Yahuweh is opening the eyes of His Saints to see
His plan, so they might alter the course of their lives, and might
prepare themselves to enter in to the Promised Land. Yahushua
has revealed, in the Scriptures, the overall plan of Yahuweh for His
people, that they might heed the Scriptures, and be able to enter in.
Most
have assumed there is only one "requirement" to be met, in order to
enter in – of being "Born Again." However, all of
Scripture, and the very words of Yahushua Himself, reveal that there are
two separate and distinct stages of His plan, each having its own
distinct requirements to be met, in order that we might achieve the
overall goal–entrance into the Promised land.
Yahushua
made two basic statements. Each of these two statements are
repeated among several verses, along with minor variations in other
passages, giving multiple confirming witness as Scripture
requires. The first statement shows us the initial or "coming
out" phase of Yahuweh's plan. The other statement reveals the
final or "entering in" phase.
Taken
together, these two statements reveal Yahuweh's overall plan for His
people, and the requirements they must meet in order to achieve the
final goal: our entrance to the Promised Land, with variations called
"Eternal Life" and "Life," also known as the Kingdom of God.
All of these terms are euphemisms for "eternal Life," and are used
interchangeably in the Gospels. Let's look at these passages:
The
First Statement of Yahushua: How to "Come Out"The first
statement by Yahushua reveals the initial requirement for one whose goal
is to "enter in" to eternal life. This initial requirement reveals the
"come out" phase of the overall plan, and is familiar to many today.
Let's look carefully at these words of Yahushua:
"...Unto
him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood" (Revelation 1:5b)
And
said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 18:3)
Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(John
3:3)
Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(John
3:5) In the above passages, Yahushua
Himself reveals to us the requirements for the initial or "come out"
phase of our journey, the goal of which is to "enter in." For
those that think these words in Revelation are not Yahushua's words, one
need only read verses 1 and 2 to see this is the Revelation of Yahushua,
which was given to Him by the Father; and which He then sent to us by
John, to be shown unto Yahuweh's servants.
In the
above passages we see these features:
1)
Redemption and Cleansing of Sin, by the Blood of the Lamb;
2)
Repentance - turning from our own way, to walk in "The Way";
3)
Born-again - by the Word (1Pet 1:23);
4) Baptism
in water and in the Spirit.
Just as Israel came
out of the bondage of Egypt by the Blood of the Lamb, and was then
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1Cor 10:1-2), we too
must come out of bondage, to Sin and its strength (the Law), by the
Blood of the Lamb. We too must be baptized in the Holy Spirit
and in water. This "coming out by Blood and water" is a
requirement that must be met, before one may go on to meet the Stage 2
requirement.
The Second Statement of
Yahushua: How to "Enter In"The second statement by Yahushua
reveals the final requirement for one whose goal is to "enter in" to
eternal life. This final requirement reveals the "enter-in" phase.
Notice these words of Yahushua:
"...but
if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
(Matthew 19:17b) In the above passage
we see clearly that "Keeping the commandments" is Yahuweh's requirement
in the "enter in" Stage, whose overall goal is to "Enter into Life."
In
this statement made by Yahushua, He was revealing the "Stage 2"
requirement that must be met, but only after keeping the "Stage 1"
requirements we saw above ("coming out" by the Blood of the Lamb).
Some
today claim that the above words by Yahushua were only for a certain
group, or for a certain era in time. But what do the
Scriptures say? Let's look at some more passages for
confirmation:
Blessed are
they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
into the city. (Revelation 22:14)
"I
Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things
in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David,
and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say,
'Come'..." (Revelation 22:16-17a) In
the above passages, we see two things. First, we are told plainly and
clearly, that "doing" (to do, make, bring forth, perform, keep,
fulfill) His Commandments is a requirement for "entering in," through
the gates, into the city ("the City" is another expression of the New
Jerusalem, the City of the Great King, the Kingdom of Heaven, or
Eternal Life).
Second, we are told that these
things are to be testified in the churches, telling us that these words
are for us today. In fact, all the words spoken by
Yahushua are for us today! Don't let the error of the
Theologians or Pastors rob you of your inheritance!
For
further confirmation of Scripture, let's look at these two passages:
Gather
my saints together unto me; those that
have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. (Psalms
50:5)
Here is the patience of the
saints: here are they that keep the commandments of
God, AND the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12) In
the first passage, we see that the "Saints" are
those who have made a covenant with Yahuweh by Sacrifice,
telling us that this can only be done by the shedding of Blood of an
"acceptable" Sacrifice. So the "Saints" are those that have completed
the Stage 1 requirement of coming out by the sacrifice of the Blood of
Yahushua, the Lamb.
In the second passage,
the "Saints" are seen again, as those who have completed the first
requirement–of having the "Faith of Yahushua"
they received when they came out by the Blood of the Lamb in Stage 1.
However, these saints are also seen keeping
the "Commandments of Yahuweh," which is the Stage 2
requirement. Thus they are "Ready" to enter in.
How
do these two "stages" of overall plan for "entering in" to the Promised
Land compare with the rest of Scripture, and with the writings of the
Law and the Prophets? It is very important that we look
carefully, for as we saw in What You Believe: True or False? The Simple
Biblical Test, there must be complete agreement
within all of Scripture in order to be confirmed as Truth.
As
we saw above in Stage 1, Israel came out of the bondage of Egypt by the
Blood of the Lamb, and was then baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in
the sea, all of which is a pattern for us.
The entire process was done by the Grace of Yahuweh. Israel is
an example for us, in how to "come out."
In the same
way, Israel is an example, and a warning for us, regarding the "enter
in" phase of our journey. Israel came out by the Blood of the
Lamb, but they failed to "enter in" – for a number reasons,
which are repeated for our warning today.
Why
Israel Failed to Enter InIn the Book of Hebrews, the entire
3rd and 4th chapters are devoted to revealing why most of that
generation of Israel failed to "enter in" to the Promised
Land. These passages go on to warn us that that we today,
also might not enter in, unless we heed the Israelites'
example.
For detailed descriptions of
exactly why the Israelites failed to enter in, and what they did, let's
look at a few writings of the Prophets:
Moreover
also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that
they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. But the house of
Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not
in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a
man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they
greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon
them in the wilderness, to consume them. (Ezekiel 20:12-13)
Yet
also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not
bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and
honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised
my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths:
for their heart went after their idols. (Ezekiel 20:15-16)
Notwithstanding
the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my
statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a
man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths:
then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger
against them in the wilderness. (Ezekiel 20:21)
I
lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would
scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the
countries; Because they had not executed my judgments, but
had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes
were after their fathers' idols. (Ezekiel 20:23-24) In
the above passages, notice the items highlighting what Israel
did. How do the above Scripture passages compare with what you hear
from your Leaders today about "entering in" to the Promised Land?
Their
Example: A Warning For UsPsalms 106 reveals further details,
for our warning, of why most of that generation of Israel
failed to enter in. Let's look at some New Testament passages:
But
with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not
with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in
the wilderness? (Hebrews 3:17) What
is the New Testament conclusion from Hebrews 3:17, as to what they did?
Notice the following passage:
Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4) So
we see from the new Testament that Israel fell in the
wilderness, because they "Transgressed the Law" (the 'Torah').
Notice what advice is given to us, as New Testament Believers today:
Now
all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they
are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he
standeth take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians
10:11-12)
Let us labour
therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after
the same example of unbelief <543>.
(Hebrews 4:11) The Greek word used
here in Hebrews 4:11 is 'apeitheia,' Strong's
number <543>, comes from the word 'apeithes,'
Strong's number <543>, which means
"disobedience."
So we are warned in 1
Corinthians, and in the book of Hebrews, that we too could fail to
enter in, because of "disobedience" – because of
"Transgression of the Torah."
Only By
GraceLest anyone think that Grace is a separate idea from
obedience to the Commandments, we must look briefly at two of many
examples of Biblical 'Grace' seen in the Scriptures. Notice the
following:
"For the law
was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by
Jesus Christ." (John 1:17)
To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27) One
truth of Biblical "Grace" we see in the above Scripture
passages, is that the Law (the "Torah") was given by Moses, but "Grace"
– the power and ability to fulfill the
Torah – came by Yahushua Messiah. This is
the "Grace" that Yahushua gives us from within, as He lives in us.
Not
only Grace, but likewise Truth, came by Yahushua Messiah.
Yahushua Messiah came as the "Living" Truth. He
revealed Truth by showing us, by the example of His life, demonstrating
for us exactly how He would provide the Grace to us as needed, the
ability He gives us to live out the Torah, just as He did, while He
lived and walked on the earth 2,000 years ago.
Another
truth of Biblical "Grace" in Scripture revolves around the Biblical definition
of the New Covenant:
Behold,
the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah...But this shall
be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those
days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward
parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God,
and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:31,33)
For
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a
God, and they shall be to me a people: (Hebrews 8:10) Moses
gave us the externals of the Law (written on tables
of stone). But Yahushua Messiah gave us the internals
of the Law (by writing them on tables of flesh, on our mind,
and our heart), exactly as the New Covenant promises are described, in
Jeremiah and in the Book of Hebrews.
Likewise, The
apostle Paul had much to say on the subject of Biblical "Grace," and
the source of Grace. Notice what Paul said:
For
I delight in the law of God after the inward
man: (Romans 7:22) Paul
must have fully understood the mystery of "Messiah-in-you," and must
have understood the New Covenant fulfillment–of Yahushua
writing the Torah internally, on his heart, rather than externally on
tables of stone or in a Bible–and then providing the "Grace"
from within, to keep the Torah.
Paul has a great
deal more to tell us about Biblical Grace. Here Paul
tells us one of the "purposes" of this Grace:
"...we
have received grace...for obedience to the
faith..." (Romans 1:5a) The
above passage confirms to us that Biblical Grace is
a gift, given to us by Yahushua, for the purpose of
obedience to "The Faith."
ConclusionYou
may have "come out" by Yahuweh's Grace, by the Blood of the Lamb. You
may have been Baptized in Water. You may have been Baptized
in the Spirit, and may have received all spiritual gifts. So
far You have done well – you have completed Stage 1 of
Yahuweh's program.
But according to the words of
Yahushua, and all of Scripture, you and I will "enter in" only by
obedience to Yahuweh's Commandments, by His Grace.
–––
|