Falling Away

A sad falling away that has probably been going on for years, but wasn't so noticeable before the advent of social media.  A group of folk are migrating out of the church in "righteous indignation" only to be going nowhere . . . else.  It's as if there is a new group of Christians who have gone rogue.  Most of these folks bill themselves as preachers and teachers, but following their posts and comments, the lifestyle is hard to identify.  They have apparently convinced themselves that they know too much Scripture to go along with the church, but they carry their religious tradition of picking and choosing when it comes to their new "independent walk."

Many claim to have left the church over the error of Constantine and the commingling of the Gospel with the pagan traditions of Roman and Greek mythology.  It's been heart wrenching to see and hear folks very sincere in their stand against Sunday worship or Christmas and Easter, while they fail to embrace and observe Sabbath, Passover, and the rest of the Holy Days of YHWH.  Messiah never called anyone to preach against what they don't believe, He called His chosen ones to follow Him.  That means we're supposed to do what He did, which is live by The Word, and The only Word written at the time He walked this earth, was the Hebrew Scriptures a.k.a. Old Testament.

Although the Talmud has complicated things for Judaism, the simple Torah in Hebrew Scriptures is pretty direct and straight across the board for all with eyes to see and ears to hear.  Messiah gave us the example of what it is to live by the Instructions and He called us to do it with a good attitude.   Judging others and then doing our own thing is not following Him, nor is it living in humble service bringing glory to our Heavenly Father.  Here are two simple "givens."  Judaism without Messiah is incomplete and Christianity without Torah has no foundation.  The absence of a foundation is spiritually dangerous when Christians take it upon themselves to leave the commingling of church ritual, but do not embrace obedience to Torah.

The sad fact of the matter is, what Paul warned about in his writings about the last days.  There would be a falling away, the rise of lawlessness, and a strong delusion because people choose to believe a lie.  Messiah is the perfect sin sacrifice.  Unlike the blood of bulls and rams that only "covered" sin, His perfect blood washes away sin.  Messiah was also the perfect example of what it is to live, pleasing to YHWH, and that is to follow the Commandments of YHWH.  We cannot disregard the commandments of YHWH and still be following Messiah!  It is impossible.  The Holy Spirit absolutely does not lead one, anyone, away from The Word.  The Word of YHWH stands forever.

I realize our society is on the fast track away from YHWH, but the church has been teaching against the Word for years, while excusing work on Sabbath.  In the man-made confusion of Sabbath being transferred to Sunday, the excuse and moving away from holiness on the first day of the week was done by the church, not society!  Now there are many claiming to be preachers and teachers who literally avoid the church on Sunday in their own self described "holiness," yet work and buy and sell on Sabbath.  They have erred in the faith.

When Paul warned of the "falling away" and Messiah's parable of the foolish virgins, we have chosen to overlook something . . . The foolish virgins knew enough to watch and wait, they were simply unprepared.  As for Paul's words, one cannot fall away unless one had once stood.

If you have a Bible and can read, here is a simple truth.  The Temple is not standing, so all instruction regarding the Temple does not apply to you at this time.  When Messiah said the end of days would be "as in the days of Noah," He was referring to the disregard of YaH and the rampant evil . . . The world wide flood was a one time deal, so do not build an ark, but prepare for the Second Coming of Messiah.  As for the rest of Scripture, obedience to The Word is two fold.  It is the way we show our love to YHWH and it is how we follow Messiah.  Many of us are without flesh and blood fellowship at this time, but to remain true to Messiah, we must obey The Word.  Sunday is not Sabbath, but to disregard Sunday worship while working on Sabbath is what many Americans are doing, without calling themselves teachers or preachers.

In Modern Times

What if Paul or John the Baptist were alive today, doing what they did 2000 years ago?  What do today's prophets and apostles look like and sound like?  Does it seem Pastors and Teachers/Rabbis are as abundant as Evangelists were in the previous generation of America?  I mean where would Christian television have been without televangelists?  We have an abundance of internet Teachers, and a generation of "Pastors" between the evangelists and teachers.  It seems there has been much name dropping or title claiming of the five fold ministry, but there's been so little power with minimal to no repentance.  The believers don't seem to be fairing any better in society than the unbelievers.  Why is this?  What are we missing?  In my search for The Way, The Truth and The Life, I've come across the information that we simply have a preconceived plan to protect our traditions and often truth just will not fit in that picture.

Paul's writings are generally interpreted or have been interpreted to render Torah, null and void.  There are many modern preachers teaching that very thing, but why?  If 137 pages of a 2000 page book render the rest of the book obsolete, why claim to believe any of it?  And even more thought provoking.  If the author of the 137 pages has defined and set the standard for nearly 2000 years, just what it is to please a Deity that changed His mind?  Who are we really serving?  How can we possibly know He won't change His mind again?

We also have to consider Paul's original claim of authority, after Messiah said, don't follow those who would claim to see Him in various places . . . So, Paul is on the road to Damascus, gets knocked off his donkey, sees a bright light and hears a voice . . . No doubt, this account would be readily received by the thinking crowd of today, am I right?  If the modern day Christians are correct in their interpretation of his letters, and he did teach against Torah, then by definition in Deuteronomy, that would make him a false apostle.  I do not believe Paul is a fake.  I believe folks have misinterpreted his writings, and he never intended to present Torah to be obsolete, but rather make obedience a matter of the heart, rather than outward appearance.  All of his references to Messiah . . . following Messiah is to walk as He walked, live as He lived and that is obedience to Torah.

John the Baptist would more than likely be grouped with any number of preppers or modern wanna be cult leaders.  I mean, I've been called some pretty horrendous names, myself; and I'm relatively obscure.  Fortunately for John, he did have the support of his family.  His parents may have been deceased by then, but there is documentation that he had full support from his cousin, who is Y'hshuwah Messiah.  In all likelihood, just as is recorded, the "vipers" would be gathering to offer their judgment, but . . . he wouldn't align himself with such religiosity and hatred.  John the Baptist would tell it like it is, regardless of where he was.  He'd speak just as boldly at his family gatherings as he would on social media.

Throughout Scripture we see that those who received a message from YHWH often found themselves "detained," imprisoned, or completely shunned by society.  Joseph was thrown in a well, then later, in prison.  Jezebel hated Elijah.  Obadiah hid prophets in caves.  Jeremiah was thrown into a well, then a dungeon.  The three Hebrew boys were cast into the fiery furnace, and Daniel into the lion's den.  We know John the Baptist was imprisoned for telling Herod the truth about his adulterous relationship.  

It could be comedienne Joy Behar gave a truthful reason, although wrapped in mockery, as to the way our society would deal with a modern Paul or John the Baptist.
I have a theory that you can't find any saints anymore because of psychotropic medication. I think that [in] the old days, the saints were hearing voices and they didn't have any Thorazine to calm them down. Now that we have all of this medication available to us, you can't find a saint anymore.

Be ready, saints, they will call us crazy!