December 14, 2007
"This is My commandment that you love one another" (John 15:12). Is this commandment, given by Yeshua, "law"? Summing up all the commandments into two He declared: "You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12: 30-31). If these commandments are "law", then we cannot just nonchalantly toss away any of the commandments given to us, with the excuse that "we are not under law". As mentioned in previous letters, I do agree that "we are not under law"; but rather that the law should be "under us". It needs to be a foundation of our walk in the Spirit of life and liberty in Messiah Yeshua. The commandments were all given by the Word of Elohim, and that Word is the same yesterday, today and forever. Nevertheless, as "new creation beings" in YHVH's Son, we must understand these commandments in a new light.
Some of the religious leaders of Yeshua's day, and ours too, disregarded the commandments, laying them aside for the sake of their traditions (see Mark 7: 8-9). Yeshua pointed these clerics directly to the problem that beset them. He exposed the nature of Sin that was resident in the innermost part of man's being: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness" (Mark 7:21-22). Because Sin became the very spiritual nature of man, its power and influence was being expressed through human experience. There was no possible way that any person could live outside of Sin's realm of control. Paul the Apostle admitted that when he wanted to carry out "the good", he found another law working in his members and was actually unable to do "this good" that he desired. This law he called the "Law of Sin". However, when he had accepted through "the faith" Elohim's answer to man's bondage to Sin, he believed that it was no longer himself that was committing Sin, but the influence of the Power of Sin that was still working in his soul (Romans 7:17).
Paul believed that he had died, along with all humanity, when Yeshua died. His identity with Yeshua's death was not an excuse to continue allowing Sin to rule his being. On the contrary, Yeshua's death and resurrection granted him the mandate to overcome Sin. However, he would not have been able to discern Sin had YHVH not given the commandments/law.
Paul wrote that when, for example, the commandment/law "you shall not covet" was decreed he recognized all manner of covetousness operative within him. However, Paul does not blame the law of commandments for his problem; He actually acknowledges its importance in the life of the Believer. Had it not been for the law, he would have continued to be a victim of Sin, being deceived by the powers of darkness. But when the light/glory of the commandment, or law, came he recognized the fact that covetousness was not part of his new nature in Messiah. Paul was using the commandments as a tool to discern the nature of Sin that was still at work in his members. This, obviously, was not a one time effort but an every day walkout, in order to overcome the Power of Sin. Through this understanding of the function of the commandments, he was actually keeping them, as in this way the Nature of Sin was being exposed. Thus, Paul found himself identifying with YHVH's righteousness in and through Messiah Yeshua.
In Paul's letter to the Believers in Rome, especially in Chapter Seven, he explains his view of the commandments of Elohim and their relationship to Sin. He recognized that the commandments of Elohim were given to reveal the power and influence of another spiritual nature whose fruit was producing "death". To the Apostle, the commandments were spiritual and good for he would not have known Sin without them. The same is true for us. The commandments are always before us to lead us to repentance and to YHVH's provision of "grace" through His Son. As long as Sin is still at work within us, we need the commandments; not to try and do them for the purpose of righteousness, but to keep us mindful and discerning as to what Sin looks like.
Ephraim
"This is My commandment that you love one another" (John 15:12). Is this commandment, given by Yeshua, "law"? Summing up all the commandments into two He declared: "You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12: 30-31). If these commandments are "law", then we cannot just nonchalantly toss away any of the commandments given to us, with the excuse that "we are not under law". As mentioned in previous letters, I do agree that "we are not under law"; but rather that the law should be "under us". It needs to be a foundation of our walk in the Spirit of life and liberty in Messiah Yeshua. The commandments were all given by the Word of Elohim, and that Word is the same yesterday, today and forever. Nevertheless, as "new creation beings" in YHVH's Son, we must understand these commandments in a new light.
Some of the religious leaders of Yeshua's day, and ours too, disregarded the commandments, laying them aside for the sake of their traditions (see Mark 7: 8-9). Yeshua pointed these clerics directly to the problem that beset them. He exposed the nature of Sin that was resident in the innermost part of man's being: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness" (Mark 7:21-22). Because Sin became the very spiritual nature of man, its power and influence was being expressed through human experience. There was no possible way that any person could live outside of Sin's realm of control. Paul the Apostle admitted that when he wanted to carry out "the good", he found another law working in his members and was actually unable to do "this good" that he desired. This law he called the "Law of Sin". However, when he had accepted through "the faith" Elohim's answer to man's bondage to Sin, he believed that it was no longer himself that was committing Sin, but the influence of the Power of Sin that was still working in his soul (Romans 7:17).
Paul believed that he had died, along with all humanity, when Yeshua died. His identity with Yeshua's death was not an excuse to continue allowing Sin to rule his being. On the contrary, Yeshua's death and resurrection granted him the mandate to overcome Sin. However, he would not have been able to discern Sin had YHVH not given the commandments/law.
Paul wrote that when, for example, the commandment/law "you shall not covet" was decreed he recognized all manner of covetousness operative within him. However, Paul does not blame the law of commandments for his problem; He actually acknowledges its importance in the life of the Believer. Had it not been for the law, he would have continued to be a victim of Sin, being deceived by the powers of darkness. But when the light/glory of the commandment, or law, came he recognized the fact that covetousness was not part of his new nature in Messiah. Paul was using the commandments as a tool to discern the nature of Sin that was still at work in his members. This, obviously, was not a one time effort but an every day walkout, in order to overcome the Power of Sin. Through this understanding of the function of the commandments, he was actually keeping them, as in this way the Nature of Sin was being exposed. Thus, Paul found himself identifying with YHVH's righteousness in and through Messiah Yeshua.
In Paul's letter to the Believers in Rome, especially in Chapter Seven, he explains his view of the commandments of Elohim and their relationship to Sin. He recognized that the commandments of Elohim were given to reveal the power and influence of another spiritual nature whose fruit was producing "death". To the Apostle, the commandments were spiritual and good for he would not have known Sin without them. The same is true for us. The commandments are always before us to lead us to repentance and to YHVH's provision of "grace" through His Son. As long as Sin is still at work within us, we need the commandments; not to try and do them for the purpose of righteousness, but to keep us mindful and discerning as to what Sin looks like.
Ephraim
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