11 Comments
  1. I thought the responses were good.The church in this country has become worldly.Some denomanations are letting gays preach,even though the bible is clear on this.Membership is way down,at least were I live it is.If something does’nt change,in twenty years there will be alot of churches closed.We need a revival in this country or we may be lost.God help us!God Bliss

  2. Mixture: Hbr 7:18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness …denying the finished work of the cross.. and yes Eric you are correct and I believe this is at the root of the issue of unity/// Hbr 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, [there is the] bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

  3. Not following those teachings of Jesus which are the ones that are the most contrary to the way of the world. Like forgiving our debtors. The way of the world is to charge each other, and with compounding interest! So the concept of forgiving a debt might be applied here and there to a family member in trouble, but often not without complaining about that person, about what a ne’er-do-well or “drain” they are, doing it in a grudging way and bad-mouthing the person who is in need. And in the world, when people give, they want awards for it, and photographs taken of them being philanthropic, like handing over the check, etc., or receiving some sort of accolade, whether by prestigious organizations who keep lists for displays, or just the acknowledgement of one’s own family members for being “the good daughter,” or whatever. The way of the world is to only do something when there’s some form of recognition for it.

    And what about “loving our enemies?” On a political level, we support the killing of the so-called enemies of state; definitely not “loving” them. When do we take a personal “enemy” and turn them into a friend? Or at least, continue to be loving, even in the face of being unloved in return?

    I really don’t see a lot of doing unto others as we want done to us, or of putting ourselves in the shoes of another. The world is focused on a kind of self-propelled life which sees the other as a potential competitor. And all of this seeps into our consciousness, and we find ourselves accepting it as some kind of “norm,” even though it is the total opposite of how Jesus taught us to act.

    So we say we want to follow Jesus, we praise him as Lord, but as he said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matt. 7:21 So in general terms, we have this disconnect between what we have been taught to do by Jesus, and what we actually do, as a Body, by and large. And so people who might be in need of saving can’t be ministered to by the church when they don’t see the light of love in action in the church. The church then turns inward on itself, and tries to compensate for its failures by pointing fingers at others.

  4. Mixture: 2 Hbr 7:18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness ///…denying the finished work of the cross… and I believe this is the root of the issue that gives the enemy open season on the believer/// Hbr 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, [there is the] bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. There is Holy Blood on that one page between the old and the New Testament… Gal 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor [to bring us] to Christ, that we might be justified by faith///… and to the cross, ///Rom .6:6-11

  5. RUTH: And so people who might be in need of saving can’t be ministered to by the church when they don’t see the light of love in action in the church. The church then turns inward on itself, and tries to compensate for its failures by pointing fingers at others.[[Ruth so true!!! be cause they have been taught Mixture of Law and Grace… the church can not give away the love of GOD because the mixture of the covenants steals the power of God from the body. ]]

  6. Disobedience and misusing the doctrine of grace to justify it. Many come only for the “fire insurance” that is, to escape hell. Pastors will answer for this one day.

  7. We, the Body, are supposed to be burning like a torch, with the irresistible LOVE which God gives. After all the words Paul penned, what did he think was the best, and the greatest attribute? Spiritual love. [“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor. 13:13] “Pursue love” he wrote. [1 Cor. 14:1] Paul called it the “perfect.” [1 Cor. 13:8-10] John wrote, “God is Love.” [1 John 4:8] Want LOVE? Who doesn’t?

    The Body, we need to start at our `own house’ and love each other, not focusing on all the minor differences, making sure we do the two commandments God’s Son spoke of: a) Loving Adonai first and foremost; and b) Loving our neighbor as we’d like to be loved. (In a sane, respectful, considerate way?) And it’s clear from passages in Luke 10:29-37 that “our neighbor” is defined more broadly and is understood to be… everyone.

    These are still the ideas the Church hasn’t been fully able to embrace because of the political agenda (which itself claims to be secular) but is wrapped in Biblical language, like a wolf would drape itself in sheep’s skin, and eerily like the lamb which speaks like a dragon, who winds up scattering the sheep; picking off what it can.

    Our ideas had better be coming from the Great Shepherd himself, Yeshua ben Elohim, and not from this doomed world. Peter, who was pretty close to Jesus, having been called “the rock” upon which He’d build His church no less [Matt. 16:18] wrote that we should be living as if we are conscious that this world is not going to last. [“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…” 2 Peter 3:11] People don’t like to hear about that, but we know it’s true. We look to a “new heaven and a new earth” which the atheists would tell us is false. But we know and trust the God of Israel, whose prophecies do come true. If science, on the other hand, was a religion it would have the worst reputation of all, constantly being found to be in error. Science is fine as science. As long as it doesn’t try to become religion. But God’s words have all come to pass. You see, God is just beyond science, pure and simple. Physics, it’s a branch of science which attempts to understand how God did what He did and what He does. Basically.

    Anyway, point being: To cleanse the world out of the church, we’ve got to obey Yeshua ben Elohim, Jesus: LOVE. It’s the one universal key. It’s welcome throughout all the spheres, and it’s desperately needed on earth. And the first and best of our love must go to God the Father, from whom all blessings do come. If the church will be a torch of holy love throughout the world, you’ll see people flooding to the Messiah. The holy Love of God is truly irresistible, and furthermore, we are charged to make it central to our beings.

    LOVE … It really is the answer.

  8. It is written that one entry of leven, levens the whole loaf. Not practicing Mt. 18’s instruction on going after the lost sheep, and on the pursuit of conflict resolution and reconciliation 1:1 is the worst sin of the church in the USA, and elsewhere for that matter. Simply consider how our own “yeshivas” do not practice it in administering their own authority, let alone how local assemblies ignore its practice in ways of administration of justice and reconciliation altogether. How different our fire would be if we simply did what Jesus instructed in this primary relational way.

  9. I think mixing the holy with the profane is the worst sin in Gods eyes because it gives the unsaved world whom God wants to reach a false image of Him. So much of religious radio,TV & entertainment along with places like the Holyland theme park make a cheap mockery of the true faith thousands died for and gives a cheap Christian Disneyland effect to the unsaved world.
    Combing this with an overall “Christian capitalistim” attitude has given the american church a sense of false entitlement. With God on our side we can do no wrong.
    ROMANS 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.
    MATTHEW 23: 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter.
    MATTHEW 7:20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
    21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
    22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?
    23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

    This type of hypocricy is the most dangerous place to be in with God and parallels the church in Laodicia who thinking it was rich was poor naked and blind.
    Jesus came across many sinful people but the only ones he condemned were the ones who were selfrighteous and greedy.
    He turned over the tables in the temple for a very good reason.
    Are things really that much different today ??

  10. tom langdon,

    The sin of mixture is not what you insist upon.

    Here are the concepts at the beginning and the end of the sermon on the mount:

    Mat. 5:17-19
    17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
    18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
    19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

    Mat. 7:21-23
    21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
    22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
    23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity(anomia=break the law).

    So we see that breaking the law makes us least in the kingdom. Those that do so consistantly are told to depart.

    Messiah mixed grace and truth.

    Joh. 1:14-17
    14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
    15 ¶ John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
    16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
    17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

    Messiah said that the Father’s word was truth and we know that the law is the Father’s word. We cannot be sanctified to Yahweh unless we accept and do His word.

    Joh. 17:17-19
    17 ¶ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
    18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
    19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

    We need grace because we sin. Sin is the transgression of the law. If we continue to walk in iniquity (Law breaking) we are of the devil.

    1 Joh. 3
    4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
    5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
    6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
    7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
    8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

    Grace empowers us to walk in righeousness, keeping the law.

    Tit. 2:11-12
    11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
    12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

    Paul wrote this of the “Old Testament”:

    2 Tim. 3:16-17
    16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
    17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

    The law cannot bring life. That takes grace.

    Ga 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

    Grace does not negate the law.

    Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
    Ro 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
    Ro 6:15 What then? shall we sin (break the Law), because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

    We must mix the law and grace. They work together. Grace cannot be grace unless there is a law that is required. If there is no transgression there is no need of grace.

    Psa. 85:8-10
    8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
    9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
    10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

    Mercy and truth are met together. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

    Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

    Shalom

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