By: David
We must first establish that which is the true “doctrine” of the Gospel to that which was written in context for the time or times. Can we assume that the letters written by the the apostle Paul, are the doctrine’s that were taught since the beginning? There are so many that are not included because of one man who decide that they didn’t have enough merit to be placed along with the other Scriptures. Eusebius, a little known Christian and an appointed theologian, defined what was to be the order of canon in Scripture. Emperor Constantine was guided in this same understanding, that he, set up the times and season that all Christians of the day submit to.
If I were to write a letter to an individual body of believers, would I think that at some time in the future it too would be accepted as Scripture? As if what I had to say took precedence over that which has already been spoken. Look at the letter of 1 Timothy 4:1-5, so many times has this been brought out to refute what we all know is truth. I speak nothing different than what Yahushua taught or that Paul did, Paul was a Israelite, seed of Abraham, Hebrew from the tribe of Benjamin and a devout Pharisee that followed the Law to the letter. When he had his conversion moment the things that changed in him was; 1) He received the Messiah, Saved by grace; Paul hadn’t received him until his conversion on the road to Damascus, and spent three years in the wilderness learning about his Messiah. 2) The Law was written on his heart; the Law became life, and it pleased him to be obedient as a child not a slave, to the Father in order to honer Him. He knew that the “ceremonial law” was completed by the death of Messiah, the one that required sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. He no longer had to bring a sacrifice to the temple every year to forgive his sin, but all the other sacrifices remained the same. The moral laws were still binding, how to worship Yahweh, what he required of you, how we interact with our neighbors those are still in effect. When we read 1 Timothy 4:1-5 we are looking at what has happened to the “word” since Timothy’s time. Churches have accepted the pagan festivals and renounced the set times (mo’ed) that Yahweh has asked us to observe, and only because we are ashamed to be labeled a Judaizer, that anything of Jewish origin is dead and done away with.
How many times do people take words from Scripture to fit their own beliefs? It happens all the time! We see it in churches as though it was honey and a fragrance unto Yahweh. A little leaven has made it’s way into the church, and when it was left unchecked by the authority it ruined the whole loaf. We are reaping what was sown, yet we don’t see it because we are too transfixed on the difference between Jewish and Christian. Tell me, how many times has the body of believers been divided? They supposedly still teach the same “doctrines” yet something caused the division, and due to this we have many different interpretations of the of the “word.” In the words of the Messiah Yahushua, Mat. 12:25, Mark 3:25, Luke 11:17 all speak how “if the house is divided against itself it shall not stand.” Yahushua also said, “if you love Me, keep My commandments” John 14:19. And He said unto him, “Why call Me good? There is none good but one, that is, Yahweh: but if you will enter life, keep the commandments.” Mat. 19:17 Where in Scriptures has this changed that we no longer abide in the commandments that were given? So many times righteous men have been attacked, claiming that they are bringing a yoke upon the neck of the believers. I know I speak only that which the Messiah himself spoke nothing different, to class me or any of the rest as a lying, deceiving, demon possessed Judaizer, might as well be saying it to the Messiah Yahushua. If you claim you no longer have to abide by the commandments, by who’s authority or what message do you claim this? Yahushua spoke the message, more than once, to follow the commandments. And yet every one who is given authority by another man to speak supercedes this by claiming it no longer applies.
If it pertains to the “circumcision” (a covenant made with Abraham) then you are sadly mistaken, yet for the gentiles, this has been done away with. I myself was circumcised in the flesh at birth, as I am sure many American males were, but it wasn’t for religious fashion. The circumcision is of the heart is what is important, which is the joy of being Torah observant to please the Father (Rom. 2:29). Look, this is the jest of it, Yahushua came to earth to show us the doctrines/fences that man had placed on the Law were wrong, that even the scribes and Pharisee who placed them there couldn’t accomplish them. He had to become the Law in flesh to bring the Law back to its roots. Basically, to bring it back to the beginning of its understanding. The Laws had become too legalistic, and in reality they far out weight what Yahweh had in mind. When Yahushua tells us to follow after something who are we to question what it is He commanded? Read Mat. 5:17-20, this is in every Bible and I can read and I can understand it, yet it seems everyone else doesn’t seem to understand that what Yahweh said at Mt. Sinai is still relevant today, some 3,800 years later. I know a lot of good preachers who speak wonderful things from Scripture, yet when they speak against what has already been spoken, then they themselves become what 1 Timothy 4:1-5 is speaking about. We can’t cherry-pick Scripture out to fit what we feel it should say. In 2 Timothy 3:16 it says ”All Scripture is given by inspiration of Yahweh, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” and Paul was talking about the Old Testament here, his letters were not scripture at the time.
All scripture is given by inspiration of Yahweh, he alone gave that which we take upon ourselves to give us inspiration, but not apart from Yahweh. The Scripture is profitable for doctrine, doctrine is something taught. Are we taught that Paul’s epistles supercede that which Yahushua has already taught? The Word is living, breathing it gives us reproof (rebuke) in our understanding, it purges us from inserting our own thoughts in to what He is telling us. So then we can find truth in Scripture and stand upon it, and when we are looking for truth we receive correction in our errors and ways, then we receive instructions from it which leads towards righteousness.
For those who take from Scripture and choose it to meet their needs are wrong and they themselves need correction, reproofing and to understand what doctrine that they subscribe to. Maybe then they can hear what it is the Spirit is trying to say to them. I speak on nothing that hasn’t been said since the beginning.
