TRUTH Shall Make You Free! Shalom to you all.
As we are counting down the weeks to Shavuot (Pentecost), I thought it would be appropriate to share this nugget about the Holy Spirit. You can agree or disagree with this, but regardless of which side of the fence you fall on, this is a truth you will not be able to ignore and it will challenge your interpretations of the New Testament.
There is a central debate between Christians and Messianics. It revolves around whether or not we are under the law. I am ready and willing to conclude that, yes, we are under the law.... And by virtue of this truth, we are under the protection of the law.
Don't quit reading yet! It is my hope that you would take off the filters of doctrine and look at this with me, logically.
Let me explain, if I drive 54 in a 55, the law protects me against the one driving 56. If he crashes into me driving over 55, the law is on my side. I am driving “in the Spirit,” because I am under the speed limit/under the law. There is so much more to this understanding than meets the eye.
When we speak of the law, as Paul does, the first question that must be asked is what law is he speaking about? Is he speaking about the Torah/Law of Moses? Is he speaking about the Pharisaical laws, the Sadducaical laws, the laws written in the Talmud, or what about Herod’s laws (there are others)?
With an elementary look at Galatians, it is very easy to see that Paul (in Chapter 1) is directing his statements against his Pharisaical upbringing. This short blog does not allow me to go through each chapter to make that clear. But, from the inception of his letter, Paul speaks of how he profited greatly “in the religion of the Jews” or what we know as “Judaism.”
On the Sabbath, I went through each chapter of Galatians; you might do well to do the same and see the progression as Paul dismantles aspects of Judaism, which can be found in the Talmud. Namely, a Pharisaical circumcision, as well as Sadducaical circumcision which brought those that were seeking to follow the Law of Moses, as instructed by Yeshua, to be under subjection to the respective “ordinances” of religious circumcision, and therefore making of none affect the law of YHVH. That truly is a law I do not want to be under.
I will leave it to you to be a good Berean and search out the different methods of circumcision, especially under Judaism, and most of Galatians (and I mean most) will begin to line up with the rest of the New Testament concerning the adherence to the Law of YHVH, not of the law of the religious order of the day.
Enough of that - let us go to a particular verse that I think would be somewhat amusing to you all. Look at 1 Peter 1:22 and let’s break it down. “Seeing ye have purified your souls:” The profound declaration of this particular phrase is how we can have anything to do with purifying our own soul. As it is written, Peter is stating to his audience his acknowledgement that somehow they purified their own soul. Wow!
Would it not be beneficial to us to know how to do that? How can I purify my soul? I’m glad you asked. The next phrase in this verse says, “In obeying the truth:” Peter again explains that by obeying the truth, these people have purified their souls. It would behoove us to obey the truth.
How can I obey the truth? I’m glad you asked. Peter goes on to say, “Through the Spirit.” (More about that to follow.)
And then he finishes by acknowledging that because of their obedience, the love of the brethren is the evidence that they have obeyed the truth. At this point, would it not be beneficial to know what the truth is so that we can obey it through the Spirit and have that same evidence of love toward the brethren?
What is truth? I’m glad you asked. Go to Psalm 119:142. It says, “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is truth. Now, jump a few verses later to verse 151:
"Thou art near, O YHVH; and all thy commandments are truth. "
Do not think for one moment that Peter did not know these two scriptures. Psalm 119 is one of the most prolific champions that David wrote in his love of the law and commandments of YHVH. This is just one of many, many examples of New Testament writing that is unmistakably linked to Old Testament truth.
Now, there are those that might say that Peter was simply talking about “walking in the spirit.” On this, we are somewhat in agreement; you cannot obey the truth (the law and commandments) of Torah without “walking in the spirit.” Where we do not agree is, that the Spirit is somehow disconnected from the law and commands. I emphatically state that Torah and Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) are one.
See if you can follow this: the Torah (the law and commandments) was given to Moses on the Day of Pentecost. The Feast of Pentecost (Shavuot) was to celebrate and commemorate the giving of Torah.
Now “when the Day of Pentecost had fully come,” Acts 2, YHVH chose to fulfill the prophetic word of the Prophet Joel and reveal His Holy Spirit. Torah, the truth, the law, the commands, and the Holy Spirit were inextricably linked on that day. You cannot have one without the other. And, it is only by YHVH’s true grace that you have been able to walk in a measure of the Spirit without the fullness that comes with your obedience to the truth.
But, now, my brothers and sisters, you know the truth, because I have just showed it to you. What will you do with this?
2 Corinthians 13:1 says, “…Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established…”
So, let us allow Brother John to prove what Peter just said.
1 John 5:2-3 says, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
John writes, “By this we know that we love the children of God.” By what? By keeping HIS commands.
Peter also says that the evidence of obeying the truth was their “unfeigned love of the brethren.” Peter and John both state that loving one another, as Yeshua commanded, was proof that they were obeying the truth/keeping the commands of YHVH!
Folks, these are New Testament verses. There are so so so many more. Study for yourself and you will find that, when you know the TRUTH (Law and Commands), the TRUTH will certainly make you free (John 8:32).
Here are a couple of teachings I have done on this topic that may bless you:
In His Service,
David
This is a pretty important subject to our Heavenly Father, since it's mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments about 71 times. Searching it out can be overwhelming, but we've got you covered. Here is the ultimate guide for the modern family to observe Passover today.
(1 minute read)
Let us not forget the atrocities of the past, lest we are tempted to repeat them.
Still, I would like to present a point that I overlooked from yesterday’s message. The message is entitled, “Command GOD”. And while some may shrink at the thought of being able to command God, YHVH, to do anything, I lay out with specificity the manner in which we may be able to do so.
It is quite intriguing that we have such opportunity, In the light of an all-powerful Elohim. If you will indulge me, this point will make it a little clearer.
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Melba Y Smithwick
January 02, 2022
I missed your teachings. I especially like and appreciate how you identify the terms like Torah as the law and commandments relating the terms I know as a Catholic.