Questions4Pastors

Ask your pastor these questions, or just ask yourself these questions. If we are to worship God in Spirit and in truth, and Psalm 119:151 says God's commands/Law are truth, and Ezekiel 36:26-27 says the Spirit causes us to follow the Law, why do we assume that the Spirit is opposed to God's Law? Did the truth somehow become not the truth? .

Why did God have to tell Noah to not eat the animals but instead eat what the animals eat in Genesis 6:20-21 if they didn't eat animals before the flood?

How did Cain and Abel know what and when to sacrifice, and God rejected Cain's offering? .

If we are not to follow the Law of God, why do you collect tithes that were supposed to go to the Levites?

If a mixed multitude came out of Egypt, and a mixed multitude was at Sinai, why do we say that that covenant was only for the Jews? If the Law of God was only for the Jews, why does God say over and over that the same Law was for Gentiles too? .

If the Holy Spirit wasn't given until Acts, why is it there in Genesis 1:2? .

If Jesus says that the greatest commands are to love God and love your neighbor, and he was quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Leviticus 19:18, is Jesus telling us to obey God's Law? .

Why does Joshua 8:33 call the gentile part of Israel if gentiles aren’t Israel? .

If Paul agrees with everything in the Law and the Prophets and still practices Christ-centered Judaism as stated in Acts 24:14, why is Christianity not still considered a sect of Judaism? .

In Psalm 1:1-2, we see that the Law is contrary to the council of the wicked. Shouldn't we follow it? .

If Jesus broke the 4th command, then he wouldn't be sinless, correct? If Jesus didn't break the Sabbath, shouldn’t we also keep the Sabbath like Him? .

If in Matthew 5 Jesus says that teaching people not to follow the commands of God/Law of God makes you the least in heaven, why are we not teaching people to follow the commands of God/Law of God? .

If all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, why do we say that Leviticus 11 is not? .

Deuteronomy 8 says, "You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." Since God doesn't change, is it safe to say He still tests hearts to see if we will obey His commands? .

Deuteronomy 8 says, "Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him." Doesn't obeying the commands of God go with Proverbs 12:1 where it says, "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid." .

Deuteronomy 7 says, "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face." Can it be said that a hatred for God's commandments is hatred for God also? .

Deuteronomy 6 says, "So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us." Isn't choosing God's righteousness by obedience the same as living as Christ? .

Jude says, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. If the Spirit writes the Law of God on the hearts of New Covenant believers, then isn't Jude warning against any who would mock those keeping God's Laws? .

Malachi 2:2-3 speaks of God's anger for people holding feasts and festivities that do not honor Him. We know that Christmas and Easter are not in the Bible; is it possible that God could be talking about these customs that have commonly replaced God's Holy days? .

If in the end times the Law will go forth from Zion as it says in Isaiah 2:2-3, why do pastors say that it was "nailed to the cross" and not to be observed? .

If Proverbs says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction," does that mean that those who reject the Law/Instructions of God are fools? .

In Mark 7, we see the religious leaders rebuked for holding to their interpretations over what the Scriptures say. How would you react if a congregant pointed out that in Leviticus 11, our unchanging God states that specific animals are not, nor ever were, for food? .

Jeremiah 23 says, “The anger of the Lord will not turn back Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it. I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied. But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds." If we are in the last days as most agree, shouldn't the priests and prophets be proclaiming a return to God's Law/His ways/His deeds? .

God says in Jeremiah 11, “Cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and do according to all which I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God." Shouldn't we heed the words of God's covenant, seeing as how the New Covenant is the same, except we don't break it? .

In the book of Jeremiah, God is greatly grieved and in anguish over people neglecting His ways and His commands, forgoing His Law for their own. We know God doesn't change, so why would He not feel the same way when we do the same things today? .

Jeremiah 5 says, “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord. They have lied about the Lord And said, “Not He; Misfortune will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine." Many today preach that there is no difference between Israel and Judah; shouldn't we be concerned when they also preach that we will not see sword or famine? .

Isaiah 9:6 says, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." As we believe that Christ is God, then God's Law and Christ's Law would be the same Law, right? .

Colossians 3 says, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Does that mean that we should use Psalms 119 for admonishing? .

In church, we often hear that it’s just Jews and Gentiles. Why does Christ say in Luke 22, "so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Doesn't that mean not just Judah? .

Ezekiel 37 says, ‘“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.” Why is it commonly taught that Judah (Jews) are the only ones that are Israel? .

We are called to be "doers of the Word and not hearers only," as James 1:22-25 states. Doesn't that Word include all the Commands of God as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 points to? .

If we interpret Paul as saying it doesn't matter if you keep the Sabbath in Colossians 2:16, How can Hebrews 4:9-11 say not keeping the Sabbath as God does is disobedience? .

We are New Covenant believers. If His Law is written on our hearts as Hebrews 10:16 states, why don't we have a desire to keep it? .

In Psalms 19:10, it says that the commands of God are greater than gold. Why do we often hear sermons about money but not enough about being obedient to the commands of God? .

Psalms 19:9 says, "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether." If God's Law is true and righteous altogether, why wouldn't we follow it? .

Psalms 19:8 says, "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Why do many modern pastors preach the opposite of this in reference to the Law of God? .

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 talks about the great blessings in following the commands of God. Why would Christ supposedly get rid of these blessings? .

Exodus 15:26 says that the commands of God are healing. Why do we often interpret them as being bondage? .

Deuteronomy 7:11-15 says that the Law and commands of God bring healing and blessings; why would that be interpreted as bondage? .

Deuteronomy 7:12 refers to the Covenant as a Covenant of Love. Why do we characterize the Covenant as bondage and oppression? .

Scripture shows that there would have been 14 giraffes on the Ark with Noah. Doesn't the fact that there is a classification of clean and unclean before Sinai poke holes in the idea of dispensationalism? .

It is written that even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). So, wouldn’t we be at the same level as the demons if all we did was believe? .

Scripture says that God is true and every man is a liar. In Psalm 119:142, it states that God's Law is truth. If it became not truth, wouldn't that make God a liar? .

In Isaiah 63:10-14, it states that they grieved the Holy Spirit. Why do we often hear that the New Covenant is new because it includes the Holy Spirit, when the original covenant clearly included the Holy Spirit? .

Psalm 119:98 states that the commands of God/His Law makes one wiser than their enemies. Why would that be considered a burden? .

The Sabbath was instituted before sin entered the world and before Adam had sinned. How can the law change something that predates sin or the need for the law? .

Isaiah 5:24 says, "...For they have rejected the law of the Lord of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." Isn't a rejection of the Law of God the same thing as despising the Holy One of Israel? .

Joshua 1:7-8 states that following the Law of God is great success. Why do we interpret that as a legalistic failure? .

In Judges 2:22, Judges 3:1 and 4, we see that God tests His people to see if they will obey His commands. Is there any indicator that God has stopped doing this? .

We know from Scripture that the golden calf was worshiping God in pagan ways, and Judges 2:12-14 talks about forsaking God and worshiping other gods in those ways. Are there customs that the church has adapted that are not in line with what God teaches as acceptable? .

Doesn't Deuteronomy 5:29-33 and the New Covenant outlined in Jeremiah 32:38-42 make the same points? .

Why do we interpret it as only Jews leaving Egypt when Scripture states that it was a mixed multitude in Exodus 12:38? .

Mark 3:24-25 says a kingdom/house divided against itself cannot stand. Wouldn’t that mean that the Law of Christ and God's Law can't be in opposition since the Word stands forever? .

If we are to interpret the Sabbath having been done away with due to it being addressed in the Law of God, how do we reconcile that it was given before Sinai as Genesis 2:1-3 shows? .

John 14:10 says, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love." Doesn’t that support the notion that we should be obeying the Law of God? .

John 14:15 says, "If you love me, keep my commands." How do we physically do that? .

Can it be possible for the Law of Christ and the Law of God to be different Laws, since Christ obeys God and is of God, teaching obedience to the instructions of God as He Himself follows? .

Ephesians 6:4 reads, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Aren’t the instructions of the Lord the commands of God, His Law? .

Romans 3:20 states, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin". How can we repent of sin, if we are not conscious of it? Doesn't that mean we should study the Law of God for repentance? .

In Matthew 26, Christ says, "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.” Why does the church recognize Easter instead of Passover? .

If the Law was done away with, why does Ezekiel 40-48 detail the return of Levites, offerings, and a Temple? .

How is it possible for Christ to be a righteous judge if Christ allegedly abolished the Law of God? By what standard would He judge? .

Titus 2 says, "But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance." Doesn't the perseverance of the believer outlined in Revelation 14:12 indicate that we are to keep the commands of God along with faith in Christ? .

In Titus 1, Paul says, "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed". Aren't the deeds that people should be doing the commands of God as Christ states in Matthew 7:21-23? .

2 Peter 2 states that the way of Balaam is the love of wickedness, stumbling, and false prophecy, and Revelation 2 says that by eating unclean things and committing immorality, Christ makes war against them. Isn't the definition of wicked in Greek athesmos: one who breaks through the restraint of Law and gratifies his lusts, and Psalm 119:9-11 says that God's Law helps a man keep pure? .

In Amos 2:4, God says, “For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not relent. Because they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed." If God hates it when people don't follow the Law of the Lord, which are His commands, and God doesn't change, why do we often hear that the Law is not to be followed? .

1 Timothy 6:3-4 say "If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words..." Is there anything in the Law of God that isn't conforming to godliness, and doesn’t Scripture say that the commands of God are sound doctrine? .

In 1 Timothy 4, Paul writes, "paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, ... men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth." Paul can't be referring to God's Law as doctrines of demons since it comes directly from God, can he? .

In 1 Timothy 4, Paul writes, "paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth." Doesn't Leviticus 11 point out what God defines as food? .

1 Timothy 1:8-11 states that the Law of God is good and educates everyone who acts contrary to its sound teaching. Why do we often hear that obedience to the Law of God is not good and contrary to sound teaching? .

We know that Christ says that the greatest commands are "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself". Is there any command in the Law of God that doesn't fall under these parameters? .

We as believers are obviously encouraged to follow the 10 commandments. Why are we often discouraged to follow the explanation of the 10 commandments found in the books following Exodus? .

Galatians 5:16-17 says, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." Why do we think Galatians is teaching us not to obey God's Law when Romans 7:14 states that it's Spiritual and against the flesh? .

Deuteronomy 11:13-17 speaks about obedience to the commands of God in order to acquire rain in its proper season. This is mirrored in the millennial reign of Christ in Zechariah 14:16-21. Why do we often teach that this is something that we're not to do now? .

Titus 3:9 says, "...Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless". However, the Savior says in Matthew 5:19: "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." Do these contradict? .

Every covenant has terms which we must abide by to keep from breaking the covenant. What are the terms of the new covenant? .

Romans 15:4 says, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope". Doesn't that mean that the Law of God was written for our instruction? .

In Hebrews 8:7 and 8:13, we can see that the word Covenant is not there in the Greek but is added by translators. Without the translator bias, doesn't the context suggest a faulty priesthood? Is it more likely that the human priests are faulty, or that God made a faulty covenant? .

In John 8:42-47, Christ says that the Devil is a liar and the father of lies, but Christ speaks the truth of God and is without sin. Aren't all of God's commands truth as Psalm 119:151 says? Doesn't Christ only teach what God has instructed, as John 7:16 states? .

Isaiah 66:22-24 says that after the New Heaven and New Earth, The Sabbath will still be kept. Matthew 5:17-19 says that the Law of God mentions that we're to keep the Law of God until the New Heaven and New Earth. Why do many Churches disregard the Sabbath and the Law of God? .

People often say that Christ redeemed us from obedience to God's Law. How does that make sense when before we had faith in Christ, we were walking in rebellion to God's Law? .

If Psalm 51:6 links truth and wisdom together and Psalm 119:43 says God's law is truth and Psalm 119:98 says the Law of God makes one wise, then wouldn't disregarding the Law of God be untrue and unwise? .

Why do we often say that the Law of God was too hard for us to follow, but in Deuteronomy 30:11-14, God says, "“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach"? .

Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live." How is this different than the definition of the New Covenant? .

We're often told that in the New Covenant, we have circumcised hearts instead of the flesh and in the Old Covenant, the people were circumcised in the flesh. Doesn't Deuteronomy 10:16 speak to a circumcised heart and in Acts 16:3 Paul circumcised Timothy in the flesh? .

In 1 Timothy 18-11, we see that the Law of God is only for those who sin and 1 John 1:8 says "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." Wouldn't that indicate that the Law of God is for us to teach us how to live as Christ since sin is breaking God’s Law? .

In Jeremiah 14:14, God says, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds." And Deuteronomy 13:4-5 says that we know they're false because they're not teaching obedience to the Law/commands of God. Are we certain we're not teaching falsely in church? .

God says in Jeremiah 6:16, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’.” Aren't those ways His Laws, and the ancient paths His commandments? Are we still saying we will not walk in it? .

In Exodus 18, we see Moses teaching the commands of God before he went up Sinai; are we to believe that the commands are different then what He received on Sinai? .

Is the Spirit of God mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26-27 different from the one given to us today, and if so, why is this passage quoted in Hebrews? If not, then isn't the Law of God on our hearts if we're New Covenant believers? .

Matthew 24:20-21 points to the Sabbath being kept at a specific time, and Luke 23:52-56 shows that people still kept the Sabbath according to the commandment. Where does the idea that the Sabbath is not to be kept, or that we get to pick "a" Sabbath come from? .

In Matthew 15:1-14, Jesus labels the Pharisees as "blind guides" and "hypocrites" for teaching their own doctrines instead of God's commands. Are we sure we're not doing the same things? .

Zechariah 14:16-21 mentions that in that time, there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” Do we believe that this has happened yet or not? .

Is Isaiah 56:6-8 about Jews or Gentiles, and has it happened yet? If not, then shouldn't we do what it says? .

Isaiah 51:7 is an encouragement for those who keep the Law of God to not be dismayed by those who mock. Are we as a church more like the ones being encouraged or the ones mocking? .

1 Corinthians 15 mentions that Christ is the First fruits and Leviticus 26:10-14 mention that First Fruits is to be a statute throughout our generations. Why do we not teach about First Fruits in church? .

If we were to interpret Mark 7 as Christ making all animals clean, and Revelation 18:2 says that there are still unclean animals, don't those contradict? And if so, shouldn’t we rethink how we are interpreting Mark 7? .

1 Peter 1:25 says that the Word of the Lord stands forever. Why then do we interpret His commands as being rendered not to be observed? .

In Revelation 3:15-16, we see the Savior says that He's going to judge our deeds as hot or cold. What deeds is He speaking of if not obedience to the commands of God? .

Colossians 2:9 states, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form". Is it possible for Christ to be God and disregard God's Law without God changing or going against His own word? .

Colossians 2:8 is often quoted to suggest that the Law of God is not to be observed, but is the Law of God based on the traditions of men/the world or is it from God? .

If Ananias and Sapphira were under grace of the New Covenant the way its commonly taught in churches, why were they struck down? .

If in Jeremiah 10:3-5 God outlines that cutting a tree down and decorating it is a pagan practice that we're not to do, and Job 14:4 says that no one can make a clean thing out of an unclean thing, why do Christians do this every December? .

Ephesians 6:14 says to gird your loins with truth, and Psalm 119:151 says that all of God's commands are truth. Doesn't that mean that equipping the commands is part of the full armor of God? .

It's commonly taught that before Jesus, people followed the Law to be saved. But Psalm 130 says that David looked forward to Christ for Salvation. If they never looked to the Law of God for Salvation, then what is it for? .

In Isaiah 8:20, we see that if you don't speak to the Law and the testimony, it’s because you don't have light, and Ephesians 5:8-10 says to walk in the light, wouldn't that equate light with obeying God's commands? Can light be darkness? .

Nehemiah 9:13 says that God's Laws are just and good. Why do we interpret them as oppressive and bad? .

In Deuteronomy 18:18, we see that Jesus was to teach the same Word of God as Moses. In John 5:46-47, we see Jesus says the same thing. Why do we say that Jesus taught something different than Moses/the commands of God? .

If the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot was only for the Jews, as some say, why does Deuteronomy 16:13-15 say that it is also for the gentiles? .

In Deuteronomy 10:12-13, God asks us to love Him and walk in all of His ways out of that love. Why do we say that God asks us to ignore parts of that walk? .

In Deuteronomy 8:3, we see that man lives not on bread alone but every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Christ quotes this to rebuke the Devil. Why do we say that some of those words of God are not for us? .

Why does God want people to follow his commandments always and forever as Deuteronomy 5:29-33 states, if God didn't actually mean always and forever? .

In Numbers 15:15, we see that the Law of God is to be a perpetual statute throughout the generations of both Jews and Gentiles alike. Does perpetual mean everlasting or limited? .

If everyone was spit out of the land into the Diaspora because they rejected God's Law, then how is the Diaspora to repent from rejecting God's Law if God did away with it? .

If Scripture states that the Sabbath is a fixed appointed time of God on the 7th day, why do pastors say that it changed? Who changed it? .

How did Cain and Abel know what and when to sacrifice, and God reject Cain's? .

In Acts 11, why did Peter keep telling everyone the vision was about gentiles, if it was about eating unclean animals? Why wouldn't he mention eating unclean animals as the interpretation anywhere? .

If there is supposed to be a rapture of the saints, why do believers and unbelievers continue to live on the earth like Zechariah 14 teaches? .

Wouldn't adding Christmas and Easter as Biblical holidays, while not teaching the Biblical ones, be adding to and taking away from the Word of God? .

If Romans 15:4 says whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, does that mean that rejecting the Law of God is rejecting God's instructions and denying the Scriptures? .

2 Timothy 4:3-4 says the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching and Proverbs 4:2 says good doctrine is keeping to God's Law. Does that mean those who teach against God's Law are teaching a false doctrine? .

Why does Jesus tell us to follow the Torah (Moses) without hypocrisy in Matthew 23:2-3 if following the Torah is not for the followers of Jesus? .

Why would the alien/gentile be cut off from Israel in Numbers 15:30-31 if the alien/gentile was not part of Israel? .

If the Law of God was bondage, why would God lead them out of Egyptian slavery just to give them bondage? .

If James 2:10 says that if we break one law, we are guilty of breaking the whole Law. Where do pastors get the idea that there are three different classifications (moral/civil/ceremonial) of the Law .

If Revelation 22:14 says following His commands are a blessing, why do we teach that it's a burden? .

Why does Paul, the apostle to the gentiles, tell them to keep the Passover in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, and why don't we do that now? .

Why are there sacrifices when Jesus comes back as in Zechariah 14:16-21? .

If the Law is not to be followed, why are we supposed to keep it until Judgment Day, as Malachi 4:4-5 states? 

If 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 says to not be unclean, where do we get the definition of clean and unclean, and has that changed from the Torah? .

Why is Moses (Law of God) taught every Sabbath (Acts 15:21) in the synagogues to gentiles if gentiles weren't to study the Law of God or keep the Sabbath on the 7th day? .

Why do we interpret Paul as to saying something different than what God says, and shouldn't we be more attentive to God than Paul in regards to God's Law? .

If Proverbs 28:9 says that ignoring God's law/instructions/ commands make even your prayer an abomination, when did God change His mind about that? .

In Proverbs 3:34 we see that there is grace in the Old Testament. Why do we often hear that grace is a New Testament idea, wouldn't that suggest God changed? .

God says in Isaiah 31:2 that He doesn't retract his word, Why would we think the Law of God is not to be followed? .

If Daniel 7:25 says that the adversary seeks to change the Law and appointed times of God, are we teaching that Jesus is against God? .

If Hebrews 10:1 says that the Law is a good thing to come in heaven, why do we interpret it as bondage? Does that mean that heaven is bondage? .

If in Titus 2:11-14 we see that grace redeems us from every lawless deed, why do we present grace as the opposite of the Law instead of its companion? .

If Paul says in Romans 6 that we are not to live in sin because we are in Christ, and sin is transgression of the Law, wouldn't that mean that we are to live in obedience to the Law because we are in Christ? .

If we are to be redeemed from sin, and sin is transgression of the Law as stated in 1 John 3:4, then wouldn't that mean that our goal is to begin obeying the Law? .

If in Acts 10 we are to interpret Peter’s vision as Christ making all animals clean, why does Revelation 18:2 say that there is still unclean animals? .

If the commands of God are not to be followed, why does Revelation 14:12 say that we are to keep both the commands of God and have faith in Jesus? .

If Jesus followed the Law of God, and we are called to follow Jesus’ example, how do we do that without following the Law of God that was His example? .

Why did the false witnesses say Jesus and Stephen were teaching against God's Law in Acts 6:10-15, but we teach that Jesus was teaching us not to follow God's Law? .

Why was Paul performing a sacrifice after the death and resurrection of Christ in Acts 21:17-26 to prove that there is no truth to the rumor that he was teaching people not to follow God's Law, if he was teaching people not to follow God's Law? .

If Peter tells us to not interpret Paul’s writings as teaching us not to obey God's Law in 2 Peter 3:14-17, why do we interpret Paul’s writings as teaching us not to obey God's Law? .

If Jesus in Mark 7 is telling people to ignore God saying what is and isn't food, isn't He teaching us to not obey God? Why would Jesus be rebuking the Pharisees in Mark 7 for not obeying God's commands, if He was teaching us in that passage to ignore God's commands? .

If Acts 10, Peter’s vision about the unclean animals, is to be interpreted as God changing His mind about calling pigs unclean, why is He still mad about it in Isaiah 66, and what is to stop Him from changing his mind about any of the promises He's made? Why wouldn’t He change His Mind about Salvation or coming back?

If 2 Thessalonians 2 says the anti-Christ is the lawless one who deceives others to be lawless (teaching not to obey God's Law), why are those actions being ascribed to Jesus? .

If Israel is only the Jews, why does Revelation 7 talk about all of the tribes, not just Judah? If gentiles aren't part of Israel, why does Jesus only say He came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel in Matthew 15:24? Was He bearing false witness, or are gentiles part of Israel? .

A:Christ followed and obeyed and taught the Law of God ( If He didn't He's not the sinless perfect Lamb without blemish) B: We are to follow, obey and teach living and being like Christ. How do we do B without doing A? A: We are to obey the Holy Spirit B: The Holy Spirit writes the Law of God on our hearts and minds that we may obey it How do we do A without doing B A: We are to crucify the flesh and obey the Spirit B: The flesh is hostile to God's law, and the Law of God is Spiritual. How do we do A without B? Isn't John 3:16 directly pitted against Matthew 15:24 unless you recognize that: A) Gentiles have always been allowed to become Israel Exodus 12:38,Exodus 19:8,Deuteronomy 31:9-13 B) Gentiles have an Inheritance among the tribes,as part of Israel Ezekiel 47:21-23 C) Through Christ we become a member of the Tribes of Israel Ephesians 2:19,Romans 4:16,Romans 11:13-17,Galatians 3:29, Isaiah 56:2-8 If we were to say that God's Law and Christ's Law are different Laws, isn't that denying the Deity of Christ?

Flat Tops- Dissecting Flat Earth Meme ( Row A)

It's been a little while since I posted my "Hey Flatty's" post and since then, I have come across this picture circulating facebook. At the time of my Flatty post, I was working with a handful of scriptures that were given to me, and hence I feel the need to bust this one apart since it's taking more. Seeing as how this graphic has super bad compression, I'll do what I can to copy the texts as I go over them.

EARTH CREATED BEFORE THE SUN:
Genesis 1:1-19
Since there is a lot of text to this one,  I'll just link to the text and ask what the earth being created before the sun has to do with the shape of the earth? I mean yes, there are details of the creation of the earth but the marking that it is made before the sun has no geometric relevance.

UNIVERSE IS COMPLETE:
Genesis 2:1
I didn't really need to link the one verse, but I'mma keep rolling with it.

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts.- Gen 2:1

Ok. So... The heavens and the earth were completed. This tells me absolutely nothing about the geometric shape of the earth... Just that it was made. I wonder how many of these 200 flat earth scriptures have absolutely nothing to do with the actual shape of the earth, but are used to bolster bad logic. As it looks now, I'm down to at least 199

EARTH MEASUREMENTS ARE UNKNOWN:
Job 38:4-5, Jeremiah 31:37, Proverbs 25:3

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
5 Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it? - Job 38:4-5

This says nothing about the shape of the earth, and frankly, if we are to take this literally as many flat earthers do with other scripture then Job is some all knowing immortal god-like man that exists before the sun and earth were made... or, certain parts are poetic in nature that are to paint understanding.  If we take this literally like flat earthers do with other things in this passage, God is clearly stating that Job was in Genesis 1. Reading Genesis 1, there is no mention of Job ergo, the logic of taking everything in Job 38 as literal is BAD and will create contradictions in scripture based on narrow and flawed understanding.   Those who take  SOME scriptures literally to apply to flat earth, even in this subheading EARTH MEASUREMENTS ARE UNKNOWN, must either reconcile that this is God's imagery... or God is a liar for saying that Job DOES in fact know the measurements of the earth.
“Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you may take it to its territory
And that you may discern the paths to its home?
21 “You know, for you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!- Job 38:19-21

Thus says the Lord,
“If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel
For all that they have done,” declares the Lord- Jeremiah 31:37

Not seeing anything on a shape here. I see that you can't search the foundations of the earth... but that does not speak to the shape of the earth itself.

As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.- Proverbs 25:3

Still not a shape, but I will say that as per the earth's depth. We've been to the bottom of the marina trench and still have only discovered like, 5-10% of the ocean so, we don't know how deep it goes. This verse is still accurate.... even though the unsearchability of a kings heart is not a global shape.

EARTH IS A DISC/CIRCLE NOT A BALL:
Isaiah 40:22, Job 38:13-14

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.- Isaiah 40:22

Ok, Circle is a shape. A circle in 360 degrees is a sphere. One thing I want to ask about though if we are going to take this not as poetic imagery but instead as literal concrete text...
“The pillars of heaven tremble
And are amazed at His rebuke. - Job 26:11
Are the heavens a curtain or are they on pillars?

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 “It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand forth like a garment- Job 38:13-14

This one is interesting, until you factor in the previous verse that gives context of God rebuking Job saying

“Have you ever in your life commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place

So, "have you ever commanded the dawn to know its place that it might take hold of the ends of the earth and the wicked be shaken out of it "  Are we to believe that this is a legitimate option for Job, that he some how has this ability to do what God is suggesting, that he can commands the dawn and shake wickedness out, OR is this imagery so that God can take a broad concept and relay God's OWN grandness and justice and Majesty to a finite man of narrow perspective? The logic also has errors under the heading EARTH IS A DISC NOT A BALL, seeing as how this makes no mention of either disk or ball. If you want to suggest that a ball does not have ends, talk to every major league pitcher that has ever thrown a knuckle ball and has had to grip the ball by either... get this, the TOP END or the BOTTOM END of the ball. This verse does nothing to speak on the actual shape of the earth, just that it has vague undefined "ends" in a metaphoric reasoning.


 EARTH IS MEASURED WITH A LINE NOT A CURVE:
Job 38:4-5
(already linked and quoted under section EARTH MEASUREMENTS ARE UNKOWN)

Seeing as how this is already quoted above, but posted again in another section, I'm lead to believe that it was copy/pasted to try and persuade people by a cursory glance who don't bother to look up everything on the list, they just see a lot of scriptures and think "man that is probably true, look at this big list of scriptures... I'm not going to look them all up, I'm going to go play Mario kart."
Lets look at the surrounding verses to give some context

“Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;
9 When I made a cloud its garment- Job 38:8-9

Is anyone out there making a doctrine that the ocean is a giant... how do I put this right in a Bible blog... Baby factory? (wipes forehead). Are there flat earthers out there that are making gnostic stances that clouds are clothes? No? Its because certain passages are imagery, and not literal.


PATHS ARE STRAIGHT NOT CURVED:
1 Samuel 6:12, Psalms 5:8, Psalm 27:11, Isaiah 40:3, Jerimiah 31:9, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23, Acts 16:11, Acts 21:1, Hebrews 12:13 ( hoo boy we got a list now.)

I'm going to rapid fire through this nonsense fast:
1.  1 Samuel 6:12 is about cows walking down the street and not wandering to the right or left. these are cows hitched to a cart. This is the biblical equivalent of cruise control, and not a case for the shape of the earth. If I put a level on a piece of wood, and roll a hotwheels car down it, this is not in any way at foundational premise of the shape of the entire earth. This is so dumb that im a little mad that this is on this list and I have to explain that. " lowing as they went" Changes in elevation... that means... a curve to some extent in some point.
2. Psalms 5:8 "O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me."  I see, because we are to walk in uprightness and blamelessness, the earth is ...flat? What kinda logic jump is that? That is a HUUUUUGE leap. Look at the next verse:

There is nothing reliable in what they say;
Their inward part is destruction itself.
Their throat is an open grave;
They flatter with their tongue 

see that... the throats are open graves... time to put dead people in those throats and then put dirt in those peoples mouths because we have to bury people in the open graves that are in the throats of those people because we're taking all imagery literally.
3. Psalms 27:11 "Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes."  If we apply the literalist bad logic of misinterpreting scriptures... this must mean that the shape of the earth is different to the foes of david. David is requesting that God lead him in a literal flat earth shape because the shape of the earth might cause him to die because of his enemies. Please tell me that people see the absurdity of this. I don't think, and I could be wrong, but I don't think that in verse 2 when David is saying "When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh" that he is literally running from cannibals. I'm PRETTY sure that the phrase devour my flesh is an idiom

"The phrase le’ekol eth besart – devours my flesh is an ancient Semitic idiom that literally means to steel something from you that is as precious to you as your life.  That could be the wicked  the ra’a’ who are so envious and jealous of you that the will do whatever it takes to suck the life out of you, they would love to have that which is bringing you such joy and satisfaction for themselves and would leave you with the feelings of despair and hopeless that they feel.  They are literally devouring your flesh."

Literalist would completely miss this meaning and assure you that David was a zombie slayer
4. Isaiah 40:3  A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God."  so.... what you're sayin is that the way ISNT smooth so that it must be MADE smooth... Next verse: “Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;"  WE STILL HAVE MOUNTAINS!!!! How can Zechariah 14:4, talking about Yeshua returning and splitting the MOUTNTAIN and CREATING A VALLEY happen if we are to interpret Isaiah 40:3 as saying that the earth everywhere is flat?
5. Jerimiah 31:9 is akin to saying  "I'll fix the sidewalk" rather than "the earth is flat"
6. Matthew 3:3  For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness,‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’”    If we interpret this as being about the shape of the earth, then we would need to interpret the fact that Yeshua is the upright one, and start removing scriptures that say He bent down to scoop dirt or that He reclined with His disciples. The term is referring to His walk of a Spiritual nature.
7. Mark 1:3- see point 6
8. Luke 3:4,- see point 6 its the same point
9. John 1:23,- See point 6... its the same flawed logic applied again to the same verses
10. Acts 16:11, "So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis"  ... Watch this video. Each of these traveled in a straight line, but also, each of these had various heights and depths that do not support flatness.
11.Acts 21:1,- See point 10. Also, if I leave work and go straight home, that means that I did not travel to the store, gas station, hair cut place or pizza place.... it does not mean that I drove through the building, through 80 trees, through the park, through a gas station through a park directly to my driveway.
12. Hebrews 12:13. If we are to take this verse literally as the earth is flat, then why are we not also applying that same logic to verse 2 "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" as to mean that we can never blink or drive or do anything as we must constantly be staring at Jesus? How are we going to do that literalist, He hasn't come back yet... and graven images are out.. maybe we need to rethink the horrible logic for all of these

WATERS ARE STREGHT NOT CURVED
Job 37:10
“From the breath of God ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen."   There is no shape in that.


EARTHQUAKES SHAKE EARTH AND DOES NOT MOVE (how does that work?)
2 Samuel 22:8? Isaiah 12:13???? Revelation 6:12-13

2 Samuel 22:8 “Then the earth shook and quaked, The foundations of heaven were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry." How exactly does the earth shake and quake without moving?


Isaiah 12:13.... it's easy to say there are 200 verse when you do this, just make up verse. Isaiah 12 only goes to verse 6. I'm about 98% sure that this theory and list was created by atheists to prey upon believers apathy to actually look up real stuff and make them look ignorant.

Revelation 6:12-13. Oh at least we're back to real verses again, this one says " I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; ¹³ and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind"  Again, where in there is the shape of the earth?  If we were on a globe and we were surrounded by stars (which we are on both counts) then the stars could "fall" to earth from any point in the solar system/galaxy...this doesn't speak to earth shape and being Shook doesn't say anything about earth shape.


EARTH IS FIXED AND UNMOVEABLE
Psalms 93:1, Psalms 96:10, Psalms 104:5,  Psalms 119:89-90, Isaiah 45:18, 1 chronicles 16:30
1. Psalms 93:1  "The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved." So instead of taking this to mean that the earth will not be moved say, from the axis it rotates on, or the circuit from which it spins, we're supposed to take this literally as the earth doesn't move at all... and I guess we're to take it that water talks too? verse 3 "The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their pounding waves". How is this POETIC IMAGRY speaking to the shape of the earth?

2. Psalms 96:10. See point 1 above
3. Psalms 104:5 "He established the earth upon its foundations,

So that it will not totter forever and ever." Again, spinning on an axis like a globe achieves this. The earth does not totter, the earth spins the way it always has... on its axis.
4. Psalms 119:89-90 "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands." That has nothing to do with shapes.
5. Isaiah 45:18 "For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited),“I am the Lord, and there is none else." How does "People live on earth" = "Checkmate Globies" This is not a flat earth scripture... its just a scripture.
6. 1 Chronicles 16:30 "Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved."  same context as before... unless you want to account for all of nature being people...

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32 Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;
For He is coming to judge the earth.

Careful now, starting to sound like a wiccan if you take this as literal.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Psalm 46:10

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ... please, please tell me that you're not trying to shoehorn this into a bad doctrine as if it were to mean that God saying cease or be still He's some how making a statement about the "immovability of the earth" because if that IS what you're trying to suggest... take any remaining credibility you have as a Bible 'scholar' and use it to light your pilot light.

EARTH HAS PILLARS AND HANGS ON NOTHING

1 Samuel 2:8, Job 9:6, Job 26:7,  Psalm 75:3, 2 Peter 3:5

1.1 Samuel 2:8  "“He raises the (a) poor from the dust ,  He lifts the (b)needy from the ash heap

To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; (c) For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

And He set the world on them."    So... (a) symbolic (b) symbolic  (c) literal?

2. Job 9:6 "Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble" Uh-oh... we got a conflict if we're taking everything literally because above you said the earth doesn't move out of its place... remember....  Psalms 93:1  "The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved."  You're breaking the Bible with your bad reasoning.3.  Job 26:7 “He stretches out the north over empty space And hangs the earth on nothing." This maybe one of the closest to a reasonable verses that would look like something for a flat earth... but it doesn't. Even in a globe, to say that he's stretched out the north out into space, that doesn't mean flat that can mean the curve of the earth.

4. Psalm 75:3 "“The earth and all who dwell in it melt; It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah"  See, this is one that you have to take a step back and look how your reasoning for one half being hammered into your preconceived notion doesn't fit with the other half of the verse. I am not melted. You, if you are reading this are not melted. We are not melted.  Look at this verse in the same chapter "And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up." Since you didn't melt.... are you telling me that you have horns, are you some sort of goat creature?

5. 2 Peter 3:5 "For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water" This neither states that the earth has pillars, hangs on nothing, or that the earth is any particular shape.... Just that it was made from water.

Speaking of Pillars of the Earth, let me show you something....

These are Pillars in the earth. They exist. This doesn't mean flat.  I will continue more of this terrible list of misguided scriptures in future post as God allows, but this post is getting long so I'm going to break it into 3 sections. Lord help me heal the violence done to the text in with this bad logic.


Row B

Judgments.

I've tried to write this months post at least three times and I have always been caught short looking for the words or the substantial theme. Yom Kippur kept coming back to me, and I reflected on the elements of the days of awe (the original airing of grievances for all you festivus people out there) and what that entails. I went through a set of checking my actions and my heart for things over the past year and areas that I needed to repent for. I keep coming back to one word.

Judgments.

There were areas that I delivered a right judgment but I didn't do it the right way, and I had to go back and apologize to the person that was involved. The matter was in regards to addressing aspects of behavior that warranted removal from a group due to persistently antagonistic and divisive nature. It was the right call. The part that I erred in was where I removed them without being precise about it in a message AS it happened.  It was weird reaching out to them for the way, and not the why. They predictably rejected my apology and seethed with indignation and called me a name or two but the effort was made. In judgment, I went to them for ownership of my part.

On Yom Kippur as night had just fallen and I was on my way home I got caught at a light where there were two junkies holding signs. I usually refer to them as domestically challenged people, but these were junkies. They've been holding signs that say anything helps and I've handed out deodorant to  domestically challenged people before.. and they just looked confused. I seldom carry cash, and if I have cash I might have given them a dollar or two. This night, at the light, I watched these two on the corner. I reached into the passenger side of my truck and pulled out two cans of coke zero, rolled down my window and I called one over. I'm sensitive to the homeless as the verse states

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’- Matt 25

 My intuition was that these people didn't need my help but they were exploiting the generosity of those who would give, but I suppressed the notion. The man came over and said "Oh, thanks." as he took the cans of soda "What we could really use is money to get some drugs though..." his eyes widened as if he himself was surprised at what he just said "...or maybe like, food or a place to sleep or something, Heh". I'm pretty sure the expression on my face was one of, "Its too late man, I heard you the first time and you need to back away from my car...now". My judgment was correct, but I felt it prudent to be safe rather than sorry. I was out like a buck in soda and I fulfilled the command to give. They turned out to be junkies, but the next one might not.

Judgments


A while ago in the Torah Singles group that we have on Facebook there was an individual that was new to the group. He'd lurked for a little bit and started commenting "Hello beautiful" on threads of some women. Now here's a thing that many men don't know, Most women do not see that as a compliment, they see it as creepy. Many women judge and dismiss men that don't know any better because they weren't taught any better ( some good, some bad).  Now there was one guy that judged this person harshly, demanding that he be removed from the group because he'd "made women feel uncomfortable" by commented "hello beautiful". The judgment seemed kinda rash seeing as how I don't think anyone ever died from someone nonchalantly calling them beautiful, and based on how each of these women were a grown adults capable of speaking up about what did or did not offend them. Banning a guy for bad social cues in my opinion wouldn't let him observe, and learn to correct with time. After a while, it was determined that this individual, well, was a little lagging in the processing power. This didn't stop the one guy for making a loud public stance and essentially "White Knighting" for everyone to see how noble and chivalrous he was protecting these women from the beast that was utter the foul words "Hello" and "Beautiful". The White Knight, when called out on his over reaction, doubled down with the butthurt and went missing in action. As I weight the totality of the scenario, I was reminded of the verse that says

"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." - John 7

After we sought out what happened to the guy that went missing, he went on a long rant about how we suck in keeping the peace because new members were going to show up and see a guy commenting "Hello Beautiful" and how that... what did he say..

They’re seeing the absolute worst side of the group literally within their first interaction of the group and no one is doing a damned thing about it. I think that’s honestly some kind of record; I mean seriously, call Guinness World Records. - Butthurt guy in over reactive dramatization

Where as it looked like the ...cognitively impaired dude was being a creeper, he just wasn't understanding what he was doing. Where it looked like the dude initially was trying to protect the group, he actually turned out to have a little bit of a savior complex needing to rescue damsels from being called beautiful because people would obviously run for the door if we didn't jump in and flex authoritarian control over the communications of consenting adults. Its kinda laughable.

Judgments.


Last year there was a split from a group/ group of friends that I had come to love. Trust is a hard thing for me, vulnerability is even harder. Over time with these friends in this group they came to feel like family. I spent a lot of time encouraging many of them and at times a few of them encouraged me in a hard time. I even helped pair a few of them up with their significant others. When it came time to make changes in the group, I voiced my disagreement with the choice. Instead of validating the fact that I disagreed, and being out voted (which I would have been more than fine with) there was one who sought out people that had left the group and cited me as the reason that they had left. Now, in the group rules it clearly stated that they were to go by the Matt 18 protocol for disagreements and go one on one to the person that they had issue with, being me in this situation. They didn't. They left, and when I disagreed with the proposed changes to the group my close friends sought out those people that never had the decency or the courage to discuss things with me, and they gossiped about my character and demeanor. Their justification for listening to gossip and seeking it out, was the baseless assumption that if they had hypothetically brought up their grievances to me, that I wouldn't have listened to them. Then they had their Julius Caesar moment where they brought only half of the people in charge of the group together ( and a few people that weren't in the group or part of things) and it ended with my departure from the group. The story and the details as to the how and why they did what they did kept changing and they still keep putting forward a false or selective narrative. It still hurts me sometimes. I was thinking about how even after I explained how they sinned against me, they were unrepentant. When I explained how badly they hurt and betrayed my friendship and my trust, they had no remorse. We just came through Yom Kippur and there was no out reach, no repentance. I think about that and how there isn't anything that I can say or do to change their hearts. There isn't anything that I can say or do that will help them understand, its something that God has to do. I have to trust Him and clean my side of the street. He is the one with Righteous

Judgments.









.... but it doesn't stop me from making jokes to remind them I'm still around though.

Not Yet Mr. 70 A.D. Guy

The other day I was in a conversation with a Preterist that stated that the Torah is not to be followed due to his statement that Jerusalem was destroyed in 70ad. Citing Luke 21 he says “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, ²² for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
his stance is that when the Savior states in Matthew 5:17-19 that the Law of God is to be followed until heaven and earth pass away, that heaven and earth don't really mean heaven and earth and that the text merely means until "all is fulfilled" which... citing the passage in Luke 21, he means is 70A.D. since Jerusalem was sacked in 70.A.d.
 Here are a few problems with that idea of "everything fulfilled" idea that they're shoehorning into theology.... Not everything HAS been fulfilled. When you read Revelation which was written shortly after the A.D sack of Jersualem you see a lot of stuff about the seals and what have you. It's easy to dismiss them as some weird mystical fever dream and not literal events and then you can ascribe whatever meaning to them you want... except for the fact that Zechariah seems to give the same accounting for the events (same or really really close similarities that are enough for me)


³ Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. - Zech 14
² I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.- Rev 6


Hasn't happened yet.



On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. ⁷ It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light- Zech 14
I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;- rev 6
 The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. rev 8




Hasn't happened yet.

This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. ¹³ On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. ¹⁴ Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. ¹⁵ A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps- Zech 14
When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come” ⁸ I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.- Rev 6



Hasn't happened in this specific context yet.



 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; ¹³ and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. ¹⁴ The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. ¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶ and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; ¹⁷ for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”- rev 6
On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. ⁵ You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.- Zech 14


Nope,  Not yet.


 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.⁹ The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.- Zech 14
They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes- rev 7 


No, that one hasn't reach its full fullness yet... so Preterist guy I think is wrong in his take that Luke 21:22 was in reference to the event in 70 A.D.  I think, and I fully admit I could be wrong on this, but I think the horses spoken of in this passage (which hasn't happened yet):



²⁰ On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. ²¹ Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty.- Zech 14


....Are (maybe) the Horses mentioned in Revelation. (maybe not, but possibly)


 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

....which... you know... hasn't happened yet.

Book of 1st Opinions

One of the first accounts with the Adversary is in Gen 3 and it is as follows

 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;  but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”  The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!  For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.
A lot of believers seem to be flocking to extra-biblical literature. I've seen it crammed in peoples Torah portion studies like it has any right to be there. It doesn't. I had a discussion with someone recently that had this to say

If the source venerates and expounds on scripture i don't see the problem and Enoch especially clears up misunderstandings about Genesis 6 that causes prejudice against God when misunderstood 

Clears up misunderstandings? The dude that said this is a well meaning Facebook friend but this is a problem.  When I asked "so you're saying it adds to the text of Gen 6?" He continued

expounds on or clears up misunderstandings caused by a lack of information. There are many books referenced in the cannon of Scripture that we don't have in the cannon

That is a HUGE problem to suggest that we as believers need some outside source to authenticate the scriptures, when scriptures are the standard of authentication. Look at that passage above that I outlined from Gen 3. The addition of ONE word, not an entire book, not an entire paragraph, not an entire sentence, but one single word slipped in by the adversary was enough to doom humanity.  What is the temptation offered by these books if it isn't  "your eyes will be opened"  and it allow you to have special knowledge like God? 

 

 

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. - 1 Tim 6

 

 There are people that read extra-biblical works and they get hung up on the Nephlim and the Firmament and all sorts of issues that have more than likely zero spiritual resolution for the believer. They can rant for days about their thoughts about the Sons of God mixing with the Daughters of men, but they have difficulty loving their brothers and sisters in the Christian church. They have 10k opinions on the book of Jasher, but they can't forgive the church that burned them or love their enemies as Christ commands.

 

Take a look at this:

 

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    to guard you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. - Luke 4

 

He didn't even add words that time, he just used the right information in the wrong way to make it a lie. How much more so would we allow the opportunity for deception and detraction when instead of reading what the word says in nearness with God, we hold up that which is not scripture as if it were or put it on a pedestal as if was the decoder to all things Bible. 

 

People are so ready to believe anything that they see on Youtube that they do not confirm its accuracy, as another one of my friends pointed out in response to the claim "if you study them you will find that they support scripture and you will then see why they were removed by the Catholic church and the Protestants as well" he said

 

this is a fabrication from Hyslop. The book of Enoch traces back to about 300 BC. The Hebrew Scriptures were canonized by the time of the Hasmonean line of kings, so roughly 100 BC. In fact, the Greek Septuagint was put together around 200 years before Yeshua. Yet no one in that era considered Enoch as worthy of being included as Scripture. This has nothing to do with the Catholic church. The Catholic church merely agreed with the same conclusions previously drawn by Jewish scholars, that it did not qualify as divinely inspired material.

When we start holding extrabiblical books that grant us "special knowledge" in the same light as the scriptures not only are we in danger of the warning time and time again against adding and taking away from the Word of God, but we're conducting ourselves the same as the Mormons. If the goal of the adversary is to counterfeit, then the elevation of non-biblical text is nothing short of playing with fire.

Weathering storms

The blue eyed woman across from me is throwing back whiskey sours speaking of our beliefs in the past tense. She’s stacking grievances alongside her temptations as I plow through my third or fifth Dr. Pepper so far.  My eyes are tracing the doubled dimples in her smile as my mind is retreating to its latest battlefield.  We cycle through subjects and memories and roam over the psychology of all the people we know until we’ve closed down the bar and cleared the tab. She tells me out in the parking lot that I’m a Leo rising, but also water aside from the scorpions flame.  She thinks the science behind the moons tides are held in the aspects of us being water mostly, and born when we begin. I can hear her mother’s voice in my mind saying “It’s all bullshit anyway” but the context was for her discarded beliefs, not these.  I watch the haggard dirty street people shuffle along in the darkness, contrasted by the attractive fair skinned blue eyed woman sitting beneath a flood light.  She tells me matter of factly “I’ll never set foot in another church again, I’m sorry, but that’s just how I feel at this point in my life.” I stand in the parking lot with the shade of a canopy blocking half of the light splitting my definition.  I don’t know shit about moon tides or birth times, but I know temptations and tailspins. I know that God and I aren’t right together and my mind rolls though the elements of justice; sovereignty, grace, sacrifice, and obedience.  There are days that I wake up with a lie that tells me that I don’t love God. I weigh the deception, sifting through it for truth.  I know my hearts feeling disconnected in a shit storm of life, but then again feelings don’t dictate reality, only perception.  I’m occasionally inclined to think that I took to God less as a King and more as a powerful Ally in my war against life and the world.  I know my souls got a flu and reading the Scripture isn’t putting a pulse into a dead man.  I drove my truck to a night service the other day because I know something's wrong, and I tried to praise and I tried to worship but my voice was wrong. It was like salted earth and I didn’t have the shovel to remove the top soil to dig.  I waited for a word from God in the sermon hoping for some ministry because I’m thinking my heart is flint. All I got was politics and watered down quotes about doing my parts to recycle reduce and reuse.  God is real, and I know he deserves better than me.  An old group told me that I war too much, and since then the words make their way around again.  As I stood in the parking lot yearning to unshackle the restraints that hold depravity in check I recalled the two weeks after my sister died.  The effects on the mind and the passenger state of my own mind make me wonder if that man was the real me and everything else just a version  mask due to cultural conditioning for a people that I love who follow a book that makes the most sense to me? I ask myself If I’ve caught a demon, or just doubt.  Thomas knew the truth but was still a skeptic. I’m a believer but a failure.  I listen to the life of a blue eyed Adonis and I can recall all the faces that have let go. My back aches in physical and symbolic pain. I’ve put myself on trial and my actions make a case that I knew God, but do I know Him?  I think that I walked with Him, and He knew me, but sometimes I don’t know who I am. I war too much and I am supposed to be for peace, but I fight my identity, and I fight a steeped culture, and I fight to be honest with a silent God who sets His hand against me in my pride.  I cannot tell if I am a rational man or one gifted with too much sight pushing me to madness. There is too much geometry to everything

 A trap messianics often fall into regardless of how often we assure ourselves we dont believe is that Works =Favor and lack of works = unfavor... thus Grace becomes merit based which is paradoxical as Grace is essential independant from Works. So, at times God feels distant or quiet and it plays in my mind as "I've sinned, God has left" a.k.a Samsons terror. Compound divine silence with heavily voltile life issues in general and one suspects that the Hand of God has turned against them. In that darkness one begins to question, not God or His Sovreignty or Righteousness, but if one really loves God. Do I love God, who is worthy of love in the highest, or did I cast lot with Him as a supreme allied force in a vendetta against the world? How much of my faith has been, in some small dynamic, cultural? How many lies have I told God when I've said things like "i'll not do X again". Then war, I know we are to be ambassadors of Peace bringing shalom, meek, servants, but I often see the destruction that i can do. Like my purpose is to break, among a people called to mend. I see flaw in myself that i cannot change, along flaw that i try to change, along flaw i hold indifference to. So, questions arise about security in grace among flaws both in reform and atrophy, love and death, peace and combat, sheep and wolf.

A lot of the times I'll walk into a church and I see people buzzing around in their friend groups but I don't fit. I tried to make way with someone that I thought had common ground, to get to know them and their friends, but I think every time I reach out in a sense to bond with someone, it was treated as this alien thing. I often feel like I'm too studied for Christian churches when we're walking through Romans which mentions God's Law and I speak on it in proper context and am asked to leave. I'm ironically at Christian churches because I need the grace, love and fellowship that I find lacking in Messianic places. When I say that I sometimes don't feel accepted, what I actually mean to say is that most of the time I don't feel accepted. In my mind I understand that by challenging certain Doctrines from the scriptures themselves, it is a threat to people’s way of life in the platform of something sacred. It is not my intention to break that which is Holy. It is my intention to reconcile that which is True by the Word, with the rest of the Word as, If I have found something totally in error, I need to understand how. As I've walked in this way, which seems like a sect, a branch, a denomination of which many do not wish to claim, I have watched loved ones of like mind drift out into the disbelief. I wonder at times if I am living by faith, or surviving it. I read of Jeremiahs lamenting at the "church" mocking him and putting him in stocks as God grieves those who rejected His ways, and I feel lonely because I see as Jeremiah does but I am not as righteous. I grieve as Elijah does on the mountain top as a man who stood in front of priests and men and begged them to understand that God's ways are truth, but I am not holy as Elijah. I haven't the ambition or the drive to become some leader and preacher or teacher as some have spoken, I've rejected that pretty much every place it's spoken. I wonder if there is a church I can belong though. A place where we can read and study the word and grow together and be friends, or a family. A place where I am not looked at as an outcast for genuinely pointing out that the scriptures do not contradict, and cannot in the context, and should they then it is the Doctrines of men that should be adjusted. I'd like to be able to enter church and not measured by my shortcomings and condemned for having flaws not yet fully crucified. I'd like to be in a church that I do not hear unbiblical sermons advocating certain sins that they believe God has made a way for them to enjoy. I'd like to be in a church that doesn't perpetually spend hours poring over numerals and pictorial Hebrew letters, and spends three hours discussing Greek words that never touch the state of the Heart or the power of the renewal of Christ in the Holy Spirit of God. I'd like to not be treated like a wolf looking to devour sheep for asking Biblical questions in a search for right understanding. I'd like to be a part of a body that doesn't have Alex Jonesian theologies in adding to the Word of God with widely disputed texts that have been verified as debunked, in order to add "special knowledge" about Nephilim, some secret plot to hide the shape of the earth, or the need to "Enhance scriptural understanding" via something that is not Scripture itself. More and more I see people spin out into deception, and heresy, apostasy and contempt. I'm left feeling like a man with no country. To not fellowship with anyone is tactically vulnerable from a Spiritual standpoint. I am weak as one, alone. I am susceptible alone for prolonged extent. I wonder how long until my own love grows cold. I wonder how to properly love a body that holds me in contempt.

I tell people I'm a man, regular man like any other. I have days of doubt and I have waves of madness and anger. I hold to the Grace of the Divine living God, and pull stones from a leaky boat to keep from sinking. Water rises, and the tides rage around me, But I don't drown holding to a King who can walk on water.