Strategic Prayer for Israel

Pray this strategic prayer for Jerusalem and Israel with me, from Is 1:9,25-27; Rom 9:27-29

Our Father, Husband of Israel (Is 54:5; Jer 31:32-36; Lk 1:33)

In Y’shua’s Name, from Is 1:18,19,25-27 we thank You that Jerusalem (Zion) SHALL be redeemed on “the day of Jerusalem” (Ps 137:5-7) (Armageddon|Gog and Magog, both, battles for Jerusalem) by JUDGMENT of all who seek to devour Jacob (Jer 10:10-13,16,25; Zech 14; Lk 1 68-79).

We thank You too that her remnant of converts to the Messianic
Way, who will legally inherit the NATION (Matt 21:37-44; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:5,14), will be those redeemed by the dawning upon them of the revelation of the Hebrew Glad Tidings of their New Covenant PROMISE, that it is through the redemption which is in the Blood of the Holy, Divine Messiah (Who was conceived without need for male human procreation as a sign to the house of David that Messiah-Immanu El is a form of Deity – Is 7:13,14; Phil 2:6; Gen 1:26/1 Jn 5:7) that the freely imputed righteousness of God which is of faith (Rom 3:12,20-28; 5:8-11,16-19; 9:30-33; 10:1-3,6-13), will have cleansed and justified them “from ALL things from which you COULD NOT be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:32-39). HalleluYaH

We therefore decree as CERTAINTY, Your promise that The Gift of the Spirit of Messiah WILL seal their hope of inheritance of the world, as chief of nations, in Your mercy to the world which does not yet realize that Israel’s salvation and exaltation will be “like life from the dead” for EVERY nation, as the blessing of Abraham is multiplied across the world as nations bless Israel for their order- and purpose in election (Gen 12:2,3; 27:29; Jer 31:7,10,17,31-36; Rom 4:13-16; 11:11-15,25-29; Eph 1:4; 2:10,11).

That’s why salvation which is of the Jews (Jer 31:31-34; Jn 4:22) is “the SURE MERCIES” of David (Acts 13:34,38,39; Heb 9:15)

Amein

Romans 8:28,29 at work in History

Gen 40:14,16,23; 41:1,9, the account of Joseph’s UNFAIR IMPRISONMENT on a fabricated charge of indecent assault on the Captain of the Guard, Potiphar’s, scheming, licentious wife (Gen 39:19,20), being PROTRACTED for TWO YEARS by the forgetfulness of Pharaoh’s chief butler (Gen 40:23; 41:1), is one of the finest illustrations of Rom 8:28, the promise of God which provides the invaluable comfort of knowing that “ALL things WORK TOGETHER for GOOD to them that LOVE God; to them who are the CALLED according to HIS purpose.”

Romans 8:28 should never be separated from verse 29, because the promise in verse 28 is the outcome for those who gratefully co-operate with the purging, purifying, sanctifying work of the Spirit through trials which are necessary to conform us to the Image of the Messiah, as God’s VOLUNTEERING of righteous Job to satan (different from Peter in Lk 22) illustrates.

Job was “kept by the power of God through faith” to be an overcomer, more than a conqueror, to come forth as gold with greater revelation of Deity than ever before (1 Peter 1:2-9).

“Seeing” YHVH (Job 42:5) is perhaps our greatest need (Jn 6:40; 1 Jn 3:6).

Because “His commandmenT (the comprehensive commandmenT for sanctification given by His Father which we “see” Y’shua Himself keeping throughout the storms of His life, to remain undefiled – Matt 12:50; Jn 17:17,19; Heb 5:8,9) is life everlasting” (Jn 12:45-50) and, to be sure we grasp that axiom, eternal life is FURTHER defined as knowing the Godhead by knowing Y’shua-Jesus (Jn 17:3) by ABIDING (continuing with & remaining) in Him as the Vine, by “having and keeping” the commandmenT to keep the commandmentS, to both know and love Him (Jn 12:45-50; 14:21,23,24; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 2 Jn vs 5&6), we conclude that “seeing” Him Who IS eternal life (Jn 6:40; 1 Jn 1:1-3), means we are to VISUALIZE His faithfulness to His Father’s precepts which PORTRAY Him as the Living Torah which He taught as “the Way of Holiness” (Ps 119:1,45; Is 35:8; Matt 5:19; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; Rom 3:31; 1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2), AND then we are to imitate His flawless Sonship, keeping covenant with Him in heaven (Jer 33:25; Matt 6:9,10) by circumspectly (accurately) “walking ‘in’ Him” (Col 2:6; Eph 4:23,24; 5:1,10,15-17) “after the Spirit” (i.e. lawfully – Rom 7:22,25 – 8:4; 2 Tim 2:5), just “as He walked,” in order to “sin no more,” to make our love perfect, our souls purified by obedience, to be “as He is” (Lk 6:40; 1 Jn 3:6,24; 4:17; 1 Peter 1:2,13-17,22; 1 Jn 2:4,6).

Job expresses this “SEEING Him Who is invisible” (as Moses did later – Heb 11:26,27; 1 Cor 10:1-4) as “ACQUAINTING oneself with Him by receiving the Way (the precepts of righteous living) from His Mouth and laying up His Words in thine heart” (Job 22:21,22; Ps 94:12,13; Jn 5:24; 8:51,52), to be able to “approve things that are more excellent (through correction of doctrine and training in righteousness),” to be “sincere and without offence, till the Day of the Messiah,” “being filled with the fruits which are by Jesus the Messiah unto the glory and praise of God” (Jn 15:3-14; Acts 10:35; Rom 2:13,18,26; 3:31; 8:4-14; Phil 1:9-11; 2 Tim 3:14-17).

Even modest, humble, wholehearted, meticulous, God-fearing Job needed greater knowledge and understanding of YHVH, which became the just pretext for testing Job’s INTEGRITY (Job 1:8,9; 2:3; 42:5,6).

Neither Job in Job 2:10 nor his well-wishing relatives and acquaintances in Job 42:7,11 sinned (erred in spirit) by attributing the great trial Job was APPOINTED to endure, to YHVH’s planning and permission.

Paradoxically, it was all deemed necessary to vindicate the reputation of YHVH’s Character (attributes of the Divine Nature) as “very pitiful and of tender mercy,” which should greatly comfort us in our trials (James 5:10,11)

It is the glory of the righteous to “suffer for righteousness” for Messiah’s and His body of believers’ sake, to produce irrefutable testimony of God’s love, power and faithfulness, to “be made evident everywhere” (2 Cor 2:14), as Job’s has been in answer to a prayer (Job 19:23). Satan’s malevolent Jn 10:10 mandate is curbed in all of this, by the deliverances which are commanded for the sons of YHVH (Job 2:6; Ps 44:4; 71:3; Rom 5:3-5; 8:17,18; 2 Cor 1&12; Eph 3:13; Phil 1:28-30; Col 1:24; 1 Peter 1:5-7; 4:1-3,12-18; 5:6-12)

I Jn 3:2&3 impress upon us the necessity for purity.

Our cleansing and purification by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of faith, our faith-confession which was our testimony of salvation, when we repented and were baptized for the remission OF sins, to be saved FROM our sins (Mk 16:16; Jn 15:3; Rom 10:8-14), must be MAINTAINED by continuing in the covenant to overcome “the POWER of sin” by ongoing repentance and obedience to the Spirit, IN HIS POWER, as He leads us into all truth to enlarge our understanding of the covenant and its all-important requirements for holiness (Lk 17:10, Jn 15:3; Acts 5:31,32; Ron 3:20,31; Eph 5:26,27; Heb 12:14,28; 13:20,21; 1 Jn 1-3).

We see this principle of “continuance” (Is 64:5; Rom 2:6-13; Col 1:22,23) at work in the lives of Job (Job 22:21,22) and Joseph (Ps 105:19), both men of Godly wisdom and integrity who we are citing here to illustrate YHVH’s long term blessing on those who take being conformed to the image of God, seriously.

2 Cor 3:18 pictures the transparency of a sincere, devoted relationship with Deity; and the miracle of transmutation and transfiguration of HUMAN NATURE (for which we were chosen for salvation) “from one degree of glory to another” through sanctification by the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thess 2:13,14), into a REPLICA of the “Divine Nature” in which, like the Light of the world Himself, “there is no darkness” (Rom 8:29; Eph 4:23,24; Col 3:9,10; 1 Jn 1:5-7; 2 Peter 1:1-11).

As we “see” Him in the ABSOLUTE PURITY of His life and witness (Jn 6:40; 12:45), “We all with unveiled faces (unprejudiced, teachable and with no impediments to revelation knowledge) beholding as in a mirror the Glory of the LORD, are (challenged to be like Him and by submitting to refinement as true sons, are) changed into the SAME Glory” (Heb 12; 1 Jn 3:2,3,4,7,10).

PURITY (satan’s chief object of attack and subversion) is the essence of Holiness and therefore, of the Glory of YHVH (Ps 12:6; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:3; 2 Cor 7:1; 2 Tim 2:19-21; Titus 2:14; Heb 9:14; 10:22; James 4:8).

Visionary Joseph, born to be a type of Messiah, as deliverer of his father Jacob’s house from death by famine (Gen 37:4-8; 41:54-57; 42:1-6), more than met that definition of a predestined called-out servant of the Most High (Gen 37:3-11).

The mystery of Divine election by grace is confirmed in Acts 2:47; 13:48, Rom 9:10-21 & Eph 1:11.

Joseph’s struggles are a fine example of the truths,

1) that in the Kingdom, loving God has obedience as a requirement (1 Jn 5:3); and

2) that provided, as seed of faithful Abraham, we “keep ourselves in His love” by upholding our integrity in the ways of “the Way of the LORD, “holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5; Heb 10:23), our “purpose-in-predestination” is safe in His Hands (Eph 1:11).

“Faithful is He Who called you, and (provided we submit to comprehensive sanctification) He also WILL DO IT” (1 Thess 5:23,24).

The promise in Rom 8:28 depends strongly on demonstration of obedience to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving by accepting His garment of praise, to counteract a spirit of heaviness, to be elated, ebullient, cheerful and and above all, THANKFUL both IN and FOR all circumstances – not in spite of, but FOR the unique, customized, Spirit-supervised trials whereby YHVH enlarges our knowledge and understanding of Him while He creates irrefutable testimony of His love and faithfulness towards us and His all-surpassing power in us (2 Cor 12:5,8-11; Eph 1:19-21; 3:20; 5:20; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Heb 13:15)

The three passages (Eph 5:20; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Heb 13:15) teach us that…

“…for THIS (loving Him through obedience to give thanks at all times and for everything) is THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING YOU”

All things certainly did work together for good for Joseph (beginning with favourable treatment in prison – Gen 39:21-23), despite the chief butler ‘forgetting him.’

So great is the intricacy, meticulousness and compassion of the God of the Hebrews’ micro-management of the Universe as God of history AND of ‘pre-written history’ (prophecy), under His omniscient, omnipresent Sovereignty, that even the chief butler’s dereliction of Joseph when he could have hastened his exaltation, couldn’t cause any disruption to the precision prophecy to Abraham in Gen 15:13-16, about Israel’s future.

Time SERVED Joseph notwithstanding what appeared to be inauspicious digressions from the eternal plan, because true prophecy cannot skip a heartbeat on its trajectory to vesting its harvest, provided we “hold faith” in its promise (Is 55:8-11).

It is the main actor (as Joseph was) in a prophecy who largely determines its outcome.

Ironically, it is partly DUE to the butler’s forgetfulness, that YHVH was able to say to Moses about the Great Sabbath (Rav Shabbat) of the first Passover night (“this is THAT night of the LORD…”) and of the following day (“even the SELFSAME day”), that “THIS (Aviv/Nisan 15) IS THAT” (Ex 12:40-42) Hebrew lunar calendar day which was scheduled before Creation as the precise date to fulfil the 400 year old Abrahamic prophecy by which the House of Jacob would be CONSTITUTED AS A NATION at Sinai, by their release and deliverance from cruel bondage to Pharaoh through faith in Israel’s “God of gods” and His sprinkled Passover sacrifice (Ex 12:27); and which therefore, was the day on which Joseph’s bones would be carried out of Egypt! (Heb 11:22).

What seems to us to be potentially destructive human error and caprice, is ‘baked into’ the prophetic architecture of Divine planning insofar as God knows the end from the beginning and cannot be mocked.

Israel’s unique birthing out of another nation by phenomenal acts of God (Egypt’s faith in idols destroyed by YHVH’s victories over His own plagues – Ex 7-11; 11:12), as an incomparable testimony to the world, of the authenticity of Israeli nationhood and legitimacy of its statehood (Ex 15:3-17; Deut 4:32-40; 6:20-23; 7:6-15; Ps 78:12), to eventually make their God, the One and only God (Deut 4:39), universally acknowledged as God of heaven and earth (Ps 72:8-18; Zech 14:4,9), is due to the grace which abounds through our practice of covenant principles, for the “everlasting covenant” to have the last word, irrespective of what we perceive as human missteps (Heb 13:20,21).

Joseph “possessed his soul” (mastered his mind, will and emotions) and maintained an admirable sanguine outlook, being uncomplaining about the principles of the Word (Torah) that had of necessity to be applied for God to test his loyalty to truth and righteousness through all the twists and turns of ‘fate,’ for him to discover that the safety net of prophecy and the providential faithfulness of His God had assured a perfect, glorious outcome (Ps 105:19-22).

The birth of the Messiah depended on it.

Our vision, our promise from Joseph’s God, is no less trustworthy, because He does not change.

A ‘BEREAN’ (Acts 17:11) EXPOSITION OF THE MISCONSTRUED BOOK OF GALATIANS

(REDEEMING GALATIANS FROM FOLLY, FANCY AND CONFUSION)

“…if any man preach any OTHER Gospel unto you than that which ye have RECEIVED (i.e. other than that which I/we have preached, received directly from Y’shua-Jesus), LET HIM BE ACCURSED” (Gal 1:9-12)

“…the seal (certificate, living evidence) of my apostleship are ye in the LORD [confirming and authenticating it]” (1 Cor 9:2 KJV & Amplified Bible)

“…in all his (Paul’s) letters, speaking in them of these things (purification to perfection, for sanctification as chaste virgins), in which are some things HARD to be UNDERSTOOD, which they who are unlearned (ungrounded in Torah) and unstable (due to a foundation of sand) wrest (twist, pervert, torture) as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction” (Rom 3:31; 2 Peter 3:9-18)

That should convince us that this is one Book not to sell-short, not at ANY cost.

As an opening remark, note that Galatians is controversial, sometimes even the cause of shrill, flaring and flaming arguments, only because so many deluded sheep MISTAKE LEGITIMATE REFORMATION of false doctrine, by ‘de-Hellenization’ of the apostate, Replacement Theology-bound church, FOR MORE INSTALLMENTS of the first century Judaizing which took place, hotly opposing Gentiles receiving salvation without circumcision and keeping the law.

“And many (Jew and Gentile) who BELIEVED came, and CONFESSED, and ‘showed their deeds’ (REPENTED of their sins) (and were baptized)” (Acts 16:30-34; 19:18; Mk 16:16).

As those examples prove, reconciliation by grace ALONE (confirmed by adoption through baptism of repentance for remission of sins) is the INVARIABLE RULE upon which most of us would agree.

So the controversy today has less to do with THAT, than with what a true, Spirit-led, Jesus-imitating walk requires of us, to prove our integrity and loyalty, both to God and to His Word (1 Jn 2:3-6).

Legitimate arguments AGAINST those who MAY lean towards favouring some form of works doctrine to QUALIFY for inheritance of “the righteousness of God” (which is by faith alone), are being IGNORANTLY BRANDISHED against the very truths that define a God-pleasing, sacrificial walk on the narrow path which by purification by obedience to the dictates of the Spirit (Rom 7:22,25; 8:4-14), LEADS to eternal life (Matt 7:13-27).

These naïve dissenters and agitators who are on the wrong side of the covenant, don’t credit the fact that IMPUTED righteousness is both a GIFT and a YOKE to be PRACTISED, if one wants to be considered righteous in the end, because the GIFT makes us ACCOUNTABLE to wholeheartedly apply ourselves to the high call to do “all the will” of the Giver of the gift of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and of HIS SPIRIT, to work it out in fear and trembling, since salvation and righteousness are MUTUALLY DEPENDENT (Matt 11:29,30; Acts 20:25-32; Col 4:12; 1 Jn 2:29; 3:7).

Reckless accusers of Abraham-like, Torah-wise COVENANT-KEEPERS (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5; Rom 3:31) who wield empty slogans profanely borrowed from phrases in Scripture by twisting the Spirit’s intended meaning, even bordering on hate speech, have not grasped that the big picture of salvation which in short, is RECONCILIATION AND ADOPTION BY GRACE, is acceptance of inheritance of the world (Rom 4:13,16) along with curatorship of Creation (Gen 1:26),
under “the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer 33:25; Matt 6:9,10; 1 Cor 11:1,2), to bring Divine order to every aspect of life, which is impossible without Instruction in the ways of God which constitute the holiness that befits His House (2 Sam 23:5; Ps 101; Is 56:6-8; Jn 10:16; 14:15,21-24; Rom 3:31).

As a backdrop to our discussion, let’s ALSO consider the fact that grace and law are two faces of the same coin.

Equivalent and like Deity, CO-ETERNAL.

And that grace is itself NEVER disassociated from OBEDIENCE which is the purpose of all Godly Instruction (the sum of compulsory requests), in whatever form that Instruction (Torah) takes (whether as precepts, commandments, ordinances, statutes, rules & regulations, duties, or testimonies/traditions).

As the highest expression of grace, Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 3:16 REST on unconditional love, grounded in UNWAVERING OBEDIENCE.

It is THAT which makes the Atonement by the Incarnate “God and Saviour” (Is 7:13,14; 45:17-25; Titus 2:13), the greatest test of love.

Gethsemane and Calvary COMBINED, are eternity’s greatest test of obedience.

That principle is highlighted in 1 Jn 5:2&3.

Jesus, of Whom Isaiah was a type, “counted the cost” of going to His Cross and by saying “Hineini” (“Hear I am; send Me”), chose life for the world, by being willing and obedient to overcome soulish resistance, to follow-through His mission of martyrdom, to accomplish His Death which He’d shortly before discussed with Moses and Elijah on the Mt of Transfiguration (Is 6:Lk 9:30,31; 14:27,28; 22:40-44).

That said, we could go FURTHER, to say that because grace is God’s unmerited favour towards us, it is the highest expression of the law of love through which we are called, to be perfected (1 Jn 4:17), because it was Y’shua’s OBEDIENCE to His Father and ours, that “sprinkled” us with His sanctifying, saving Blood, “unto (His degree of) obedience” to the faith, to be “offerings acceptable to Him” (Jn 13:34,35; Rom 1:5; 15:16-18; 1 Peter 1:2b; 1 Jn 3:16,17), THE PART MANY OVERLOOK.

Galatians is grossly misportrayed because of criminal wilful ignorance of Biblical first principles of holiness

There’s no contest between grace and law.

They are in an eternal symbiotic relationship.

Just as ‘day follows night,’ a metaphor for the grace of FREE “deliverance from the power of darkness and translation into the Kingdom of (the Light of the world”(Jn 3:16; Col 1:13,14), FOLLOWED BY the grace to learn to “come into the light” as “doers of truth” (Jn 3:19-21; Rom 2:6-13; James 1:22-25) in order to prove to have been DILIGENT “children of light,” for “FULL assurance of hope, to the end” (Heb 6:11).

There could be no law without the grace of God Who in love, gave law to humanity as our collective heritage, through the House of Jacob (Deut 33:2,4; Rom 3:31); nor could there be grace without law, because LOVE (the foundation of grace and of every fruit of the Spirit as well as being the first principle of righteousness, which is light) IS the law “against which there is no law” (Gal 5:23-25).

That is a challenge to absorb, but it shows the subtle interrelationships of concepts we mostly regard as free variables.

In a nuanced way, they tend to blend into one another, essential to attain the UNITY of the faith.

So love becomes law to bring us to eligibility for the first resurrection BLAMELESS as “the blessed and HOLY” (Eph 1:4; Col 1:22,23; Rev 14:6,7,12; 20:6), just as law becomes love (Matt 22:36-40; Mk 12:28-34; Lk 10:25-28; 1 Jn 5:3), all due to the grace they represent.

For the love of God, all of Creation depends upon the right alignment of grace and law, through the renewal of the spirit of our minds for acceptance of the reality that grace and law are not a binary choice, but that each plays an indispensable interrelated rôle in the covenant drama of restoration of mankind to the image of God, for the Spirit to be sent to “renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30; Rom 8:18-22).

So, knowing the affinity between grace and law in the Spirit (Gal 5:18-25), where “living in the Spirit” and “walking in the Spirit” means being INNOCENT OF TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW, leaves no room for prejudice against law and/or fear of law, so that we can make an honest, thorough, constructive and BALANCED investigation into what Galatians is actually contributing to our knowledge and understanding of the “everlasting covenant” (Heb 13:20,21).

The skill in “rightly dividing the Word” (2 Tim 2:15) is knowing which Word goes where, to build a valid, coherent interpretation, so as not to muddle the embedded patterns in Scripture and draw absurd conclusions that result in a “different gospel.”

Yet that’s precisely what’s happened for generations, with a heavily slanted MISrepresentation of Galatians (deeply prejudiced and antagonistic towards any mention of law), being fanatically held to be the FOIL to the accursed “other gospel” Paul refers to in Gal 1:6-9, which is actually the misrepresentation itself!

The greatest CRIMES AGAINST CONTEXT have originated in anti-Semitism and Gentile apathy towards the Bible’s ‘mission of sanctity’ (Israel’s calling) – pursuit of moral excellence as a spiritual IMPERATIVE (1 Peter 1:13-17; 2 Cor 7:1; 2 Tim 2:19-26).

This is reflected in the conceited, resentful reflex response, trotted out with alarming predictability, in the words, “We’re not under the law. We’re under grace” (not understanding what they’re saying), to even the gentlest correction and invitation to hear God’s plan for the sanctification of THE REDEEMED (Jn 17:17,19; Acts 26:18,20; Eph 5:26,27), to make their candidacy for selection for the bride, successful, for many are invited but few are chosen.

Like waving a wand, they imagine their stock recitation, given wildly out of context, gives them the moral and doctrinal highground.

Not knowing that “under the law” principally means “convicted as a transgressor of/sinner against/someone in enmity toward the law” (Rom 8:6,7; James 2:8,9).

Which is why we read:

“But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Gal 5:18).

The Spirit will never lead us to break God’s laws (Rom 8:4,14).

Substantiated by Jesus’ furious indictment that “NONE of you keep the law.”

The nation was dangerously at risk in the midst of Roman occupation, along His Father’s reputation, by the sheer extent of its sinfulness.

Matthew 23 bears witness.

Ezek profaned amongst the Gentiles

Nor do believers who are fed on oversimplified doctrine and subject to a regîme of selective omission of doctrine, therefore having superficial understanding, know that while to be sure, there’s an application of the phrase “under grace” that gets you saved “without cost” (Is 55:1-5); there is also an application of “under grace” AFTER salvation by grace, that covers our missteps on the narrow path to complete sanctification (1 Thess 5:23), until we’re accounted worthy of final redemption by obedience to righteousness (Rom 6:12-22; 8:23; 1 Jn 2:3-6), to walk with Jesus in white (Lk 20:35; Rev 3:1-6; 19:7-9)

All for lack of comprehension of the meaning of the statement that we’ve “all received fullness and GRACE FOR GRACE” (Jn 1:16).

This oversimplification and superficiality has bred the vanity of pride, expressed in complacency, cynicism and judgmental arrogance, the worst possible combination to keep a heart open to receive balanced instruction for the light of the full counsel to transfigure our souls from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18).

Resentfulness of correction is a suidical attitude ( ).

And so the maxim, ‘The devout Jew knows more about HOLINESS (by studying Torah and despite not knowing the Messiah), than most Christians know about the Holy, Jewish, Torah-championing Messiah Y’shua they profess as Master, by the Name Jesus” gathers weight as time goes by.

Galatians can be profoundly misleading if one is not grounded.

And it would be arrogant for someone to say that, if he or she didn’t know what it means and what it takes to BE grounded.

The renegade cult use of Galatians has been to treat the laws of God shabbily and shamelessly as less than poor cousins of grace, ignorant, no doubt, of the fact that YHVH has “magnified His Command (Word) above even His Name,” for grace to bring the SAVED to full obedience (Ps 138:2; Is 42:21; Matt 5:17-20; Lk 17:10; Heb 12:28).

Yet if you read between the lines, Galatians reminds us that THREE- PART SANCTIFICATION (1 Thess 5:23) is vital to LIVE UP TO both our imputed righteousness AND to the call to holiness (on which “laying hold on eternal life” depends – Rom 6:22; 1 Tim 6:11-14) represented by the THREEFOLD angelic Proclamation of YHVH’s Holiness (Is 6:3), implied in 1 Peter 1:13-17.

“Holy, Holy, Holy.”

It is impossible to match that criterion for purity, without steadily acquiring virtue (absorbing sanctity) by following the precepts which Ps 119 romances, to REMAIN UNDEFILED and safely in “the Way” (Ps 119:1,4,45,63,69,78,93,94,96-105,173; 1 Cor 3:17; 7:19; 11:1,2).

We derive that from Gal 2:17,18; 5:13-26 & 6:7,8 Amplified Bible.

Galatians is not opposed to the PURPOSE of the precepts of righteousness – perfection of the soul for sanctification of the WHOLEHEARTED as the bride (to which Mal 3:16-18 & Matt 25:10-12 both refer).

Who wouldn’t want his soul trained to perfection in righteousness, for Y’shua’s Father and ours to say to us what He said in tribute to David: “I have found…a man after Mine own heart, who shall fulfil ALL MY WILL” (Ps 101; Matt 28:20; Col 1:22,23,28,29; 3:9,10; 4:12; Eph 4:11-14,23,24; 2 Tim 3:14-17).

Galatians excels in strenuously opposing any thought of invoking precepts (circumcision or ANY other in the vast ‘pandect’ [repertoire of precepts] in “the perfect law of liberty”) as the MEANS to obtain “the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God” and thereby, RIGHTSTANDING with God (Ps 119:45; James 1:23-25)

We can all agree on that.

Galatians is mainly a vehement defence of the doctrine of justification by faith, beautifully and powerfully laid out, as the Amplified Bible puts it in its Introduction to Romans, in Paul’s “DIGEST (resume) of the CONTENT of his teaching and preaching based on his experience after his conversion” (Rom 3:21-26; Gal 2:16).

The emphasis on FREE reconciliation to the Father (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:18,19; Col 1:20-23) dominates the Book, giving the impression it whitewashes mention of law, in any aspect and respect.

But more of that, further on.

The church is “the ground and the pillar of the truth” IN REALITY, only if it is “nourished up” by PURE doctrine, as verified by the Torah and the Prophets (Acts 24:14; 1 Tim 3:15).

This is the mark of the high calling of the holy vocation (Eph 4:1), the fulfilment of which we are to “press toward” in order to attain as the prize, the “crown of righteousness” obtained by following after righteousness by striving by the Spirit (labouring to be acceptable offerings) through “masteries” of “the Way,” to walk in the light “to attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Lk 20:21; Rom 15:16-18; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Phil 2:12,13: 3:11-17; 1 Tim 4:6; 6:11-14; 2 Tim 3:10,14-17; 4:3-8).

This example of a grounded Scripture chain is a fundamental statement of fact.

Scripture chains adduced as proof of the truth of interpretations, must themselves be grounded, in order to ground those who independently test them.

Let’s begin with some irrefutable principles, which make misuse of Galatians to discredit and denounce God’s Instruction (generally known as Torah wisdom), leaving multitudes astray, reprehensible.

It is appointed for Scripture to INTERPRET ITSELF itself, if we’ll allow it that function, using the Berean legal test of verification of accuracy of interpretation on the strength of two or three witnesses of Scripture from the Torah and the Prophets, the eternal plumline (Acts 24:14; 2 Cor 13:1,5; 2 Tim 3:14-17)

That infallible safeguard against apostasy is the incalculably valuable legacy of the devout, PRUDENTLY SCEPTICAL Hebrew Bereans (Acts 17:11), whose approach to holding the pulpit to account was commended to us by Paul.

Untested opinion served up as truth, like voiding the Word of God (“making the Word of God of none effect”) by “teaching as (if it were sound) doctrine, the commandments of men,” (Mk 7:6,7,13; Rom 3:31), has no place in the home or in the pulpit.

It contaminates both, and protracts the spiritual drama of defence of intelligent, Spirit-led debate with ourselves and with others, for all to receive a sound education for life as early as possible by not wasting our breath on trivia and speculations.

Every one of our words will be judged (Matt 12:36,37).

We each have the Word upon which to base our conversation and lifestyles, to be light, not peddlars of endless conjecture and the factionalism and strife and dissension it brings.

Doing OUR ‘Berean homework’ is the least God expects if we are do “NOTHING against the truth” (2 Cor 13:8,11).

We are not OF the world.

Drawing from the precedent of our heritage in the house of Jacob (Lk 1:33), our homes and congregations (all of which are “the congregations of the fountain of Jacob” – Ps 68:26), should be citadels of careful learning and above all, love for truth.

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Sincere, patient, persistent waiting on the LORD, asking seeking and knocking, brings clarity by the Spirit (Prov 25:2; Jer 33:3).

Which leads us to the opening string of texts

“For if I build again THE THINGS which I destroyed (sin having been CONDEMNED in the flesh to DESTROY [our tendency to do] the works of the devil – Rom 8:3; 1 Jn 3:8), I make myself a transgressor. For through (submission to the Spirit for sanctification by the holy, just, good, spiritual law) I am ‘dead’ to the law (innocent and above accusation) that I might live (uprightly, FOR the righteousness which I’ve been made) unto God” (Rom 2:13; 3:31; 8:4; 15:16-18; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 2:18,19; 2 Tim 2:5,11; 1 Peter 2:24)

“But (if we REVISIT sin which is unrighteousness/unGodliness, it becomes obvious that) we have NOT SO LEARNED Christ” (Eph 4:20-32; 1 Jn 3:4,7,10,18; 5:2&3,17; 2 Peter 2:22; 2 Jn vs 5&6,9-11)

“If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” YE DO WELL (Lev 19:18b; Matt 22:36-40; Mk 12:28-34; Rom 8:4; James 1:22-25; 2:8-14)

“(James and all the elders) glorified the LORD and said to PAUL, ‘Thou seest brother how many THOUSANDS of Jews there are (NOT the crowd in Rom 10:1-3) who BELIEVE (baptized believers), and they are ALL zealous for the Torah”

This was not a disparaging, cautionary comment, but a high COMMENDATION by the core Apostolic leadership of the original, doctrinally pure first century church (kahal YHVH), of SAVED Jews diligently and righteously pursuing the goal of perfection of holiness for perfection of the soul, by obedience to the faith, under grace, to ensure there names REMAINED forever inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rom 1:5; 15:16-18; 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29;;3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:13-17,22; Heb 12:14,28).

No-one is able to understand Galatians without considering the IMPLICATIONS that light up teachable spirits only when we begin to notice that the Torah, the foundations of the New Covenant amplified by Y’shua-Jesus (Deut 18:18,19; Matt 5-7; 7:24-27; 17:5; Acts 3:23), remains INTACT because the Crucifixion which assures satan’s destruction (Heb 2:14; Rev 20:10), and which provides the ‘new’ Atonement for the remission of sins, is a SUBSTITUTION WITHIN THE TORAH (“Messiah shall bruise thy head,” satan – Gen 3:15) for the ORIGINAL sacrifices for blood atonement for the soul (Lev 17:11; Heb 10:9).

Jesus’ teaching of “the Way” from the Torah, as Master of it (Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14), takes us all the way back to the earliest teachings on righteousness at the beginning of Genesis (Matt 13:52), which were part of “the Way of YHVH” known to righteous Abraham, and which was conveyed to us via Moses, then and via Jesus, for our perfection (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19; 26:5; Matt 5:19,48; Rom 3:31), which is why denial of Shabbat is a capital offence, being the earliest covenant requirement to be framed in Scripture, for all generations (Gen 2:2,3; Ex 31:13-17; Mk 2:27,28; Heb 4:1-11).

There’s no question of abrogation of Torah, or the Crucifixion, rooted in it, would be invalidated.

That makes Rom 3:20,31 and Heb 10:9,16 amongst the most important revelations, maybe the greatest (next to revelation of the identity and Deity of the Messiah) in all Scripture

“…by Torah (which contains the teachings of righteousness) is the KNOWLEDGE of sin (Torahlessness)…Do we then make void the Torah through faith? GOD FORBID (compare 2:17): Yea, we ESTABLISH (the validity and efficacy) of the (the “lawful use” of law to access the wisdom deduced from the precedent) law(s of God)” (Rom 3:20,31; 1 Tim 1:8-11)

“Then said the Messiah, ‘I come to do Thy will, O God. HE taketh away the FIRST (system of sacrifices of ATONEMENT, not all), that He may establish the SECOND (His redemption for repentance and forgiveness through faith in Him and in His Blood of sprinkling, UNTO OBEDIENCE)…I will put My laws into their hearts and in their minds I will write them. I will be to THEM (who co-operate with the Spirit in this process of renewal of the spirit of our minds” (Priv 7:1-3; Acts 5:31,32; Heb 10:9,16) a God, and THEY shall be to me a people” (Ex 19:5,6; Deut 28:1,2,9; 29:12-15; Is 64:5; Mal 3:16-18; Rom 2:6-13).

UNREPENTANT ADVERSARIES of “lawful use of Torah” to line up those in error and unbelief, with the full counsel of the Gospel which defines “the (narrow) Way” to eternal life (Matt 7:13,14; Lk 20:21; 1 Tim 1:8-11), will be “ground” by “the Shepherd and Stone of Israel” (Gen 49:24; Lk 20:17,18), for being COMPLICIT with satan the MURDERER, by not hearing the Son’s REPEATED EMPHASIS on keeping covenant (Matt 12:50; Jn 5:24,28,29; 8:51,52; 14:15,21-24; 15:3-15).

For the sake of accuracy, there’s a principle in the widely used ‘rule of UNITY’ (one of eight rules of legal or Scripture interpretation to ensure the unity of the faith) that proves that Galatians is a jewel in YHVH’s exposure of the anti-Christ anti-Torah (‘anti-nomian’) spirit which is rampant in the church.

The principle is expressed as follows: “It is fundamental to a true interpretation of the Scriptures, that the PARTS of a document or covenant are to be construed with reference to the significance of the ENTIRETY (of the caseload of relevant information) (or Bible in the case of Biblical exegesis)” (Dean Abbot, Interpretation, pg. 31).

“Several documents (or Bible Books) which form part of a single whole are to be read AS ONE, so that the preferred construction (we place on them) is the interpretation which provides an understanding which will render them CONSISTENT (and therefore uphold and safeguard their unity)” (Interpretation of documents, Sir Roland Burrows, pg. 49, Butterworth & Co. London, 1946).

“To them, who by patient CONTINUANCE in well-doing (rejoicing in working righteousness, earnestly remembering You in Your ways) seek glory and honour and immortality, (belongs) eternal life…for not HEARERS of the law are just before God, but the DOERS of the law shall be justified…Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision (Is 64:5; Acts 10:35; Rom 2:6,13-15,25,26; 8:3,4; James 1:22-25; 2:8-26).

Our justification by FAITH, by sanctification by the Blood, is “CONFIRMED to the end” (1 Cor 1:8) by FAITHFULNESS (Hab 2:4; Heb 10:39; James 2:14-26).

That proves that there is no contradiction between James and Paul.

“YHVH He is with you while ye are with Him” by abiding in the Vine through the commandments (2 Chr 15:2; Jn 15:1-15; 1 Jn 2:3-6).

YHVH manifested Himself in the form of a Son to teach us “the (good) Way,” to walk in IT (2 Chr 6:18,27; Is 7:13,14; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14; 2 Cor 6:16).

As it is written (Deut 7:9-15; 1 Kings 8:23,32; Rom 15:16-18) :

“Justifying THE RIGHTEOUS, to give HIM according to his RIGHTEOUSNESS (in word and deed)”

YHVH was a “Shield and exceeding great reward” to RIGHTEOUS Abraham BECAUSE he showed his righteousness by walking before Him in “the Way of YHVH,” to be perfect, as we are called to be (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19; 26:5; Matt 5:19,48).

If that excerpt from Romans 2:6-26 (in which UPFRONT in Romans, Paul establishes the validity of law under the New Covenant) bears no resemblance to the gleeful denunciation we’re so accustomed to, of Sinai and the marriage covenant to which Israel HAS BOUND EVEN US (Deut 29:12-15) by their unanimous pledge of obedience in Ex 19:5-8 and 24:7,8 as the eternal church of the House of Jacob (Acts 7:38; Lk 1:33; Rom 11), and into which Galatians has been weaponized, is because Romans is less challenging to understand and therefore not quite as susceptible to unscrupulous corruption (2 Peter 3:16-18).

“Of Law there can be no less acknowledged, than that her seat is the bosom of God; her voice the harmony of the world; all things in heaven and earth do her homage, the very least as feeling her care, and the greatest as not exempt from her power” – Hooker, Ecclesiastical Polity, book i.

“Where law ends; tyranny begins” Pitt, speech, Jan. 9, 1770 (Case of Wilkes)

Law ENDING altogether, would be one step worse than our ‘flesh weakening the law,’ law REMAINING (Rom 8:3).

Yet even in the latter case, the remedy – Jesus “condemning sin in the flesh” (subdueing, overcoming and depriving it of its power) by taking on sinful flesh as an offering for sin through Crucifixion, Burial and Resurrection which baptismal adoption and circumcision of the heart symbolizes, has not been deemed grounds for RETIRING and RESCINDING the laws of the Kingdom just because through baptism the resurrection power to make us perfect is now with us in the indwelling Person of the Spirit of Holiness (Jn 1:12; Rom 1:4).

Pentecost’s chief purpose is remembrance of the fact that the Spirit is with us BECAUSE justice cannot be done to God’s laws without our walking in and after the Spirit, to be a true witness (Matt 28:20).

“There is now no condemnation” only for those who do so, for only THEY will remain forever in Christ (Rom 8:1-4,6-14; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17).

Paul is consistent in placing obedience to law in the right context, as you’ll see in Rom 3:31 & Gal 2:17.

Gal 2:17 is the reason for Rom 3:31.

Salvation by faith is not a licence to break faith by being a law-breaker, which is covenant-denial.

If we oppose the knowledge of the very laws written to help keep us safe by showing us the narrow path, we’ll inevitably rebuild (the record of wrongs which) we tore down” in an instant, when we were “made the righteousness of Christ in God” to LIVE UP to its moral and ethical standards, as proof of living for Him (2 Cor 5:15,21; Gal 2:18).

Being dead to the law by sharing Y’shua’s Crucifixion (Gal 2:19,20) means walking in innocence in the Spirit, beyond reproach by God and condemnation by the law as a transgressor, thereby vindicating the faith of God by which righteousness was imputed to us through free justification.

Galatians 3:3 (“…are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the FLESH”) acknowledges that the purpose of walking in the Spirit ONCE SAVED APART FROM WORKS, to attain perfection, is NOT to rely on the law as a digest of wrongs and set of ‘demands,’ but on the leading of the Spirit, to internalize law (which is good) within our hearts to sensibly INCLINE us to willingly and gratefully obey it, as He must have done for Abraham who was the first, to our knowledge, to be asked to “walk before Me and be perfect” (Gen 17:1; 18:18,19; 26:5; Rom 8:6,7,14; Gal 3:3-9; Heb 8:8-13; James 2:21-26), because Galatians cannot contradict the rest of the Canon.

RIGHTEOUS Abraham, Isaac and Jacob prepared themselves to be worthy to be included in the bride, by keeping Torah, to walk uprightly, by faith, by the Spirit (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5; Matt 8:11,12).

The gift of the righteousness of God must lead us to the law, the benchmark of Godly character and therefore uprightness before God (Rom 3:20), or we’ve been hoodwinked.

If sincere, Salvation by grace has a heliotropic effect on the heart through the renewal of the spirit of our minds – baptism in the Spirit ‘turns us towards the source of light’ to BE obedient, as “children of the light”

Gal 3:10,11 goes on to remind us that seeking salvation by works, thereby DEPENDING on the law for justification by OBEDIENCE, is futile and indeed, cursed.

Christ purchased our freedom from the curse by Ransoming and reconciling us to put us in rightstanding with the Father by and through faith through the Blood of His Cross, to set us apart to learn the covenant to master the law (as ‘masters of return’ to God, or ba’alim t’shuvah’) under grace, by the Spirit (not under the law per se as a trainer/schoolmaster), to be as BLAMELESS as He (Phil 2:15; Gal 1:21; 2:16; 3:23,24; Col 1:20-23; 2 Tim 2:5,11; Heb 7:26).

The function of law is to DEFINE transgression to expose men to the CAUSE of guilt and shame; refine the perceptiveness of our CONSCIENCE to make us more conscious of the grossness of sinfulness; and by studying the precepts given to teach us how to walk undefiled, to help guide life’s decisions to shape a virtuous legacy (Ps 119:1,45; Is 28:9-13; Gal 3:19; Rom 3:20).

Torah (the Word of Instruction) which IS GOD Who is Wisdom (Matt 5:19; Rom 3:31), is ETERNAL because it is indispensable even after satan’s destruction (because not all temptation is of the devil – James 1:14); whereas Satan is the father of Torah-lessness, as father of lies.

That’s a truism that describes the fatal choice facing us all (Deut 30:10-20).

The legal question that towers over all others, is the decision (to abide in the Vine, or not to abide) which determines whether we’ll make final redemption in the final cut, ‘abiding’ meaning walking the narrow path for the righteousness of the law to be fulfilled in us (Matt 7:13-27; 25:10-12; Lk 20:35; Jn 15:3-14; Rom 8:4,23).

Laws must remain, for that choice (to void or not to void Torah to differentiate foolish from wise virgins), to be possible.

Paul knew that the Torah was not just written on PARCHMENTS, a copy of which he owned, continually consulted and specially treasured (2 Tim 4:13), but is to be engraved on a yielded soul, or we CANNOT be “MANIFESTLY DECLARED to be the epistle/letter of Christ ministered by the Apostles,” who weren’t Torahless (Prov 7:1-3; 2 Cor 3:2,3; Heb 8:8-12; 10:16).

This is the beating heart of pure Christianity which has been ripped out by ill-taught, malevolent dissenters.

The body of Instruction known as Torah is the heritage of ALL who profess faith in the God of Jacob (Deut 33:2,4; Lk 1:33; Rom 3:31; James 1:22-25).

Reading of Torah (‘keriat HaTorah’), as Paul instructed Timothy to do as a matter of course, for the teaching of pure doctrine (1 Tim 4:1,12-16; 2 Tim 3:10,14-17), symbolically affirms the Torah through the New Covenant, as the written constitution of the House of Jacob, as a nation with Divinely delimited, holy borders, forever (Gen 15:7-21; Ps 105:8-11; Amos 9:11-15; Jer 31:31-36; Ezek 47:13-23; Mal 1:5; Acts 15:14-17; Rom 15:8), under the Sovereignty of the LRD-GD YHVH, summoned to demonstrate the beauty of the holiness of the Divine Nature and ways, by translating its ideals into life (Deut 4:5-8; 11:18-21; 32:47).

So the most popular understanding of Galatians for generations (that the New Covenant trumps law) is rebutted by what the rules of logic describe as ‘reductio ad absurdam,’ the proof of the falsity of a premiss by showing that the logical consequence is absurd – wildly unreasonable and therefore ridiculous, as our above examples have already done.

The facts argue their own rebuttal.

Any objective, scholarly analysis of Galatians, which assumes strength of comprehension through intimate knowledge of the full counsel, proves that DENIAL of the rôle of law in purging, purifying and sanctifying a convert, is SELF-CONTRADICTORY.

“DELIGHT in the LAW” for sanctification by the truth to attain the unity of “the faith” (Ps 1; 19:7-13; 40:7,8; Rom 7:22,25; 1 Cor 7:19; 11:1,2; Eph 4:12-14; Jn 17:17,19; 1 Thess 4:1-3a; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13-15; Heb 2:11), which is the cause whereby Y’shua will not be ashamed to call the FAITHFUL brothers, is TRUE BY DEFINITION of a “true worshipper”/true son(Jn 4:23,24; Heb 5:9; 10:26-39; 12:1-4,8,14,28,29).

So to begin to understand Galatians, we must differentiate between 1) the Torah given to Moses by the Spirit of Y’shua (Is 63:11-14; 1 Cor 10:1-4; Jn 5:46,47), and the heterodox system of Rabbinical Judaism which has turned the Hebrew Bible into legalism; and 2) between the rites of justification by faith for adoption by grace (Mk 16:16; Rom 10:9-13), and the PROVING of maturity of candidates for the spotlessness and holiness of the bride, by their rigorous sanctification by refinement by often fiery trials of the heart, to test ADHERENCE to the covenant, for “THIS is the true grace of God” (1 Peter 1:2-9; 4:12-18; 5:6-12), namely, the grace which is the Holy Spirit’s HELP to bring us through as gold and silver is purged and purified, as overcomers (Phil 2:12,13; 2 Thess 2:13,14; Rev 2:5; 3:1-6,16; 14:6,7,12).

Paul knew full well that the Torah (and the Prophets) are the foundations of the New Covenant, foundations which he endorsed in Acts 24:5,14 as the basis of the Berean test (Acts 17:11; 2 Cor 13:1,5) AND in his own defence against Felix; and to which Y’shua pointedly refers, as the “rock” (petra, fem.) of Wisdom, in Matt 7:24-27.

Moreover, even the Introduction to Romans in the Amplified Bible acknowledges Paul’s tight bond with Torah as essential counsel for interpretation of the New Covenant, in this statement: “Paul’s knowledge of the Old Testament (Tanakh) is EXTENSIVELY reflected by QUOTATION (like Y’shua Himself) and VOCABULARY in support of his themes.” Which is why “The DOCTRINAL elaboration (which so much of the church has betrayed by not following the instruction to be steeped in study of Torah) is developed in an orderly and convincing manner.”

So if Galatians is the ABROGATION of law, or exemption or even indemnity from law, a resurrection to life and immortality (which is based on the righteousness of one’s salvation worked out as proof of innocence – Phil 2:12,13) becomes an IMPOSSIBILITY (Jn 5:24,28,29).

So let’s examine the facts that make Galatians a powerful vindication of both “the first and great Commandment” (Matt 22:36-38) AND the Royal Law (Lev 19:18; Matt 22:39; Gal 5:14; James 2:8-14) through the call to sow to the Spirit by walking and living in the Spirit in the PRECEPTS of God, to reap eternal life (Gal 5:14-26; 6:8).

As the Amplified Bible insightly states, thereby acknowledging and honouring the context which is all about lawful/righteous and unlawful/unrighteous conduct

“Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His PRECEPTS BEING SET ASIDE. For whatever a man sows, that and that only he will reap…he who sows to the flesh will reap decay, ruin and destruction; he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal 6:7-9)

The purpose of faith, once we’ve been saved by grace through faith, is to have faith to believe we “…have grace” to serve God acceptably (Heb 12:28 KJV) to So perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect,” by “remembering Him in His ways” to do “all the will of God,” or we risk “failing the grace” available to walk in the light, to be holy (Is 64:5; Matt 5:48; 12:50; 28:20; Col 1:22,23,28; 4:12b; Heb 12:14,15).

It’s about THIS, our high call to the vocation of holiness (Eph 4:1) by hearing and heeding “all the counsel of God” with comprehensive insight into the ways of God, to be “perfect and complete,” that Paul was warning the churches “night and day with tears” in Acts 20:25-32, as Col 1:28,29; 4:12 confirms.

Rom 1:17,18 summarizes this two part rôle of grace and faith in the salvation process of sanctification, as follows in the helpful Amplified Bible rendering, with part one & two added in brackets to pinpoint the distinction:

“For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ASCRIBES is revealed, both springing FROM faith (part one) AND leading TO faith (part two). As it is written: the man who THROUGH faith (alone) is just and upright shall live, and shall live by ’emunah’ (Hab 2:4 – where emunah is a compound of faith & faithfulness).”

That ’emunah’ must produce abundant fruit of “obedience to righteousness” as fruit WORTHY OF REPENTANCE (as proof of sanctification through the efficacy of our adoption through our baptism of repentance for the remission of sins – Acts 26:18,20; Rom 6:1-22), or our salvation by faith is worthless, because as James reiterates in his chapter 2:14-26, faith alone cannot save us. Faith without actions concordant with faith confession, is dead. Obedience to righteousness is obedience to the commandments because sin is lawlessness (1 Cor 7:19b; 1 Jn 3:3-10)

This is vital knowledge, given what we’re told in the next verse (Rom 1:18)

“For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all unGodliness and unrighteousness of men (i.e. breach/voiding of Torah/Instruction – Rom 3:31), who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative.”

So part two of our application of faith is to prove faithful to “the faith” in “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; 16:26) through sanctification by the Spirit to become “offerings acceptable to God in word and deed” (Rom 15:16-18) by acquiring “the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20,31; 1 Tim 1:8-11) in order to keep covenant by walking as Y’shua-Jesus did in His Father’s commandments, to avoid unGodliness, or we claim to know Him, in vain (Matt 12:50; Jn 12:47-50; 14:15,21-24; 15:3-14; 1 Cor 15:34; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29).

The LORD explains this in Jn 15:3-14 as OUR responsibility to REMAIN CLEAN (i.e. keep ourselves in His love by maintaining our restored original innocence) once washed by the Word of faith and cleansed by the Blood (Jn 15:3), by learning righteousness (Is 28:9-13; Heb 5:11-14) to avoid being DEFILED AGAIN by not BEING righteous, by neglecting to do the commandments to fulfil the love command (Mk 12:28-34; 1 Cor 15:34; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29; 3:3-10).

Common sense, really!

Galatians concerns itself mainly with reiterating the fact that justification by faith is entirely UNCONDITIONAL.

That includes circumcision, which is singled out of the covenant for special mention, though is no more or less relevant than any other precept, none of which can be a factor in our reconciliation by the Blood of the Cross, which is entirely by grace.

Bear in mind though that eighth day circumcision (referred to in 1 Cor 7:18a) is an everlasting covenant (Gen 17: ) endorsed by James and the elders (Acts 21:17-21) and which is therefore not affected by Paul’s seemingly adverse comment in 1 Cor 7:19a, which is qualified in Rom 2:25,26 & 3:1,2 and elsewhere.

As the quotation at the head of this document makes abundanty clear, being “wholly sanctified, spirit, soul and body” is conditional on covenant obedience (Deut 30:10,11; Is 56:6; 2 Jn vs 5&6)

What most of us miss, is the fact that in Gal 5:2 Paul is not referring to eighth day ‘bris milah,’ which because it is an everlasting covenant requirement is irrelevant to the discussion in Galatians because of the cognitive incompetence of the infant to meet the test of repentance. Which means it cannot be ‘a salvation issue.’

Not one of the many warnings AGAINST being circumcised to be justified, has anything to do with THE REDEEMED learning righteousness to fulfil the command to practise and establish Torah, for their lives to become more and more congruent with the perfect will of God (Matt 5:19; 6:9,10; Rom 3:31; 12:1,2), to be conformed to the image of Messiah by their lives being “ordered in every part,” to MATCH the Divine order of “the everlasting covenant” (2 Sam 7:23; Ps 101; Lk 17:10; Acts 21:20; Rom 8:4,29; Heb 2:1-3; 13:20,21).

Galatians is not law’s GALLOWS and EXECUTIONER.

It is law’s CHAMPION, because as we gain “the knowledge of sin” and learn the precepts of “the Way” which Jesus demonstrated under grace, such as the list of unrighteous behaviours in Gal 5:19-23, our decision to “live in the Spirit” in obedience to “the wisdom of the just” (Lk 1:17) is enshrined by the New Covenant as the means to the purification of our souls for the perfection of our sanctification, in Christ (Acts 20:25-32; Rom 15:16-18; 1 Thess 4:1-3a; 5:23; 2 Thess 5:23; Heb 12:28; 1 Jn 3:3,4,7).

Rom 10 and Heb 4:1,2 and 8:8 prove that the fault lay with the Israelites pursuing rightstanding with God by works rather than by faith, and that the Sinai Covenant is not the villain.

Stigmatization of the first Shavuo’t at Sinai by misconstrueing Galatians has blinded the church to the realization that the Holy Spirit was given on Shavuo’t (Pentecost) in Jerusalem, to enable consummation of the practice of the laws/ways of God taught at Sinai (Ex 19:5-8; Matt 5:19,48), to produce a spotless and holy bride whose witness to salvation and faithfulness to keep covenant meets the test of Is 56:6 & Matt 28:20, by the commandments being written on teachable hearts (2 Cor 3:2,3; Heb 8:8-12; 10:16).

There’s no way that the New Covenant has DOWNGRADED the commandmenT to keep the commandmentS, that His will be done (Deut 30:20,11; Matt 6:9,10; 2 Jn vs 5&6).

After all, Galatians was written by the man who wrote what is written in Romans 3:31 and 7:7,12,22,25 to confirm what His Saviour taught in Matt 5:19; Jn 14:15; 15:10.

Galatians cannot contradict their testimony:

Here is what Paul stands for:

Read Rom 3:31.

It’s only those who for generations have been married to the absurd notion that law is BAD, who’ve made Galatians their marching banner for a shamelessly conceited campaign which treats grace as its REPLACEMENT.

Is 51:1-7; Ps 37 and Acts 10:35 make that swagger ridiculous.

To show up the error of this wild assumption, consider Paul’s two statements, 1 Cor 7:19 and Gal 5:6, back to back:

The circumcision issue pales before the importance of keeping covenant (1 Jn 2:3-6; 2 Jn vs 5&6; 1 Jn 5:2&3)

Imputed righteousness is
passive.

Our righteousness has to be SEEN to be credible to God (Gen 7:1), or our being heirs of the world as the righteousness of God which is by faith, will be declared NULL AND VOID (Matt 7:21-23; 25:10-12), because we haven’t “seen” the Son if we’re not walking as He walked (1 Jn 2:6), in the righteousness of the commandments, to BE righteous as He is righteous (Jn 6:40; 1 Jn 3:3,7,9).

Because UNrighteousness is lawlessness (breach of Torah), it is impossible to BE righteous in word and deed except by being “taught out of the law” (Job 22:22; Rom 3:20,31; 1 Tim 1:8-11; 1 Jn 3:3-7), to have the DISCERNMENT to “approve the things that are more excellent,” in order to progress to perfection, by becoming “dead with Messiah” “to the law,” by “walking after the Spirit” in the paths of righteousness which the precepts represent (Rom 2:13, 6; 8:1-4; Phil 1:9-11; 2 Tim 2:5,11).

Salvation is ultimately for the CONSISTENTLY righteous (Ps 106:3), not for those who are righteous in theory (passive) and not in practice (active) (James 1:22-25; 2:7-26).

The maxim ‘practice makes perfect’ couldn’t be more applicable than to the task of making righteousness VISIBLE to God (Gen 7:1; Ps 37: 29,31,37-39; Col 1:28; 4:12; Heb 5:11-14; 6:1-11; 1 Jn 2:29; 3:7).

By the grace of God, those who’ve ever tarred COVENANT-KEEPERS with the same brush as first century Judaizers, will repent and save themselves untold grief by pouring themselves into learning the covenant (1 Cor 15:34), to walk to freedom by seeking YHVH’s precepts, to avoid the defilement which will otherwise condemn them to the second Resurrection and the lake of fire (Ps 119:1,45; Jn 8:31,32,36,51,52; 1 Cor 3:17).

Bearing in mind that the ministry of the spirit of Elijah IN John the Baptist (who was greater than Elijah, as Jesus is greater than Moses) was prophesied in both Isaiah and in Malachi’s reference to Elijah as “the messenger OF the Messenger of the (new) covenant” (Mal 3:1), if we go on using Galatians to contradict, stigmatize and curse the REDEEMED whose zeal for Torah wisdom was heartily APPROVED by Jesus’ brother James (leader of the church at the time) and the elders (Acts 21:20-24), we will both dilute and obstruct the command: “Prepare ye the way of the LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT” (i.e. preach the baptism of repentance for VOIDING TORAH and “going OUT of the Way (of righteousness)” (Ps 23:3; Is 40:3; Mal 3:1; Matt 3:3; 11:7-11; Rom 3:12,31).

Which is why both John and Jesus continually provided Torah-based answers to the heart-convicted multitudes’ cry: “WHAT should we DO” (Lk 3:10,14).

Galatians provides one glimpse of the answer in Gal 5&6.

This is why Malachi concludes in chapter 4 (chapters 2-4 are undoubtedly Messianic prophecy) with “Remember the (corpus/body of) Instruction (Torah) of Moses” (the foundations of the New Covenant which serve to help bring us to full repentance) so that the Spirit can fulfil the mandate of the spirit of Elijah, “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers (a metaphor for families in harmony with “the paths of righteousness” which produce holiness), lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (2 Chr 7:14; Mal 4:4,6; Matt 5:19; Jn 5:45-47; Rom 6:12-22; 3:31; 1 Jn 3:3-10).

According to the pattern of the Passover and the first Shavuo’t (original ‘Pentecost), which brought Israel from salvation-deliverance to unanimous acceptance of the marriage covenant, in the words “ALL that the LORD hath spoken we will do, AND BE OBEDIENT” (Ex 19:5,6; 24:7,8)

So the question: “What must I/WE do to be saved (from our sins)” (repent and believe in the sprinkled Blood and Resurrection of “Christ OUR Passover,” confessing Him as Master through baptism of repentance, into His Name) (Acts 16:30-34; Rom 6:1-6; Col 2:10-12; 1 Cor 5:7,8; 1 Peter 1:2), must be followed immediately by “What should WE DO (to be HOLY(” (Heb 12:14; 1 Peter 1:13-17) and therefore be “accounted WORTHY” of the crown of righteousness to escape the second death by ENTERING the inheritance of eternal life (Mal 3:16-18; Matt 8:11,12; 7:21-23; 25:10-12; Lk 17:10; 20:35; 21:36; 2 Peter 1:1-11; Rev 20:6).

By HEARING, LISTENING (Matt 17:5; Mk 12:28-34; Jn 5:24; 8:51,52; Acts 3:23) and ACKNOWLEDGING, AS BINDING, the FULL answer to the SECOND question, is how we are come into agreement with that first act of corporate submission to God at Sinai (which CONSTITUTED the house of Jacob into which WE’VE been adopted through baptism – Rom 11) which ANTICIPATED OUR CONFIRMATION, as co-heirs, of Israel’s acceptance of their One and only God’s Sovereignty and His holy ways – Deut 4:5-8,36; 7:9-15; 29:12-15; Is 35:8; Matt 28:20; Lk 10:25-28).

If we avoid this essential step of faith needed for the practise of “obedience to the faith” (Rom 1:5; 15:16-18; 16:26), Scripture warns us that through seduction by false doctrine (1 Tim 4:1,16; 2 Tim 4:3,4; 2 Jn vs 5&6,9-11; Rev 18:4,5) we’ll inevitably find ourselves “at enmity against God” for forsaking teachings of the law of the Spirit of life (Torah renewed/amplified and ministered in all righteousness by the Holy Spirit – Matt 5-7; 12:50), and will be at loggerheads with the Godhead (Rom 8:6,7; Heb 3:1-3).

If we keep the following master-paradigm in mind, we’ll be cured of ignorance of Galatians:

Obtaining the righteousness of God by grace through justification by faith-confession and baptism (Mk 16:16; Jn 3:16; Rom 10:8-13), FREELY ENTERS US INTO THE RACE.

Those who then choose life and blessing by running their race conscientiously according to the precepts of righteousness (following after righteousness) in order to cleave to God in the love and awe of God (Deut 30:10-20; 1 Cor 9:24-27; 1 Tim 6:11-14; 2 Tim 2:5; Rev 12:17; 14:6,7,12), will win the prize of the crown of righteousness and the crown of life, by bring holy and blameless (Matt 7:13-27; 1 Cor 7:19; Eph 1:4,5: 2 Peter 3:9-18; 2 Tim 4:3-8; James 1&2).

If WE can’t ALSO say, “ALL that the LORD hath spoken, we will do AND BE OBEDIENT,” to passages like Matt 28:20; Rom 3:31 & Col 1:22-24,28,29; 4:12, in order to invite the Holy Spirit to purge, purify and steadily sanctify us through the commandments (Phil 2:12,13; 1 Thess 4:1-3a; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13-15; Heb 13:20,21), for us to be “presented perfect in Christ Jesus,” “standing perfect and complete in all the will of God (even if we inch our way to perfection, “here a little, there a little” – Is 29:9-13), we will not have loved and protected truth and righteousness and the beauty of holiness enough (Ps 40:7,8; 45:7; Rom 6:19,22; Heb 1:9; 12:14), having neither loved nor known the Messiah (Jn 14:15,23; 1 Jn 2:3-6), and Galatians will have been WASTED ON US.

Let God be true and every man a liar.