Please explain Proverbs 14:12, its applicability in the New Covenant…
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Discussion,
It is the natural propensity, inclination, of human kind, the pride of life, the narcissistic rendering of the Adamic sin-nature, to be self-reliant, self-sustaining, introverted and self-righteous possessing the innate ability to cover and conceal and atone for one’s own sin; this is the “way” that seems right to a man or woman; therefore, the spiritual truism of reliance upon a “god” or a supernatural being for forgiveness of sin, sustainability of life, wisdom, discernment, is preposterous and the logic of a weak minded fool, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit teach that the humble shall be exalted while the prideful shall be made low and shameful (Matthew 23:12; 1 Peter 5:5-6); Jesus teaches that unless one humbles them self and becomes child-like in their faith, they will not see the Kingdom of Elohim (Matthew 18:4); Jesus teaches that He is the ONLY WAY to life in the Kingdom (John 14:6) and that eternal New Covenant relationship with the Father is established only through the profound yet simplistic reality of “faith” (trust-belief) and that void “faith” it is NOT possible to please Elohim (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:6); therefore, the way that seems right to prideful, narcissistic, self-righteous, humanity is the way of death but the Way of “faith” apart from self-righteousness is the Way of everlasting life and Jesus is the “Rock of stumbling” for the natural man and there are “many” who will die in Hell due to the sin of self-righteousness which naturally manifests in denial, rejection, of Jesus as Messiah (1 Peter 2:8; Romans 9:33; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 John 2:16-17; Matthew 7:13-14).
Seeking obedience to Elohim the Father? Which path are you pursuing: Sinai or Golgotha?
Discussion,
If you desire to honor the Father through obedience you must FIRST believe in the Son whom He sent to provide you blood atonement (John 6:29). Intimate, personal, New Covenant relationship with the Father can only be established by “faith” in the Son, Jesus Christ, believing with a sincere heart that Jesus is Messiah who died to pay your sin-debt owed the Father, a sin-debt mandating sinless blood atonement, atonement you could never provide yourself (John 3; 1 Peter 1:18-19). It is by covenant promise to all who believe in the Son that they will receive the indwelling Holy Spirit who takes up residence within the redeemed in Jesus as the indwelling Holy Spirit is the Seal and Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Second, if you desire to please the Father through obedience subsequent salvation by faith, you must walk by the indwelling Holy Spirit, daily, in New Covenant sanctification (Galatians 5:16) allowing the Spirit to employ your redeemed conscience (2 Corinthians 5:17) and the spiritual law written upon your heart (Romans 2:14-15) to produce divine fruit through you that fulfills all law (Galatians 5:22-23).
Torah, Moses, Sinai, civil-ceremonial law, are members of a bygone, distant, covenant (Hebrews 8:7). Stop living in that which condemns you (Romans 3:20; Romans 8:1-11) and seek the Living Elohim’s Truth concerning grace and faith and peace and intimacy (Galatians 2:16); that is, the Gospel of Jesus Christ; Jesus our Messiah who provided you precious blood atonement at Golgotha (Matthew 26:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19) and welcomes you into the family of Elohim through the forgiveness of sin via New Covenant relationship, divine intimacy and peace, established by faith in Jesus as Messiah who died for you (Romans 5:1).
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Torah Law v. Spiritual Law – which one remains relevant concerning eschatology – eternal life?
Torah Law (Sinai, Moses = Old Law Covenant) v. Spiritual Law (Holy Spirit – Law written upon the heart, eternal law) (Romans 8:2; Romans 2:14-15)
Torah Law = “Law of sin and death” – etched in stone – scratched upon parchment (Romans 8:2) given Jacob’s children, specifically, temporary in scope.
Spiritual Law = Law written upon the human heart – “law of the Spirit of Life” (Romans 8:2) – eternal law relevant to all of humanity beginning with Adam.
Discussion,
Torah Law, Sinai – Law of Moses,
Torah Law – a fragmented reiteration, codification in stone and on parchment, of the eternal Spiritual Law. Torah Law was given Israel’s children, specifically, for eschatological purposes concerning Israel’s sanctification; this sanctification (a setting apart) specifically targeted compromise with prevailing pagan rituals that permeated the Hebrew Tribes and the lands through which Israel’s children would travel en route to the “Promised Land.”
Torah Law was given Israel’s children by Elohim in an effort to thwart their compromise with Baal and Molech, a compromise with demonically rooted paganism that would negate their ability to produce the Messiah and fulfill Elohim’s eschatological will concerning His promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3b) and the defeat of Satan via the Messiah (1 John 3:8b) via the Gospel ordained “before Time began” (2 Timothy 1:8-10); this compromise with demonic paganism being the very same problem Elohim encountered with the Adamic and Noahic generations; therefore, Sinai’s Decalogue and Moses’ 603 civil – ceremonial laws were designed to thwart a repeat of the failures of the Adamic-Noahic generations by methodically guiding Israel’s children in fulfillment of their eschatological purposes i.e. the chronicling of Elohim’s eschatological plan for Time and Eternity through the prophets; specifically, the coming Messiah as “a blessing to every family of the Earth” (Genesis 12:3b) via the Gospel of Grace.
Torah and Torah Law were simply an eschatological roadmap but NEVER were they intended to be the destination; hence, the necessity for the New Covenant established in Messiah’s blood (Matthew 26:28).
The Spiritual Law, the Eternal Law of the Spirit of Life,
The New Covenant’s Spiritual Law, written upon the heart, the human genome, on Day-6, is the “Law of the Spirit of Life” (Romans 8:2) which is the eternal law of Elohim made relevant as an arbiter of free will subsequent the creation of the angels. The Spiritual Law is Elohim’s arbiter of free will concerning humanity as well and its relevance in Time was initiated with Adam; this same Spiritual Law was actively working through the Adamic and Noahic generations and judged all but eight of demonic compromise and death through water.
The Spiritual Law, written upon the human heart, is enlivened in the New Covenant through faith in Jesus as one’s Messiah. When a man or woman enters into New Covenant relationship with the Father by faith-trust-belief in the Son as Messiah who died for them (John 3), the indwelling Holy Spirit is given-gifted that man or woman by covenant promise and it is the indwelling Holy Spirit who is the Seal – Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The redeemed by faith in Jesus become a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and the indwelling Holy Spirit enlivens the Spiritual Law written upon the heart and makes that Law applicable in the daily life of the Christian through the process of Christian sanctification (a setting apart for Elohim’s purposes); the Holy Spirit employs the redeemed conscience of the Christian and methodically marries it with the enlivened Spiritual Law written upon the heart and as a divine catalyst, the Spirit produces “fruits of righteousness” through the Christian (Galatians 5) and this fruit fulfills all Law and pleases the Father and glorifies the Son.
Therefore,
The Spiritual Law is the eternal Law of Elohim and is therefore vastly superior to the fragmented Torah Law that only defined man’s culpability but provided no form of atonement or hope (Romans 3:20) as Torah Law demanded perfection (James 2:10) from an Adamic sin-nature that could never comply (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12) and therefore “cursed” all who sought compliance to Torah for righteousness (a right standing) with the Father (Galatians 3:10); therefore, the Christian does not serve Torah, Sinai, Moses, but serves the Father through the indwelling Holy Spirit via the Spiritual Law written upon the human heart arbitrated by the Spirit via a redeemed conscience (Romans 7:6). Therefore, trust in Jesus as your Messiah and LIVE in peace with the Father, eternally (Romans 5:1).
A response to those who insist that Elohim’s love is “unconditional.” (A premise posited in a religious debate forum)
Concerning “Creation” and Elohim’s love… (conditional or unconditional?)
1) Actually, ex nihilo is not accurate concerning the creation narrative though many theologians interpret same from the Scriptures. If one listens to the Holy Spirit, they will find that the Son, Jesus Christ (John 1, Hebrews 1, Colossians 1, Hebrews 11:3) was commissioned by the Father (John 3:35) to take elements from the unseen Spiritual Realm and fashion those elements into matter; matter that can be apprehended by a life-form constrained by Time and physics (Hebrews 11:3). This was done in response to an unfathomable rebellion that manifested in the Kingdom of Elohim; the Realm of Time, the physical World, were created as a temporary repository for that rebellion while said rebellion, spiritual warfare, is partially constrained by Time and physics. A temporary physical realm created for a specific purpose, dealing with Satan’s rebellion, and that physical realm will ultimately be consumed by fire, purified, remolded, and provide a foundation for the eternal Kingdom, the New Jerusalem (2 Peter 3:3-13; Revelation 21).
Concerning the creation of the human genome and Elohim’s love (conditional or unconditional?)
2) Human Kind was created in the “spiritual image” of Elohim on Day-6 (Genesis 1:26-28) meaning that Elohim imparted certain divine communicable attributes into the unique human genome; this, for Elohim’s eschatological purposes going forward; primarily, this concerns Elohim’s objective “to destroy the works of the Devil” via the Messiah (1 John 3:8b) and humanity would play a strategic role in that eschatological plan.
Nothing beautiful about it but simply a creative necessity concerning the battle strategy called “the Gospel;” a divine battle strategy that was ordained “before Time began” (2 Timothy 1:8-10; Genesis 3:15-21).
Jesus tells us that He observed His nemesis, Satan, extricated from the Kingdom in preparation for this war that rages around us and through us (Luke 10:18); therefore, we find Satan in Eden who initiates strife upon the Earth through his charismatic attributes (Genesis 3; Ezekiel 28:11+).
The Gospel and Elohim’s love (conditional or unconditional?)
3) Elohim has chosen to deal with Lucifer, the rebellion, through the Gospel and selfless love as demonstrated at Golgotha via Messiah; this, a divine battle strategy seeking to maintain volitional love and intimacy with His created faithful angels that did not ally with Lucifer in the rebellion; humanity is simply a unique pawn in that battle strategy and Elohim has shown grace and mercy to humanity through the Son but humanity is NOT a prized possession but is wicked and vile and unworthy (Genesis 6): therefore, Elohim’s grace and mercy is due His nature (1 John 4:7-21), not our worthiness and Elohim’s mercy is conditioned upon our choices relevant to whom we choose to serve, Jesus or Satan.
Angels (eternal creatures) – Humanity (the second death) and Elohim’s love (conditional or unconditional?)
4) The only reason Elohim has pursued the eschatological battle strategy of the Gospel is due the fact that angels were created to exist eternally, they do not die; therefore, the angelic rebellion mandated a unique battle strategy that only Elohim could construct; this, through Messiah and the Holy Spirit (Luke 20:36). This is why Satan and his angels will suffer eternally in Hell (Revelation 20:10) while unredeemed humanity will perish in the “second death” subsequent the Judgment of the Condemned (Revelation 20:11-15).
Salvation – free will and Elohim’s love (conditional or unconditional?)
5) Salvation is completely based upon “free will” as free will is essential for love and intimacy with our Creator to manifest with purity and authenticity; unless humanity and the angels possess the volition to choose to love Elohim, their actions, their relationship with Elohim, would be defined as robotic and therefore impotent concerning authentic love and relationship. Authentic love and intimacy in a reciprocal relationship cannot be realized via roboticism, fear, or coercion; true intimacy can only exist in an atmosphere of mutual respect and adoration which only manifests by a free will choice to engage in that relationship. Nothing beautiful or predestined or unconditional, about it…just basic logic.
Elohim’s love and humanity (conditional or unconditional?)
6) Elohim’s “love” is conditional. Humanity can “choose” to ally with Elohim through faith as part of Elohim’s eschatological plan to defeat Satan and the works of evil or humanity can ally with Satan and work against the defeat of Satan and the rebellious angels (demons), but there is very little “beautiful” about creation in Genesis 1-3 as the creation narrative was spiritually mandated for eschatological purposes going forward and the previous 6000-years of horror, suffering, death, manifest from the spiritual war that rages through us and around us is of necessity, not love for humanity but love for the faithful angelic creation that Elohim cherishes beyond human comprehension.
Elohim’s love expressed at Golgotha is primarily focused upon the defeat of Satan works (death-Hell-the grave) and protecting His divine, cherished, relationship with the faithful angelic creation;
Elohim’s mercy toward a hoard of unworthy, filthy, flesh-Hell bound creatures is conditioned upon the choice to serve Elohim by faith in Messiah or serve Satan through the rejection of Messiah; humanity is afforded an opportunity to take part in the spoils of war via faith in what our Warrior, Jesus Christ, has done as His primary objective was the defeat of Satan while maintaining volitional intimacy with the faithful angelic creation, we, humanity, are the byproducts of that eschatological plan and our eternal destiny is predicted upon choice; therefore, Elohim’s love is conditional and predicated upon what Human Kind “chooses” to do with Messiah Jesus.
A servant of Torah Law stated his preferred path to righteousness (a right standing) with the Father via the words of Solomon,
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecc 12:13)
What is the divine Path to righteousness with the Father, Solomon or Jesus?
First of all, Law Keeping is NOT a path to righteousness with the Father (Romans 3:20); if one could find righteousness with the Father through Law Keeping, Jesus would not have needed to suffer and die for your sin (Galatians 2:21).
Second,
If one desires to honor the Father through obedience in the New Covenant; first, obey the Father and trust in Jesus as Messiah (John 3:16; 6:29) and receive the indwelling Holy Spirit as Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father (Ephesians 1:13-14); second, walk in the Spirit, daily, via sanctification (Galatians 5:16) thereby allowing the Spirit to produce “fruit” through you as it is the “fruit of the Spirit” that fulfills all law (Galatians 5).
A worshiper of Moses and Torah mocks the Christian by stating any attempt to validate the New Testament/New Covenant using the New Testament is “circular reasoning.” What is the Truth?
Discussion,
The New Testament/the New Covenant is the fulfillment of Torah, the completion of the Old Testament’s intent; therefore, those dying in sin and headed to Hell in a religion that worships Moses and the Law or the demonic god “Allah” (Satan) and the Quran via the demon Muhammad, these could possibly be brought into the Light (John 8:12) by faith via an understanding that Moses, Torah, the Law Covenant, were simply a roadmap pointing to mankind’s need for Messiah, a divine Mediator, the Gospel, the New Covenant, but Torah was NEVER intended to be the destination (Hebrews 8:7; Galatians 3:24) and Islam is a religion stolen, plagiarized, from the Torah and servitude to Satan AKA Allah; therefore, Truth concerning eternal covenant with the Father is only found in the embodiment of Truth, Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Concerning “circular reasoning” and the New Testament…
There are approximately 283-Old Testament quotations in the New Testament and in approximately 90 instances, these quotes are directly from the Septuagint; therefore, the New Covenant validates itself through direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy; this is NOT circular reasoning but eschatological fulfillment provided you via the Holy Spirit; therefore, arguing that the New Testament’s validation is circular reasoning is actually a logical fallacy.
Therefore,
The lost and deceived Jew, Israelite and Islamist, the cult member, the religionist, struggles with the clarity, beauty, the simplicity of the New Covenant’s Gospel, a New Covenant of divine grace actuated, initiated, by sincere faith in Jesus; the New Covenant established in the sinless, precious, blood of Messiah Jesus (Matthew 26:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19) and unless these perishing religionists rid themselves of demonic blindness, self righteousness, spiritual arrogance (2 Corinthians 4:4) and trust ONLY in Jesus as their Messiah, they will surely die in Hell via the “second death” (John 3; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Revelation 20:11-15).
There is a way that seems right to those too stubborn to consider, contemplate, Jesus as Messiah but their way is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12); therefore, humble yourself before our Heavenly Father and trust in the Son, Jesus Christ, receive the Holy Spirit and LIVE in peace with Elohim, forever, as there is no other Way (John 3, Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 5:1; John 14:6).
Understanding John 20:17 concerning the controversy “Jesus has a God.”
Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”
Discussion,
Jesus often spoke from both His humanity and from His deity; therefore suggesting that Jesus denies His deity through Scriptures like John 20:17 is eternal error.
Jesus is the fullness of Deity (Colossians 2:9-10) as Jesus is God, Elohim, I AM, Creator, Warrior, Messiah, Judge (Genesis 1; John 1; Hebrews 1; Colossians 1).
Jesus entered the Realm of Time and relinquished many of His deific attributes while encapsulated in flesh; this, for YOUR benefit as Jesus’ hypostatic union of deity and flesh was essential in order to provide sinful humanity acceptable blood atonement (Leviticus 17:11; Genesis 3:21; Matthew 26:28) and thereby pave a divine Path, an acceptable Way, to enter the Kingdom where “nothing impure is permitted to enter” (John 3; Revelation 21:27; John 14:6); a purity, holiness, freely offered sinful humanity via the divine imputation of Messiah’s righteousness in exchange for your sin via faith in Jesus as Messiah (John 3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Therefore, if you do not see or understand or acknowledge the necessity for Messiah’s deity, you are NOT redeemed by faith as you do NOT possess the indwelling Holy Spirit who is Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father given to all who acknowledge abiding faith in Jesus as Messiah (Ephesians 1:13-14); therefore, you are not redeemed, you remain in your sin (John 8:24) and you are on the path to the “second death” in Hell.
Though the knowledge of Messiah’s deity is NOT an element of salvation, the acknowledgement of Messiah’s deity is a natural manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s divine teaching during sanctification, a daily work of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the life of the redeemed as the Spirit methodically prepares the faithful in Jesus for an eternity of service in the New Jerusalem (Galatians 5:16; 1 John 2:27).
This truism concerning Messiah’s deity is NOT open for debate as the one who denies Messiah’s deity serves a different Jesus, NOT the Jesus of Scripture. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who teaches Jesus’ deity and His divine sovereignty as Messiah; therefore, if Jesus is not your Elohim (Genesis 1:1), you do NOT belong to Him and you therefore remain in your sin (1 John 2:22-27).
The genuine acknowledgment, abiding knowledge, of Jesus as Elohim is a distinguishing, differentiating, truism in the life of an authentic Christian and this knowledge and confession distinguishes the Christian from every religion and religious cult present in the World today.
Jesus asks you, “Who do you say I AM?” (Matthew 16:15).
Is “repentance” necessary for salvation or does true repentance follow salvation by faith in Jesus as Messiah, alone?
Jesus emphasized the need for “repentance” but is repentance an element of salvation or does repentance manifest subsequent salvation? Can one truly “repent” lest one is born again by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus?
Discussion, Premise, open for debate…
If one truly “believes” that Jesus is Messiah and desires an eternal relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus, repentance is integral with faith as that saving faith will naturally lead to a life seeking obedience, a new life in Jesus that turns away from the works of the Adamic nature as the conscience is now acutely attuned to compromise with sin; this, through daily sanctification, a work of the indwelling Holy Spirit given to all who believe (Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 1:13:14).
Repentance IS part of the total salvation experience but without the indwelling Holy Spirit given ONLY to those who “believe” (Ephesians 1:13-14; John 3)…true repentance is not possible; therefore, what comes first, the chicken or the egg?
The “desire” to repent is integral with true faith in Jesus as one realizes their need for Jesus’ atonement due their sin nature, but the ability to fulfill the desire to live a holy life is only actuated or made possible “subsequent” belief; this, as true repentance, the power and anointing to truly repent, is not possible void the indwelling Holy Spirit who initiates the “new creation” in Messiah (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:17); so then, does one have to actually verbalize or say they repent of their sin in order to be saved? I think that’s open for debate but suggesting that verbalizing or repenting in order to be saved is a theological stretch, a subtle “works doctrine,” as it’s not practically possible to truly “repent” lest one is “born again” by faith-belief and has then received the indwelling Holy Spirit as Guarantor of New Covenant with the Father; yes, one can express a “desire” or a NEED to repent but desire does not equate to true repentance.
What say YOU? Is “belief”-faith in Jesus as Messiah who died for you the KEY to salvation or must one first repent?
Must one repent and demonstrate evidence of that repentance in conjunction with faith to be saved – or – are the fruits of repentance (Galatians 5) that follows salvation, fruits of righteousness inspired by the indwelling Holy Spirit, the validation and authentication that one’s “faith” is true saving faith; after all, Jesus did say “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20)?
Understanding Christian “good works” relevant to Ephesians 2:10…
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Good Works are a product of the indwelling Holy Spirit who is given as Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father subsequent faith in the Son, Jesus Christ, as Messiah (Ephesians 1:13-14); therefore, a Christian does not “work” to be saved but works (seeks obedience to the Father’s will) because they are saved and their works are NOT defined by chasing after letters-laws or days or diets but their works are divine “fruit” produced through them by the indwelling Holy Spirit via the daily process of sanctification (Galatians 5); this, as Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20); therefore, salvation from death in Hell is NOT a work of mankind but a work performed by Messiah at Golgotha via His divine blood atonement and the benefits of Messiah’s work are actuated in the life of sinful humanity through faith, belief, in the Son; that is, believing, confessing, with a sincere heart, the Son, Jesus Christ, as Messiah who died for you to provide you blood atonement which initiates New Covenant relationship with the Father, forever (Romans 10:9-10).
This salvation from the second death in Hell is not of man but of Elohim who imputes-gifts the perfection-righteousness of the Son, Jesus Christ, over the life of the one who believes and consequently the Father, by covenant promise, declares the one who believes in Jesus as “not guilty” by divine promise; therefore, eternal life is bestowed upon the one who believes by grace through faith and not by human effort that anyone can boast in pride and arrogance and self-righteousness concerning their worthiness before the Father (Ephesians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 3; Hebrews 8:12).
An advocate of the Devil stated that Jews-Israelites reject Christianity due Christian persecution. What is the truth?
There are no greater advocates of the Jewish community, the Nation of Israel, than a Christian. Jews, Israelites, reject Yeshua due Rabbinical apostasy and secularization of the Jewish faith and the Jewish Curse.
Yeshua came specifically to Jacob’s children to proselytize them in the New Covenant’s Gospel as Israel’s children were foreordained to be ministers of the Great Commission in fulfillment of Elohim’s promise to Abraham (Matthew 15:24; Genesis 12:3b). Israel’s free will rejection of Elohim’s “Great Commission” initiated a cataclysmic change to Elohim’s eschatological plans going forward.
It is tragic, but an overwhelming number of Jacob’s children will perish in Hell due unbelief (Isaiah 10:22; Romans 9:27), a demonically rooted rejection of Yeshua as Messiah; this, a resultant of their forefathers curse upon the children (Matthew 27:25) and Israel’s rejection of the New Covenant, a Covenant established in Yeshua’s blood (Romans 11:25). Jews, Israelites, are overwhelmingly hard of heart, stubborn, arrogant, self-righteous, blind, secularized.
The Scriptural glorification of Israel subsequent the Jewish Curse is solely for Elohim’s eschatological purposes, Elohim’s glory, Elohim’s defeat of Satan through our Jewish Messiah (1 John 3:8b) as the Nation of Israel was given the Patriarchy via an unconditional covenant and Elohim is NOT a man that He should lie or fail to keep His covenants irrespective of Israel’s unfaithfulness.
When Israel’s children insult the Christian and Christianity; when Israel’s children obfuscate their culpability concerning unbelief and their destiny in Hell due unfaithfulness, they insult the ONLY ally, the only advocates, they will have in this fallen World; that is, the blood-bought Christian redeemed by the blood of Yeshua.
"RickeyD" Holtsclaw 