I was surprised to discover that I haven’t written here since last August. I had intended to write a series of articles based on the material presented by Chosen People Ministries Scott Brown.
I attended a full day discipleship training class, and since Brown is a Messianic Jew (however you choose to define the term), I was curious. It was free and it was on Saturday (I was interested in Brown’s apparent lack of Shabbos observance), so I went.
As my previous essay indicated, the study was inspiring.
I’m recovering from some sort of stomach bug so I’ve got some “down time” this weekend.
Thumbing through Brown’s study material, I came across a page that I found disturbing, especially when presented by a man who evangelizes young Israeli Jews every winter in New Zealand (their warm months).
He started that part of the lesson with some historical perspective. Remember, this is about making disciples. He said that “The Rabbi’s set of teachings was called his yoke (of Torah)”
Then he said that just about every use of the word “yoke” in the Bible has a negative connotation.
Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? –Acts 15:10
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. –Galatians 5:1-2
Except this one:
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” –Matthew 11:29-30
Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes come from the NASB translation and the emphasis is mine.
Next, Scott described discipleship as a yoke equating it to labor. The juxtaposed this labor with Yeshua’s (Jesus’) yoke that gives rest. He cited John 21 and Hebrews 4, specifically verses 9 and 11 to illustrate said-rest.
I know he was talking to a bunch of Lutherans so he was appealing to his audience, but a number of other Bible verses (notice he was only quoting the New Testament) popped into my head, chiefly Psalm 19:7-14:
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
There are any number of other Psalms and Proverbs praising the law. If I had taken that quote from a Jewish Bible, the word you read as “law” would likely be “Torah.”
No, I’m not advocating a sort of Torah observance for Christians, but no matter how many times I encounter it, I never fail to be amazed by the dissonance the church creates when it comes to “the Law.” Even though it was instituted by Hashem (God), even though He fully expected His laws and precepts to be obeyed by Israel, and even though He punished Israel for disobedience to the Torah, by the time we get to the beginning of the book of Acts, “the law” is bad.
I once asked a Baptist Pastor why God created the law if it was a bad thing. He immediately answered that it was to illustrate to the Jewish people how impossible it was to keep. I guess this was one of the setups for Jesus being later born, killed, and resurrected, in order to show how, compared to the Torah, his yoke was light. Far fewer expectations (supposedly).
See my series of reviews to find out why the New Covenant doesn’t replace the Torah or anything else.
Every Sunday without fail I take my 87-year-old Mom to church and sit with her. She’s a life long Lutheran, so I found a nearby church. The people are nice and the Pastor’s sermon’s aren’t bad (though I don’t always agree with everything he says). I take notes, but I don’t speak with him or anyone else about my opinions. I don’t even write about them here.
But at church today, Pastor was fired up about the start of the Advent season and the month long lead up to Christmas.
Even when I was going to church for myself, I always avoided the Christmas service for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the crowds.
I don’t have that luxury this year. Mom will want to go and I’ll be taking her. Then it hit me that she’ll expect to go to Easter services too, which presents even greater problems.
I have to say that in a created universe, there’s no such thing as coincidence, so I can only believe that God is working on something in me by having me be in that church.
However, one of the consequences is learning to keep my mouth shut. Occasionally, my poker face slips, especially last week when the Youth Pastor took over sermon duties. Maybe that’s why I’m there, to realize that my religious opinions don’t make me a better person.
But within my private thoughts, I will still maintain that God didn’t switch from plan A to plan B and replace Israel with the church.
Hopefully, I’ll come back sooner this time with another “chapter” on this commentary.
Oh, here are twenty positive quotes about the Torah.
Morning Meditations 
I have read a few scholars, Mark Nanos being one, explain the term “law” when used in negative context within the NT is referring to the rabbinical law of the day, which was a moving target. Nanos’ commentary on Galatians shows evidence that Paul used an identical phrase the Essenes use when describing the “works of the law.” The negative use of “law” is a reference to the burdensome rabbinic law used to oppress the common population. “My yoke is easy” would likely refer to shedding the burdensome rabbinical yoke and returning to the torah as it was intended, which Moses told the people was “not to difficult.” Deuteronomy 30:11.
We do not know, why many people claimed they have read the H. Bible and still they do not know if their religion were false or not? When the primary requirement to all Bible readers is to know this deceiver! So not to be deceive again and again? This happen when one transfer to one religion to another and so on! When their founder or preacher were mostly master of theology and were doctorate also, and still the problem is unknown up to date. When the answer were only sleeping in the Bible. So, not this explanation be long. We will put aside the O.T. Book, because the N.T. Gospel is enough to fully justifies any religion is false! So, lets begin in Mt. 25:31-46, which thou know, its already the executed Universal Final Judgment which classified all the character traits of all the people. And those Goats, which represent the world populations now, were all already condemn of an heritable and irrevocable First Death Accursed Sentence which is condemnable by Jesus Christ into hell in Mt. 25:41.. So, to analyze this judgment these all Goat people were all classified as like the devil character! And with all this fact, all the religion establish by these goat people were all false and also the deceiver of many peoples. Because of their irrevocable condemnation, how come they become pious and become the religion of God? When Jesus Christ have already condemn them all ever since his period. So, Lc. 6:39 the blind lead the blind?
And the second fact, which thou can read in Mt. 24:36, and with this lone concealment made by Jesus Christ, all those imitator of Jesus Christ religion, for they cannot really know of this concealment, they can be also classified as false religion also! Anyhow, besides this truth there are many other concealment made by Jesus Christ in the Gospel. And one of this truth, was that God have only ordered Jesus Christ to established this lone religion exclusively covenanted to all the covenantal Israeli! With this fact alone, many could check the many corruption made in the translation of the Gospel by all those imitators or those pseudo Christian religions, which they also taught they can affiliates, joined or by ecumenism to Jesus Christ religion which are all false teachings which they deceive to many people, that can also justifies for their being false religion. And the other truth which the world religions do not know, that we are already at the 2nd Advent Period with an Hour Grace Extension in God count, which begins since last 1994 to date. and they also do not know, that they have another 2nd Universal Final Judgment to face! Which was already written by A. John in Rev. 21:8, read them.. So thou can understand that thou have the 2nd Death Sentence to avoid or thou at least already know were to go if thou rejected this judgment. Now, can anybody still don’t understand the falsehood of all religions by Jesus Christ version in Jn. 5:28, which he called those religions as “grave” and to A. John version in Rev. 3:9, he called it “synagogue of satan.”
And for the concluding fact, which thou all can read in A. Paul letter in 1Tes. 4:16-17, which states that those “dead in Christ will rise first and then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the cloud and to meet the Lord in heaven.” And this prophesy of A. Paul is now our present scenario. And that those who submit and comply to this Last Call of God for his promise Covenant Salvation by believing Jesus Christ died and rose again. Now, can’t anyone ever notice that there is none of the many religions are amongst to be caught up in the cloud, proving that all those religions were all already condemned. And to this fact, we are all calling all those good people in their affiliated religion to come out and find out the True Way to your own salvation by READING IT in the New Testament Gospel throughout your life unto the time the clouds will caught up all those that will submit (or Personal Relationship Only). And to finalize, how God will punish those sinners. Which were already explained by Jesus Christ in Mt. 25:41 and to A. John version in Rev. 20:14-15.. Although they express it in different high parable knowledge and still they have the same meaning! And its means, that an individual (male or female) together with their posses sins, their whole body will be put to the lake of fire! But it is different to the Holy One! May our living lord God Bless us all.
LOVE: New Jerusalem – Holy City
I’m going to share some things I’ve shared elsewhere.
Psalm 106 New International Version (NIV)
1 Praise the Lord.[a]
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord
or fully declare his praise?
3 Blessed are those who act justly,
who always do what is right.
4 Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them,
5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may share in the joy of your nation
and join your inheritance in giving praise.
6 We have sinned, even as our ancestors did;
we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7 When our ancestors were in Egypt,
they gave no thought to your miracles;
they did not remember your many kindnesses,
and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.[b]
8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
to make his mighty power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;
he led them through the depths as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the hand of the foe;
from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.
11 The waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them survived.
12 Then they believed his promises
and sang his praise.
13 But they soon forgot what he had done
and did not wait for his plan to unfold.
14 In the desert they gave in to their craving;
in the wilderness they put God to the test.
15 So he gave them what they asked for,
but sent a wasting disease among them.
16 In the camp they grew envious of Moses
and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord.
17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it buried the company of Abiram.
18 Fire blazed among their followers;
a flame consumed the wicked.
19 At Horeb they made a calf
and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their glorious God
for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
21 They forgot the God who saved them,
who had done great things in Egypt,
22 miracles in the land of Ham
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23 So he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him
to keep his wrath from destroying them.
24 Then they despised the pleasant land;
they did not believe his promise.
25 They grumbled in their tents
and did not obey the Lord.
26 So he swore to them with uplifted hand
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
27 make their descendants fall among the nations
and scatter them throughout the lands.
28 They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor
and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
29 they aroused the Lord’s anger by their wicked deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
30 But Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was checked.
31 This was credited to him as righteousness
for endless generations to come.
32 By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord,
and trouble came to Moses because of them;
33 for they rebelled against the Spirit of God,
and rash words came from Moses’ lips.[c]
34 They did not destroy the peoples
as the Lord had commanded them,
35 but they mingled with the nations
and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to false gods.
38 They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was desecrated by their blood.
39 They defiled themselves by what they did;
by their deeds they prostituted themselves.
40 Therefore the Lord was angry with his people
and abhorred his inheritance.
41 He gave them into the hands of the nations,
and their foes ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them
and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,
but they were bent on rebellion
and they wasted away in their sin.
44 Yet he took note of their distress
when he heard their cry;
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant
and out of his great love he relented.
46 He caused all who held them captive
to show them mercy.
47 Save us, Lord our God,
and gather us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
48 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord.
Footnotes:
Psalm 106:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 48
Psalm 106:7 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verses 9 and 22
Psalm 106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+107&version=NIV
Psalm 107 New International Version (NIV)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.[a]
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
23 Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea[b] were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.
33 He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.
39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
42 The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.
43 Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Footnotes:
Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea
Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves
[Just for a sense of orientation, I’m not arguing for or against the person you say you went to hear on a Saturday, at a Lutheran Church. There is a reason (or more than one) that I avoid wasting time with his studies, but I don’t remember why. And you know that I am Messian/Messianic.]
“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” …
19 … “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
……..
24 Once [the next day] the crowd [who had seen him heal a sick man and feed thousands with five barley loaves and two small fishes, then gather extra] realized that neither Jesus nor [the Twelve] were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
….
43 … 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[d] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
…
53 Jesus said …, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue [there].
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
Footnotes:
….
John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit
….
… 7 The world cannot hate you [he said to his brothers, months later], but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly… …
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.
Jesus Teaches at the Festival
14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The [leaders] there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 [He references the one healing (called work*) and the reaction of leaders to it and to him, Jesus.] ……….
33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
…..
John 5 New International Version (NIV)
2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 … [4] [b] 5 … 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” … “… While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so … leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the … leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the … leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work[*] to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
……….
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[d]?
45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Footnotes:
John 5:2 Some manuscripts Bethzatha; other manuscripts Bethsaida
John 5:4 Some manuscripts include here, wholly or in part, paralyzed—and they waited for the moving of the waters. 4 From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had.
John 5:39 Or 39 Study
John 5:44 Some early manuscripts the Only One
Hi James! I just wanted to drop in and say hello. It has been a long while since I have visited your blog. I remember discovering your and Derek’s blogs early in my walk. I learned quite a bit from you both. Good to see you are still here and posting still. God bless you & family!
Thanks. Same to you and yours.
It’s been a long time since I’ve stopped by your site. I didn’t even remember my Gravatar password so I don’t know if I’m repeating my comment. Anyway wanted to just drop by and say hello. I remember visiting your blog and Derek’s quite often in my early walk and learned quite a but from you both. Good to see your blog is still here and you are posting to it. Hope all is well! God bless you and family.
Hello Guys, do not be too disappointed to the many truth revelation happening nowadays. Because this is just the God’s way to prove to all that what God promises in the given prophesies will really happen as in Jn. 16:36, read it and it may improve your faith without doubt and confusion. And speaking of true faith, many thinks that by just saying ” I know Jesus Christ or I know God is enough” and not knowing of this saying is one of the many character of the devil as a great liar or great pretender! Because if one really knows Jesus Christ or God, they were doing or observing all what they have taught to us. And this problem also happen to the many basic and simple teachings of Jesus Christ, which resulted to improper observance for not knowing the real truth as in Jn. 8:32-36. And in verse 32, “and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make ye free.” But this is now a common saying of many religions of not knowing why, what and who will Jesus Christ will free? Because the context of the message is in Testamented Word or in Covenanted statement of Jesus Christ, referring it to all the covenantal Israeli which at that time were still under the bondage of Moses covenant, read Mt. 1:21 & Mt. 15:24.. Because if they will believe to the true teachings of Jesus Christ they will be set free indeed. But unknown to many, this truth will be re-apply in the 2nd Advent Period which is today.
Now, with regards to evangelist Luke of his advance fore warn advice in Lc. 18:8, which states ff, “nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith in the earth.” Now, if only thou will check this message, even before this was written there was already an answer in the already executed universal final judgment by Jesus Christ which is now written in Mt. 25:31-46. Since we are all now in this 2nd Advent Period which started since 1994. What evangelist Luke have foresighted problem become true and fulfilled or there is none in the world found in the true faith after separating by Jesus Christ those Sheep or the holy covenantal Israeli. We wrote this fact to support our previous letter by condemning all the religions are false. So may the real truth will prevail and those good people that were all still in bondage to their affiliated religion may see this light and decide to come out and to seek out the truth and way to their personal salvation by submission and complying to Jesus Christ true way in this Last Call of God Will Plan (this is only our information, its you who will seek the truth). And to avoid God’s wrath to this ailing world which is very very near to its end.
May our living lord God Bless us all.
LOVE : New Jerusalem – Holy City