Ask the money changer for more details. (SLIDE) (House Of Our Father) (SLIDE) The Lord speaks to Noah and says: "In one year, I am going to make it rain and cover the whole Earth with water until all is destroyed. But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on the Earth. Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark." Todays Joke (SLIDE) In a flash of lightning, God delivered the specifications for an Ark. Fearful and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the Ark. "Remember," said the Lord, "You must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year." Exactly one year later, a fierce storm cloud formed and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw Noah sitting in his front yard weeping. Todays Joke (SLIDE) "Noah." He shouted, "Where is the Ark?" "Lord, please forgive me!" cried Noah. "I did my best but there were big problems. First, I had to get a permit for construction and your plans did not comply with the codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans. Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices. Then my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission. Todays Joke (SLIDE) I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl. I finally convinced the U.S. Forest Service that I needed the wood to save the owls. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won't let me catch any owls. So, no owls. The carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Union. Now I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls. Todays Joke (SLIDE) When I started rounding up the other animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me only taking two of each kind aboard. Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn't take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the universe. Todays Joke (SLIDE) Then the Army Corps of Engineer demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe. Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard! Todays Joke (SLIDE) The IRS has seized all my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes. I just got a notice from the State that I owe some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a 'recreational water craft.' Finally the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it is a religious event and therefore unconstitutional. Todays Joke (SLIDE) I really don't think I can finish the Ark for another 5 or 6 years!" Noah wailed. The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine and the seas began to calm. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up hopefully. "You mean you are not going to destroy the Earth, Lord?" "No," said the Lord sadly. Todays Joke (SLIDE) "The government already has!" Todays Joke (SLIDE) Wed like to welcome any visitors. We have visitor cards that you can fill out then drop into the Tzedika (offering) box when we pass it around. (SLIDE) First Hebrew class in online on the Yeshiva site. (SLIDE) How do we get to heaven? (SLIDE) Matt. 19:16 A man approached Yeshua and said, "Rabbi, what good thing should I do in order to have eternal life?" He said to him, 17 "Why are you asking me about good? There is One who is good! But if you want to obtain eternal life, OBSERVE THE MITZVOTH." (SLIDE) John 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commandments. (SLIDE) Who gave all the Laws to Moses? (SLIDE) Exodus 12:49 One Torah shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. (SLIDE) What is sin? 4 Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah - indeed, sin is violation of Torah. CJB 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. KJV 1 John 3:4 (SLIDE) Do we keep some traditions? Yes! I Cor 11:2 2 Now I praise you because you have remembered everything I told you and observe the traditions just the way I passed them on to you. (SLIDE) II Thes 2 15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm; and hold to the traditions you were taught by us, whether we spoke them or wrote them in a letter. (SLIDE) II Thes 3 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (SLIDE) In Acts 23 Paul says I am a Pharisee not I was a Pharisee. We are to all become Jews, (Abraham) thats the goal. Faith in Yeshua leads to Judaism. Judaism is the faith given by G-d in order to show us how to live via the Torah. G-d gave it, so it cant be bad. (SLIDE) On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and there was the sounding of a very loud SHOFAR blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. (SLIDE) Please stand for the Shema and face east towards Jerusalem. (SLIDE) Shema Israel Adoni Elohaynu Adoni Echad. Barukh shem k'vod malkhuto l'olam va'ed. (Remain standing for Hatikva) (SLIDE) Hear oh Israel the L-rd our G-d is one L-rd. Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. (SLIDE) Because Messiah said it is the greatest Commandment! Mark 12: And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the greatest commandment of all ? 29And Yeshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is One Lord: (SLIDE) Well now sing HaTikva (The Hope) (SLIDE) Kol od balleivav penimah Nefesh yehudi homiyah Ul(e)faatei mizrach kadimah, Ayin letziyon tzofiyah; Od lo avdah tikvateinu, Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim, Lihyotam chofshi beartzeinu, Eretz-tziyon (v)'Y(e)rushalayim. (SLIDE) Meet new people! Let them see that Messianics truly understand community and brotherly/sisterly love. Say hello to old friends show that you care! (SLIDE) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Pray for unsaved loved ones and healings. Pray for Salvation for the Jewish people. (SLIDE) Pray for our government Pray for countries that anti-Semitic laws will not continue to pass. (SLIDE) Prayer over our tithes and offerings. Prayer for todays message Pray that the UN will be dismantled. (SLIDE) Continued sovereignty of Israel pray for Netanyahu that hell make good decisions during his new term. End (SLIDE) This is our opportunity to render unto G-d that which is G-ds. (SLIDE) Blessing Before The Reading Of The Torah (SLIDE) Parashat Metsora "Infected one' Date: April (5773 Iyar 3) Torah Reading: Leviticus 14:1-15:33 Haftarah Reading: 2 Kings 7:3-20 Brit Chadashah Reading: Romans 6:8-23 (SLIDE) Well read Leviticus 12:1-5 2 Kings 4:42-end of chapter Matthew 8:1-4 Parashat Tazriah "She bears seed" Date: April (5773 Iyar 3) Torah Reading: Leviticus 12:1-13:59 Haftarah Reading: 2 Kings 4:42-5:19 Brit Chadashah Reading: Matthew 8:1-4 (SLIDE) 12 said to Moshe, 2 Tell the people of Israel: If a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy, she will be unclean for seven days with the same uncleanness as in niddah, when she is having her menstrual period. Leviticus 12:1-5 (SLIDE) 3 On the eighth day, the babys foreskin is to be circumcised. 4 She is to wait an additional thirty-three days to be purified from her blood; she is not to touch any holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the time of her purification is over. Leviticus 12:1-5 (SLIDE) 5 But if she gives birth to a girl, she will be unclean for two weeks, as in her niddah; and she is to wait another sixty-six days to be purified from her blood. ( ) Leviticus 12:1-5 (SLIDE) As for the woman's cycle: We read in Lev 17 that the blood, any blood, is the life force For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for ones life" Rebbes Parsha That is why we pour it out before the alter and we're forbidden to eat or drink it. The blood is kadosh (holy). Rebbes Parsha When a woman is on her cycle or after childbirth blood is present and she is to be set apart (Lev 12:5). Rebbes Parsha (SLIDE) She is set apart and the Hebrew word we use for her during that time is she is "Tumah". It is often translated as "unclean or impure but that is not only a poor translation it is poor conceptually. Rebbes Parsha Blood is not "unclean" or "dirty" it is to be set apart. The woman is not unclean or dirty either, she is also "set apart" (kadosh). Rebbes Parsha Does this mean that every woman who has her period is now righteous? Even a prostitute is somehow magically pure before G- d? No! That's not what holy means. Holy means "set apart". If I have 4 bottles and I set one apart... that 1 bottle is now "kadosh". Rebbes Parsha It's not glowing or righteous, it's simply set apart. A person can not become unclean or dirty to G-d by doing something out of their control. Rebbes Parsha What about a Nazerite? If someone falls dead next to him/her and the dead person touches them they become unclean. No, they become Tumah. Rebbes Parsha What that means is they then have a series of actions that they have to do to get to the point where they were at originally. They are not punished for that. G-d never punishes us for things that aren't our fault. Rebbes Parsha That's why I like the Hebrew words Tahor and Tumah they express it more exactly. "Clean and unclean" are British ideas of these Hebrew words. Rebbes Parsha They thought a woman on her period was unclean and dirty. I know Christians today who use this idea against their own wives. They say oh youre unclean youre unclean. Thats evidence of a misunderstanding of the text. Rebbes Parsha Think about itClean is a very relative term. Americans think they are a very clean people. But compared to the Swiss we here in the US are pigs. Rebbes Parsha Americans think East India is a very dirty place but the Indians think they are very clean. Even here in America people who work with silicon microchips have to have an extremely clean environment. They have their own idea of what "clean" is. Tumah and Tahor don't have those implications Rebbes Parsha (SLIDE) If I had to translate and interpret the Hebrew words Tahor and Tumah I wouldve put it as ritually and not ritually available. Clean and unclean carry negative implications that dont exist in the theology of the concepts of Tahor and Tumah Rebbes Parsha (SLIDE) 42 A man came from Baal- Shalishah bringing the man of God twenty loaves of bread made from the barley firstfruits and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, Give this to the people to eat. 2 Kings 4:42-end of chapter (SLIDE) 43 His servant said, How am I to serve this to a hundred men? But he said, Give it to the people to eat; for says that they will eat and have some left over. 44 So he served them, and they ate and had some left over, as had said. ( ) 2 Kings 4:42-end of chapter (SLIDE) After Yeshua had come down from the hill, large crowds followed him. 2 Then a man afflicted with tzaraat came, kneeled down in front of him and said, Sir, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Matthew 8:1-4 (SLIDE) 3 Yeshua reached out his hand, touched him and said, I am willing! Be cleansed! And at once he was cleansed from his tzaraat. Matthew 8:1-4 (SLIDE) 4 Then Yeshua said to him, See that you tell no one; but as a testimony to the people, go and let the cohen examine you, and offer the sacrifice that Moshe commanded. ( ) Matthew 8:1-4 So here we see the word clean again. Did Yeshua say be Tahor here? No the Greek word used was Katharasai. Rebbes Parsha Katharasai means spotless. The leper had spots, he wanted the spots gone and Yeshua said begone spots. And the mans dogs disappeared. Rebbes Parsha (SLIDE) Baruch atah Adonay Eloheynu melech ha'olam, asher bachar-banu mikol ha'amim, venatan-lanu et torah-to. Baruch atah Adonay, noten hatorah. (SLIDE) Blessed are You, LORD our God, king of the universe, who chose us from all the peoples and gave to us His Torah. Blessed are You, LORD, giver of the Torah. (SLIDE) The Youth & Children are dismissed unmute mic for video! (SLIDE) Anti-Nomianist Pepper Spray Apologetics Class #2 By Rabbi Stanley I love talking about the Law. The word Law is translated from the Hebrew word Torah. Not always but most times. I use the word Torah most of the time but Im also coming to like the word Law. Ill tell you why There are Messianics who try to not use the word Law at all. Theyre trying to make their fellow westerners feel like the word Torah only means Instructions and theres really no word for Law in the Old Testament. They act as if the word Law is too harsh and not really what the Old Testament is trying to convey. Well thats not true. Sometimes when the English word Law is used it means Law. We do have other words in Hebrew to convey the English word law like Chuqqim. That word is translated as statutes. Statutes are laws. (SLIDE) Lets look at Websters: Definition of STATUTE: a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government Thats what Chukim means statute. The word Torah does mean instruction but it can also mean a law. We also have the word Mitzvah. That means a command. Mitzvah can mean a good deed but it can also mean a command. If its a commandment from G-d thats a law. So why do Christians and many Messianics have such a problem with the word Law? Its because they dont understand it. They dont understand it because theyre babies. If my son, Jacob wants candy at 11 o clock at night I say no. He doesnt like that so he cries. He doesnt realize that candy isnt good for him but I still have to lay down that law because I do know better. If we truly understood that G-d gave us laws for our own benefit we wouldnt fight Him on it, wed thank Him. I have come to understand that all His Laws are good. Ive taught it enough times and have lived it long enough to where I can confidently say, I like His Laws, theyre a huge help to me and my stupidity. When I first came to Wenatchee I said I look for more of G-ds Laws daily. Ive said it a few times since then and I wasnt kidding. I know there are others of you here that keep G-ds Laws and you can also testify to blessings in your lives since youve been keeping the Mitzvoth Paul understood this same principle concerning Law. He knew that along with G-ds Laws came blessings. He rushed towards G-ds Law not that he was taking on too much all at once but that he knew that things in his life would be better if he kept even more Laws then he was already keeping. The west has never understood this. Law to them means this: rules without reward and Ill tell you that kind of Law doesnt exist in the Tanach or the Brit Hadasha. Every law comes with some kind of reward. If you think Im wrong about this then all I have to do is show you a verse that weve been going over and over again in the beginning of our services. (SLIDE) Matt 19:16 But if you want to obtain eternal life, observe the mitzvoth That alone tells us that there is a reward for keeping G-ds Laws. Tell me a better reward then getting to go to heaven. Thats not the ONLY reward but that one is hard to beat. Its hard to shake a stick at eternal life. Paul understood law as did all the first Messianics in the first century. There was no question for them about if the law was to be continually followed. That wasnt even considered. That didnt become a question until the Gentiles took over. And what did they do? They began to systematically divorce Paul and Yeshua from their Jewish disposition towards Law. Paul was first. If they could make Paul look like he was opposed to Law then it would be easier to make Yeshua into an anti- nomianist. Anti-noamianism means anti-law. So they went after Paul first. They picked out a series of verses from the New testament and they started a theology. (SLIDE) 1 Cor 9:20 is a favorite of theirs. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. (SLIDE) So they interpreted that like this. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though Im not really under the law myself) So if Paul wasnt really following the Law then we have a few names for that we call that lying. We call it deception we call it dishonesty and hypocrisy. If hes saying in that verse that hes not really under the law then what about the very next verse where it says (SLIDE) 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. (SLIDE) One verse says:(though I myself am not under the law), The other says: though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law Do you see the problem? So if we go by their interpretation that Paul wasnt really keeping the Law we can then add that Paul is insane. He doesnt seem to know if hes under the Law or not. Now weve talked before about the correct interpretation of this particular passage. Paul was saying he was under the Law but that when he tries to share with the unsaved he tries to get into their mind set in order to reach them. Id bet many of you have done the same thing when you try to reach your unsaved friends or family. You try to understand where they are coming from and you try to get into their heads a little bit so you can understand and empathize with them when needed. Had the Church fathers cared to understand where Paul was coming from they wouldve concluded that Paul was all about keeping the Law. However, their interpretation leaves him to be schizophrenic, hypocritical. And prone to confusing double speak. Have you ever met the anti-nomianist double speaker. They say, The Law is done away with then you reply but Jesus said he did not come to abolish it. Then the double speaker says, oh, no he didnt abolish it. Then you say well then its still in play and they say no, its done away with and you say you mean its abolished and they say yes, its abolished. The anti-nomianist double speaker. (SLIDE) Paul believed the Law was still in play. He still identified himself to be a Pharisee after he became a follower of Yeshua in Acts 23:6 (SLIDE) He continued to celebrate the Feasts in acts 20:16 He took the Nazorite vow in acts 18:18 and 21:20-26 He made animal sacrifices in acts 21:26. The vow of the Nazorite included a sin offering. (SLIDE) Paul kept the Law and the traditions in acts 21:24 He thought it important that following Yeshua was in accordance with the Law and the prophets in acts 24:14 (SLIDE) He called the Law holy just and good in Romans 7:12, 16, and 1 Timothy 1:8 Paul had timothy circumcised in acts 16:3 How in the world could he have not believed in the Law. We have to understand Pauls background. He was sent by his parents to study Torah in Israel. He became a Torah Teacher himself. It may be easy for one to blow off Torah because one wasnt raised in it. But if youre raised in Torah, it always comes back to you. Paul also studied under Rabbi Gamaliel, one of the greatest rabbis of all time. There is argument that Gamaliel was a believer himself. Personally I believe he probably was. His speech in acts sounds like the words of a believer in Yeshua Gamaliels teacher was Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Hillel selected Yeshua to be his Disciple when Yeshua was a young man. Yeshua was a student of promise and Yeshiva Rabbis talk. We brag sometimes about our students. And Gamaliel in all probability studied side by side with Yeshua. You dont think he wouldve noticed something different about the crown Prince of Israel. Paul wasnt about to abandon Torah under any circumstances, if he had abandoned the Law he could no longer call himself a Pharisee or a Jew Yet the Church fathers still tried to pit Paul against Law even when they couldnt reconcile Pauls writings with James writings in the New Testament. They interpreted Paul as saying in Romans 4 that we no longer had to do the mitzvoth reading it as and this is what it says in English (SLIDE) 5 And to the one who does not works but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, In other words dont do works your only justified by faith. Works are a negative thing. (SLIDE) Yet they completely disregarding where James says the exact opposite in chapter 2:14 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (SLIDE) They interpret Paul yet again as saying in Romans 4:2 as 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. In other words works dont mean nothing to G-d. (SLIDE) However, James says clearly in James 2 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? If we accept the way the Church father's have interpreted Paul then we have clear contradictions here. If those arent contradictions then I cant imagine what one would look like. But in reality Paul and James didnt contradict each other especially on a point so fundamental to the faith. On a such a vital topic as something like G-ds Righteous Laws. The way Paul and James were raised if someone had said, We no longer have to keep G-ds Laws theyd both be saddened and say why, what have we done so wrong to deserve this. Why would you take away something that gives us hope and joy and blessings. This is a calamity and why would G-d do this to us his beloved. Thats the Jewish understanding of G-ds Laws. when I hear someone tell me, wow youre under the burden of the Law I look at them in the eye and say I wouldnt want to live a day without it. You poor devil you dont even know what youre missing. Have you ever heard of a man named Leon Morris? He was an Australian New Testament scholar and wrote several commentaries. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge in England. He has a long list of Christian credits including Visiting Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He goes into detail of how Paul was against the Law. Heres a picture of him. (SLIDE) Leon Morris Some would say thats the look of G-d in his eyes. No, thats the look of a man thoroughly confused hoping no one asks him a real Bible question.. (SLIDE) He writes in his book Galatians: Paul's Charter Of Christian freedom on page 154 The multitude of regulations (the Jews found 613 commandments in the Law the books Genesis to Deuteronomy) was such that even to remember them all was a burden and to keep them all bordered on the impossible (SLIDE) If youre a scholar how do you miss this verse 1 John 5:3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And His commands are not burdensome. His commands are not a burden. If theyve become a burden to you, then youre doing them wrong. Youre either doing them from a wrong place in your heart or youre doing too many too fast. END You may have heard of Scott McKnight. Scot McKnight is an American New Testament scholar, historian of early Christianity, theologian, speaker and author who has written widely on the historical Jesus and early Christianity. (SLIDE) Surely he must have a grip on Paul and the Law. (SLIDE) He writes in his book Galatians: NIV Application Commentary Pg 30 (SLIDE) So what is going on in Galatians is that the Judahizers did not change with the times; they failed to see that when Christ came the era of the Law ended. I could give you many other names like James Montgomery Boice and John Stott and many other scholars who write in their books that the Law is no more. How is it that they could be so blind? Is it for no reason at all. Well they have reason. Theyre not all stupid men. They have their PHDs and they teach at reputable seminaries so how could they get it so backwards? (SLIDE) Its a combination of one or more of the following five things. 1.Scriptures that seem to back up the claim of anti-nomianism 2.A strong desire to not have to obey any rules 3.The Adversary 4.Afraid to lose congregants, money and their career 5.Laziness in study Show me an anti-nomianist and Ill show you at least one or more of those 5 things that fits their profile. Now you may have noticed I wrote Scriptures that seem to back up the claim of anti- nomianism Lets look at a comprehensive list of those Scriptures. (SLIDE) Romans 3:21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (SLIDE) Romans 6:14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (SLIDE) Romans 7:4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. (SLIDE) Romans 7:6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (SLIDE) Romans 8: 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, (SLIDE) 1 Cor 9 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. (SLIDE) Gal 3 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole. (SLIDE) Gal 4 21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. More (SLIDE) 24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. (SLIDE) Gal 5: 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. This sounds like if we follow the Law we dont even have the Spirit. How terrible would that be? Can you imagine how the Adversary could use that against Torah Observant Believers? You dont think he can use Scripture against us? He did it to Yeshua didnt he. Every one of those passages is worded in such a way as to try and create a negative view concerning the Law. END In order to understand what they truly mean Each verse has to be taken separately and dealt with. Some of them have nothing to do with keeping the Law at all whatsoever. They are dealing with legalism. In the first century there was no word for legalism. It didnt exist. Dr David Stern of the Complete Jewish Bible was one of the first to recognize this and many have verified it since. When Paul was writing about legalism the only word he had was the word Law in Hebrew. Legalism was such a new and crazy approach to understanding Torah at that time that there was no word yet for it. You will note that the words legalism and legalistic do not appear in the New Testament anywhere, never! Let me add to this part right here. Dr David Stern came to the conclusion that the words legalism and legalistic didnt exist at that time because they were never used and we dont see legalism being taught or believed in any other work dating from that time. But a few years ago I brought out a passage in Acts that I believe proves that legalism was a new concept and I can even show that it was a new concept to Paul and the first Messianic Congregation. I talked about this a long time ago but I want to go into this deeper so you can see where I get this idea. (SLIDE) Acts 15:1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (SLIDE) First just so we know, Antioch is in Syria. Then why does it say that they went down to Antioch from Judea? This passage is very revealing if we look very, very closely at it. Theres a few things to look at here. One is that it tells us about a small group of Jews from Judea who were teaching that there was something one could DO to be Saved. Not that it was by G-ds grace and His grace alone. They were saying you had to do something, they said you had to get circumcised in order to get Saved. Thats the very definition of legalism. That one can do something to get saved. We dont teach legalism here. We teach youre Saved by grace but then after your saved, yes you have to do some things. But Salvation is only by G-ds grace. And notice of anywhere in the New testament where they couldve used the word legalism, itd be there. They couldve said some men from Judea were teaching legalism and Paul came into sharp dispute with them. But they didnt have the word. So what they did is they described it. They said, one had to be circumcised in order to be saved. Then we see that Paul and Barnabas come into sharp dispute with them. Not just into dispute but sharp dispute. What it actually says in Greek is ouk oligEs which means not small dispute. In other words Big dispute. It caused a big commotion with Paul. It even uses the Greek idiom for commotion there. Let me show you. (SLIDE) Whenever you see the green letters down below the translation, thats them letting you know that its an idiom. What it says literally is of standing. Why does it say of Standing? What do you do in a commotion? You stand up. So there was a commotion and then we see that Paul and Barnabas immediately have this meeting and immediately they go back to Jerusalem from Antioch. Why do I think its immediately? (SLIDE) Lets look at the translation of the interlinear When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. This is one thought. In most of the other translations they divide it up like they did in the original translation I showed you (SLIDE) 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. So? Theres no so there, its one continual thought. This all happened consecutively. This bothered Paul and they immediately had a meeting and immediately went to Jerusalem. They may have spent the night or something but the way its written in Greek they went pretty quickly. And they went all the way back to Jerusalem to talk about THIS question. This question. Thats exactly what it says. (SLIDE) When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. We have to realize Paul and Barnabas had a lot to talk to the elders in Jerusalem about before this question. They had just made this huge journey out to many of the Synagogues out in the Diaspora. There were miracles that happened on this trip. A lot of Jews switched sects and became part of the Nazarene sect. Even a few G-d fearers became devout Jews. Lots to talk about. But they didnt rush back to Jerusalem as soon as that news broke. (SLIDE) Not to mention theres a lot of area between Antioch and Jerusalem, they couldve stopped in Tyre or sidon or Damascus. Paul knew a lot of people in that area. But no after this question they go directly to Jerusalem and not only that but directly to the elders of the entire Sect. Whats the hurry??? Why such a commotion. Whats the rush??? All the unsaved Jews were already entrenched in legalism if you believe the commentators right? Wrong! This is the first time Paul has ever heard of such a thing.. That one could be saved by works??? This is a new theology to him! And it scares him. He sees the implication of this and hes got to talk to the Elders and let them know whats coming down the pike. Paul knew that this doctrine could destroy his people and he was right. To this day the vast majority of Judaism believe that one is saved by works. Many Jews have gone to hell believing that. END From that point on (he discovered this theology on his first missionary journey) from that point on, Paul devoted himself to disputing the idea of Salvation by works. Its all throughout his epistles after that. Thats all we hear about after that. Why? Why does he go on about it? Because he recognized the devastation that legalism would cause and its then that I believe he wrote in (SLIDE) Romans chapter 9:1 I speak the truth in ChristI am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. He had great sorrow because he saw what legalism was going to do to his beloved Jewish people. The last thing to notice in that small passage of acts is that Paul first heard this doctrine in Antioch. Not in Israel. So why was this legalist group clear up in Antioch trying out this new doctrine??? Whats that all about? They had to do it in the Diaspora, theres no way that would fly in HaAretz, in the Land. Can you imagine this small group trying to tell the Rabbis in the Temple that we could be Saved by works? (SLIDE) How quickly would those in Israel point out in the Torah where it says in Gen 15:6 speaking of Abraham 6 And he believed in the L ORD ; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Every Jew knew that even Paul says it in Romans 4:3 (SLIDE) Romans 4:3 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (SLIDE) James knew it tooJames 2: 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. This was common knowledge. So, this group trying to get legalism off the ground had to go out into the Diaspora and try to get the G-d Fearers and weak Jews out on the fringes far removed from Israel to try and get them to believe this nonsense. Little did they know they stepped into a Synagogue who happened to have a visiting Torah Scholar who quickly brought them into sharp dispute. Now we can get back to the fact that the word legalism wasnt used in the New testament So often times when you see a negative description of Law in the New testament the writer isnt talking about G-ds Holy Law at all. He was talking about legalism. And again what is legalism? Legalists believe that you can be Saved by keeping the Law. Saved by works. Now lets look at some of those verses again but with understanding. (SLIDE) Romans 6:14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under legalism, but under grace. (SLIDE) 1 Cor 9 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under legalism I became like one under legalism (though I myself am not under legalism), so as to win those under legalism (SLIDE) Gal 4 21 Tell me, you who want to be under legalism, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. (SLIDE) 24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. The one under legalism is bound the women who is free is the one keeping G-ds instructions. It was understood that G-ds Laws always brings freedom. (SLIDE) Gal 5: 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under legalism. Now what about those other verses? Well deal with those ones next week. Well also have the Anti- nomianist pepperspray handout at the end of that teaching. Please stand for the benediction.