June 6, 2023

“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.” prov 12:1 nkjv Please take note, that this is what Yahweh’s Word says… it is not just my opinion. The Bible quite often is very blunt, and to the point, as in this scripture.

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” jn 8:31-33 nkjv What were they to be “free” from? I think maybe they would be delivered from Ignorance due to their religious confusion.

Were they Ignorant or stupid…? Ignorance is fixable with exposure to truth (Bible knowledge). Stupidity is unreachable without one’s willingness to search for truth and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach them; THEN, having a willing heart to repent and obey Yahweh’s truth/Word. Stupid can also be a preference by selfish choice… i.e., the foolishness of Adam and Eve in following the temptation of the serpent in the Garden of Eden… you think? Most often it seems to be driven by pride, arrogance, and selfishness… which are inherent in the carnal appetites of man’s fleshly pursuits. When one decides not to “hear” the Word [truth] of Yahweh’s instruction… here’s the bottom line:

“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” prov 28:9 nkjv

It is my observation that many Christians freeze up when the law [Torah] is confronting them with Yahweh’s expectations of them… somehow they think the words of Paul or some out of context verse in the New Testament has nullified the Torah; which Yeshua said was permanent and not one jot or tittle would pass until the end of time.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” mat 5:17-19 nkjv

I have even observed persons trying to twist these words of Yahweh incarnate [Yeshua], because they simply do not want to accept their responsibility to obedience… they somehow think grace or “New Covenant” replacement theology or dispensationalism has check-mated the Torah. Now is this Ignorance or stupidity…? Respectfully, I think we must love knowledge and truth, and accept the correction that the Holy Spirit teaches us… remembering that Yeshua bailed us out of debtor’s prison (curse of the law), but we must remember the Torah was NOT nailed to the cross… our sins and transgressions were. In simple terms, the Torah is a safety fence around us, not a burdensome command. The New Testament agrees:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 jn 5:3

I have been raised in Christianity for all my life. I have observed humanity for eighty plus years. I think I have noticed that we all suffer from “blind spots” in our thinking. Often procrastination and intellectual stubbornness obstructs the effect of truth. Here are some scriptures for food for thought:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” prov 14:12 nkjv

“A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.” prov 14:16 nkjv

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. Prov 12:26 nkjv

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” prov 9:10 nkjv

I recently heard a preacher [Skip Heitzig], say this: “When we talk about the scarlet thread of redemption, that’s what we mean: all of scripture points to God’s Son, His birth and rescue mission, and His triumphant return. In fact, if you want to sum up the Bible… all sixty-six books written by forty authors over 1,500 years… you could say it’s about one person and two events. Jesus Christ is the person, and the two events are His first and second comings. The first time, He paid the price for our sin; in the second, He will rule the world with those who have been forgiven of their sin.”

In the end we all need Yahweh's grace and mercy. Our weakness and frailty of duty to faithfulness to Yahweh’s standards are many; our hope is to be included in Yeshua’s final prayer when He was being crucified for our sins… “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” luk 23:34 nkjv

Shalom, John