The Misunderstood Jesus: Why your identity in Christ will be persecuted

So something strange has been happening the last few weeks. Recently we published a video titled the Great Controversy, which Old Testament laws apply to Christians? So there's also this idea within Christianity that the only laws of God that we need to care about or worry about are the ones that are repeated in the New Testament. And it sparked great controversy. There was over 500 comments, and most are positive. Some, however, started accusing us of being Judaizers and legalistic. A week later, we also published a video titled the Hebrew Roots Identity Crisis. In discovering our identity crisis, many of us went from one identity crisis to another. And that video also sparked a lot of comments, and most were also very positive. But some accused us of lawlessness, trying to sneakishly abolish God's law. And we're going to be looking at some of those comments in this video. And I realize that if I'm being accused of such things, you'll be accused of such things. And many of you are. People wrote in comments and emails saying, I understand who I am in Christ, but what am I to do now? With whom can I fellowship? Because people keep misunderstanding who I am, saying I am a legalist and even lawless, all at the same time, depending on who the person is making the judgment. And the more that I see spirit and truth worship, the more lonely I get. So a legalistic Judaizer or a lawless Christian. See, I'm not offended in the least by the accusations. But let's just be honest. How can both of these things be true at the same time? And does these accusations actually expose a massive theological iceberg in the world of believers, one that hides right beneath the surface, yet is actually affecting all of us? What I'm talking about here is deeply related to the identity crisis that we've been discussing. People are trying to figure out, who are you? So let's show them. And he said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. This is a worthy conversation to have, because if you want to walk like Jesus, people are going to try and figure out, well, who are you? Because many people say that they're trying to walk like Jesus, yet they look different. And so while no one can perfectly imitate Jesus, we can and should aim to. But some say that they are aiming to, but they're actually aiming to a denomination only dressed up with certain attributes and expressions of Jesus at the cost of others. This is what Yeshua said in Matthew 23:23, where do you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe, mint Dill and Cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law. Justice, mercy, faithfulness. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. Jesus problem of the Pharisees weren't that they were tithing, but that they were thinking that their tithing can be done at the cost of other important aspects of the life of Christ. Justice, faithfulness, mercy Yeshua looks at fruit Yeshua looked at the actions of the Pharisees and he told us to also judge people by their fruit, their actions. But people on the other hand often will judge you by your denominational label and that's why they're so desperate to know your denomination, especially when you say or do something that they don't agree with. So they desire to define your identity with an opposition party to do away with your opinion. That's why it's so important to be clear about our identity to ourselves and to others. So we're going to look at some of these comments trying to put an identity upon us and we're going to address them so that we can learn more about our true identity, Christ. So let's look at that first video we published recently called the Great which Old Testament Laws Apply to Christians? Right? In this teaching, me and Christina sat down, we discussed the relationship that believers should have with the Old Testament and of course many agreed, some disagreed. Look at this one. The Judaizers have arrived. Alright, so this is maybe an identity that someone else have even tried to put on you. But what is the biblical definition of a Judaizer? A Judaizer is an identity that is used today in order to label people who are teaching others to obey God's law. And the hope of using this term is to bring this accusation and conclusion that those who teach others to obey God's law must be doing so to convert other people to Judaism. But let's look at the biblical definition of to Judaize. In the Book of Acts, chapter 15, the famous Jerusalem Council commences. But why? It commenced because there were those who came in with an accusation. Let's read it. Acts 15:1 but some men came down from Judea and were teaching the Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. This idea that our circumcision plays a role in our salvation is not only an idea that was very prevalent in 1st century Judaism, but its even prevalent in modern Judaism today. Jewish people believe that in order to convert to Judaism you need to undergo circumcision as a man and therefore circumcision Also then plays a role in atonement for the life of the person in order to inherit eternal life. By the way, this is not a belief that stems from the Bible. God has never taught that circumcision nor any particular law saves us. This is true both for the times of the Old Testament and the New Testament. It doesn't matter. Nowhere in the Bible is that a thing. It was always by faith that we are saved. Since the times of Abraham, Christianity at its earliest stage was seen as a sect within Judaism. For Jesus was Jewish and the apostles were Jewish. And so when other Jewish people saw and wanted to come into following Christ, they still had this baggage of Judaism where this tradition of circumcision bringing atonement and contributing to our salvation needed to be addressed. For they wanted to place that belief upon even Gentiles. But that belief was another gospel. To further illustrate to you what they were addressing in Acts 15, let's look at also some modern Jewish traditions that follows the same train of thought. According to the Orthodox Jewish resource torchweb.org we see and I quote, we all know that the Jewish people in Egypt were commanded to sprinkle the blood of the Pesach lamb on their doorposts or on the night of Passover in order to protect them during the plague of the firstborn. Exodus 12, 7 per Kai D, Rabbi Eliezer writes that the blood of the circumcision was also placed on the doorposts together with the blood of the lamb, so that the merit of those two bloods would earn them salvation and redemption. In fact, at every single Passover Seder and at every single ritual circumcision since then, we recite the ver in Ezekiel 16, 6 and I say to you, in your bloods you shall live, referring to the two commandments, the Pesach lamb and circumcision, both involving blood through which the Jewish nation earned redemption from Egypt and eternal life as God's chosen people. And so you clearly see this belief today as it was floating around in the first century, that the blood of the circumcision is actually mixed with the blood of the Passover lamb and that brings eternal life. Some even think that the blood of the circumcisions were placed on the doorposts along with the blood of the Passover lamb. If this belief persisted among God's people, it would be dangerous because it would be the idea that Jesus is not enough as the Passover lamb, but that we need to spill our own blood as well, and that we and our law keeping contribute to our salvation. So now you can also start to understand what Paul was addressing in the book of Galatians so passionately. As we know in Galatians 5, he says, for freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look, I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. Paul tells us the key here, where he says that you who desire to be justified by the law, Acts 151 same thing. We read those who are saying these people must be circumcised in order to be saved. They also are trying to be justified by the law, for justification has to do with salvation. And so Paul here rightfully addresses the error of the traditional beliefs of circumcision that was very prevalent in his day. This idea that the law that we keep actually saves us. That's why he says, if you are going to depend on circumcision to save you, then you're obligated to keep the whole law. And, and you should know that you are not able to keep the whole law perfectly, and therefore your salvation is in danger. You must rely fully on the sacrifice of Christ, your Passover lamb, and from there live in obedience. Recognizing your law keeping is not what saves you. Another related event in the book of Galatians that's often brought up on this very same topic is when Peter and Paul had their dispute. And if you want to learn more about that, look at this teaching called why Paul really Opposed Peter, where I'll look at that verse by verse. We're not going to have time for that in this teaching. Therefore, we can now see that in our desire to imitate Yeshua and walk as he walked, just as Paul imitated Yeshua and walked as he walked, just as Paul opposed the Judaizers, we oppose the Judaizers according to the biblical definition of a Judaizer, those who attempt to be justified by the law. The sad part is, is that if we wanted today to imitate Jesus or encourage others to imitate Jesus, we can be accused of being a Judaizer, whilst in reality Jesus was Jewish. But this split, this issue really has come in because there are certain aspects of Jesus himself that have been cut off from Christianity and being labeled as too Jewish, whilst it's actually just biblical it's just actually to obey God. For God has come in the New Covenant and revealed the ideal way for us to walk and live in the life of Christ. And so that's all that we're talking about. And what we desire is to be like Jesus. That is the New Covenant. He writes that on our heart. And that's not a conversion to Judaism. God does not call us to convert to Judaism. He does call us to follow Jesus. Alright, so let's look at another comment. The SDA organization asks the wrong question. The Mosaic laws are part of the Old Covenant and were applied specifically to the Israelite nation in order to set them aside from the entire rest of the world. Then when Jesus came and died on the cross, our sins were atoned for and he ushered in the New Covenant. Jesus explains in the Sermon on the Mount what the new laws are, and Sabbath keeping is just not mentioned. Our Sabbath rest is now in Jesus Christ Himself. All right, so first of all, of course, there's this attempt to call us an SDA organization, to throw us in that identity in order to discard what we have to say. We are not an SDA organization. We've never been affiliated with one. I've never been a member of an SDA church. So that's just not true. But now, in regards to the covenants, when we're talking about the Old and the New Covenant, we have to remember the New Covenant according to the Bible. In Jeremiah 31, 31 is explained to us. And the prophet Jeremiah tells us that the law of God does not go away, but is written on our hearts. That the Holy Spirit transforms us and convicts us to obey God's law. So when this person comes and says that Jesus explains on the Sermon on the Mount what the new laws are and the Sabbath is not among them, we have to actually go read Matthew 5 and recognize that Christ does mention the Sabbath and all of the law of God. For he says in Matthew 5:17 that do not think that my Sermon on the Mount here today is to abolish any of God's laws. In fact, it's to bring it to its fullness to fulfill them. Plurue. And that anyone who thinks that and teaches others that the law is to be relaxed will be least in the kingdom of God, and that not a law will pass until heaven on earth passes away. So the Sabbath is number four. It's far from the least of the commandments. And yet it is included, therefore on the Sermon on the Mount because Christ says they're all still in effect For a verse by verse on Matthew 5, see our teaching called Jesus Fulfilled the law. The Matthew 5 controversy. Alright, so so far we've been called legalists, Judaizers and part of the Seventh Day Adventists. Now we're going to look at the other video that was published the week thereafter. That video titled the Hebrew Roots Identity Crisis. And in this video we gave commentary on the need to refocus on the wager matters, the gospel where that has been neglected and that keeping a Sabbath alone doesn't mean you're righteous. Alright, so let's look at it. First one is it's a dangerous place to be speaking against what the scriptures say. Sabbaths and feasts are eternal and perpetual. Alright, so this is kind of interesting because the week before this we published a video titled which Old Testament Laws Apply to. And we actually encouraged obedience to the Sabbath and the feast. So I mean, what's really going on here? I really want you to see this because people are going to do the same to you. People are trying to put us in this box. You know, when they see that you keep the Sabbath, they're like, oh, you must be a Seventh Adventist. And they toss you into that to discard what you have to say or think. When they see that you're trying to obey God's biblical feast days, they say, oh, you must be Hebrew roots. And they throw you in that box and to discard you as a person and that whole identity with you. But then the reality is that, you know, we're not just saying, hey, I want to walk like Jesus in keeping the Sabbath and I want to walk like Jesus in keeping the feast days, but we actually also want to walk like Jesus in walking in the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit that he walked in. And suddenly now we're not Hebrew roots or Seventh Adventists because that's not a primary desire at all. That has often been neglected, in fact. And so when we're now starting to even take a stand against pride in law keeping, neglecting weightier matters, neglecting the first love, evangelism and neglecting spiritual gifts, then it's like, well, what box do we throw you into? Because you're saying challenging things and we don't like it. We don't like it that you're not like us and you're also now not like our opposition. So what do we do with you? And that's why I just keep saying, guys, let's just get rid of the trying to throw people into boxes in order to discard. Let's be nuanced in listening to what they're saying, and especially listen when they are only asking us to do what Jesus did, when they are encouraging imitation of Christ, as Paul said, imitate me as I imitate Christ, we should pay attention, look at what they're saying and ask Jesus do that. Because if we oppose that, we're not opposing the person, we're opposing Christ himself. And so I'm going to bring up this chart again that I brought up in that previous teaching of these two extremist positions of lawlessness and legalism that exists today. We're trying to throw someone in one of those buckets. Oh, you know, you're advocating for this. You must just be a lawless person. Oh, you're advocating for that. You just must be a legalist or a judaizer. While in reality people who hold to a position that to some degree compromise to allow lawlessness will say to you that you must be one of those legalists. And people who hold to a position that to some degree compromise to allow legalism will say to you, well, you must be one of those lawless people. And so let's just be clear here. None of us are perfect. None of us have this totally figured out. None of us have perfect spirit and truth worship, because that means we would need to be Christ himself. He's the only perfect one. We all have degrees of imperfections in our theology that God is working on us with. But that means all the more we should be humble in our approach. So on the Hebrew Roots Identity Crisis video, there were also these incredibly positive comments of people connecting in very profound ways. And I want to read to you just a few of them. Literally the only teaching I've been able to sit through for a long time. This is the exact path I've been on for almost a year now. In my heart and congregation and Torah Hebrew movement. I started seeing so much pride, such little acceptance and love, tons of condemnation and impatience. I started stepping away from it all. I don't even attend a congregation right now. I started seeking to lead volunteer for an evangelism ministry. We attend Sabbath or Sunday church alternatively. So many times I've doubted and wondered if I'm being deceived by the movement my faith has taken. And this video was so much confirmation. His Sabbath is indeed good. His feasts are indeed good. Eating biblically clean is good. But it's not our identity, it's not our salvation. It's not Yeshua himself. So now I have space in my heart for it all. Christians, Sabbath keepers and the lost other denominations, all of it. I kept saying the phrase in spirit and truth all year. I cannot tell you how timely this was. It felt like it was straight from the Father to me. The only thing I haven't done yet was repent from my heart posture since I started keeping the Saba five years ago. This very reminded me not to neglect that even though I have changed my actions and attitude and hard posture towards love, I'm so grateful for this video. So I just wanted to highlight that because, you know, I think so many of you feel this way. This wow. I am allowed to have a love for God's commandments and at the same time have a love for evangelism and a love for people. Because the groups that oftentimes have a big heart for the Sabbath don't have a heart for evangelism and people, but often are isolationists. Not all people, but some are. And so we feel the need to have to fit in somewhere and we have an identity crisis because we don't know who we are because we're trying to fit in with a denominational or movement. Another comment is this, thank you for this. I'm in tears. I'm guilty. Pray for me, please. And another comment says, so true, brother. I repent since this is exactly where I am now. Praise Yahweh for this profound message. So I want you to see that the majority of the comments on that video was like this. And I want to submit to you that we are right now witnessing a type of revival, a break away from the traditional movements and denominations. And people want the pure life of Yeshua, who without the doctrines of men and the ways that men have said it should look like, I think so many people connected so well with that identity video. Because we are now saying that it's okay to be who you are by doing what Christ did. You don't need to fit into a denominational identity. You don't need to feel at home and the identity that a movement hopes to place upon you. But you do need to feel at home with Yeshua and the identity that he calls you to. So when Yeshua comes around and you see that he casts out demons, let Jesus be Jesus. When he comes around and places mud on the faces of people and heals them, let Yeshua be Yeshua. And when he's resting on the seventh day every week or departing to go and keep the feast of Sukkot, let Yeshua be Yeshua. And when he dines with sinners and tax collectors, the unacceptable let Yeshua be Yeshua. When he goes out with his disciples to spread the gospel, let Jesus be Jesus. And when he eats clean, let Jesus be Jesus. And Jesus is doing all of this right now in our midst today. He is alive still and he is doing this through his followers. So when his followers follow Jesus, let them be his followers. Don't label them as some opposing sect or movement because you don't like the fact that they love Jesus so much that they actually imitate him. For 1 Corinthians 11:1 says, Be imitators of me as I imitate Christ. We Also read in 1 John 2, 3, by this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. And so people debate which commandments, which commandments? Which commandments? Right. We've been debating that for a long time. But it says right here in the next verse, we know which commandments. For whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Which commandments causes us to walk in the same way that Christ walked. The commandments that Jesus kept which commandments that Jesus keep He kept his Father's law. See, you cannot imitate Jesus without obeying what Jesus obeyed his Father's law. Jesus obeyed the Sabbath, he obeyed the feasts, he obeyed the Father when he came back from his baptism and casted out demons and healed the sick, and he gave that to his apostles and the other believers. See, you cannot imitate Jesus without obeying what Jesus obeyed the Holy Spirit, just as he told those Pharisees to continue tithing, but yet at the same time not neglect the other instructions and to obey the Holy Spirit who convicts us of the matters of the Holy Spirit. 1 Timothy 4:14 do not neglect the gift you have which was given you by prophecy when the Council of elders laid their hands upon you. See, we cannot neglect the law of God and we cannot neglect the Spirit of God. The truth or the Spirit. They are both hand in hand. They go together. We cannot pick and choose. Jesus commands includes going into the world to love him by the power of the Spirit and to walk uprightly in obedience by the power of the Spirit. This is the new covenant. And yes, it is very true that we need to be sure of the reasons why we do the things we do because we love him and we love his salvation for us, not because we think that we can save ourselves by our own works or desire self gain. But let's Also on the other hand, not assume that of people just by virtue of their attempt to obey God, judging them by appearances. And let's not assume also on the other hand, of people who don't obey our passion Law, that they are workers of lawlessness, then judging them by appearances, just in another way. See, to become a worker of lawlessness, it's all in the Word. To work, to practice, to work. Lawlessness speaks to intentionality. See, we are all sinners. We are all ignorant of some of our sins. There are things continually defined. Father is convicting us and changing us. And the moment that stops is the moment that you're either dead or you've stopped listening to the conviction of the Spirit. So even if you identified yourself as a law keeper, recognize that you're not perfect, you aren't a law keeper to the fullest meaning of the Word. And we do not even know fully, never mind do fully. God has shown you correction in one area of your life, perhaps, and to me, correction in another area of my life. But we learn from Acts 15's Jerusalem Council that the apostles gave a starting place of correction to new believers, and they were yet declared saved. Even though these new believers didn't have everything sorted out, they didn't have all the law of God memorized, they didn't know it all. Not that they do it all. But we read in verse 11, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will by faith. And so we see that there is a real difference between ignorant mistakes that we can make and do make every day, and actually practicing rebellion, did God not himself not even make a distinction between intentional sin and unintentional sin? This distinction has existed from the beginning. And while Christ's sacrifice covers all sin, he calls us to stop sinning, especially intentional sin. So now, just as people don't know what to do with us, depending on their background, accusing us of either being a law lawless person or a legalist, Yeshua faced the same. He was at times accused of lawlessness, even though he had none. And being way too strict, Jesus blessed Gentile sinners with healing and deliverance. He told good stories about Samaritans, the worst type of people. He was around tax collectors to show them love. Because of all this, he was accused by the religious of being too lawless. Ironically, those who accused him of being lawless were the ones who kept certain laws like tithing, but neglected others like justice, mercy and faithfulness. And when he called out their lawlessness, they crucified him for it. You will likewise be falsely accused of being a lawless person. And if they could, they would even crucify you. Ensure that you have the holy life of Christ working in you by the work and power of the Spirit, so that your opponents have nothing true in what they're saying about you. John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Jesus was also considered very strict and by many today would be considered a legalist. I mean, when people wanted to follow him, he always challenged them with words. For example, to the rich man who came to him, he said to him, why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments. And he said to him, which ones? And Yeshua said, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness. Honour your father, mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said to him, all these I have kept, why do I still lack? And Jesus said to him, if you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, truly I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. So Jesus starts off this conversation of saying that there is only one who is good. But if you would enter life, keep the commandments. He's making the point that you're not good, no matter how good you think your works are, how many laws you keep, or how Torah observant you think you are. So he warns against this self righteous attitude. But then he also pivots and warns against the lawlessness. Jesus is masterfully explaining this dance between the call to holiness whilst recognizing our salvation is from him that we are only declared good by the sacrifice of Christ. But then that Christ expects us to keep the commandments. And he lists some. He says, honor your father and your mother, do not commit adultery, and so on and so on, quoting these laws from the law of God. What is so ironic about this story is that we use this to speak to rich people, to not be led away by their riches, which is fair, for there is a danger in the love of money. But this is actually a warning to us all. For this man, it was his riches that held his Heart captive. But what holds your heart captive? You don't need to be rich to be a slave. And what's tragic is that some will say that Jesus didn't mean what he said in this chapter and that Jesus was actually meaning the opposite of what he said, that he was trying to prove that keeping commandments don't matter at all. We are 100% saved by faith in Jesus. And yes, indeed we are. But that does not mean that the commandments don't matter. For Jesus says to the rich man, you say that you truly believe in me, then sell everything. Keep this commandment that I'm giving you right now personally to you, to sell all you have and follow me. I mean, let's just be real. If the Messiah of the world is standing before you, if he says jump, you ask how high? And if you don't obey him, the obvious question is, do you believe in Him? You can believe in him a little bit. This rich man believed enough to come up to him to trust his advice, but he didn't believe him. So much so that he would actually follow his advice. And that's how many of us are. We would come to him as someone who would give good advice, but when he actually tells us to do something, we don't do it. And so his intentional disobedience to go away sorrowful because he loved his wife more than Yeshua actually was something that Yeshua warns is a serious issue. Jesus says to them in verse 28, truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 Thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or lands for my name's sake will receive a hundred and inherit eternal life. Yeshua is actually telling his disciples, you guys have left things. This rich man did not leave things. He didn't follow the command that I gave him this day to follow me in the way I personally told him to follow me by discarding of that which held him captive. But you, my disciples, have you have left. And he says that those who have left, mother, brother, sister, father, children or lands for my name's sake, you will inherit a hundredfold and inherit eternal life. Look, these things are not in of themselves the laws, the things that God has told us, that's giving us eternal life. But when Christ stands before us and tells us something, we should do it, we should obey. Because that is proving that we are his father, follower and that we have faith in Him. And so for those who'd like to call me legalistic, Christ was legalistic in that case, because he was the One who said, you must follow me. And if you do not deny the things I tell you to deny, you're not worthy of me and you cannot follow me or call yourself my disciple. See, this is the thing. We are 150% saved by faith, and nothing we can do could ever make us earn that salvation. But faith means something to God. It's not just an intellectual statement. Jesus, I believe in you as it has now become here in the West. See, in the east, faith has a cost. You're often murdered for professing Christ. I just read a week ago of those who were being murdered for professing Christ. And yet in the west, there's hardly any cost at all for professing Christ. And Jesus is actually coming to tell us that it should cost us something. And now that offends us. Following Jesus has great cost. It will cost you your life, death, crucifixion. And it includes demonstrations of faith. And these demonstrations of faith, while they don't save us, they demonstrate our faith. For as James said in James 2:14, faith without works is dead. So while the Torah doesn't universally command all of us to sell everything, Jesus did that day say that to the rich man, and he will ask of us as individuals by His Holy Spirit to do similar things. And that sacrifice is going to look different for each of us. But when that day comes for you, what will you do? I have had a day where I had to sell my possessions. I have had a day where I needed to leave my mom, my dad, my brother, and my sister back in South Africa. I had to move to a land that I did not know for the call of God. And these works, they don't play any role in saving me. But I do them out of my love for God. For I have no say in the matter as his servant. For I recognize that I don't deserve Him. I don't deserve my salvation. But yet he has given these and his life freely to me. And so when he says, pd do this, I have to do it, wretched man that I am, I don't even deserve to know Him. But yet he makes me better every day. And so I say all this, why? Because Jesus calls us higher than the Torah. The Pharisees hated this teaching. And that's why they hated the teaching that I put out regarding the Hebrew identity crisis. For I'm calling you what Jesus called you. To that righteousness that exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees. For he has said that unless your righteousness exceeds theirs, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And then he goes on and he explains what he means. For he says, you've heard it said. And I say to you, you've heard it said, do not murder, and that is a righteous law. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. You've heard it said, do not commit adultery. But I tell you that whenever you look for a woman with lust, you commit adultery with her in your heart. So why do we now not look to that standard of Christ? That is your identity. When you are saved by him and empowered by his spirit, that is who you become. You become more than the law of God delivered through Moses. You become an image bearer of Christ. And so as I end here, I encourage you to read the rest of Matthew 5. And if you want to look further into it, we also released a teaching called Jesus Fulfilled the law. The Matthew 5 controversy. I'm going to conclude with reading just a few more comments. And the reason for that is because they have questions that I know many of you have sent into us. What are we to do? PD I have no fellowship locally. I don't think it's appropriate for me to go to most Sunday churches because most I know do not believe in keeping the Torah. But not just that. They think that we are legalistic and heretical and that we think that works save us. I can't sit under a pastoral board that believes that the other options are Hebrew roots groups that are all about the second Exodus, sacred names, alternative texts, fringe calendars, and won't even confirm that Yeshua is Yahweh. We don't have a home. Many of us don't. So this is such an important question. You know, when we talk about keeping Torah, we have to really define what that means carefully. Because actually all healthy Christian churches keeps the Torah. Now people are immediately flabbergasted when I say that, because here's the thing. What does it mean to keep the Torah? It means keeping the law of God, right? Healthy Christian fellowships believe that it is wrong to murder, believe that it is wrong to commit adultery, believe that it is wrong to steal and gossip, believe that it's wrong to look at a woman with lust, or all of these teachings of Christ and his father, these are from the Torah and from the Sermon on the Mount, right? So most of the Torah is being observed by Christians who are healthy and true in their following of Christ. Now, there are disagreements regarding some laws because of centuries and centuries of traditions of men. And so because of. And I mean, we're talking about three or four laws in total, right? A really small amount compared to. So I just wanted to say that first that let's not look at people who are actually true followers of Christ who are healthy in their lives as lawless because they don't have all of the crosses next to the laws that we are passionate about for. I'm sure that they will have things that they are passionate about in terms of obeying God that we aren't actually mature in or even knowing about or following, right? And so that's the first thing we should recognize that humility is needed on both sides here. We need to be humble, they need to be humble. All people need to be humble. And then we can see one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. And we can grow together and learn from one another. We can do evangelism with them and learn how they have come to share the gospel effectively with others, perhaps, if that's something we want to learn more. And, you know, they can learn from us how the Sabbath has been an incredible blessing to our life to just rest and have a date with Jesus to spend time with him. Right. I understand the challenge of not being able to sit under a pasture, as was mentioned, that is calling you legalistic or heretical. There are, however, fellowships that may have a leader, perhaps that disagrees with you on this or that, but won't call you a legalist or a heretic because of it. You know, especially if we make very clear why we keep something that it's not for our salvation. I believe that that communication can allow us to agree to disagree, at least at this moment, and still have a healthy relationship with. With the pastor and with the fellowship. Now, this is not going to be true for every fellowship, right? But it can be true. I have been part of fellowships, right? Different ones and ones where there are disagreements, not on fundamental matters, not on who Christ is, not on how we receive salvation, not on the basic principles and elementary matters. And so it's not about finding a fellowship that's going to agree with us on every box, because that's going to be just about impossible. It is going to be about finding a fellowship that is full of the love of Christ, truly and biblically, which means that there is the allowance for diversity and disagreement in things that are not fundamental issues and that do not affect salvation. Another question is a genuine question. I have been wrestling with in relation to the statements about Torah observant followers of Yeshua and non Torah observant followers of Yeshua being united in fellowship through their faithfulness in Messiah. If one believes in a Messiah who renders Yahweh's instructions obsolete, are they then believing in a false Messiah? Is this why the disunity between the two groups claiming faith in the Messiah are so prevalent? So like I've mentioned, most fellowships who are healthy Christian fellowships do not consider all of our Father's instructions as obsolete, for they actually keep most of them. Even though the definition and the reasons why may be terminology terminologically different, they are still in reality believing that they should obey most of the law of God. That's the case. And so this is not a false Messiah that's then being followed. This is they are following Yeshua and they're trying to be like Yeshua. There's just misunderstandings regarding certain aspects of his life. And that that exists in every denomination upon the planet Earth, right? That even exists in our own lives. There are certain things that we are still being refined in, as we've mentioned. So if we want to figure out if someone's proclaiming a false Messiah, it's going to be more than do they keep the Sabbath in the way we think they should, or are they eating the same diet that we think they should? Right now in Acts 15, those Gentiles, right, they did not have all of these things down yet. Yet they weren't accused of following a false Messiah. They were told that they will inherit salvation just as we have. And so, you know, have people been let down and not been taught the law of God accurately as they should have been? Yes, and that is a problem. But then let us be the people who come to those who may have things that we see and let's in grace and in mercy slowly introduce ideas to them. And this is the other issue I think is sometimes we are on this mission to convert everyone to the way we're thinking instead of letting our light shine and just being who we are, loving people where they're at and then waiting for the right time and the moments to share the things that God has shown us. Don't go in with this mission to convert people to your mindset, rather go in with the idea of how can I serve people sacrificially? How can I love people deeper and what can I learn from this place? And then in that relationship that's developed, you know, there can be conversations and there can be deeper revelation that assured both ways. And so I will say this. Let us pray for one another even, and especially when we have disagreements. Let have patience on one another. Let's make sure that we see other people as we are still trying our best to be like Yeshua, yet not observing the Torah completely and perfectly, but still learning to grow into his image. And so when we see other people that way, it will help us to walk in humility towards them. That doesn't mean that they're always going to walk in humility towards us. But let us then seek out people who are humble to fellowship with. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 we see, for now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. For I know in part, then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope and love abides these three. But the greatest of these is love. Paul is saying, make sure that love is at the center, because without that, nothing else matters. In the meantime, we're still going to learn and we're still going to grow, but love must be matured in us. And so I conclude with this prayer of Christ. Just as he was ascending and leaving, this is what he prayed. John 17:21. That day may all be one. Just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Yeshua called us to be one, not to compromise on who we are in him, but for us to be in unity with one another, even where we're going to have disagreements. Of course, every fellow should and every place is going to be different. And it's difficult to give advice to everyone as to whether the place that they are in is the right place. But by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and God, he will lead you and he will guide you. And there will be times of being lonely, and there will be times of having community. The walk of Spirit and truth is lonely. I've been lonely at times, and I have had fellowship at times. What we should remember, though, is that he is always with us. Father, I thank you that you are with us. I thank you that you bring us fellowship. And I ask for all who do not have fellowship that you would connect them with people who love you, with people who love your gospel, with people who have a heart for the lost. I pray, Lord, for your commandments and your holiness to be established upon the earth amongst your people. And I thank you, Lord, for giving your life sacrificially for us as a demonstration of how we should give our life sacrificially for others. Help us Lord, to love people into you, into their identity that they have in you. To be an image bearer of you. Yeshua, change us more. Give us humility. Help us to see the things that we're not seeing that we're still doing wrong in you. Help us, Lord, Lord, to bear you everywhere we go powerfully. In the name of Yeshua, I pray Amen. May the Father bless you, keep you, shine his face upon you, lift up his countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. Sam.