Week 14: The Role and Priorities of the Wife
Ephesians 5: 22-24

A woman who properly submits to her husband also submits to the Lord.

Because so much of the Church has long disregarded the full teaching of the Scriptures, many believers find some of its truths to be unfamiliar and even hard to accept. And because the Church has been so engulfed in, identified with, and victimized by worldly standards, God’s standards seem to be out-of-date, irrelevant, and offensive to modern thinking. His way is so high and contrary to the way of the world that it is incomprehensible to many in and out of the Church. Over and over again the B’rit Chadashah calls us to another dimension of existence, a new way of thinking, acting and living. To walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called . . . and clothe yourselves with the new nature created to be godly, which expresses itself in the righteousness and holiness that flow from the truth (4:1 and 24), is to fulfill the high calling to which we were called in a completely new life and in a completely new, Spirit-filled way.

The matter of submission: Wives should submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22a; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:4-5). With an understanding of submission in mind, it must be noted that this command does not place the wife in an inferior position. All people, regardless of their position in life, are equal in standing before God through Messiah (Galatians 3:28). The world may place a greater or lesser value on persons as was true in the first century Roman Empire. In that world (and still in some places today), wives were considered as property and also greatly inferior to their husbands. The Rabbi encourages the wives to be in correct biblical submission – not subservient, but as a complement, an equal, to her husband.

Wives are always given great social status in Judaism as illustrated in the following rabbinic quote: Honor your wife, for thereby you enrich yourself. A man should be ever careful about the honor due to his wife, because no blessing is expected in his house except on her account (Tractate Bava Metzia 59a). It is therefore logical that the B’rit Chadashah affirms their distinctive role in marriage. Women have many gifts. The mothering instinct not seen in most men is something unique to women. In a connected theme, Sha’ul also encourages the Messianic wives to respect their husbands. Men often look for this in the marriage relationship and women should be motivated as they realize they are actually showing respect to Messiah in the process (5:33). But what are women to do if they are married to an unbeliever?

Guidelines for believers married to unbelievers who want to stay married (First Corinthians 7:12-14): Yeshua, in the course of His ministry, had never addressed this issue. But Paul, with no less authority did. With two sets of perfectly balanced sentences, he says that believers are not to initiate divorce proceedings: To the rest I say – I, not the Lord: if any brother has a wife who is not a believer, and she is satisfied to go on living with him, he should not leave her. Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband who is satisfied to go on living with her, she is not to leave him (First Corinthians 7:12-13). Indeed, Peter also instructs married women that they should submit to their husbands, so that even if some of them do not believe the Word, they will be won over by your conduct (First Peter 3:1a). While Paul does not reflect on this here, it certainly must have been difficult for a woman in Corinth to stand out alone in a marriage and to accept Yeshua Messiah as her Lord and Savior. In most cases in Greco-Roman society, the religion of the father in the family was the religion of the whole household (Acts 16:33-34). Undoubtedly, then, for a wife to go against the religion of the household and become a believer must have, in some cases at least, led to intense friction in the home.

Believers married to unbelievers were not to worry that they, themselves, their marriage, or their children would be defiled by the unbelieving spouse. On the contrary, just the opposite is true. Divorce was to be avoided because the believing spouse was, and is, a channel of God’s grace in the marriage. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Being unequally yoked (see my commentary on Second Corinthians, to see link click Bi – Do Not Be Unequally Yoked with Unbelievers), one flesh with an unbeliever, can be frustrating, discouraging, and even costly. But it need not be defiling because one believer can sanctify a home. Sanctified here refers to being set apart. Sanctification in this context is matrimonial and familial, not personal or spiritual.

Furthermore, God looks on the family as a unit. Even if it is divided spiritually, and most of its members are unbelieving and immoral, the entire family is sanctified by the believer among them. Therefore, if an unbelieving spouse is willing to stay, the believer is not to seek a divorce. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy (1 Cor 7:14). Just the presence of one believer will protect the children. It is not that their salvation is assured, but that they are protected from undue spiritual harm and that they will receive spiritual blessing because they share the spiritual benefits of the believing parent. Often the testimony of the believing parent in this situation is effective, because the children see a clear contrast to the unbelieving parent’s life, and that leads them to salvation.

Guidelines for believers married to unbelievers who want to leave (First Corinthians 7:15-16): Paul now moves to the next step; there is an exception to the rule of no divorce. But if the unbelieving spouse leaves (Greek: chorizo, meaning separate), let him leave. In keeping with the whole argument, Paul once more qualifies the ideal with an exception. The believer may not pursue divorce, but if the pagan wants to leave, let them do so. This verse does not say, “If the pagan begins divorce proceedings.” Words mean something, and chorizo simply means to separate, or to leave. If a wife had to rely on a vindictive fleeing pagan husband to begin divorce proceedings, she would be left in a state of slavery. Her only crime was faith in Messiah. However, in circumstances like these, the brother or sister is not enslaved, and is able to divorce and remarry. God has called you to a life of peace, not slavery (First Corinthians 7:15).

Marriage was not designed for an evangelistic tool. Missionary dating is a bad idea; and missionary marriages are bad if the unbelieving spouse leaves. Far too many young brides or grooms have been led away from Messiah as a result of the influence of the unbelieving spouse. For the wife has no assurance that she will save her husband, and the husband has no assurance that he will save his wife (1 Cor 7:16)? To cling to a marriage in which the pagan is determined to end would inevitably lead to frustration and tension. The certain strain is not justified by the uncertain result. The guiding principle must be peace.

The manner of submission: The manner or attitude of submission is to be as they do to the Lord (5:22b). This does not mean that a wife is to submit to her husband in the same way she submits to the Lord, but rather that her submission to her husband is her service to the Lord. Everything we do in obedience to the Lord should also be done first of all for His glory and to please Him. A woman who properly submits to her husband also submits to the Lord. This explains why a believer should marry a believer and not become unequally yoked together with an unbeliever. Such a home invites civil war from the beginning.

The motive of submission: For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church (5:23a). Sha’ul will have more to say about this with regards to the role of the husband (see my commentary on Ephesians Bx – The Role and Priorities of the Husband), but the overriding principle is stated here. God’s directions are clear. The wife is called upon to place herself under the authority and leadership of her husband, and the husband is to love his wife as Messiah loved the Church. This does not mean that the husband should be a dictator or that the wife should be a doormat. The husband is to lead through sacrifice and love, and the wife is to submit with sincerity and respect.

The fact that the husband is to serve as the head of the family as a servant leader, exemplifies Yeshua Himself. He came as a leader by serving others, even to the point of self-sacrificing death on the Roman cross. This is clearly the greatest example husbands have and clearly defines the biblical idea of headship in marriage. Hence, the Rabbi encourages the wives to submit to their husbands even as they submit to Yeshua.

The model of submission: He Himself being the Savior of the Body (5:23b). The supreme and ultimate model of submission is Yeshua Messiah Himself, who performed the supreme act of submission by giving His own sinless life to save a sinful world. Messiah is the Savior of the Body, His Church, for whom He died on a Roman cross. He is the perfect Provider, Protector, and Head of His Church, which is His Body. He is the divine role model for husbands, who should provide for, protect, preserve, love, and lead their wives and families in the same way that Messiah cares for His Church. Wives are no more to be co-providers, co-protectors, or co-leaders with their husbands than the Church is to have such roles with Yeshua Messiah. But just as the Church submits to Messiah, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything (5:24). To follow God’s plan for the family not only is pleasing to Him, but is the only way to godlier, happier, and more secure homes. His plan is neither for the exaltation of men and the suppression of women, nor for the exaltation of women and the suppression of men, but for the perfection and fulfillment of both men and women as He has ordained them to be. Such perfection and fulfillment can only be made possible by the filling of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (see my commentary on Ephesians Bt – Be Filled with the Ruach).

Week 14: The Role and Priorities of the Husband
Ephesians 5: 25-33

Messiah’s sacrifice on the cross is the barometer for a husband’s love for his wife.

Sacrificial love (5:25b): The Torah model is a husband who loves his wife. Rabbi Sha’ul tells us that men are to emulate Messiah in their love for their wives. He says: Husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Church, and gave Himself up for her (5:25 NIV). This is a sacrificial love. There is no bullying, there is no forced submission. Instead the biblical husband is to nourish and cherish his wife. To be her number one fan. One cannot cherish a person and at the same time disregard their wishes and opinions. Messiah-like headship is defined as servant-hood. Lording it over another person is something that the Master attributes to the ways of pagans. His disciples are to demonstrate leadership through their humble service: Yeshua said, “You know that among the Goyim, those who are supposed to rule them become tyrants, and their superiors’ become dictators. Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave! For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve – and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:25-28). And Paul charges married men to love their wives and do not be embittered against them (Colossians 3:19). Again the key word is love (First Cor 13:4-7).

It is particularly important that we notice that the apostle never commands husbands to “make your wives submit to you.” The mitzvah of submitting to one’s husband belongs solely to the woman. It is the wife’s mitzvah, not the husbands. A husband need not worry that his wife is not submitting to him. That is her business, not his. The Bible does not give a man license to force his wife to obey him. Rather, he is to love her and treat her as a fellow heir. She is his partner, not his servant. A man who does not show his wife the dignity of being his fellow heir will not even be heard in heaven. Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered (First Peter 3:7). An insensitive man or harsh authoritarian that does not live with his wife in an understanding way is not worthy of even having his prayers answered. After all, he does not listen to his wife’s entreaties, so why should God listen to his? Thus, we learn that the biblical principles of submission and authority within the home depend upon a godly man who conducts himself according to the highest standards of Torah. A home ruled by the iron fist of harsh authoritarian is not worthy of the name of Messiah.

We have proven that YHVH is decidedly patriarchal. Wives do not have free-agency. They are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord (see my commentary on Ephesians, to see link click Bw – The Role and Priorities of the Wife). And husbands are to love their wives, just as the Messiah loved the Church. The critical question is how did Messiah love the Church? Was there anything He would not do for the Church? What was his attitude toward the Church?

Mark answers these questions like this: For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). So if the husband puts his wife first in everything, thinking of her first, making sure all her needs are met by serving her, then that is much easier to submit to. But this kind of a relationship seems a lot different from: he shall rule over you (see the commentary on Genesis Bf – Your Desire Will Be for Your Husband, and He Will Rule Over You), doesn’t it? That sounds pretty harsh, not like a servant at all. Which is it? Does he come to serve or rule? Moreover, how is he to rule over her? If you think this is confusing, just look at the state of marital roles. It is one of the most confused areas in and out of the Church today. The main problem is confusion between man’s relationship with his wife, and his responsibility with what goes on in the marriage.

Let’s look at relationships first. The Bible clearly teaches that men and women are equals socially, psychologically, and spiritually. In other words, they are equals in their relationship with each other. God created us as equals (1:27-28), and we are to be one when married (2:24). We are equally sinful (Romans 3:23), and equally saved (John 1:12-13; Second Corinthians 5:17). Husbands and wives are to submit to each other sexually (First Corinthians 7:2-5), and socially (Ephesians 5:21). Furthermore, the Bible teaches that there shall be no sexual discrimination (Galatians 3:28). Men and women are equally dependent on God (First Corinthians 11:11-12), accepted equally as believers (Acts 5:14), and co-laborers for Him (Romans 16:1, 3-6; Philippians 4:3). So in their relationship, men and women are equals. There is no doubt about that. But there is another area that we need to look at.

The second area the Bible teaches us about is responsibility. Even though men and women are equal in their relationship to one another, men are ultimately held responsible for what goes on in the marriage. The Bible tells us that when Abram lied about Sarai being his wife, Pharaoh held Abram responsible (Genesis 12:17-20). Later, after God changed their names, Abraham and Sarah did the same thing again and Abimelech held Abraham responsible (Genesis 20:9). And it seems the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree, as Abraham’s son Isaac was held responsible for the lie about Rebekah (Genesis 26:9). Much later, God held David responsible for his sin with Bathsheba and sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him. In Genesis, Adam and Eve both ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; in fact Eve led the way, but God held Adam responsible (Genesis 3:9). This principle is not only taught in the TaNaKh, but also in the B’rit Chadashah where Paul tells us that through one man sin entered the world (Romans 5:12, 14 and 17). Responsibility begs for accountability, and God held Adam responsible. Not only was the responsibility not the same for Adam and Eve, neither were their consequences. With the leader following and the follower leading, God declared that Adam would rule over Eve.

So with this understanding, we come back to the question: How shall the husband rule over his wife? Husbands and wives should make important decisions together as a team, but if they cannot agree, he has to make the call because he is responsible before God. How he handles the situation, how he listens to his wife and takes her feelings and opinions into consideration are important. She needs to be heard. Husbands who do not listen to their wives are fools, because Elohim made her a helper suitable for him (Genesis 2:18). If the wife does not feel like she is being heard or has any input in the marriage, it will crush her spirit and/or drive her away (physically and/or emotionally).

Purifying love (5:26-27): In order to set it apart for God . . . The Rabbi is no doubt alluding to the Jewish name of the marriage covenant – kiddushin (sanctified marriage). It is an illustration that every Jew would understand. As biblical marriage is a consecration of a woman to a man, so, too, it reminds every Jew of being set apart as a people for God. In fact, the phrasing of 5:26-27 (and the broader context of Ephesians) is reminiscent of the entire Jewish wedding ceremony . . . making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak (5:26). Here, the Rabbi makes another reference to the mikveh as he discusses family purity mitzvot, specifically in the Jewish wedding traditions. It was and still is a common practice for a Jewish groom and bride to separately take a ritual immersion in water at a mikveh just before the final step of their wedding. Rabbinic law dictates that a kosher (acceptable) mikveh must have at least 200 gallons of rainwater funneled into a pool. Each natural body of water (oceans, rivers, or lakes) is already considered acceptable. We find immersions in Scripture (Second Kings 5 and Matthew 3).

It should be noted that a person must be thoroughly clean before being totally immersed, thereby showing that the waters of the mikveh are not for physical cleansing, but for a spiritual purpose. In Jewish sources, the act of tevilah (immersion or baptism) is akin to being born again. The person who has sinned and becomes impure is transformed; he dies and is resurrected and becomes a new creation.

Rabbi Sha’ul makes an important point here by alluding to the custom of a mikveh on one’s wedding day. It is the responsibility of the new husband to make sure both he and his bride take this symbolic immersion as they start their lives together. This beautifully parallels the immersion of the Ruach that makes all believers clean as we become new creatures in Messiah (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bd – A New Creation). Sha’ul emphasizes both aspects within the Jewish wedding customs. In a literal sense, Messianic husbands are to mentor their wives spiritually so that they are clean and without defect. Similarly, we believers are called to live as faithful brides and to participate in this mikveh in anticipation of our wedding day with Messiah. In order to present the Church to Himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing (Song of Songs 4:7), but holy and without defect (5:27). In so doing, we will be a spiritual bride this is holy, cleansed, without defect and waiting for Him.

Caring love (5:28-30): For a husband’s love for his wife to be like Messiah’s love for His Body, the Church, it must also be affectionately caring. This is how husband’s ought to love their wives – like their own bodies; for the man who loves his wife is loving himself. When she needs strength, he gives her strength. When she needs encouragement, he gives her that. And so with every other need she has. Why, no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes care of it, just as the Messiah does the Church, because we are parts of his Body.

Unbreakable love (5:31): Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and remain with his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Rabbi Sha’ul again refers back to the early verses of the Torah and God’s design for marriage. Yet, he takes it a step further in reminding the husbands to be godly leaders in their marriages. It is all illustrated in the Jewish understanding of marriage and the final step of the Jewish wedding ceremony. As the one-year engagement time draws to a close, the father of the groom initiates the last part of the ceremony with the sounding of the shofar. The general community, and even the bridal party, was never sure of the exact time, so they needed to be ready (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Jw – The Parable of the Ten Virgins). At the sound of the shofar, the wedding procession would begin from the groom’s home to pick up the bride to bring her to the huppah (wedding canopy). There, the ketubah (written contract) would be signed and vows exchanged. The second cup of wine would be shared along with the seven blessings over the couple. At the completion of the ceremony, the couple would then be fully married and could live together with full conjugal rights.

Today, almost all the above elements are included in one ceremony in the modern Jewish wedding. They still speak volumes about our relationship with God and His plan for the future. Messianic Jews and Gentiles have become “engaged to Yeshua.” We currently await the sound of the shofar announcing the return of the groom, Yeshua Messiah (see the commentary on Leviticus Ee – Rosh ha’Shanah/Trumpets), to start the final wedding processional, and be reunited with Him to live together for the thousand-year Messianic Kingdom centered in Jerusalem. What a time of rejoicing that will be!

Mysterious love (5:32-33): The final step of the Jewish wedding ceremony contains symbolism about our personal relationship with God. There is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Messiah and the Church. A mystery in the bible is something once hidden, but now revealed (Colossians 1:26-27)? The sacred relationship between believing husbands and wives is indistinguishably related to the sacred relationship between Messiah and His Church. However, the text also applies to each of you individually: let each man love his wife as he does himself, and see that the wife respects her husband. Husbands, are we fulfilling our roles as servant leaders to our wives and family? Wives, are you living up to your high calling of being a suitable complement to your husband? We have all sent out our RSVPs by receiving Yeshua as our Redeemer. He desires for all people to attend this great Jewish wedding (see The Life of Christ Hp – The Parable of the Great Banquet).

Week 13: Basic Symbols

There are many symbols in the Scripture which point to Messiah. However, as far as those commanded for New Covenant believers, the Lord gave us two that testify of Him: Immersion and Communion. These are both aspects of our salvation. Immersion is done only once for it represents the once-for-all salvation a believer has in Yeshua (Ephesians 4:5). But Communion celebrated regularly, since it represents the continuing testimony of Messiah’s saving atonement for our sins. Both were instituted by the commands of our Lord (Matthew 28:19; First Corinthians 11:23-26).

Immersion: Faithful disciples follow Yeshua’s commandments, which include the act of Immersion. Then Yeshua came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh” (Matthew 28:18-19). The original intent of Immersion implied being submerged into the water. The word Immersion comes from the Greek word baptizo, meaning to dip, immerse or plunge (Mark 7:4; Luke 11:38). This term is also used in the textile trade for dyeing clothes, and would also describe a sunken ship. As a result, when Immersion was practiced in the Scriptures, it was always near plenty of water (John 3:23).

The symbolism of Immersion is a picture of what was spiritually accomplished when you came to faith in Yeshua. It is an outward manifestation of an inward reality. When you trusted in Messiah, you were spiritually Baptized into the Body of Messiah by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. This is a onetime event enabling you to live out Messiah’s love and supernaturally empowering you to serve as a member of His Body (First Corinthians 12:13). Thus, physical Immersion pictures your salvation experience. Coming up out of the water is like your being raised up with Messiah, picturing His death and resurrection, “If we have been united with Him in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:5-6). You have a new life in Messiah.

Communion: Yeshua instituted Communion while celebrating Passover with His apostles (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24). The feast of Passover is a yearly reminder of God’s redemption of His people from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12). Yeshua used the third cup, traditionally called the Cup of Redemption, to represent Himself in the Seder meal (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Kk – The Third Cup of Redemption). At Passover, the blood of the lamb kept judgment from the Israelites, as God said: when I see the blood I will pass over you (Exodus 12:13). Yeshua initiated the New Covenant in His blood as a picture of the fullness of this redemption (Jeremiah 31:31; Luke 22:20).

Paul gives more detail about Communion when he said: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till he comes (First Corinthians 11:26). What is the significance of the phrase till He comes? When Yeshua returns, we will no longer need the symbols, for the Reality will be with us! That is why it is for believers only – a testimony of faith in Yeshua’s death, resurrection, and return.

Both elements, the bread and the cup, are vitally important. The bread reminds us that He gave His body as payment for the sin debt we owed God (Second Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:5-10). Through His sacrifice we have forgiveness from God. The cup reminds us of His blood which cleanses the stain of sin (First John 1:7). Through the shedding of His blood, we have fellowship with God. In addition to Immersion and Communion, Tithing is an important aspect in the life of every believer.

Tithing: While we are still commanded to tithe today, most of us are not thinking of the tithe during the Dispensation of the Torah which would amount to about twenty-five percent! Giving in the Dispensation of Grace is proportionate. Today, giving is to be personally determined. Second Corinthians 9:7 tells us that each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. We are to give freely out of what the LORD has given freely. The cycle applies not only to material giving but also to every form of giving that is done sincerely to honor God and to meet a need. The way of God’s people has always been the way of giving. To guide us, the Bible teaches seven principles of scriptural giving.

First, giving from the heart is investing with God. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use it, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). Paul reiterated Messiah’s words when he wrote to the believers at Corinth, saying: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (Second Corinthians 9:6).

Second, genuine giving is to be sacrificial. David refused to give to the LORD that which cost him nothing. He insisted on paying for the threshing floor on which to build an altar to the LORD (Second Samuel 24:18-24). Generosity is not measured by the size of the gift itself, but by its size in comparison to what is possessed. The widow who put “two very small copper coins into the treasury gave more than all the others who gave large sums because they all gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on” (Mark 12:42-44; Luke 21:2-4).

Third, responsibility for giving has no relationship to how much the person has. People who are not generous when they are poor will not be generous when they are rich. They might give a larger amount, but they will not give a larger proportion. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Luke 16:10). It is especially important to teach younger children to give generously to God with whatever small amounts of money they receive, because the attitudes and patterns they set as children are likely to carry over into adulthood. God doesn’t need your money, but He wants your heart.

Fourth, material giving correlates to spiritual blessing. To those who are not faithful with mundane things such as money and other possessions, Messiah will not entrust things that are of far greater value. “So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own” (Luke 16:11-12).

Fifth, giving is to be personally determined. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (Second Corinthians 9:7). Righteous giving is done from a righteous and generous heart, not from legalistic percentages of quotas. The Macedonian believers gave abundantly out of their deep financial poverty because spiritually they were rich in love (Second Corinthians 8:1-2). The Philippian believers gave out of the spontaneous generosity of their hearts, not because they felt compelled to do so (Philippians 4:15-18).

Sixth, we are to give in response to need. The early messianic community in Jerusalem gave their resources without hesitation. Many of their fellow believers had become destitute when they trusted in Messiah and were ostracized from their families and lost employment because of their faith. Years later Paul collected money from the Galatian churches to help meet the great needs that continued to exist among the righteous of the TaNaKh in Jerusalem and that had been intensified by famine.

There have always been charlatans who manufacture needs and play on the sympathy of others. And there have always been professional beggars, who are able to work but would rather not. A believer in Yeshua has no responsibility to support such people and should take reasonable care to determine if and when real need exists before giving money. Believers with the gift of discernment are especially helpful in this regard. The one who is unwilling to work, Paul said: shall not eat (Second Thessalonians 3:10). Encouraging laziness weakens the character of the one who is lazy and also wastes God’s money.

Seventh, giving demonstrates love, not man-made commandments. The New Covenant contains no commands for specified amounts or percentages of giving. We need to support those who feed us spiritually (Matthew 10:5-11; Luke 9:1-5; First Timothy 5:17-18), but after that the percentage we give will be determined by the love of our own hearts and the needs of others. Under grace, believers are free from the demands of the Torah.

All of these seven principles in scriptural giving point to the obligation to give generously because we are investing in the Lord’s work, because we are willing to sacrifice for Him who sacrificed Himself for us, because it has no bearing on how much we have, because we want spiritual riches more than financial riches, because we have personally determined to give, because we want to meet as much need as we can, and because our love compels us to give. As in every area of our righteousness, the key is the heart, the inner attitude that should motivate what we say and do.

God does not need our gifts, because He is entirely self-sufficient. The need is on our part. Paul to the church at Philippi: I am not seeking the gift; rather, I am looking for what will increase the credit of balance in your spiritual account (Philippians 4:17). “When we give to the needy . . . then our Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us” (Matthew 6:4b). The principle is this: if we remember, God will forget; but we forget, God will remember. Our purpose should be to meet every need we are able to meet and leave the bookkeeping to Him, realizing that we have only done what was our duty (Luke 17:10).

Week 12: Sharing Your Faith

In Lesson 3 on prayer, I asked the question: How does a believer spiritually grow in the faith? I concluded that there are four essential areas that need to become more and more a vital part of our daily lives: prayer, reading the Scriptures, fellowship, and sharing our faith. These four areas cover the two basic directions of your spiritual growth: the vertical (with God) and the horizontal (with people). Prayer and reading the Scriptures will address the vertical relationship between you and the Lord. Fellowship and sharing your faith will focus on the horizontal relationships between you and other people. So sharing your faith is the final horizontal relationship habit for spiritual growth we will consider.

In a sense, you are like a starving person who has found the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Now that your soul is fed and filled, you go and tell others who are starving about this bread that they might live as well. The Scriptures teach that the redeemed share their faith in the Lord with others. Sing to the LORD, praise His name; praise His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples (Psalm 96:3-4). God desires to have people trust Him to be saved: Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:22).

The LORD expects His redeemed people to share the truth of who He is, as the prophet said, You are My witnesses (Isaiah 43:10). These witnesses had the spiritual responsibility to warn others of their need for a Savior. When I (the LORD) say to a wicked person, “You will surely die,” and you do not want to warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin. But you will have saved yourself (Ezekiel 3:18-19).

One example of a reluctant witness was the prophet Jonah. Rather than obey God, Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale (see my commentary on Jonah, to see link click Ar – The LORD Prepared a Great Whale to Swallow Jonah). Therefore, he was a picture of Israel sent by God to warn sinners of God’s righteous judgment on sins. Like, Jonah, we have not always been willing to share our faith. However, believers in Yeshua have the same God-given responsibility to tell others the Good News.

Yeshua said, “Whoever will confess Me before men, I will also confess that person before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever will deny Me before men, I will also deny that person before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). Just as you would expect your spouse or even a good friend to introduce you to their acquaintances and not to be ashamed of you, so also Messiah expects those who have trusted in Him to acknowledge Him, and not to be ashamed of Him. Since you are being discipled, you have obviously already confessed Him to someone. So congratulations, you’re off to a great start.

Fortunately, God does not give believers a responsibility without first giving them the power to fulfill it. The New Covenant teaches that all believers are enabled by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to share their faith as His witnesses. Before his ascension back to heaven, Yeshua said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

We considered the Ruach in salvation more details in Lesson 8, but please notice from this verse that God’s power for your life is available for you to be a witness for Yeshua. The Spirit’s power enables you to love the unlovable and live in a way that pleases the Lord, and your new life in Messiah thus demonstrates a life changed by grace. Also, being a witness is who you are, not merely something you do.

There are many new believers that feel awkward or even frightened to share their faith, especially with their family and friends. But let me share a spiritual secret with you. The more you give away your faith, the more faith you will have. But the opposite is equally true, the less your share or give away your faith, the less you will have. As you grow in your relationship with the Lord, witnessing to others about the truth of Yeshua Messiah will help you gain spiritual power and mature in the faith. There are various ways to be a witness, confess, or share your faith. Let us consider four of them.

1. The practical witness: Yeshua taught us to be practical: Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:15-16). To whom does the lamp (or menorah) give light?

“To ____ who are __ the _______.”

This speaks of a house testimony, how we are to live in order to earn the right to be heard. Your family knows you well and usually won’t appreciate being “preached” at without seeing a change life. Please notice how carefully what light refers to in Matthew 5:15-16.

It refers to “______ _____.”

According to Matthew 5:15-16 how will people respond when they see your good works?

They will ___________ your ___________ in heaven.”

Not only does a practical witness earn the right to be heard, but it brings glory to our heavenly Father. Goodness and kindness are the evidence of a changed life, a witness all believers are expected and enabled have. Acts of kindness, both small and large, can open doors to further sharing one’s faith with those who see the difference that Messiah makes in your life.

2. The personal/private witness: Think of a friend with whom you can share important personal matters. What can be more important than the Great News of Messiah? Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Torah and also the Prophets wrote – Yeshua of Nazareth” (John 1:45). Here we see how Philip finds his friend Nathaniel and shares his faith in Yeshua. Notice how Philip refers to Him. Philip recognized Messiah through the Word of God. In fact, there are many prophecies about Yeshua written in the TaNaKh. In fact, all Scripture points to Messiah. Every biblical feast points to Him. Using Philip as an example, can you think of one friend with whom you can share the wonderful news of Yeshua?

When you do share your faith, remember that you are planting a seed, not an entire tree! Growth is dependent on the Lord, and the results are up to Him. What matters is to be faithful. I [Paul] planted the seed Apollos watered it, but God made it grow (First Corinthians 3:6). Here are some great words to follow on that point: Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone (Colossians 4:5-6). Seasoned with salt is like giving scraps of food, not the whole meal at once. A little salt makes food tasty; whereas salty food is hard to stomach. The idea is to share a bit at a time so you can gauge your friend’s interest. When you see your friend become disinterested, it is time to stop for a while. If you see some responsiveness, you can share a little more. What a joy it is to share the Lord and see friends become brothers and sisters in Messiah.

3. The proclaiming/public witness: There are times when the Lord provides an opportunity for believers to publicly proclaim their faith. These opportunities are usually reserved for the experienced, trained and mature in the faith. I say “usually” because you never know what the Lord may have for you. [Yeshua] said to them, “Thus it is written, that Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:46-48). What was to be proclaimed?

“________________ and _______________ of _______ is to be proclaimed in His name.”

A public witness can begin with sharing in your home church how you came to faith in Yeshua. Or, with others from your church, you might hand out Good News literature to people in your community. Sometimes, a public witness may be sharing Messiah’s hope and love in a hospital or homeless shelter. Ask God to prepare you for just the right opportunity. You should be able to give your story or “witness” in a couple of minutes. What should you talk about? First, briefly describe your background and spiritual need; then briefly describe the circumstances of how you came to trust in Yeshua; conclude by talking about your life since you trusted in Messiah. These might include answers to prayer, changes in your life, peace in your heart, and perhaps a Scripture verse that is meaningful to you. Once you know what you want to say in a couple of minutes, share it with the person discipling you at your next scheduled meeting. A public witness can be a joyous victory in the Lord!

4. The persuasive witness: Though you need never be a pushy witness, you can be a persuasive witness. To persuade is to urge someone to action, or convince by appealing to reason and understanding. Consider this Scripture: We must all appear before the bema seat of Messiah, so that each one may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others (please read my commentary on Second Corinthians Bc – For We Must All Appear Before the Bema of Messiah).

The fear of the Lord is tied to the judgment seat of Messiah. Thus, the reality of judgment upon the lost compels us to share. As it is developed through study and practice, a believer can be a very persuasive and bold servant of God. (like Stephen in Acts 6:8-10 or Apollos in Acts 18:24-28). Sometimes this persuasiveness is a particular gift God had given you at salvation, or during a time of opportunity. Not everyone has the gift of evangelism; nevertheless, every believer needs to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you (First Peter 3:15).

Please memorize the following Scriptures for your next appointment:

Psalm 96:3 and Matthew 5:15-16.

This week, pray that God will have someone with whom you can share your faith. Then be ready to share!

Take a moment to reflect on the insights and spiritual disciplines (prayer, Scripture study, fellowship, spiritual gifts and sharing your faith) that God has incorporated into your life.

(see my commentary on Acts Af – The Sacrificial Offerings, the Isaiah Avenue, and the Romans Road)

Week 11: The Fundamentals

For twenty-one centuries the Church, made up of Jewish and Gentile believers (Ephesians 2:14) has believed certain fundamentals of the faith. Those outside these fundamentals one cannot be considered to be a believer, and should be evangelized. There are certain doctrines, however, that we can disagree on. These include miracles, tongues, healings, prophecy, eternal security, the tribulation, and governance of the congregations of God. But these ten fundamentals below cannot be compromised.

1.      Monotheism, the concept of one God (Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4).

2. The Deity of our Lord Yeshua Messiah (Matthew 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-64; Luke 22:70; John 1:1; John 20:28; Hebrews 1:8-9; Psalm 110:1).

3.      The Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:27).

4.      The Blood Atonement (Acts 20:28; Rom 3:25, 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Heb 9:12-14).

5.      The Bodily Resurrection (Luke 24:36-46; First Corinthians 15:1-4, 15:14-15).

6.      The inerrancy of the scriptures themselves (Psalms 12:6-7; Romans 15:4; Second Timothy 3:16-17; Second Peter 1:20).

7. Salvation by grace (Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Romans 5:6-8).

8. Salvation through Yeshua Messiah alone (Acts 4:12; John 14:6), the only mediator between God and mankind (First Timothy 2:5).

9. The Trinity (Genesis 1:1 (Elohim, plural noun), 11:7 (Elohim, let us go down); Isaiah 6:8 (who will go for us), 48:16-17; Matthew 3:16-17 and 28:19; Luke 1:35 and 3:22; John 14:25-26; Acts 10:38; Romans 8:9-11; First Corinthians 12:4-6, Second Corinthians 13:13-14, and First Peter 1:2). The Trinity is an antimony, two things that seem to be contradictory, but both are true.

10. The Second Coming (First Thessalonians 4:16-17; Acts 1:10-11; Hebrews 9:28; Matthew 24:42-44; Titus 2:11-13; Revelation 1:4-8).

What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith:

1.     God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and makes us alive in Messiah (Colossians 1:13; Ephesians 2:5; Romans 6:10; John 3:3-16; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

2. God raises us up and seats us in Messiah, at the right hand of the Father (Psalms 110:1; Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:34, 7:55; Ephesians 1:1, 3-4, 6, 9, 11-13, 20), whereas our High Priest, He continually intercedes for us (Job 16:19-21; Romans 8:26-27, 34; Hebrews 7:25; First John 2:1).

3. God unites us with Himself in Messiah (John 6:56, 17:20-23; Romans 7:4, 12:5; Ephesians 4:25, 5:30).

4. God seals us with His Ruach (Ephesians 1:13-14; Second Corinthians 1:21-22), and baptizes us in, by, and with the Ruach (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5, 11:16; First Corinthians 12:13), into the Body of Messiah (Galatians 3:27; First Corinthians 12:13).

5. God has peace with us through Messiah (Romans 5:1). Because “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4b).

6. God transfers the righteousness of Messiah to us by faith, which is apart from works (2 Cor 5:19 and 21; Galatians 2:16, 3:6-9, 24; Rom 3:21-24, 5:9, 10:14).

7. God, as Judge, declares that the guilt and penalty for our sin has been paid for once and for all. He forgives us our sins and we have a right standing before Him. Therefore, we are justified (Romans 3:21-26; Titus 3:7; 1 Cor 6:11; Hebrews 10:10).

8. God adopts us into His family (Ephesians 1:4-5; John 1:12; Galatians 3:26-29).

9. God writes our name in the Lambs Book of Life (Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 3:5, 20:12 and 15, 21:27).

Paul wrote: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation (that includes us), will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Once God does all of the above, we cannot possibly undo it (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).

Propitiation: The averting of God’s wrath by the sacrifice of Messiah that satisfies every claim of God’s holiness and justice so that God is free to act on behalf of sinners. From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land, for the sun stopped shining (Matthew 27:45: Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45a). Those three hours of darkness mark three hours of spiritual death. This was the cup that Yeshua did not want to drink, but would drink it if it was the Father’s will. For three hours, for the first time in all eternity, Yeshua Messiah is spiritually dead and suffers the wrath of God. During that time God the Father turned His back on God the Son as the Messiah became sin on our behalf. YHVH made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). Peter said it this way: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed (First Peter 2:24).

Imputation: To charge to another’s account. When John says the Spirit gives life (John 6:63a), he means that all the righteousness of Messiah is transferred to our spiritual account at the moment of faith. The theological name for this is imputation. The Bible teaches us that we have all inherited Adam’s sin nature. Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 5:12 and 3:23). In the TaNaKh, there had to be a sacrifice. Blood had to be shed, and a death had to occur; therefore, because of the death of Yeshua on the cross we have a perfect, absolute, righteousness that God the Father imputes to us through His Son. Because of our faith, we have passed God’s final exam of the universe with a hundred percent. When God sees us, He doesn’t see our sin, He sees the righteousness of His Son (Romans 1:17). We are in the Holy One, and He is in us. The only way we get to heaven is a result of the perfect righteousness of Yeshua Messiah. Therefore, what is true of Messiah is true of you.

Union with Messiah: The uniting of the believer to Messiah in such a way that what is true of Messiah becomes true of the believer, minus His deity. The result of what God does for us at the moment of faith, is that through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is the actual uniting of the believer to Messiah (Ephesians 1:1-14; John 17:21). The Spirit of God is placed in us and we are placed in Messiah at the moment of faith. This union is personal, intimate, and cannot be broken. Ever. In order to make the teaching drawn from nature to be clearly understood, Messiah said: I AM the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in (Greek: ev) Me and I in (Greek: ev) you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). All believers have a “union with Messiah.” But if we attempt to operate independent of Him, we will not bear fruit. We can’t! Operating in the flesh will produce no lasting fruit.

Justification: The act of God whereby, negatively, He forgives the sins of believers and, positively, He declares them righteous by imputing the obedience and righteousness of Messiah to them by faith. This is a one-time act by God at the moment of faith. Truly, 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 (John 5:24). We will never die, we will merely change our address to the presence of God. To be justified means to be declared righteous. We are eternally righteous because we have [already] been justified at the moment we were saved. Many believers fear the prospect of facing an angry God; knowing He is holy and we are sinful. They haven’t grasped the fact that we have [already] been justified before our Holy Father because Yeshua has already paid the penalty for our sins, establishing our peace with God. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we [already] have peace with God through our Lord Yeshua Messiah (Romans 5:1).

Sanctification: To set apart, specifically, to the holy use and purposes of God. Yeshua said, “As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified” (John 17:16-19). To be sanctified means to be set apart, specifically for the holy uses and purposes of God. However, the word sanctify is archaic and removed from most people’s vocabulary today so I will use the phrase separated for holiness. What is the difference between being justified and being separated for holiness? Justification is a one-time act, accomplished by God. It is always spoken of in the past tense because we already belong to God, paid for by the blood of Messiah. However, sanctification, or being separated for holiness is a process that takes a whole lifetime. It is the work of God in which you cooperate (Romans 12:1-2; First Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 12:3-4; First Peter 5:8-9); and is a process Ephesians 4:11-16), trusting in God, apart from whom we can do nothing (John 15:5; Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 1:11; Hebrews 2:18 and 4:14). He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 1:6). But even Paul, as a mature believer, struggled with sin until the end of his life (Romans 7:14-25 CJB).

Predestination and Election: The Bible teaches that we are dead in our sins and we are unable to make the first move in the salvation process. We are spiritually dead. It is not surprising then, that the Bible repeatedly teaches that salvation is the work of God. This is called predestination, and is confirmed by Yeshua in John 6:44, where He stated the truth that no one come to Him unless drawn by the Father (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:4-5 and 11, 2:8; First Thessalonians 2:13).

So the question naturally arises, “Is there a place for human responsibility?” The answer is that the Bible affirms this truth as well. We are not merely preprogramed spiritual robots. We have free will to choose or reject Messiah. Isaiah 55:1, John 3:16, and Revelation 3:20, 22:17 invite whosever wills to come and be saved. This is called free will, or election. Isaiah 45:22 and Acts 17:30 command all mankind to turn to God, repent and be saved. First Timothy 2:4 and Second Peter 3:9 tell us that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should be saved. Finally, Yeshua said that the one who comes to Me, I will certainly not cast out (John 6:37). So which is it? Predestination or election? The answer is both. This may seem strange. However, this is called an antinomy. In the Bible, an antimony are two truths that seem to be opposite, but both are true and accepted by faith. For example, the Trinity is an antimony. God is One, but revealed in three distinct, separate personalities. Romans 9 teaches predestination, and Romans 10 teaches us that we have free will to accept or reject Messiah. Yeshua is the door of salvation (John 10:9), and as approach him we see the words, whosoever may come; but as the door closes behind us, we read, saved from the foundations of the world.

Omniscient: God is all knowing.

Omnipresent: God is present everywhere at the same time.

Omnipotent: God is all powerful, limitless in ability, within the range of His holy character.

Grace: The unmerited favor of God that cannot be earned. Getting what we don’t deserve.

Mercy: The deliverance from judgement. Not getting what we do deserve.

Week 10: Fellowship

Fellowship means participating with other believers in Messiah through group worship, the study of God’s Word, and witnessing to others. This was always an expectation of the Scriptures: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers [and sisters] to dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1). And again: I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the House of ADONAI” (Psalm 122:1). Being in fellowship should be a joy for all children of God. Fellowship is the means that God uses to develop us in His love. Consider the following scripture: Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all ways into Messiah, who is the Head. From Him the whole body is fitted and held together by every supporting ligament (or believer). The proper working for each individual part produces the body’s growth, for building itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15:16).

When you trusted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, He came to live in you through the Holy Spirit, and by that same Spirit of God, you were made a part of the spiritual Body of Messiah (First Corinthians 12:12-26). The Body of Messiah refers to the eternal and spiritual relationship you now have with every other believer in Yeshua. Messiah is the Head of the Body and believers are the various parts of the Body. Therefore, our fellowship with one another is the expression and experience of functioning as a Body under the direction of Messiah, the Head.

In the Body of Messiah, I may figuratively be merely a little finger, but even so, I have a useful purpose and service for the head. I can scratch, point and hold things. But this can only occur if I am attached to the body and under the direction of the head. I am unable to function spiritually when I am not attached to the body. Apart from the body, a severed little finger, by its erratic movements, may appear to live for a while, but it does so without any useful purpose. A believer who attempts to live without proper fellowship is also useless. He or she may appear alive, but eventually they lose vitality and spiritually wither away and become useless.

According to Ephesians 4:15-16, what and how are we to speak to each other?

Speaking the ______ in _____.

We are to be honest and truthful with each other, but not intentionally hurt one another’s feelings. Rather, we are to have loving concern for one another. Speaking the truth in love brings about a certain desired result: We spiritually grow together.

According to Ephesians 4:15-16, who do we grow up into?

We are to grow up in all ways into ________.

We are to grow up in all ways into Him, who is the Head. As we mature spiritually, His character is revealed through our individual personalities.

How is the body fitted and held together?

From Him the whole body is fitted and held together by ______________________.

Every supporting ligament (or believer) of the whole body is important. Each believer is a member that supplies what the other members need by speaking the truth in love, seen in encouragement, affirmation, instruction and so on. Without fellowship you can neither supply nor be supplied with what we all need for growth.

According to Ephesians 4:15-16 again, what specifically causes growth of the body of Messiah? The proper working for ____________________ produces the body’s growth.

The proper working for each individual part refers to the function of a discipled believer. It refers to each individual part pitching in and helping the body inside and outside of the congregation.

Part of speaking the truth in love means treating each other with respect (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Gi – If a Brother or Sister Sin, Go and Point Out Their Fault). This seems like it is an easy principle to follow, yet so hard to do. Many friendships and many congregations of God break up over the failure to follow God’s Word.

Finally, what is the result of our growth? For building each believer _______________.

Love is one of the chief attributes of our Lord (First John 4:8). As we spiritually mature to become more like Messiah, we grow in His character. This is one reason why your fellowship with other believers is so vitally important, for your growth is God’s love relationship with you.

Please read Ephesians 4:15-16 in the following personalized format: Speaking the truth in love, I, and the rest of my fellow believers in the faith, grow up in all ways into Messiah, who is the Head. From Him the whole body is fitted and held together by what I supply and what is supplied to me by my fellow believers, according to our effective working together, by which I do my part, and they do theirs, which produces the body’s growth, for building itself up in love.

Right now, you may not be sure what you supply (your specific purpose or spiritual gifts), but as you grow and mature in fellowship your particular spiritual gifts will develop in loving effectiveness. When you trusted in Messiah and were made part of His spiritual body, you were at that time enabled by the Spirit of God to function as a member of His body.

As you spiritually mature, this enablement will become evident and relevant. For now, what is most important is to be regularly active in a fellowship that worships the Lord, studies and applies the Scriptures, and demonstrates love for one another as it exalts Yeshua Messiah.

Please read the following verse: And let us continue to consider how to motivate one another to love (Greek: agape, meaning good will) and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day of the Lord approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).

In Hebrews 10:24-25 what are you asked to consider? __________________________________.

Since love refers to our attitude toward each other, and good deeds refers to our actions toward each other, why would Hebrews 10:24-25 encourage us to consider both areas of our relationship with one another?__________________________________________________________________

Please notice the relationship between the exhortation to consider how to motivate one another and not give up meeting together. Scripture encourages us to meet together because the biblical expectation is that we will do so. The purpose is to help one other to grow spiritually in love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:24-25 acknowledges that some have poor fellowship habits because they were neglecting the meeting together with other believers. Look at these scriptures: I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the House of ADONAI” (Psalm 122:1), and, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1).

Please read the one another verses from my commentary on Romans Af – The List of “one another” Commands.

Please memorize: Psalm 133:1.

Please write down where you meet for fellowship, and where it is located: __________________________________________________________________

Now, write down how the Lord has ministered in and through you this week in fellowship:

__________________________________________________________________

Week 9: Spiritual Gifts

Currently, there are two views about spiritual gifts in the Church. The first view is that none of the spiritual gifts have stopped. That ALL of the spiritual gifts present before the cross are still used by believers today. This can be seen in the charismatic or Pentecostal churches and denominations. Their evidence for this is the signs and miracles in the book of Acts. The second view, and I believe the correct view, is that some of the spiritual gives have stopped and are no longer used by believers today. For example Bezalel and Ohaliab were filled with the Spirit of God with the ability make ingenious designs, to forge with gold, silver and bronze, was well as cutting stones and carving wood, to work in all manner of craftmanship for the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-6). I don’t know of anyone today claiming this spiritual gift.

The book of Acts is a transitional book serving as a bridge between the life of Messiah and the epistles, or letters, in the B’rit Chadashah. Therefore, since Acts is a transitional book and a historical book, and you can’t establish doctrine based upon history. You base doctrine on theological statements in the epistles. Historical facts can illustrate the doctrine but they cannot develop doctrine on their own.

How would Yeshua start His Church? How would the Gospel spread from, “Jerusalem, and through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8)? ADONAI gave the Spirit of God, and His authority to the 120 in the upper room (Acts 1:15) at Shavu’ot. They were baptized with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh and began to speak in known tongues/languages to the Jews who had come from all over the world. The disciples were able to preach the gospel to them in their own language so that could understand it.

Among the 120, however, the disciples in the upper room were given the power and authority that Yeshua had to authenticate their message. Yeshua used signs and miracles to authenticate His ministry. Four hundred years before Messiah was born, the rabbis divided miracles into two categories. The first category was that anyone could perform miracles if they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so. The second category were miracles that only the Messiah could perform based on Isaiah 35:5-6. The miracles that Yeshua performed during His earthly ministry authenticated that He was the promised Messiah of Isra’el (see my commentary on Isaiah, to see link click Gl – The Three Messianic Miracles). Likewise, when Messiah ascended to be with the Father, and the Holy Spirit was sent to the Church, the apostles, and only the twelve chosen apostles were given the same exact ability to perform signs and miracles that Yeshua had (see my commentary on Acts Ap – Peter Heals a Lame Beggar: A Closer Look at Miracles in Acts). As a result, there were a tremendous number of miracles performed by the apostles during the first half of the book of Acts. But as the Church grew and was established, the miracles decreased dramatically (see Acts Ae – Miracles in the Book of Acts). When all the books of the Bible were written, the canon of Scripture was closed (see my commentary on Galatians Ae – The Dates of Books in the B’rit Chadashah). There are four lists of spiritual gifts in the Bible: Romans 12:6-8; First Corinthians 12:8-10 and 28, Ephesians 4:11-12, and First Peter 4:9-10. Every believer has at least one spiritual gift. Usually, a dominant gift, and a secondary gift.

Who gives you your spiritual gift? At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit gives you your spiritual gift(s): Now to each one of the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (First Corinthians 12:7).

What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? To equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Messiah may be built up (Ephesians 4:12). A healthy church will have all the spiritual gifts. A church lacking some of these spiritual gifts cannot equip or build up its people. Your spiritual gift is for the benefit of others. Not yourself.

How do you know what is your spiritual gift? Think about what you love to do for the Lord. Your gift should excite you. You can’t wait to exercise it.

How do you know if you actually have that spiritual gift? A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). Look for good fruit, and listen to the counsel of mature believers.

Spiritual gifts that are in operation today:

Exhortation (Romans 12:8): to come along side someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be. Those with this gift can uplift and motivate others as well as challenge and rebuke them in order to foster spiritual growth. The goal of an encourager is to everyone in the church continually building up the body of Messiah and glorifying God (Acts 11:23-24, 14:21-22).

Giving (Romans 12:8): to share what material resources you have with liberality and cheerfulness without thought of return. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh imparts this gift to some in the Church to meet the various needs of the church and its ministries, missionaries, or of people who do not have the means to fully provide for themselves. The goal is to encourage and provide, giving all the credit to God’s love and provision. Those with this gift love to share with others and the overflow of blessings God has given them. They are also excellent stewards and will often adjust their lifestyles in order to give more to the spread of the gospel and the care of the needy. They are grateful when someone shares a need with them and are always joyful when they can meet that need (Second Corinthians 8:1-5, 9:6-15; Acts 4:32-27; Galatians 4:15; Philippians 4:10-18).

Leadership (Romans 12:8; First Corinthians 12:28): It is closely related to administration. This leader can see the big picture, set priorities, organize, direct and lead others to godly goals with diligence. The leader is detail oriented, and they will go to great lengths to protect those under their care and are well equipped to lead through crisis situations. The Bible often uses the analogy of a shepherd to highlight the relationship between a leader and his or her followers. A good shepherd leads his/her sheep to safety and provides provisions and protections for his/her flock. The shepherd’s goal is not his/her own status, but rather to serve and improve the condition of his/her sheep (Titus 1:4-5; First Thes 5:12; First Timothy 3:4-5 and 12, 5:17).

Mercy (Romans 12:8): to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, where physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion, but more so, caring for them with love to help alleviate their distress. The gift of mercy is founded in God’s mercy towards us as sinners and is consistently expressed with great compassion. Those with this gift are able to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15) and bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2). They are sensitive to the feelings and circumstances of others and can quickly discern when someone is doing well. They are typically good listeners and feel the need to simply “be there” for others (Mt 5:7; Lk 10:30-37; James 3:17; Jude 22-23).

Hospitality (First Peter 4:9-10): to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into one’s home or church as a means of serving those in need (Hebrews 13:2). Those with this gift are sensitive to the feelings of others. They can host small or larger groups, welcome visiting missionaries, and support the efforts of others in the exercise of their gift. In fact every small group or Sunday school class needs someone with this gift to help create an inviting and caring atmosphere.

Service/Helps (Romans 12:7; First Corinthians 12:28): to identify tasks that need to be done in God’s work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done. So, the Twelve, called together the whole group of the disciples and said: It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve (Greek: diakonous) tables (6:2). It refers to any act of service done in genuine love for the edification of the believing community. Those with this gift do not seek recognition or a position in the spotlight, they just love to help out (Acts 20:35; Second Timothy 4:11).

Teaching (Romans 12:7; First Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11): The person with the gift of teaching loves to study. The delivery of the material is only the tip of the biblical iceberg. The vast majority of the time spent with this gift is studying. Without this gift the congregations of God would quickly fall into error and sin. They hate when Scripture is abused or taken out of context. They love the truth and speak the truth in love. The effect of their ministry is the upholding of God’s Word and the growth and maturity of His Bride until the day of His return (James 3:1).

Discernment (First Corinthians 12:10): the ability to distinguish truth from error or falsehood by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error or human power. The congregations of God need those with the gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching (also see Acts 5:3-6, 16:16-18; First John 4:1).

Faith (First Corinthians 12:8-10): to be firmly persuaded of God’s power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose, and to display such a confidence in Him and His Word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction. The Holy Spirit distributes this gift to some in the congregations of God to encourage and build up the Church in her confidence in God. Those with the gift of faith trust that God is sovereign and He is good. They take Him at His word and put the full weight of their lives in His hands. They expect God to move and are not surprised when He answers a prayer or performs a miracle (Hebrews 11:1-40).

A Word of Knowledge (First Corinthians 12:8): is simply the Holy Spirit giving this spiritual gift to some believers to bring about understanding and to inform the church or individual believers. The person with this gift is usually well-versed in the Scriptures and often has committed much of it to memory. They can retain the truth and communicate it effectively at the appropriate times. The gift of knowledge allows a believer to relate the Scriptures, and especially the Gospel of Yeshua Messiah, to all aspects of life in this world. They can see how it connects to every situation and circumstance and how the reality and truth of the gospel is to inform every decision a believer makes (Romans 15:14; Second Corinthians 2:14).

Wisdom (First Corinthians 12:8): to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations for yourself of others. Wisdom doesn’t end with knowledge, but is expressed in transformed hearts and lives. They are able to take from their own life experiences and share what God has taught them through those things. They can easily recognize where a decision of action may lead and can warn against those that may be harmful or unfruitful. They can see through the confusion of a situation and can give direction that would help and individual or a group obtain a God-glorifying goal. The Church needs those with the spiritual gift of wisdom to guide her through uncertain of difficult times (First Corinthians 1:17-31, 2:1-16; Colossians 1:9-10, 2:1-3; James 3:13-18).

Evangelism (Ephesians 4:11): to be the messenger of the Good News and to proclaim that message with boldness. Evangelists are given the unique ability by the Holy Spirit to clearly and effectively communicate the gospel of Yeshua Messiah to others. They are burdened in their hearts for the lost and will go out of their way to share the truth to them. Evangelists are able to overcome the normal fear of rejection and engage non-believers in meaningful conversations about Messiah. This brings them great joy knowing that the feet that bring good news are beautiful to those who believe (Isaiah 52:7; also see Ephesians 4:11, Acts 8:5-12, 26-40, and 21:8; Matthew 28:18-20).

Pastor (Ephesians 4:11): to be responsible for spiritually caring for, protecting, shepherding, guiding, and feeding the flock entrusted to one’s care. The pastor loves the gospel of Yeshua Messiah and puts it at the center of his life and ministry. Pastors do not seek fame or recognition for themselves, but they are placed in a position of authority by the Holy Spirit. The role of a pastor is one of humility and service as he is reminded daily of his overwhelming need of God’s grace for the task at hand (Ephesians 4:11; Jeremiah 3:15; Acts 20:28, John 10:11-18).

These spiritual gifts were used during the first century of the Church,
but ceased at the end of book of Revelation and the apostolic age.

Prophecy (Romans 12:6; First Corinthians 12:10; Ephesians 4:11): There were prophets in New Testament times; Agabus (Acts 11:27-28, 21:10-11); Ana the prophetess (luke 2:36-38); Barnabas, Simon called Niger and Lucius the Cyrene (Acts 13:17); Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32); the four daughters of Philip who prophesied (Acts 21:9); and the apostle John who prophesied in the book of Revelation. Prophets foretold either near historical events or far eschatological events. Once the last book in the Bible was written, the canon of Scripture was closed and there was no need of any further revelation. God the Holy Spirit had equipped believers with everything they would need to live a victorious life, and prophecy passed away. There is no continuous revelation.

Apostle (Ephesians 4:11; First Corinthians 12:28): Yeshua chose twelve apostles. After Judas hung himself, Matthias was chosen to replace him (Acts 1:12-26). Paul was called by the Lord to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Romans 1:1; First Corinthians 1:1, etc). When those apostles died, the Church was established and there was no need for any more apostles.

Healings (First Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30): The apostles healed just like Yeshua healed (see A Closer Look at Miracles in Acts). Those who claim that they have the gift of healing today, should be able to heal just like Yeshua and the apostles.

Miracles (First Corinthians 12:10, 28): The apostles performed miracles just like Yeshua did (see Acts Ap – Peter Heals a Lame Beggar: A Closer Look at Miracles in Acts). But even the miracles in Acts were not normative that time. They were highly unusual and only used to authenticate the message of the apostles. The early church was not a miracle working church, it had miracle working apostles. Once the apostles passed away, those authenticating miracles were no longer needed because the Church had been established.

Tongues/languages (First Corinthians 12:10; 14:27-28 and Isaiah 28:11-12 below): The gift of languages or tongues (Greek: glossa, meaning the tongue that you speak with), can be seen four times in the book, Acts 2, Acts 8 Acts 10 and Acts 19. The same Greek word glossa is also used in First Corinthians 12-14. There is not set order leading up to immersion by the Spirit and subsequent speaking in tongues. Here in Acts 2 with salvation coming to the Jews, the order was first repentance, then water immersion, and then receiving Spirit immersion by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh as evidenced by speaking in languages. Again, you don’t build doctrine on history. Keep this order in mind and we will see how it was different with the Samaritans, the Gentiles and John’s disciples.

Isaiah had been accused of using words that could not be understood. So he turns it around and said to the drunks: Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people (Isaiah 28:11). The foreign lips and strange tongues he was referring to were the Assyrians. Because the Jewish religious leaders did not believe the prophet’s message that they shouldn’t enter a covenant with Egypt (and in 30:1-17 we will see that they go ahead with the covenant against Isaiah’s warning), the Assyrian army would invade Isra’el. And when they heard those strange tongues, the Assyrian language that they did not understand, it would sound like their own mocking stammering. The hearing of the Assyrian tongue would be a sign of their own unbelief.

This passage is referred to in the B’rit Chadashah where Paul quotes from Isaiah and says: Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers, specifically unbelieving Jews, the unbelievers of this people (First Corinthians 14:21-22). The purpose of tongues in a church or synagogue is not to bring unbelievers to faith. It has the same purpose it had in Isaiah 28. It is a sign of Jewish unbelief. It is not to bring them to Messiah, because Paul, quoting from this verse says, that even then they will not listen (First Corinthians 14:21b). Therefore, tongues are a sign of cursing because of Jewish unbelief, a sign of blessing because the Dispensation of Grace had begun, and a sign of authority (from apostles, prophets, or a nation, authenticating that it was God who was speaking). Peter, for example, had the keys to the Kingdom and would be responsible for ushering in the three major ethnic groups to the faith in the first century, Jews, Samaritans, and the Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46).

Moses said that if the Israelites did not serve God joyfully and gladly then they would serve the enemies of the LORD. Isra’el’s enemies would put an iron yoke around their necks until they were destroyed (Deuteronomy 28:32). He continued to say: Yes, ADONAI will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand (Deuteronomy 28:49). If Isra’el had believed Isaiah’s message and not aligned with Egypt there would not have been any invasion.

So just as Isra’el’s disobedience in Deuteronomy led to the use of tongues as a sign of Jewish disobedience in the Land, so Isra’el’s disobedience in the rejection of Messiah led to the use of tongues as a sign of Jewish disobedience in the Dispensation of Grace.

Interpretation of Tongues -languages (First Cor 12:10; 14:27-28): Interpreting a known foreign language.

Week 8: The Ruach Ha’Kodesh

The Ruach Ha’Kodesh (the Spirit of God) in Salvation: Perhaps the least understood person of the Trinity is the Ruach. There may actually be a good reason for this: His work is not to glorify or even bring attention to Himself, but to exalt Yeshua, who said of the Spirit, “He will testify of Me” (John 15:26 and 16:13-14). We can also clearly see from these verses that the Ruach Ha’Kodesh is not merely an impersonal force or influence. The Spirit of God is a person. Indeed, He has all the qualities of personality: intelligence (Romans 8:27), will (First Cor 12:11), can feel sad (Ephesians 4:30), can be resisted (Acts 7:51), can be extinguished (First Thess 5:19) and insulted (Hebrews 10:29). The Ruach Ha’Kodesh teaches, instructs, leads and directs (John 16). He can also be vilified (Luke 12:10), lied to (Acts 5:3), and sinned against (Matthew 12:31-32).

The Ruach Ha’Kodesh is God (Romans 8:9; John 14:26 and 15:26). As Yeshua is God in the flesh, the Spirit of God lives within you (John 14:17). The Ruach Ha’Kodesh possess the qualities of God: eternity (Hebrews 9:14), Omnipotence, being all powerful (Micah 3:8; Romans 15:13), Omnipresence, being present everywhere at the same time (Psalm 139:7-10), Omniscience, being all-knowing (First Corinthians 2:10-11), possessing life (Romans 8:2), holiness (Matthew 12:31-32) and truth (First John 5:6). Not only does the Ruach Ha’Kodesh have the attributes of God, be He does the work of God in creation (Genesis 1:2), in regeneration (John 3:8), in resurrection (Romans 8:11) and receives the honor due God (First Corinthians 3:16) because He is equal to God (2 Corinthians 13:14). Now that you’ve learned about the Spirit’s nature, you need to understand four wonderful works that He accomplishes in your life:

1. The Ruach regenerates you: He makes you alive to God forever! When you trusted in Yeshua for your salvation, the Spirit actually made you spiritually alive to God (Romans 8:11). Regeneration is receiving the full, free, and forever salvation: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Titus 3:5-6). This is also called a new birth, “The Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at My saying, “You must be born again” (John 3:6-7). In Messiah, all your sins were washed away. You were set apart for the purposes of God. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Yeshua Messiah and by the Spirit of God (First Corinthians 6:11).

2. The Ruach indwells you: In the TaNaKh the indwelling of the Spirit was only temporary. Hence King David prayed: Do not take Your Spirit from me (Psalm 51:11). In the B’rit Chadashah, however, He takes residence within us permanently (John 14:16; Ephesians 4:30). That is why you are called the Temple of the Spirit of God (First Corinthians 6:19-20). As the gracious choice of God, the Ruach came to live inside of you, not merely to be with you. The resources of the Spirit are illustrated by His titles like Helper and Advocate. Just as Messiah is your Advocate before the Father on your behalf (First John 2:1-2), so the Ruach Ha’Kodesh is the Father’s Advocate in you. As your indwelling Helper, He is able to intercede as you relate to God in prayer (Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20). And to convict us of wrongdoing!!!!!

At salvation, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh came to live inside you forever (Romans 5:5). At that same time you were given a down payment for eternity: Now it is God who makes you stand firm in Messiah. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership upon us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (Second Corinthians 1:21-22). Anointed means to be dedicated for God’s purposes, like the priests in the Torah (Leviticus 8:12, 30). This anointing enables you to learn His truths taught in God’s Word (First John 2:27). Sealed refers to God’s eternal guarantee that He will keep you secure in Messiah. The word for deposit (Greek: arrhabon) is used for an engagement ring in waiting for a wedding ring, the promise of things to come, the wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-10).

You were included in Messiah when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh, who is a deposit guaranteeing [your] inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:13-14; Second Corinthians 5:5). This indwelling assures us that neither Satan nor his demons can posses you. For you are sealed in Messiah by the all-powerful Ruach Ha’Kodesh. The devil cannot overcome the Spirit because the One who is in you is greater than the [evil one] who is in the world (Matthew 12:29; 1 John 4:4). In fact, nothing can separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39).

You are saved with an eternal salvation (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer), based on faith in what Ruach Ha’Kodesh has already done for you, and not on any of your own deeds, either to save you or to keep you saved (Galatians 3:2-3). This doesn’t mean that you should sin up a storm because you know you are forgiven. Paul said: What shall we say, then? Shall we continue to sin so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Messiah Yeshua were baptized into His death (Romans 6:1-3). Therefore, it is by the Spirit of God that you are secure in your Savior forever.

3. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh baptizes you: When you trusted in Yeshua for your salvation, the Spirit of God baptized you into the Body of Messiah, making you a living member of His spiritual Body. This baptism of the Spirit is a onetime event, enabling you to live out Messiah’s love and supernaturally empowering you to serve as a member of His Body. As a result, you are eternally joined to Yeshua Messiah our Lord through the Spirit which thus joins you to all believers. For we are all baptized by one Spirit into one Body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (First Corinthians 12:13).

You may have heard of ritual water baptism. This will be covered in depth in Lesson 13, but for now we should understand that water baptism is actually pictures the Spirit-baptism that took place at salvation. Just as all believers are baptized in/by or with (Greek: eis) the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (the real baptism), all believers are to be baptized in water (the ritual baptism) in obedience to Messiah (Matthew 28:18-19). This water baptism is an outward expression of an inward conviction. That’s why Ephesians 4:5 teaches that there is only one baptism for all believers.

Remember, you are in a relationship! The Spirit’s baptism joins you to Yeshua and is pictured in a variety of ways. Your union to Messiah is like: (1) A bride to her Husband (John 3:29; First Corinthians 6:17; Second Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:30-31; Romans 7:4; Revelation 19:7, 21:2). This is a picture of God’s love for you. (2) A body to a head (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15-16; Colossians 1:18, 2:19). This is a picture of God’s direction for you. (3) A branch of a vine (John 15:1-5). This is a picture of God’s fruitfulness for you. (4) Stones of a temple on the strong foundation cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22; First Peter 2:4-9). This is a picture of God’s security for you. And (5) a member of a family (John 1:12; Hebrews 2:10-14). This is a picture of God’s family with you as one of His children.

The Spirit of God in Ministry: The moment you were saved the Spirit of God gifted you to serve Him effectively you’re your spiritual gift(s). Regardless of your particular gift, the purpose is always the same – for the common good, as opposed to personal, selfish gain (Acts 8:18-23). In other words, your spiritual gift is for the benefit of others. As you spiritually mature in Messiah whatever gift you have will perfectly fulfill God’s will for you, glorify Him in your life, and bless you for eternity.

You have learned that the Spirit regenerates you, indwells you and baptizes you. This is what God does for us at the moment of salvation and came as a free gift of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh by faith in Yeshua. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh’s part in salvation, is that you are justified. However, in another area – the filling of the Spirit – you live out the spiritual life. You are sanctified. We will cover that in Lesson 11: The Fundamentals. Being filled with the Spirit is something that you cooperate in with God. Through filling, God pours out His love through your life to others and sets you apart for His holy use.

In the Scriptures to be filled is used to mean “to be controlled by, or be under the influence of something or someone else.” To be filled with the Spirit, therefore, is to be controlled or strongly influenced by the Spirit. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). As drunkenness affects behavior for evil, being filled with the Spirit affects a person for good. As a drunken person is under the control of wine, so a Spiritually filled person is under the control of the Spirit. This does not make you a robot, without your own will. Rather, you freely comply with the Spirit and His purposes and His Word. That is what it means to be “spiritual.”

The filling of the Spirit is commanded by God: be filled with the Spirit, literally, stay filled (see my commentary on Ephesians Bt – Be Filled with the Ruach). As imperfect humans, we are leaky vessels of clay, and we need to be constantly refilled. This was true even for the apostles (Acts 2:4, 4:8 and 31, 9:17, 13:9). This continuous condition of being filled with the Spirit is dependent on our submission to the Spirit. You may wonder, can a believer resist the Spirit and still be a believer? Yes, people can resist the filling of the Spirit. In fact, the Bible deals extensively with this subject:

The [natural] man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (First Corinthians 2:14). Natural people, without the Spirit, are not saved.

The spiritually [compliant] man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment, “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Messiah (First Corinthians 2:15-16). Spiritual people are believers in Yeshua who understand and live life from a Biblical frame of reference in submission to the Spirit. They produce good fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The filling of the Spirit gives them a Godly perspective on life, and they yield their life to Yeshua and are therefore conformed, or molded like clay, into the image of Messiah (Romans 8:29a).

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere [uncompliant] infants in Messiah. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere [unsaved] men (First Corinthians 3:1-3)? Worldly believers have been saved, but the world, their flesh and the devil (Ephesians 2:2-3a) have led them astray. They are believers, but without good spiritual fruit.

How can we be filled by the Spirit? When we are filled with the Spirit we:

(1) walk by the Spirit, living your daily life in His will and by His power (Galatians 5:25);

(2) pray in the Spirit, praying for God’s will to be done (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 3:3; Jude 20), even when you do not know the details of His will (Romans 8:26-27);

(3) are taught by the Spirit (First Corinthians 2:14; First John 2:27);

and (4) are led by the Spirit, to do those things which are pleasing to God, like repenting of worldly attitudes and activities (Romans 8:13-14; First John 1:9-10).

In short, the life you are living is God’s life: I have been crucified with Messiah and I no longer live [for I have died to self] but Messiah lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of god, who loved me and gave himself up for me (First Corinthians 2:20).

The evidence of the Spirit-filled life is called the fruit of the Spirit. It is the result of His working in and through you. The fruit of the Spirit reflects the characteristics of God, seen in those who live in submission to His Spirit, which is called godliness. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22). Several commands express how to be filled with the Spirit:

Do not grieve the Spirit. The Spirit grieves when a believer sins, because He knows the reality of what sin does both in the believer and in the believer’s relationship to Him (Psalm 32:1-8). In short, He knows the grief of sin before we do. He grieves until we confess and repent from our rebellion toward Him. The first step to being filled with the Spirit is to repent of all sin and to accept cleansing in the blood of Yeshua (1 John 1: 7-9).

Do not quench the Spirit. The Spirit is “quenched” or “stifled” when His prompting to submit, yield and respond to God’s Word is ignored. Those who confess their sins are cleansed but now need to yield to the Spirit and stop resisting Him. For instance, when you know He wants you to apologize to another person, not to resist His godly urging and worldly excuses. Instead, you are to yield to the Spirit and submit your will to His will, even as Yeshua did (Luke 22:42).

But we are to walk by the Spirit. To walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) is not merely obedience, but full dependence on the Spirit of God. We need to consciously depend on His power for daily living for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13). God provides all the power you need to do His will for His glory (Romans 8:37; Philippians 4:13). As we walk by the Spirit we are enabled to love, forgive and be humble, or even bold, in ways that go beyond our own personalities.

Being filled with the Spirit is living as a spiritually yielded person. It is the evidence of your relationship with your God. He has told you, O man, what is good and what the LORD requires of you: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). In doing these things, you are filled with the Spirit.

How is being filled with the Spirit different than being baptized by the Spirit? How are you filled with the Spirit? Memorize Galatians 5:16.

Week 7: God the Father and the Trinity

God is able to be known, and at the same time, is full of incomprehensible mystery. One of those mysteries is the plurality of the Godhead. Our God, the God of the Bible, is one God in three Persons.

We call this the Trinity.

I wish I could eloquently and simply explain the mystery of the Trinity, but it is impossible. It’s like trying to explain the internet to an ant. But, despite the complexity of the plurality of the Godhead, the Trinity isn’t a liability to our faith; rather, it sets our faith apart from all other religions. Our finite minds can’t quite comprehend all of this, but I consider the Trinity to be the most beautiful and foundational truth of our faith.

Deuteronomy 6:4 declares: The LORD our God, the LORD is one (see my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el).

Isra’el’s God, the God we worship, is distinct and unequaled. He is not powerful over just one area of our life, but in all of life. He is sovereign, reigning over and in control of all things. He is altogether holy and set apart from everything and everyone. There is none like Him. Yet, He is infinitely faithful, making a way for us to be holy before Him, through the ministry of Himself, His Son, Yeshua Messiah, and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. This is the delight and distinctiveness of our faith.

The word Trinity is not found in the Bible, but the concept is made clearer as we study the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. There are a dozen examples of the Trinity in the Scriptures, but three in particular are Isaiah 48:16-17, Matthew 28:19, Acts 10:38. These passages point to the Trinity as being active together, each Person coequal with the others. Each Person is eternal, having existed and will exist forever; being all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent), ever-present (omnipresent), and unchanging. They are perfect in their union, sharing in divine perfection, action, and mission. There is no hierarchy with one Person being more powerful or supreme than the other.

Each Person of the Trinity is distinct from the others. The Father is not the Son or the Spirit, the Son is not the Spirit or the Father, and the Spirit is not the Father or the Son. The Father brings about the Son, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. They are unified, and yet distinct – one God – not three gods or three views of one Person. The Trinity is an antimony, two things seemingly at odds with each other, but both are true.

They are also distinct in their roles. The Father exercises the primary role in creation (working with the Son and the Spirit to create). The Son exercises the primary role in salvation (working with the Father and the Spirit to save). The Spirit exercises the primary role in our being set apart for God’s holy purposes (working with the Father and the Son in our being conformed into the image of Christ).

God chose us in Him by His eternal plan, sent Yeshua to redeem us by shedding His blood, then sealed us with His Spirit as a down payment of our eternal security. Without the plurality of the Godhead, our faith would be in vain.

It’s OK to be a little bit baffled about the Trinity. It is a mystery that will not be completely understood until we are in heaven. But that doesn’t mean we discard or ignore it. To know God is to know Him as the Trinity. And knowing the One we worship helps us to correctly talk about, think about, and praise Him. He is an incomprehensible mystery, yet close and personal. He is the Father who generates all life, the Son who reveals the Father and saves God’s people, and the Spirit who is the Giver of eternal life, comfort, and guidance.

ADONAI is three Persons – but one God. He is unlike anything or anyone in the universe. He is beyond what we can think or imagine. He is good, and He cares about you.

Finally, the Church has believed in the Trinity for 21 Centuries. Therefore, to be a believer, is to believe in the Trinity!

Study questions for Lesson Seven: God the Father and the Trinity

Can God be known? Yes

Is God a mystery? Yes

What do we call this mystery? The Trinity, One God in three Persons

Can our finite minds explain this mystery? No

Is the word Trinity found in the Bible? No

Then how is the concept made clear? When we study the Bible from Genesis to Revelation

What Scriptures point to the Trinity? Deut 6:4, Isaiah 48:16-17, Matthew 28:19, Acts 10:38

Is there a hierarchy within the Trinity? No, they are all co-equal

Is each person of the Trinity distinct from each other? Yes

Do they have different roles? Yes

What is the primary role of the Father? The Father exercises the primary role in creation

What is the primary role of the Son? The Son exercises the primary role in salvation

What is the primary role of the Spirit? Being set apart for God’s holy purposes

Is it ok to be a little baffled by the Trinity? Yes

When will we understand it completely? When we get to heaven

Can you be a believer and not believe in the Trinity? No!

Week 6: The Eight Covenants of the Bible 

Since much of ADONAI’s relationship to mankind is based upon covenantal relationships is a very important aspect of correctly understanding Scripture. The most common way to divide the Bible is by dispensations. The dispensations, however, are based upon specific covenants, and knowledge of these covenants will help Bible readers to rightly divide the word of Truth (Second Timothy 2:15). Although the dispensations may come to an end, the covenants themselves often continue.

A. Types of Covenants: There are two types of covenants in the Bible: conditional and unconditional. It is important to distinguish between these two types of covenants in order to have a clear picture of what the Bible teaches.

1. Conditional Covenants:A conditional covenant is a bilateral covenant in which a proposal of God to mankind is characterized by this formula: God says, “If you will do such-and-such, then I will do such-and-such.” In other words, ADONAI promises to grant special blessings to His people . . . providing mankind fulfills certain conditions contained in the covenant. Sometimes this is called a Suzerain-Vassal Covenant (see my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Ah – Treaty of the Great King). One’s response to the covenant agreement brings either blessings or cursing. The blessings are secured by obedience and man must meet the conditions before God will meet His. Two of the eight covenants are conditional: The Edenic and Mosaic Covenants.

2. Unconditional Covenants: An unconditional covenant is a unilateral covenant and is a sovereign act of God whereby He unconditionally obligates Himself to bring to pass definite blessings and conditions for the covenanted people. This covenant is characterized by the formula: “I will . . .” which declares ADONAI’s determination to do as He promises. Blessings are secured by the grace of God. There may be conditions in the covenant by which God requests the covenanted one to fulfill out of gratitude, but they are not themselves the basis of God’s fulfilling His promises. Six of the eight covenants are unconditional: The Adamic Covenant, the Noahic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Land Covenant, the Davidic Covenant and the New Covenant.

B. Covenants with Isra’el: Five of these covenants were made exclusively with Isra’el while the others were made with mankind in general. Only one of the five covenants made with Isra’el is conditional: the Mosaic Covenant. The other four covenants with Isra’el are all unconditional: the Abrahamic Covenant, the Land Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant. 

Four things should be noted concerning the nature of the unconditional covenants made with Isra’el. First, they are literal covenants and their contents must be interpreted literally as well. Second, the covenants that God has made with Isra’el are eternal and are not in any way restricted or altered by time. Third, it is necessary to re-emphasize that these are unconditional covenants that are not abrogated because of Isra’el’s disobedience; because the covenants are unconditional and totally dependent upon God for fulfillment, their ultimate fulfillment can be expected. Fourth, these covenants were made with my kinsmen according the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as God’ children, the Sh’khinah of the covenants has been with them (Romans 9:3-4). These verses clearly point out that these covenants were made with the covenanted people and are Isra’el’s possession.

This is brought out again in Ephesians 2:11-12, where we read: Thus, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth – called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised – at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God. Five of the eight Bible covenants belong to the people of Isra’el and, as the passage notes, the Gentiles were considered foreigners to the covenants.

C. The timing principle of the covenants: A covenant can be signed, sealed, and made a special point of history, but this does not mean that all the provisions immediately go into effect. In fact, three different things happen once a covenant is sealed: first, some into effect right away; second, some provisions go into effect in the near future, which may be twenty-five years away or five hundred years away; and third, some provisions go into effect only in the distant prophetic future, not have been fulfilled to this day.

1. The Edenic Covenant (Genesis 1:28-30; 2:15-17; Hosea 6:7): The Edenic Covenant was made between God and Adam in the garden of Eden, in which Adam stood as the representative head of the human race. Thus, the actions of Adam are attributed to the whole of humanity. When man fell (Genesis 3:1-8), the Edenic Covenant, being conditional, came to an end, and was the basis for the Dispensation of Innocence (see my commentary on Genesis Ap – The Dispensations of God).

2. The Adamic Covenant (Genesis 3:14-19): God and Adam are involved in this covenant in which Adam again represented the whole human race. Thus, the judgment on Adam is a judgment on all humanity. God individually addressed the serpent, Satan, Eve, and Adam. The Adamic Covenant was the basis for the Dispensation of Conscience (see Genesis Bb – The Dispensation of Conscience). As an unconditional covenant, is it still in effect.

3. The Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:1-17): This covenant was made between God and Noah. Like Adam, Noah stood as the representative for the entire human race. As a result of the Flood, not only is all humanity descended from Adam, but also from Noah. The judgments of the Great Tribulation against the Gentiles will come because of violations of the Noahic Covenant. According to Isaiah 24:5-6, the judgment comes because humanity has violated the everlasting covenant, a name given to the Noahic Covenant in Genesis 9:16. The Noahic Covenant became the basis for the Dispensation of Civil Government (see Genesis Ct – The Dispensation of Civil Government). Although that dispensation has been superseded, the unconditional nature of the Noahic Covenant is in effect today.

4. The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3, 12:7, 3:14-17, 15:1-21, and 17:1-21): God and Abraham are involved in this covenant, in which Abraham stood as the representative head of the whole Jewish nation, not for all humanity. Abraham was to be the father of a great nation, Isra’el. He was to possess all of the Promised Land. The nation of Isra’el was to become great, ultimately innumerable. It was to possess all of the Promised Land. It was to receive victory over its enemies. The fact that the promises were made to both Abraham and his seed shows that these blessings have not yet reached their fulfillment but await the Messianic Kingdom. The Gentiles would be blessed for blessing Isra’el and cursed for cursing Isra’el. Also, they were to receive spiritual blessings, but ultimately these were to come through one specific Seed of Abraham, the Messiah. While the physical blessings were limited only to the Jews, the spiritual blessings were extended to the Gentiles, but only through the Messiah. Reducing the Abrahamic Covenant to its very basics, it can be seen that it contained three aspects: the Land aspect, the Seed aspect, and the Blessing aspect. The Land aspect is developed in the Land Covenant; the Seed aspect is developed in the Davidic Covenant; and the Blessing aspect is presented in the New Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant became the basis for the Dispensation of Promise (see Genesis Ds – The Dispensation of Promise). Because it is unconditional, it is still in effect even though it has remained largely unfulfilled. The ultimate fulfillment will come in the Messianic Kingdom.

5. The Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 20:1 to Deuteronomy 28:68): The parties involved in this covenant were God and Isra’el. The covenant was made with Isra’el and not merely with Moses acting as a representative of Isra’el (Exodus 19:3-8). The covenant was not made with the Gentiles or the Church, but with Isra’el only, a point also made in Deuteronomy 4:7-8; Psalm 147:19-20, and Malachi 4:4. A key provision of the Mosaic Covenant are the 613 commandments. This covenant was never given as a means for salvation (Romans 3:20 and 28; Galatians 2:16, 3:11 and 21). It was conditional, and resulted in blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. For the purposes of the Mosaic Covenant see my commentary on Deuteronomy Ay – Moshe and the Torah. The clear-cut teaching of the B’rit Chadashah is that the Mosaic Covenant is no longer in effect as a result of the death of the Messiah (Romans 7:5-6 and 10:4; Gal 3:19 to 4:7; Heb 7:11-18; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ephesians 2:14-15; Second Cor 3:3-11). The Mosaic Covenant was the basis for the Dispensation of the Torah (see my commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah). Therefore, it has completely ceased to function as an authority over us and is no longer the rule of life for the believer. But today, it is our blueprint for living. The more we study and follow Torah, the more our lives will benefit.

6. The Land Covenant (Deuteronomy 29:1 to 30:20): This covenant was made between God and Isra’el, the same two parties as in the Mosaic Covenant. The importance of the Land Covenant is that it reaffirms the title deed to the Land as belonging to Isra’el. Although she would prove unfaithful and disobedient, this covenant says that the Land will never be taken from her. The Abrahamic Covenant teaches that ownership of the Land is unconditional. The Land Covenant received its confirmation centuries later in Ezeki’el 16:1-63. The Land aspect is developed in the Land Covenant, and being unconditional, is still very much in effect. Isra’el will repent at the end of the Great Tribulation (Hosea 6:1-3), the Messiah will return, Isra’el will be regathered and for the first time possess all of the Promised Land. Therefore, the Land Covenant was the basis for the Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom (see my commentary on Revelation Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom).

7. The Davidic Covenant (Second Samuel 7:11b-16 and First Chronicles 17:10b-14): This covenant was made between God and David, who stands as the head of the Davidic House and Dynasty, the only rightful claimant to the Davidic Throne in Jerusalem. For the provisions of the Davidic Covenant (see my commentary on the Life of David Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David). The unique importance of the Davidic Covenant is that it amplifies the Seed aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant. According to the Abrahamic Covenant, the Messiah was to be the Seed of Abraham. This merely stated that He was to be a Jew and could come from any of the Twelve Tribes. Later, in Jacob’s day, the Seed aspect was limited to a member of the Tribe of Judah only (Genesis 49:10). Now the Messianic Seed aspect is further narrowed to one family within the Tribe of Judah, the family of David. The Davidic Covenant is an unconditional – eternal covenant. Thus, the Davidic Covenant is the basis for the Eternal State (see my commentary on Revelation Fq – The Eternal State).

8. The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34): This unconditional covenant is made between God and Isra’el, and receives further confirmation in Isaiah 55:3, 59:21, 61:8-9; Jeremiah 32:40; Ezeki’el 15:60, 34:25-31, 37:26-28; and Romans 11:26-27. It is an unconditional covenant made with Isra’el and not the Gentiles or the Church. For the provisions of the New Covenant see my commentary on Jeremiah Eo – The Days are Coming, declares the LORD, When I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el. The blood of Messiah is the basis of The New Covenant that reveals the blessing aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant. And since the Gentiles are grafted in (Romans 11:16-18), they are able to participate in the blessings of the New Covenant, but are not a “partner,” so to speak, with Isra’el in those blessings. As a result, the New Covenant is the basis for the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace).

In conclusion, all spiritual blessings for believers are in Messiah, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. And through His death on the cross for our sins, believers reap spiritual benefits that would never be theirs otherwise. The eight covenants of the Bible are very explicit in their provisions and are valuable for a proper understanding of Scripture.

Week 5: The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom
Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17 and 60:1-22

One of the most important things in understanding the Bible is rightly dividing the word of truth (Second Timothy 2:15 NJK). There are a number of ways we can divide the Bible to understand the different parts of the whole. One of the ways is by the dispensations contained in God’s Word. To understand what a dispensation is, we need to take a look at two Greek words. The first word is oikumenei from which we get our English word ecumenical. It means to manage, to regulate, to administer, or to plan. The second word is aion and it means age. It emphasizes the time element of the dispensation. So the term dispensation refers to a specific way by which God administers His program, His will, His rule, and His authority. Each dispensation is an age, because each dispensation covers a period of time. Dispensations are periods of time in which YHVH governs in a different way than He did previously.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence (Genesis 1:28 to 3:8); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience (Genesis 3:9 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of the Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:1-10). The name Messianic Kingdom emphasizes the fact that God will return to the earth and reign as the Messiah, and the name Millennial Kingdom emphasizes that it will last for a Millennium or a thousand years. Different aspects of the Messianic Kingdom are discussed in other books of the Bible, especially the TaNaKh, one of those being Isaiah.

The key person in the dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom will be Yeshua Messiah, because He will be providing direct new revelation (Isaiah 2:2-4). This new revelation will be the basis of this new dispensation.

Mankind’s responsibility will be to the B’rit Chadashah, which was the same as in the sixth dispensation. This means accepting the gift of righteousness, which God offers to all mankind, through faith in Yeshua Messiah. But, in addition, obedience to the King and the new commands He will issue will be added. Therefore, in the dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom there will be something old and something new.

The test during that period will be for each one born in the Kingdom to personally receive and accept the King as his or her personal Lord, not in place of the Gospel but with the aid of the Gospel. To accept the gospel means that one believes that Yeshua died for his or her sins, was buried, and rose again (First Corinthians 15:3b-4).

There will also be a failure during the Messianic Kingdom. At the end of the Millennium men and women will fail to recognize Satan’s deception as he leads a rebellion against God and His authority. So many will be deceived, that in number, they will be like the sand on the seashore (Revelation 20:8b). They will be so bold as to try to invade Isra’el and Tziyon.

The judgment will be the total destruction of all these invading armies from around the world by fire out of heaven (Revelation 20:9).

The grace of God will be displayed during the dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom in three major ways. First, there will be the fulfillment of all the prophecies of the TaNaKh (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Mu – 354 Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ). Every prophecy that has remained unfulfilled will find its fulfillment during the Messianic Kingdom. Secondly, it will be a period of prosperity for everyone. Thirdly, there will be immortality for the saved, in that believers will not die. Only unbelievers in the Kingdom will die if they do not accept Messiah by the time they are one hundred years old (Isaiah 65:20).

This is the seventh and final dispensation. When it ends, history will move from time to eternity, as it enters the Eternal State (see my commentary on Revelation Fq – The Eternal State).

Week 5: The Dispensation of Grace
Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21

One of the most important things in understanding the Bible is rightly dividing the word of truth (Second Timothy 2:15 NJK). There are a number of ways we can divide the Bible to understand the different parts of the whole. One of the ways is by the dispensations contained in God’s Word. To understand what a dispensation is, we need to take a look at two Greek words. The first word is oikumenei from which we get our English word ecumenical. It means to manage, to regulate, to administer, or to plan. The second word is aion and it means age. It emphasizes the time element of the dispensation. So the term dispensation refers to a specific way by which God administers His program, His will, His rule and His authority. Each dispensation is an age, because each dispensation covers a period of time. Dispensations are periods of time in which God governs in a different way than He did previously.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

The sixth dispensation is called the Dispensation of Grace. While grace was evident in all other dispensations, it is in this dispensation that a very unique display of grace was manifested that was different from all former displays of grace. Concerning this dispensation, John 1:17 states: For the Torah was given through Moshe; grace and truth came through Messiah. Certainly, God was gracious before the coming of Jesus, for there are many evidences of YHVH’s grace throughout the pages of the TaNaKh. However, with the coming of Messiah, there was a totally unique display of grace. This is why it is called the Dispensation of Grace, and it is in effect at this present time.

This dispensation extends from Acts 2:1, with the beginning of the indwelling ministry of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh at Shavu’ot, through Revelation 19:21. It covers the entire period of the Church Age, and also the seven years of the Great Tribulation.

At the beginning of each dispensation there is one key person through whom God reveals the new features of that particular dispensation. The key person in the sixth dispensation was the apostle Paul after his Damascus Road experience (see my commentary on Acts, to see link click Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murder to Messiah). It was Sha’ul who uniquely received the revelation concerning the Dispensation of Grace. It was no accident that he received more revelation than any other apostle. Sha’ul wrote most of the letters of the B’rit Chadashah. It was he that received that special revelation concerning the dispensation of the grace of God (Ephesians 3:2 KJV). Sha’ul, the apostle to the Goyim (Acts 22:21 and Ephesians 3:1-13), more than any other apostle, is the key person for this dispensation.

Each dispensation also had a specific responsibility. Our responsibility during the Dispensation of Grace is obedience to the Jewish New Covenant (see my commentary on Jeremiah Eo – I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el). Obedience to the B’rit Chadashah means to accept the gift of righteousness that ADONAI offers to everyone through the Messiah of Isra’el.

Not only does each dispensation come with a responsibility, but each also comes with a test. The specific test of this dispensation is simply this: Will you accept the gift? Will humanity, as a whole, accept the LORD’s offer of the free gift of salvation by the simple act of faith in the person of Yeshua Messiah? For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

There will also be a failure during this dispensation. As with all the previous dispensations, the present one will also end in failure, and this can be seen in two ways. First, most will reject the free gift of salvation (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Dw – The Narrow and Wide Gates). The majority of humanity will not come to a saving knowledge of Yeshua Messiah in our own day, any more than it was true before our time. The second way that failure is going to be seen is that the very organism that has a knowledge of the truth, the unbelieving visible church, will become apostate, and will even turn away from the truth (see Revelation Bf – The Church at Laodicea).

After the failure there is the judgment. This dispensation will also end with judgment, the judgment of the Great Tribulation (see my commentary on Isaiah Eu – The Rapture and the Great Tribulation). The Great Tribulation will fall upon the whole world in general, because humanity has failed to accept the free gift of salvation offered through Yeshua Messiah. Also, the unbelieving visible church will go into the Great Tribulation and suffer the wrath of God. But the believing invisible Church, the true believers in Yeshua Messiah, will be taken out of this earth before the Tribulation ever begins.

In every dispensation there is also the display of God’s grace. It is in this area that we also see the facet of grace. Grace will be seen through the Rapture of the Church in that the invisible Church, the true Body of Messiah, composed of Jews and Gentiles, all true believers, will be raptured out of this earth (see my commentary on Revelation By – The Rapture of the Church). Even for those who have died, their bodies will be resurrected, so that even their bodies will not be on this earth during the seven years of the Great Tribulation. The rapture will be a unique display of grace during the Dispensation of Grace.

Week 5: The Dispensation of the Torah
Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26

The fifth dispensation is called the Dispensation of Torah. It was given through Moses and contained a total of 613 specific commandments in the Torah, the first five books of the TaNaKh. This dispensation begins with Exodus 19:1 and continues through Acts 1:16. It covers the period of time from the Exodus through the life of Messiah to the day of Pentecost, or festival of Shavu’ot.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the messianic or millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

The key person in the fifth dispensation was Moses. He was God’s, chosen mediator between Himself and His people.

Mankind’s responsibility was to obey the Mosaic Covenant. This involved two major areas. First, they were responsible to obey the 613 commandments of the Torah. Secondly, they were to obey the prophets God would send that would further elaborate on the Torah, define the law, give meaning to the Torah and explain it. In other words, they were to obey the commandments of the Torah and the prophets.

The test during that dispensation involved two things. First, they were to obey the entire Torah. They were to obey all of its 613 commandments because to break only one of these meant that they were guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10). The second part of the test was to believe and accept that God would raise up for them a prophet like Moshe from among the sons of Isra’el (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). In other words, they were to accept Christ once He came, because He was going to be a prophet to the people like Moses.

But then came the failure. They failed in both aspects of the test. First, they failed to keep the Torah (Romans 10:1-3). In fact, not only did they fail to keep the commandments of the Torah, but they tried to get around them. They created their own kind of righteousness by establishing what came to be known as the Oral Law, or the traditions of men (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ei – The Oral Law). Secondly, they also failed to accept Christ (Mark 3:22, Matthew 12:24, Luke 11:15-16). Jesus denounced the Scribes and Pharisees, the leadership of Isra’el of that day, because they first rejected His messianic claims, but worse, they were leading the nation to the rejection of Him (John 7:19-20).

As a result of the failure, came judgment in 70 AD, and it involved two things. First, the Temple and Jerusalem itself were destroyed. Secondly, the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the world and they were exiled from the Land until 1948.

Grace was seen throughout the Dispensation of Torah in two ways. First, the sacrificial system was provided because the Jew was not able to keep all 613 commandments. Whenever the individual Jew failed, his or her sin could be covered (not forgiven) by the sacrificial system. It was God’s system for restoring the sinner. However, these sacrifices during the Dispensation of the Torah, with the blood of bulls and goats, were like interest only payments. They could buy the individual Jew a little time, but not forgiveness. The animal sacrifices could not take away their sin. No Jew was ever saved because of any sacrifice brought to the Tabernacle or the Temple. The righteous of the TaNaKh were saved by grace through faith. But faith needs substance. So when individual Jews brought a sacrifice to the Tabernacle or Temple, faith was being demonstrated in the fact that he or she believed that by means of the shedding of blood his or her sins would be covered and fellowship with ADONAI would be restored. Secondly, grace was displayed during this dispensation by God’s provision of judges, kings and prophets. Judges were given to deliver the Jews from the conquest of various peoples. Righteous kings were sent to give them a kingdom of righteousness and justice. Prophets were provided for them to expound on the Torah, call the people back from sin, remind them of where they had failed, and call for repentance.

Week 5: The Dispensation of Promise
Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27

The fourth dispensation is given two names: the Dispensation of Promise or the Dispensation of Patriarchal Rule. The first name emphasizes that God was revealing Himself by making a specific series of promises. This dispensation gets its name from four B’rit Chadashah passages: Romans 4:1-26, Galatians 3:15-19. Hebrews 6:13-15 and 11:9. All four passages emphasize a promise to Abraham. The second name emphasizes the fact that the LORD is ruling by means of His patriarchs, primarily Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the messianic or millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

The chief person in this dispensation is Abraham. He stands as the head of this new age and he was given new divine revelation that became the basis of a new dispensation.

Mankind’s responsibility was to believe in the promises of God. Although they may not be seen now, they were to believe in, trust in, and have faith in His promises. Abraham, of course, is our example. We are told in 15:6 that Abram believed the LORD, he had faith in the promises of ADONAI, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

The test during that dispensation was to stay in the Land that God had brought them.

The failure is seen in the tendency to leave the Land. For example, Abraham left the land in Genesis 12 and got himself into trouble. Later Jacob also left the Land and got his descendants into trouble. Isaac was contemplating leaving the Land in Genesis 26 when God warned him against doing so. Failure was also seen on the part of the Israelites because of their consistent tendency to leave the land. The brothers of Joseph sold him to someone who would make him a slave in Egypt.

Ultimately the judgment for their failure to stay in the land was slavery in Egypt.

Grace was seen in the fact that the nation of Isra’el was preserved whether they were in the land or outside of the land. God continued to guard the Seed of the Woman (see my commentary on Genesis, to see link click Be – He Will Crush Your Head, and You Will Strike His Heel), who would come through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Week 5: The Dispensation of Civil Government
Genesis 8:14 to 11:32

The third dispensation is called the Dispensation of Civil, or human, Government. It is called that because it is with this particular dispensation that man is given the right of life or death. He is given the authority to rule others. The concept of ruling and having power to execute or not to execute contains within it the concepts of human government. The principle is whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of man God made man (9:6). Therefore, man is given the authority to execute the murderer, and this carries with it the concept of rule, authority and government.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

The chief person in this dispensation is Noah. He received new specific divine revelation that told him exactly how this dispensation would be run.

Mankind’s responsibility was to obey the Covenant, or agreement with Noah.

The test during that dispensation was to rule properly, but they were not to unite under one government, and they were to disperse over all the earth.

But then came the failure. Man tried to unify, using the Tower of Babel as its center. It was both literal and symbolic. Literally, the Tower of Babel was an attempt to build a high tower for the purpose of studying the stars. They wanted to try to reach into the heavens, not to study astronomy, but to study astrology. In reality, they wanted to replace the LORD as the creator and center of the universe and put themselves in His place. They did not believe in the worship of one God, so they started worshiping many gods, which is polytheism. That was the physical purpose of the Tower of Babel. The symbolic purpose was to deliberately disobey the command to spread all over the world. The purpose of the Tower of Babel was to serve as a center of attraction, to keep humanity together so that they would not spread out and lose contact with each other. They wanted to build an empire. Nimrod was an empire builder and he was going to be at the center of it, not ADONAI.

As a result of the failure came the judgment, which was the confusion of tongues. Because of their rebellion against God and His authority, He confused their language. Their common language kept them together. Japanese tend to live around other Japanese people because they can communicate. It tends to make a country cohesive. With the lack of a common language there is turmoil, confusion, conflict and possibly war. By causing the confusion of language, the LORD forced a separation. Groups of people found others who could speak the same language and they moved to another part of the world to separate themselves from those they could not understand. Thus God accomplished His original desire in the Covenant with Noah.

Grace was displayed in the way ADONAI preserved His remnant. The specific remnant that God preserved is listed after the Tower of Babel incident. Chapter 11 traces the genealogy of Noah and Shem all the way down to Abraham, with whom the LORD will begin His next dispensation. So Elohim did preserve a remnant who will be the followers of the One true God during this dispensation. The promise He made about the seed of the woman (3:15), continued to be preserved in spite of the Flood and the Tower of Babel. God preserved the unique seed line through which the promise of Messiah would be fulfilled.

Week 5: The Dispensation of Conscience
Genesis 3:6 to 8:14

The second dispensation also has two names. It is called the Dispensation of Conscience or the Dispensation of Self-Determination. The first name emphasizes the principle by which the LORD dispensed His economy, the conscience. Conscience was the way God governed mankind. The name for this dispensation comes from Romans 2:15 which states that for a period of time, Elohim dealt with men on the basis of their conscience until finally their conscience became so defiled and seared that it was no longer possible for ADONAI to continue to govern in that way. The second name emphasizes the other side of the coin of conscience, in that man was given the freedom to follow the dictates of his conscience. If he followed his conscience, his self-determination would have led to holiness; but if he did not follow his conscience, or if his conscience was defiled, darkened, or seared, then his self-determination would lead to his ruin.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of the Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the messianic or millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

The chief person in this dispensation, as in the previous one, was Adam. He received new revelation from God in 3:17-19 that helped to explain the principles and requirements of this new dispensation.

The responsibility was for him to simply follow his conscience. If one listens to his conscience, it will convict him of sin and lead him to salvation. But if he doesn’t listen to it and hardens it, all he has to look forward to is judgment.

The test during that dispensation was first, obedience in the knowledge of good and evil, but secondly, where there was failure, they were to offer a proper and acceptable blood sacrifice. This can be learned from 3:21 and 4:4.

As with the previous dispensation, there will be a failure. This was seen as early as the case of Cain in 4:3-5, who failed to bring a proper blood sacrifice and thought he could come to God on his own terms. In 4:8, failure was seen in the first act of murder when Cain murdered his brother Abel. Failure was also seen in 6:1-5, which speaks of open violence, corruption and widespread sin. The heart of man sought evil continually. Therefore, since the people from Adam to Noah ignored their conscience and followed wickedness, God was forced to bring judgment in the form of a worldwide Flood.

As with the previous dispensation, this one, also, contained the issue of judgment. The judgment in this case was the worldwide Flood (6:7 and 7:23). This brought humanity to an end with the exception of one family. They had become so evil that they could no longer follow their consciences. The conscience of man had become so dark and degenerate, that it was no longer a reliable guide.

As with every dispensation, this one had an element of grace. It was displayed during the Dispensation of Conscience in that God commanded Noah to build an ark (6:14). As a result, Noah and his family were saved and found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Week 5: The Dispensations of God

Dispensations are periods of time,
in which God governs in a different way than He did previously.

One of the most important things in understanding the Bible is rightly dividing the word of truth (Second Timothy 2:15 NJK). There are a number of ways we can divide the Bible to understand the different parts of the whole. One of the ways is by the dispensations contained in God’s Word. To understand what a dispensation is, we need to take a look at two Greek words. The first word is oikumenei from which we get our English word ecumenical. It means to manage, to regulate, to administer, or to plan. The second word is aion and it means age. It emphasizes the time element of the dispensation. So the term dispensation refers to a specific way by which God administers His program, His will, His rule and His authority. Each dispensation is an age, because each dispensation covers a period of time. Dispensations reveal the progressive revelation of YHVH.

The major opposition to Dispensationalism today is Covenant Theology, which teaches Replacement Theology. In 2002, Know Theological Seminary issued a document clearly stating the Covenant Theology position, “The inheritance promises that God gave Abraham . . . do not apply to any particular ethnic group, but to the Church of Jesus Christ, the true Isra’el, and “A future day should not be anticipated in which Christ’s Kingdom will manifest Jewish distinctives, whether by its location in the Land; by its constituency, or by its ceremonial institutions and practices. Accordingly, Covenant Theology believes that the Church has either replaced or superseded “ethnic Isra’el.” The promises made to “ethnic Isra’el” are considered as metaphorically fulfilled by the Church, as they believe that “Isra’el” and the “Church” are all one “people of God,” a group that may or may not include people of Jewish ancestry. Covenant theologians deny any connection between “ethnic Isra’el” and the current or future land of Isra’el. They believe that as neighborhoods, cities, states, and nations “take dominion” and kick Satan out, the world will become a better and better place; and eventually, this process will lead to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

There are seven dispensations described in the Bible: (1) the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom (Genesis 1:28 to 3:5); (2) the Dispensation of Conscience or Self-Determination (Genesis 3:6 to 8:14), (3) the Dispensation of Civil Government (Genesis 8:15 to 11:32), (4) the Dispensation of Promise or Patriarchal Rule (Genesis 12:1 to Exodus 18:27), (5) the Dispensation of Torah (Exodus 19:1 to Acts 1:26), (6) the Dispensation of Grace (Acts 2:1 to Revelation 19:21), and (7) the Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:1 to 12:6, 54:11-17, 60:1-22).

There are six specific elements involved in each dispensation. First, each dispensation has a key person to whom special revelation is given. Secondly, each dispensation provides a responsibility to man because each dispensation begins with new revelation that requires a human response. Thirdly, there is a specific test. Fourthly, following the test comes a specific failure. Fifthly, there is a judgment that brings the dispensation to an end. Sixthly, each dispensation has something that characterizes divine grace.

The Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom
Genesis 1:28 to 3:5

The first dispensation has two names: the Dispensation of Innocence or the Dispensation of Freedom. The two names are used to emphasize different aspect of this dispensation. The first name emphasizes the fact that Adam and Eve were innocent of any sin or sin-nature at this time. They were created holy, but their holiness had not yet been confirmed because they had not been tested as to whether they would stay true to the Word of God. The second name emphasizes their freedom from sin (they were not slaves to sin).

At the beginning of each dispensation there is one key person through whom God reveals the new features of that particular dispensation. For the first dispensation, the key person was Adam. Elohim revealed His will, divine economy, and divine administration through Adam.

Each dispensation also had a specific responsibility. During the Dispensation of Innocence or Freedom, man’s responsibility was to work the garden of Eden, to take care of it, and guard it.

Not only does each dispensation come with a responsibility, but each also comes with a test. The specific test here concerned the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was a test of obedience. They were commanded not to eat from that specific tree. They had complete control over the Garden and the right to eat of every other tree in the Garden, including the tree of life. So the test was very minimal.

There will also be a failure during this dispensation. If they had passed the test they would have become immortal. But, unfortunately, they failed the test. They ate of the very tree that God had forbidden them to eat from. As a result, their sin permeated every part of their being, physical and spiritual. And their sin nature would be passed down to their children and the human race (Romans 5:12 and 19).

After the failure there is the judgment. In this case, the judgment was to be driven from the Garden and the curse upon the earth. Being driven from the Garden meant they were expelled to a place where they would no longer be able to eat from the tree of life. Instead of having an easy working relationship with the earth so that his labor was easy and light, Adam would now have to work the earth by the sweat of his brow in order to be able to eat. Work was no longer easy, it was toilsome. In addition, the curse meant that the earth would no longer be his friend, but his enemy. As Adam would try to produce food to eat from the earth, he would continually be at war with thorns and thistles.

In every dispensation there is also the display of God’s grace. In this case, ADONAI promised a Redeemer. In 3:15 He promised that a Messiah would someday come and do two things. First, He would defeat the Adversary, the deceiver, who brought about the fall of man, the curse, and the expulsion from the Garden through his temptation. And secondly, He would conquer physical death, which was the result of the Fall, by the resurrection.

Week 4: Scripture

We have considered the issue of prayer, which is us talking to God. Scripture is God’s way of speaking to us. The Scriptures are composed of the TaNaKh (or the Old Covenant) and the B’rit Chadashah (the New Covenant). The Hebrew word TaNaKh (pronounced ta-nakh) is an acronym, based on the letters T (for “Torah”),N (for “Neviim,” or the Prophets), and K (for “Ketuvim,” or the Sacred Writings). Also sometimes referred to as the Torah or the Scriptures. These are texts that anticipate the coming of Messiah.

B’rit Chadashah (pronounced be-reet ha-da-sha, the “ch” sound in Hebrew is a guttural sound and is largely silent) are the writing of the Apostles, those immediate disciples of Yeshua who were who were authorized to give His truth. In many circles this is called the “New Testament” (as Testament is another word for Covenant).

The TaNaKh is God’s promise of life, and the B’rit Chadashah is the fulfillment of that promise. The Scriptures are reliable in all its claims about life, both temporal (on earth) and eternal (in heaven).

Please read the following scripture: Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him (Proverbs 30:5). The word for pure in Hebrew is tserufab, meaning to make or prove true through refining. God’s Word is tested and found to be eternally true and pure (without error). Like the character of God Himself, the Scriptures can be trusted. In the verse above, how much of God’s Word is pure and proven to be true? ___________.

The Scriptures reveal that every word of God is completely reliable. The word every in Hebrew is kol, meaning all. Therefore, it is a totally trustworthy testimony of God and His priorities.

According to Proverbs 30:5, what are you guaranteed if you trust in Him (that is, believe in His Word)? _________________. Not necessarily from physical harm, but shielding your testimony and salvation.

Yes, He is a shield to those who trust in Him and His Word. A shield is protection against an attack from the devil, like the shield of faith, which can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). The safest place to be is in God’s will, and God’s Word is His revealed will for you. Thus, as you trust and follow His Word, the Scriptures, you are in His will and your testimony and salvation is shielded. The LORD is not obligated to protect us physically from harm. Our salvation is secure (see Week Two: Your Identity in Messiah), but our safety in this world is not. He is our spiritual refuge, and our physical refuge when He chooses to be.

Now consider this verse: Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11). The Hebrew word for hidden is tsafan, meaning to hide, treasure or store up. The practical application of having God’s Word hidden in your heart is memorizing, personalizing, trusting and following the Scriptures. If you ever have to choose between your feelings and God’s Word, choose to believe, trust or have faith in God’s Word. According to Psalm 119:11, what is the result of having God’s Word hidden (or treasured) in your heart? _____________________________.

When Yeshua was confronted by Satan in the wilderness the first time (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13), the Lord used the Scriptures as a shield to temptation. In His first temptation when hungry, Lucifer tempted Yeshua to turn stones into bread, the Lord quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 where Isra’el was tested with hunger so she would learn dependence on God. But she failed to do so. However, Yeshua succeeded by saying: It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of ADONAI” (Mattityahu 4:4; Luke 4:4).

In the second temptation the devil led Him to the holy city of Jerusalem and had Him stand on the highest point of the Temple Mount and tempted Him with the words: If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. To make the temptation more persuasive, the great dragon quoted Scripture, as Yeshua had just done. Quoting Psalm 91:11-12, he said: For it is written, “He will command His angels concerning You to guard you carefully; and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone” (Matthew 4:5-6; Luke 9-10). Yeshua responded by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 where Isra’el was tested with thirst so she would learn dependence on God. But where she failed to trust God, Yeshua succeeded by answered the devil by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16: It is also written, “Do not put ADONAI your God to the test” (Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12).

In his third temptation, the old dragon then dropped all pretenses and made one final, desperate effort to corrupt Yeshua. He finally revealed his ultimate purpose: to induce Messiah to worship him. Again, the great dragon took the Lord to a very high mountain and, in an instant, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor and said, “If You will bow down and worship me, all that You see will all be Yours.” But Yeshua responded by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 where Isra’el was tested to serve ADONAI only; however, she failed to do so. But Yeshua said to the devil, “Away from me, Satan! For the TaNaKh says, ‘Worship ADONAI your God, and serve only Him’ (Matthew 4:8-10; Luke 4:5-8).” If the Word of God was His only resource to fight Satan, shouldn’t we recognize that it should also be ours?

Since Yeshua used Scripture to defend Himself against the enemy. We should do no less!

You have a Bible now . . . know the Scriptures! When we treasure God’s Word in our heart and obey it, He enables and enlightens us to follow and not rebel against Him. The way to keep from sinning against the Lord and to please Him is to believe in, and follow His Word.

Having His Word in your heart is to have the Word deep within your being; in the place where you make decisions and choices to either trust and follow the Lord in every area of your life or not. God wants all of you, not part of you. Please read the following verse: To the Torah and to the testimony! If they do not speak according this word, it is because they have no light (Isaiah 8:20). According to this verse, where should you turn to for the truth? ______ ________.

We need to say yes, to the Torah and to the testimony, God’s Word. The Torah and the testimony refer to the Scriptures, or God’s Word. The Torah means instruction, literally, what is pointed out, essentially authoritative instruction. The word testimony, te’udah, is used in reference to the tablets of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18), as well as referring to the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle that contained the Ten Commandments (Exodus 40:21).

As the Psalmist wrote: the testimony of the LORD is true (Psalm 19:7). God’s Word is His authoritative and fully trustworthy testimony of what is always right and true for your life. When you have a problem to deal with or a decision to make, pray for guidance, then search the Scriptures, for in them you have light for your path.

Looking again at Isaiah 8:20, above, whoever may be teaching, if they do not speak according to God’s Word, why should we NOT listen to them? ____________________. To be without light (or true enlightenment) means to be without the truth; if the teacher is speaking contrary to the Word of God, they cannot be trusted for spiritual matters of guidance for your life. The New Covenant reiterates the same thing about the full authority and sufficiency of God’s Word.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (Second Timothy 3:16). According to Second Timothy 3:16, how much of Scripture is inspired? _____ __________. It is just as relevant today, as the day it was written. All of it. Inspired literally means God-breathed. In Genesis 2:7, God’s breath gave Adam life. Therefore, the inspired or God-breathed Scriptures are God’s life-giving Word to you.

As First Peter 2:2 teaches: As newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow toward salvation. New believers are like babies in the faith. As babies desire milk, so your desire should be for God’s Word, the pure milk, which nourishes us spiritually and helps us grow up in the truth. As with babies, regular feeding as well as nourishing meals are vitally important. As Messiah taught us to pray, give us this day our daily bread (Luke 11:3), so we need ot have daily meal times in the Word. Can you imagine a baby eating once a week? God’s Word is “the bread of life” (John 6:25-59) for our souls. We need to regularly read and personalize Scripture, praying and seeking to apply God’s Word to our daily life. This is the way a “baby believer” grows to be mature in the Lord.

Personalize these verses. Add “me”, “my” or “I” for them, they theirs, us and ours. Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to ____ when __ trust in Him (Proverbs 30:5).

Give ___ this day ___ daily bread (Luke 11:3).

For further reading regarding the Bible, see Psalm 19; Psalm 119; Amos 8:11-13; First Peter 1:23-25; Second Peter 1:20-21, 3:15-16; and Revelation 1:3, 22:18-19.

For our next lesson, please memorize, or hide in your heart, Second Timothy 3:16

Also please start memorizing the order of the books of the Bible. This will make your Bible study much easier.

Week 3: Prayer

Blessed be the name of the Lord. You are a child of God forever by faith in Yeshua Messiah. You have eternal life and an eternal relationship with the God of Isra’el through His Messiah. As with all children and relationships, there needs to be growth and maturity. As you spiritually mature in your faith, you will develop an even more intimate and fulfilling relationship with the Lord. How does a believer spiritually grow in the faith? There are four essential areas that need to become more and more a vital part of our daily lives: prayer, reading the Scriptures (Week Four), fellowship (Week Ten), and sharing our faith (Week Twelve).

These four areas will cover the two basic directions of your spiritual growth: the vertical (with God) and the horizontal (with people). Prayer and reading the Scriptures will address the vertical relationship between you and the Lord. Fellowship and sharing your faith will focus on the horizontal relationships between your and other people.

Spiritual growth and balance come from prioritizing all four of these values. Those missing any of these habits can become like spiritual loners, having a “specialty,” but without balance or maturity. None of these four areas can be outgrown, but rather we grow deeper in them as we walk more closely with the Lord.

The goal of this lesson is to help you develop a prayer life: a daily, ongoing, intimate time to speak with your heavenly Father. Prayer is essentially and most importantly “talking with God.” Setting aside even five minutes a day to talk with Abba (Father) can make all the difference in the world.

The Psalms are actually prayers and praise to God. “I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me” (Psalm 57:2 NLT). King David authorized 73 of the 150 psalms. David was thankful that he could “cry out” to God. In Hebrew, karah actually means, “to cry or call out loudly.” This teaches us that private prayer is not to be a mere formality, but sincere, or with purpose and meaning.

We can genuinely express to God our feelings, thoughts, frustrations, will, or concerns about anything. God can take it; He won’t be offended or shocked. He actually desires and expects an open relationship with us. When we are real with God, we receive real help from God: comfort for our pain, encouragement in our disappointments, power for our weakness, renewed love when we are resentful, and forgiveness when we stumble. The Bible reiterates this truth: casting all your worries upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

God cares about our lives and can help us in the midst of difficulty. Because of our relationship with God, we have freedom in our prayer life to totally give all our burdens to the One who really loves us.

In Psalm 57:2, David’s confidence was not only that God would not only hear his deepest cry, but also that God would accomplish all things for him. All believers in the Messiah can have this same confidence. Yeshua said, “If you ask for anything in My name (in My will), I will do it” (John 14:14). Asking in His name is not some magical phrase, where we can get anything we want. It means aligning our will with His. When we do this we are asking in His authority, for His reputation and honor, and in light of His purposes and will as revealed in the Bible. If we seek to align our will with His, God will fulfill His purpose for you. All things that are good, profitable, wholesome and wise.

God always answers prayer; however, His answer may be . . .

* “Yes” (because it is appropriate for you now)

* “Not at this time” or “Wait” (because it may only be appropriate for you in the future)

* “No” (because it is inappropriate for you at any time, or may harm you)

We trust in God’s power to provide, but also in His wisdom to provide that which is in our eternal best interests. Please read these verses: Now this is the confidence we have before Him – that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have the requests we have asked from Him (First John 5:14-15). What does it mean that He hears us? John means that God does not ignore us; if we ask according to what is His will for us, He will fulfill our request. So according to these verses, how can you be confident that He hears you?___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

The key to our prayer life and our requests of God is to know His _______. But how can we know His will? God’s Word, the Scriptures, is the revealed will of God. As we come to know His Word, we learn His will, desires, and concerns for us. We better understand God’s character, values, priorities, and His perspective on life.

Please read First John 5:14-15 again, this time replacing we and us with “I” and “me.” Now this is the confidence ___ have before Him – that if ___ ask anything according to His will, He hears ___. And if ___ know that He hears ___ – whatever ___ ask – ___ know that ___ have the requests ___ have asked from Him.

Now please read this verse, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18). Since God knows all things (this is called omniscience), we know He always hears us. In this verse, the phrase will not hear refers to the Lord not responding positively to our requests. The Hebrew word for regard is rayiti, which means to consider or gaze at. If we consider something evil or improper for ourselves, or others, it is just plain wrong. The Lord will not hear or respond to evil.

According to Psalm 66:18, where do you regard good or evil? ___ ___ _______.

Yes, in your heart. Let us understand the internal priorities of prayer. Regardless of what we say with our lips, it is the inner person that spiritually communicates with the Lord. External expressions of prayer are so others can join with us in prayer and praise to God.

What specific sins or wickedness may possibly be in your heart in the following areas?

* Your personal life?

* Your family life?

* Your financial or business life?

* Your community life?

After thinking about these areas, did you find some that you are not pleased with? What can you do about the sins or wickedness in your heart? Consider First John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Confess in the original Greek language is homologeo, meaning to agree with another or speak the same, in this case to agree with God. In other words, when we admit or confess our sins to God we are finally agreeing with Him about what He already knows – that our sinful thoughts, attitudes, or deeds are unjustifiable, but not unforgivable.

What is done in the heart only is a sin against God and must be confessed. If you sin outwardly, you are sinning against God and others. You need to confess your sins in either case: often to the person against whom you have sinned, as well as the Lord, as all sin is rebellion against Him (Matt 5:22-25, 18:15; James 5:16).

Rather than the sin being clever, cute or a matter of “she started it,” sin is contrary to God’s character and His revealed will in the Bible. We can truly praise God, because when we admit our sinful thoughts and deeds, He forgives and cleanses us as a result of Messiah’s shed blood on the cross as payment for our sins.

Personalize First John 1:9 using “I”, “my” and “me”. If __ confess ___ sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive ___ sins and to cleanse ___ from all unrighteousness.

For further reading on prayer, read Exodus 33:12-19, the Psalms, and John 17.

Please memorize First John 1:9.

Please commit yourself to begin a minimum of five minuets of prayer daily. Make it a time when you are awake, alone, and able to quiet your thoughts before God. If you are not sure how to structure your prayer time, a help for many believers is the acronym PTA.

Praise God for His attributes, love and goodness. Then, in the light of Who He is,

Thank Him for His forgiveness, cleansing, and the many blessings of Yeshua in your life.

Ask Him to supply your needs as well as the needs of others.

Take time each day also to be quiet before the Lord. That way, He gets to minister to your heart as the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to remind you of His great love for you! Prayer is the means believers have to talk to the Holy One of Isra’el. What a privilege!

Week 2: Your Identity in Messiah

The God of Isra’el wants you to have a deep assurance that by faith in Yeshua you are His child forever. This means you are forgiven, saved, and you have eternal life (for a more in-depth study on eternal life see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).

1. You are forgiven for all your sins through faith in Messiah’s atoning death and resurrection. This means that you have a right standing before God. You are justified. This is the act of God whereby, negatively, He forgives your sins and, positively, He declares them righteous by transferring the righteousness of Messiah to you through faith. It is a once-for-all-time divine act at salvation. Those accepted are now secure forever. It is not a reward for anything good we have done. It is not something that we cooperate with God in. Finally, our justification is not simply a matter of ADONAI overlooking our guilt; our right standing before Him is a result of all of Yeshua’s righteousness being transferred to our spiritual bank account by faith (Genesis 15:6; Psalm 32:2; Isaiah 54:17; Jeremiah 23:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 3:28 to 4:6, 5:1 and 9, 9:30 to 10:4; First Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 2:16, 3:8-9, 21).

This is just what the TaNaKh (the Old Testament) promised: that Messiah would come and die for your sins as God’s provision for our atonement and forgiveness. But He was wounded for out transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the punishment that made us whole, and by His bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and yet ADONAI has laid on Him the guilt of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6). If you are not familiar with this section of Scripture, take a moment to read the entire portion of Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12. The B’rit Chadashah (the New Testament) shows us how God fulfilled this promise of redemption. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Yeshua Messiah (Romans 5:1; also see Isaiah 26:3).

The word justified means: to be declared righteous, or to have a right standing before God. This is the greatest transaction in history, our sin for His righteousness. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). In the TaNaKh there had to be a sacrifice, blood had to be shed, a death needed to occur. But because we are in Messiah (Ephesians 2:6), we have a perfect, absolute, righteousness before God. What is true of Him is true of you. Because of our faith, we have passed God’s final exam with an A+. He has given us His righteousness (Philippians 3:3-9; Romans 1:17, 3:21-22, 4:21-23, 8:19-22; 9:30; Galatians 3:21).

Because Messiah has fully atoned for your sins through faith in His death and resurrection, you are now completely forgiven and spiritually without spot or blemish before God. The Bible teaches: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalm 32:1).

Your right standing before God is a result of all of Messiah’s righteousness being transferred to your spiritual bank account by __________.

Before salvation you were God’s enemy (James 4:4); but now, having been justified by faith, we have __________ with God through our Lord Yeshua Messiah (Romans 5:1).

To be justified means to be declared ______________ .

2. You are saved: In Messiah, you are completely delivered from all judgment for your sins. This is the same truth anticipated by the prophet: Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:22).

As we might think of a fireman who goes into a burning building to save someone from a fire, so Messiah underwent judgment to save us from the fires of judgment. The idea of being saved is to be delivered from judgment for our sins, and adopted into the family of God (Ephesians 1:4-5; John 1:12; Galatians 3:26-29).

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). The Greek word for confess, homologeo, literally means same-word, that is, to agree with another. We agree with God about Messiah. So, to confess with your mouth means to acknowledge Yeshua as Lord. Real faith is what we confess as true.

Is this what you confess as well? Yes _____ No _____

The word believe (Greek: pisteuo) has a wide semantic range and can mean trust, faith, or believe, opposed to mere intellectual assent. We trust in the Scriptures, God’s testimony and promises regarding our salvation. To believe in your heart that God has raised Yeshua from the dead means you genuinely trust that through the resurrection of Messiah, God glorified Him and accepted His righteous death as atonement (payment) for your sins.

Is this what you genuinely believe? Yes _____ No _____

Please read Romans 10:9, replacing “I” and “my” for the words “you” and “your.”

If ___ confess with ___ mouth the Lord Yeshua and believe in ___ heart that God raised Him from the dead, ___ will be saved.

3. You have eternal life now! This means the God’s life dwells in you, now and for all eternity. This is the same truth anticipated in the TaNaKh: And ADONAI your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants – to love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Eternal security means that once a person has undergone the real experience of salvation and has a truly experienced regeneration, that person cannot lose his or her salvation, either by committing a specific sin, or by ceasing to believe. It’s not so much that we can undo what we have done, but we cannot undo what God has done for us (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith)! It is the work of the Holy Spirit that keeps us secure, not our own works: And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Messiah Yeshua returns (Philippians 1:6).

True salvation will produce genuine works of righteousness (spiritual fruit) in the life of the believer (First Corinthians 13:4-7; Galatians 5:22-23).

True salvation will produce doctrinal consistency, which is a test of genuine faith (Colossians 1:22-23; Second John 1:1-12). When people are saved, they may not know that Yeshua was born of a virgin. But when they do learn it, they will readily accept it. If they deny or reject this truth, then they probably weren’t truly saved to begin with (First John 2:9).

True salvation will produce godly living based upon what God has done for us, not on the fear of losing our salvation.

Sin in a believer’s life severs fellowship (First Corinthians 5:1-13; First John 1:6-9), but does not result in loss of salvation. Since we can do no works to gain our salvation, we can do no works to lose our salvation.

Persistent life pattern of sin shows a lack of conversion. This is the point of First John 3:6-10 where the present tense is used. A life pattern of sin does not show a loss of salvation. If anything, it may show that a person was never saved to begin with.

Perfection is not achieved in this life. Believers will continue sinning for the rest of their lives. No one will reach perfection in this life. But we should continue to be conformed into the image of Messiah, or mature, as we study God’s Word.

There is a difference between position and practice; between justification and sanctification. When we are justified at salvation, our position in Messiah is permanent, but because we still live in bodies of sin, our practice may not always show it. One of the best examples would be the church at Corinth. Paul referred to the Corinthians church positionally as being a sanctified church: But by His doing you are in Messiah Yeshua, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). But, according to their practice, they were one of the worst churches in the B’rit Chadashah. That is the difference between position and practice. Bad practice does not mean that position has been lost.

Eternal security is our position in Messiah. At the moment of faith several things happen, and one of them is being placed in Yeshua. This doctrine teaches us that somehow He is placed in us, and we are placed in Messiah, who sits at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19; Romans 8:34; Acts 7:55-56, Ephesians 1:20). As a result, there is a permanent union with Messiah and the believer that is set for eternity. Yeshua cannot be taken out of us and we cannot be taken out of Him. When God looks down upon us, He doesn’t see our sin, He sees His Son (And there are no abortions in heaven).

Positive verses: These verses would be the perfect place to temper the notion of eternal security and prove that we can indeed lose our salvation. But you don’t find any of those qualifications in the logical places you would expect to find them.

John 6:37-40: Is it ever possible for Yeshua to lose a gift from the Father? “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” (John 6:39). So if one true believer ever loses his or her salvation, Yeshua would be out of the will of God. But that is impossible.

John 10:27-30: Yeshua builds argument on top of argument to affirm our security in Him, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them; and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are One.”

First John 4:16-18, “We will have confidence on the day of judgment.”

John 5:24, “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.”

Romans 5:8-11 and 17: Since Messiah died for us while we were still sinners, how much more will He do for us now that we have been reconciled, adopted, justified, united with Him, and had all of His righteousness transferred to our spiritual bank account at the moment of salvation?

Romans 8:28-39: This is the strongest argument in the Bible for the eternal security of the believer. If this were the ONLY scripture supporting the security of the believer – you would have to say that it was established. “Who will separate us from the love of Messiah? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger of the world . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation (which includes you!) will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.”

My dear children [of God], I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Yeshua Messiah, the Righteous One (First John 2:1). Another reason we are dependent on the Son of God for our eternal salvation is His ministry of intercession. He interceded while still on earth (John 17:1-26), and He is still interceding for us. “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Messiah Yeshua who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). “Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

We are dependent on God the Son based on Messiah’s role as the Good Shepherd (John 10:27-30). There we are taught once again, that we have eternal life. If that life is eternal, then it’s eternal. If one can lose it, it’s not eternal, merely temporary. We shall never perish no matter what we do. Why? Because “no one will snatch [us] out of [Messiah’s] hand.” Yeshua concludes by saying, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

The ministry of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh is one of sealing, and the purpose is to seal the believer up in Messiah so that we can never be lost. The emphasis is clearly that the believer has been sealed, not just temporarily, not just until we stop believing, but has been sealed until the day of redemption. Having been sealed, the final redemption is guaranteed, “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Messiah. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” The deposit is a down payment with the intention to purchase. God has given us Himself as the down payment; He has given us the Spirit of God (Second Corinthians 1:21-22; also see Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).

What does it mean when a person who seems to have been a believer and has been active in the congregation, leaves, lives in the world, and doesn’t come back? Did this person lose their salvation? No. This is what that bible says, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them [really ever] belonged to us” (First John 2:19).

Problem Passages for Eternal Security: Various groups do use different verses to try to prove that it is possible to lose one’s salvation. To be assured of our eternal security, we need to respond to these viewpoints.

The five warnings in the book of Hebrews: We must understand that there are three basic groups of people in view throughout this book. If one does not keep these groups in mind, the book becomes very confusing. The key to interpreting any part of Hebrews is to understand which group is being addressed. The primary message is addressed to believers. But periodically there are five different warnings (2:1-4, 3:7-19, 5:11-14, 6:1-8, 10:26-39) to two unbelieving groups: Jews who were merely intellectually convinced, but had not crossed over the line from knowledge to faith, and secondly unbelieving Jews. But some think that these passages are addressing believers who have lost their salvation.

None of these verses or examples actually teaches that believers can lose their salvation. On the contrary, once saved, believers can never be snatched out of Yeshua’s hand because they are kept by the power of God. We don’t keep ourselves; He keeps us. Thus, the problem passages can be explained as misapplications, while the positive passages cannot be disproven. So as believers we can be confident that we are eternally secure; however, the fact that we are eternally secure in our salvation does not give us the liberty to live like the devil (see my commentary on Romans Bq – The Background of the Messianic Mikveh).

Does eternal mean eternal? Yes _____ No _____

Can I lose my salvation? Yes _____ No _____