teaches against the Law/Torah of YHVH/God, and that “Gentile Believers” do not need to follow it. This was Paul’s statement of Faith when FALSELY accused of profaning the Temple and the accusation against Him by many that he taught against following the Laws of YHVH. He was in the Temple “offering sacrifices” as suggested by James and the elders at the Jerusalem Counsel.
Act 24:12 They never found me debating with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or throughout the city, 13 and they cannot prove to you the charges they are now bringing against me. 14 However, I admit to you that in accordance with the Way, which they call a heresy, I worship the God of our ancestors and believe in everything written in the Law and the Prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish-that there is to be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. 16 Therefore, I always do my best to have a clear conscience in the sight of God and people. 17 After many years I have come back to my people to bring gifts for the poor and to OFFER SACRIFICES. 18 They found me IN THE TEMPLE doing these things just as I HAD COMPLETED THE PURIFICATION CEREMONY, (also known as the Nazarite Vow, Num. 6). No crowd or noisy mob was present.
He was told to do this by the Jerusalem Counsel.
Act 21:17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. 19 And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; AND THEY ARE ALL ZEALOUS FOR THE LAW: 21 and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to FORSAKE MOSES, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. 22 What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that thou art come. 23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them; 24 these take, and PURIFY THYSELF with them, and be at charges for them, that they may SHAVE THEIR HEADS: and all shall know that there is NO TRUTH in the things whereof they have been informed concerning thee; BUT THAT THOU ALSO >>>WALK ORDERLY, KEEPING THE LAW<<<. 25 But as touching the Gentiles that have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring the fulfilment of the days of purification, until THE OFFERING(sacrifice required at the end of the Nazarite Vow as prescribed in Num. 6) was offered for every one of them(Including Paul as we see in Acts 24).
Some will look into a Strong’s Concordance at the Greek word for Sacrifices/Offering used in Acts 24:17 and say that Paul was doing “bloodless offerings”, because the Strong’s actually defines it as such. We will cover the issue of whether the Gentile believers should keep the Law/Torah later in this teaching. The KJV does verse 25 far more justice and accurate translation, and helps us understand what is being said about these mentioned Gentiles.
(KJV) Act 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they OBSERVE NO SUCH THING, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
We see that in the immediate CONTEXT, the subject being spoken of is the Nazarite vow being done by Paul and the 4 others. So, what is being said is that the Gentiles “should OBSERVE no such thing”, meaning, Gentiles should not observe the Nazarite Vow. The Nazarite Vow is a purity ritual that is ONLY to be observed by Israelites, so Gentiles are forbidden to observe it. We will define what a Gentile is, and if once the Gentile observes the Passover, get circumcised of heart and flesh, and have all the males in our homes circumcised of heart and flesh, they are NO LONGER GENTILES, but Grafted in to the Olive Tree of Israel later, that is not the intent of this teaching. for more info on these subjects, please watch the teaching at 119 Ministries ” Grafted In”, http://119ministries.com/circumcision-the-eternal-sign-part-1, “Circumcision, the eternal sign- Part 2”, and see my teaching “Was Paul REALLY teaching against circumcision according to Moses?”. Video commentary on this teaching can be found on our site at http://faithgracetorah.net/2013/05/25/is-paul-really-teaching-against-circumcision-according-to-moses/. Now, let us look at what the word for “sacrifice/offering” in Acts 24:17 means, and also uncover the biases of men in the process. The Greek word used for “sacrifice/offering” is “prosphora”.
G4376
προσφορά
prosphora
pros-for-ah’
From G4374; presentation; concretely an oblation >>>(bloodless)<<< or sacrifice: – offering (up).
What will expose completely the error of this understanding, and the bias of the Concordance scribes who scribed the Concordance is the very same word, “prosphora” is used in Ephesians 5:2,Hebrews 10:10, 10:14, and 10:18 concerning the sacrifice that Yeshua/Jesus made for us. Let me ask a question, was the sacrifice that Yeshua/Jesus made for us bloodless?
G4376
προσφορά
prosphora
Total KJV Occurrences: 9
offering, 8
Act_21:26, Rom_15:16, Eph_5:2, Heb_10:5, Heb_10:8, Heb_10:10, Heb_10:14, Heb_10:18
offerings, 1
Act_24:17
This is exactly why we should TEST EVERYTHING, and stop accusing Paul of teaching against the Law/Torah. He was FALSELY accused then, and is still being FALSELY accused still to this day by them that claim to follow the Messiah Yeshua/Jesus. This was warned against by Peter, the warning that the letters Paul wrote can be “hard to understand”, and that UNLEARNED and UNSTABLE people twist them, as they do the other scriptures, TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION, and that we as believers, SHOULD NOT BE LED AWAY BY THE ERROR OF LAWLESS MEN.
2Pe 3:15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are HARD TO UNDERSTAND, which the UNLEARNED AND UNSTABLE twist to their own destruction, AS THEY DO THE OTHER SCRIPTURES. 17 You therefore, beloved, KNOWING THIS BEFOREHAND, take care that you are NOT CARRIED AWAY BY THE ERROR OF LAWLESS PEOPLE and lose your own stability.
Is there a very good example of how these “lawless” people twist the other scriptures as they do Paul’s? Sure there is. Mainstream Christianity teaches that the word “fulfill” in Matthew 5:17 means to “abolish” the law, which the Greek word “pleroo” can mean to “abolish”, ignoring also the other things that the Word “pleroo” can mean, as well as what the Prophecies concerning what the Messiah would do concerning the Laws of YHVH. These people COMPLETELY ignore the surrounding verses, and it exposes how they twist “the other scriptures to their own destruction”.
Mat 5:17 “DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE COME TO ABOLISH THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS; I HAVE NOT COME TO ABOLISH THEM, but to FULFIL(pleroo) THEM. 18 For truly, I say to you, UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, NOT AN IODA, NOT A DOT, WILL PASS FROM THE LAW UNTIL ALL IS ACCOMPLISHED. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, UNLESS YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS EXCEEDS THAT OF THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES, YOU WILL NEVER ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
The usual teaching that most Pastors teach on this matter is something to the nature of “Jesus kept the entire law so that we do not have to keep them because it is impossible to keep them”. First, let us look at the other definitions of the word “pleroo”.
G4137
πληρόω
plēroō
play-ro’-o
From G4134; to make replete, that is, (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.
These are the other possible definitions the teachers and pastors ignore, probably not by intention, but that is what “Semitary” as I like to call it beats into their heads, they are just repeating what was taught to them. The word when put IN CONTEXT of the surrounding verses, as well as the Prophecies that he surely did “fulfill” the Prophets, we see that the definition that the mainstream teachers and Pastors of Christianity use is gravely in error, just as Peter forewarned, twisting the “other scriptures to their own destruction”. So, what Prophecy was Yeshua/Jesus fulfilling when he said these things and taught what he taught immediately after saying these things?
Isa 42:21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; HE WILL MAGNIFY THE LAW, AND MAKE IT HONOURABLE. 22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. 23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? FOR THEY WOULD NOT WALK IN HIS WAYS, NEITHER WERE THEY OBEDIENT TO HIS LAW.
This Prophecy about the Messiah Yeshua/Jesus says he would not abolish the law, but he will “MAGNIFY THE LAW AND MAKE IT HONOURABLE”. Did he “MAGNIFY THE LAW” as prophesied? Sure he did, right after he said he DID NOT COME TO ABOLISH THE LAW.
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Here, he is not giving any new commandments, or removing any of the commandments. If he did, he broke the law, disqualifying Him as the Messiah.
Deu 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
He was not adding to it, but FULLY PREACHING it, or as the Prophet says, MAGNIFYING it. He continues,
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Here, again, he is not teaching a new commandment, but FULLY PREACHING it, as the letter of the Law/Torah says “do not commit adultery”, but he makes it even more strict when he teaches the Spirit of the Law/Torah, saying that even if you lust after a woman in your heart, although you did not break the letter of the Law/Torah, you have still committed adultery by breaking the Spirit of the Law/Torah. We see that the same word, “pleroo”, is used when it is stated that Paul “fully preached” the Gospel of Messiah.
Rom 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, TO MAKE THE GENTILES OBEDIENT, by word(Faith) and deed(works), 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have FULLY PREACHED(pleroo) the gospel of Christ.
Yeshua/Jesus did NOT abolish the Law or the Prophets, he fulfilled the Law and the Prophets by MAGNIFYING THE LAW AND MAKING IT HONOURABLE as he did just after he said he DID NOT COME TO ABOLISH THE LAW, and that HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY BEFORE ONE JOT OR TITTLE WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE LAW. It is written that the Messiah will teach us the Law/Torah face to face in the World to Come, the thousand years he spends on Earth ruling the Nations.
Isa 2:2 And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW TO IT. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob;AND HE WILL TEACH US OF HIS WAYS, AND WE WILL WALK IN HIS PATHS: for out of Zion SHALL GO FORTH THE LAW(Torah), and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall REBUKE MANY PEOPLE: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
So, we have learned that Paul is at times, “Hard to understand”, and that UNLEARNED AND UNSTABLE people twist his letters as well as the other scriptures leading to the ERROR OF LAWLESSNESS, meaning, they break the Law/Torah to gratify their own lusts. The Greek word used for “lawless” in 2 Peter 3:17 is “athesmos”, and this is what it is defined as.
G113
ἄθεσμος
athesmos
Thayer Definition:
1) one who breaks through the restraint of law and gratifies his lusts
Does Paul teach about these unlearned “Gentiles” who are ignorant and have no understanding, and as Peter says, we should not walk as they do? Does Paul teach that they break the law to satisfy their own lusts? You bet he does.
Eph 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that YOU MUST NO LONGER WALK AS THE GENTILES DO,IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR MINDS. 18 They are DARKENED IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING, ALIENATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANCE THAT IS IN THEM, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have GIVEN THEMSELVES UP TO SENSUALITY, GREEDY TO PRACTICE ALL TYPES OF IMPURITY. 20 But THAT IS NOT THE WAY YOU LEARNED CHRIST!– 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you SPEAK THE TRUTH with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
What is the TRUTH we are to speak to our neighbor?
Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and THY LAW IS THE TRUTH.
What is TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS as also defined by the scriptures?
Deu 6:25 And it shall be OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
We have learned that most mainstream teachers and Pastors teach that “Jesus fulfilled the law so that we don’t have to”, as they also preach that it is too hard, and burdensome to keep. Is this in agreement with the Word of YHVH/God? As usual, absolutely NOT. First, let us ask, did Yeshua/Jesus walk fulfill the Law/Torah so that we do not have to?
Rom 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 IN ORDER THAT THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US, who walk not according to the flesh BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For TO SET THE MIND ON THE FLESH IS DEATH, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the MIND THAT IS SET ON THE FLESH IS HOSTILE TOWARDS GOD, for IT DOES NOT SUBMIT TO GOD’s LAW; indeed, it cannot. 8 THOSE WHO SET THEIR MINDS ON THE FLESH CANNOT PLEASE GOD.
Here, we see that it is a lie that he came to “fulfill the law so we do not have to”, but rather he came to condemn SIN in the flesh so that “the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us”. It says that the mind set on the FLESH is HOSTILE TOWARDS GOD, and that those who set their minds on the FLESH are the ones who can not and do not submit to the Law/Torah of YHVH/God. So, we will ask again, what is the Spirit given to us to do, and what is it saying? We must look to the Word of YHVH/God to teach us what the Spirit of the Living El/God is teaching us.
Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A NEW HEART also will I give you, and a NEW SPIRIT will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
This says that the Spirit of YHVH/God, under the NEWNESS OF THE SPIRIT, will cause us to walk in his statutes, and do them. Paul confirmed this in the scriptures above from Romans 8. YHVH/God says he will also put a New Heart in us. Jer. 31 and Hebrews says that in the New Covenant, that YHVH would “write the laws upon our hearts”. What does this mean exactly? Paul tells us.
Rom 2:11 For God shows no partiality. 12 For 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. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, BUT THE DOERS OF THE LAW WHO WILL BE JUSTIFIED. 14 For when>>>GENTILES<<<, who do not have the law, BY NATURE DO WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. THEY SHOW THAT THE WORK OF THE LAW HAS BEEN WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Notice that Paul says here that when GENTILES, who do not have the law, BY NATURE DO WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, it is a witness that the Law/Torah has been written on their hearts. Did you hear that? It says GENTILES will do WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES in these verses. The Spirit of God writes the Laws on our Hearts so that we may do the Law/Torah, so that we CAN keep the commandments. It says absolutely nothing about “following our hearts” as many teach, as it is written that our hearts are set on evil. We must have the Law/Torah written on our hearts so that we CAN do it, and the Spirit CAUSES us to do it. So, what is the Spirit saying to the Churches?
Now, let us ask the scriptures if what the teachers and Pastors of Christianity teach concerning the law being “too hard to keep” and being a “burden” that can’t be carried.
Deu 30:11 “For this commandment that I command you today NOT TOO HARD FOR YOU, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say,>>> ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?<<<‘ 13 >>> Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'<<< 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
Paul quoted these very verses, ironically, the Pastors use Paul’s words to say the law is done away with. .Little do they know that Paul is quoting directly from the Law/Torah.
Rom 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart,>>> ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'”<<< (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or >>> “‘Who will descend into the abyss?”, <<< (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? >>> “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”<<< (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
Paul, as well as the Law/Torah agree that the Law/Torah IS NOT TOO HARD TO KEEP. So, what does the Word of YHVH/God say about keeping the commandments being “burdensome”?
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT BURDENSOME.
What I will BOLDLY say is this, that the teachers and Pastors of mainstream Catholic/Protestant Christianity are teaching falsehood and lies. They call themselves Gentiles and want to remain separated from Israel. They do not wish to follow the Law/Torah of YHVH/God so that they can satisfy the lust of their flesh, eating what is impure, lusting after all impurities, just as Paul tells us NOT TO WALK IN THE SAME MANNER AS THEY DO. I will say BOLDLY that these teachers and Pastors need to REPENT and RETURN TO THE LAWS OF YHVH/GOD! I will also BOLDLY say that those who follow after them are following FALSE PROPHETS, WOLVES DRESSED IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING! Their “Churches” have given themselves over to the teachings of Babylon, and unless they repent, they will NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I did not say it, Yeshua/Jesus did, so do not shoot the Messenger as many have done, calling us who teach and follow the commandments all sorts of nasty things, yet they teach Grace but show none, showing their hypocrisy and lies. You shall know them by their fruits!
Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Rev 18:2 And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is BABYLON THE GREAT! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. 3 For ALL NATIONS have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, LEST YOU TAKE PART IN HER SINS, LEST YOU SHARE IN HER PLAGUES; 5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore GO OUT FROM THEIR MIDST, AND BE SEPERATE FROM THEM, says the Lord, and TOUCH NO UNCLEAN THING; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
I will plead with the Lost Sheep of Israel, those swallowed up and Lost in the Religious hypocrisy of the “Churches” and do what the Word of YHVJH/God says and not what the teachers and Pastors say. This has been a rough ride for many who have read this, and many will not be pleased with what I bring to the table, and choose to ignore the scriptures and be hostile towards the Law/Torah of YHVH/God, so the last thing I would like to end with is this.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Rev 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Faith, Grace, and Torah 