Friday, September 25, 2009

Last week's "Target Practice" results!

Question: Did Shaul say every creature of Elohim is good and nothing is to be refused if we receive it be received with thanksgiving?

Targets and results:

A. Yes - 11 hits
B. No - 14 hits

Bull's-eye: A. yes

1 Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

To clarify that he is clearly not saying we may eat anything we must read verse 3.

Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Shaul (Paul) clearly says those who depart from the faith will command others to abstain from food Elohim created to be received. By this statement along with the rest of the eternal words of scripture that everything Elohim was not made for food. However, in the narrative found in 1 Timothy 4 Shaul reminds the reader that everything created by Elohim for food is good for consumption regardless of what those who depart from the faith say.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Last week's "Target Practice" results!

Question: In Peter's vision of Acts 10, "What Elohim has cleansed that call not thou common," this statement was made in reference to what?

Targets:

A. All foods / lifting the dietary restrictions of the "Old Testament"
B. Gentiles who come to faith - 36 hits
C. The Temple
D. All of the above - 1

Bull's-eye: B. Gentiles who come to faith

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Last week's "Target Practice" results!

Since we of the covenant are clearly to keep the Sabbath Day, are we also to keep the judgment command to stone those who violate it?

A. Yes - 5

B. No - 35

Bull's eye - B. No

You may wonder how we keep the Torah by not keeping the judgment of stoning. How could “B” be a Bull’s-eye? After all, did not Yeshua himself say, “till heaven and earth pass not one jot or tittle shall pass from the Torah till all be fulfilled?”


Am I suggesting that we disregard the very instructions of YHWH? No! I am, however, suggesting that while we are in exile, we cannot carry out such judgments. This judgment belongs to the government of YHWH. As long as we live in a land or nation ruled by another king or government – then we are in exile – and cannot carry out such judgments. This is true even in the land of Israel which is currently under a secure government. To carry out a judgment of death upon an individual without being able to fulfill all of the commandments governing justice, involving the judges, priests, urim and thummin and cities of refuge would be a greater violation of Torah.

However, if in the land of Israel under the reign of Messiah, with the Torah being the law of the land, then yes, stoning is the required punishment and therefore we would keep the righteous judgment as prescribed by The Holy One. We must not forget judgments such as this and others alike were given not only to protect the faithful, but to purge the evil by deterring others from considering such an adulterous path of unfaithfulness. We must remember that the Torah is the image of YHWH – to violate it is to put forth a false image that would lead people away from the source of life and salvation.