What does 1 Corinthians 15:29 mean?

WHAT DOES 1 CORINTHIANS 15:29 MEAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” This is probably the most mysterious verse in all of the Pauline epistles—yea, in all the Bible. I doubt there is a person on earth who could fully explain it. This is partly because religion has done a very thorough job in making it extremely complicated by offering their various, and sometimes foolish, guesses as to what it means. Yet, we can use the context to shed much light on this verse. Brethren, to the Scriptures we go to be illuminated!

Some groups—Mormons, for instance—use 1 Corinthians 15:29 to teach that we should water baptize for the dead. (Hence, that organization is well known for keeping the most systematic genealogical records in the world.) The technical terms for this teaching are “baptism by proxy” and “baptism in abstentia.” That is, one individual being water baptized in the place of a dead person—especially a “non-churched” blood relative—in hopes of getting the deceased into heaven. Years ago, one local Roman Catholic priest slyly attempted to use the verse to say “early Christians” practiced it as some type of cleansing for the afterlife. He twisted the verse all out of shape just to advance his church’s (fabricated) tenet of “purgatory.” We will come right out and say it. Although this “baptism by proxy” or “baptism in abstentia” can be traced back to the second century A.D., these doctrines are flat-out heresies and completely false. They certainly are not the meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:29. The earliest Christians never practiced “baptism by proxy” and “baptism in abstentia” because the Bible never commands it! Furthermore, you would have to be blind and desperate to make 1 Corinthians 15:29 teach the notion that a judgmental fire cleanses souls in the afterlife before they reach heaven!

Others claim the verse refers to people who were water baptized because of the testimony of those who had died. A “scholar” writes, “A reasonable view seems to be… living believers who give outward testimony to their faith in baptism by water because they were first drawn to Christ by the exemplary lives, faithful influence, and witness of believers who had subsequently died.” Another explanation of the verse is that new converts in the church were water baptized to take the place of members who had died. These two interpretations are also useless. They too are spoken by denominational people advancing their churches’ traditions by forcing water baptism into this the Dispensation of Grace (Ephesians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1 Corinthians 1:17)!

With these opening thoughts divulged, we proceed to determine exactly what the Apostle Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 15:29. Firstly, the context cannot aid us in defining that term “baptized for the dead.” We have no idea what “baptism” this is—and even those people who enjoy using 1 Corinthians 15:29 to prove their denomination right, they have no idea what the verse is saying. The Corinthians were once pagan (1 Corinthians 12:2). Pagan religions have their water rituals and rites. Whatever “baptism” that is in 1 Corinthians 15:29, it was something the Corinthians knew (from the time when they were lost). Remember that the same pagans who baptize for the dead today existed then in Paul’s day, so Paul may be referring to that. (?)

Secondly, if we look at the verse, we see, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead” and “why are they then baptized for the dead?” Because Paul uses the pronoun “they,” we know he does not associate himself with this baptism (he would have used “we”) and we know that the Christians at Corinth are not related to that baptism (he would have used “you” or “us”). The word “they” indicates that no member of the Body of Christ was performing this baptism of 1 Corinthians 15:29—this was not something for Christians. Despite what religion says today, 1 Corinthians 15:29 was not describing a Christian practice. The verse involves a third party—it was not Paul (writer) and it was not the Corinthians (audience). That fact rules out Christians from the verse entirely. End of story.

Thirdly, if you come across people who want to discuss 1 Corinthians 15:29, point out to them that Paul never condoned whatever “baptism” it was, and we are never commanded to administer it. The expression “baptism for the dead” appears nowhere else in Scripture, which makes it more mysterious. What we know is that Paul was simply making a point, not giving a command to the Corinthians (or to us). If it were such a big deal, something that we ought to believe and practice, Paul would have repeated it in other epistles. He would have given instruction on how to do it instead of making a single, vague reference to it. The Holy Spirit would have provided have been more details had it been worth discussing and practicing. There are no such details so we have no reason to get involved in it. (But, of course, people looking to advance pet denominational tenets will use anything and everything to defend themselves, with no regard for God’s precious Word.)

Ultimately, the whole argument of 1 Corinthians 15:29 is not that “baptism” at all. Religionists miss the theme of the context and just pick on an appealing phrase found in it. It is typical of denominations to “use the verses you want and ignore the ones you don’t!” The purpose of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 is to prove the doctrine of resurrection as valid, not water baptism as valid, and certainly not this “baptism for the dead” as valid. Paul was defending the doctrine of bodily resurrection, which the Corinthians were denying (verse 12). The Apostle was arguing that, if there were no such thing as resurrection, those being baptized for the dead were wasting their time, for the dead would never be resurrected. There is no approval of the practice, just an affirmation of the doctrine of bodily resurrection. Imagine, there are 58 verses on resurrection in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and the only thing religious people focus on is one silly baptism verse and one silly baptism doctrine. Shame, shame, shame!! Insane, insane, insane!!

Also see:
» Should we be water baptized—for salvation, for a testimony, or not at all?
» Why was the Lord Jesus baptized?
» Why did Paul water baptize?

How can we support your ministry financially?

HOW CAN WE SUPPORT YOUR MINISTRY FINANCIALLY?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Grace and peace to our email subscribers, our blog followers, and our other readers of “For What Saith the Scriptures?” We use this brief Bible study as an opportunity to make an important ministry announcement.

We serve a variety of pastors, local churches, ministries, Bible teachers, and other Bible students. Some have recently and kindly inquired about how they could support us financially. After extensive planning, and various delays, we have now established a secure donation website via PayPal. Our ministry has grown much these last 10 years, but I have never mentioned donations until now. For over two years now, FWSS has been a free ministry/Bible service to you. It will continue to be free and will always be free (as long as I am living), but we are incurring some operating costs (bills). We have financial needs that must be met at this point. Friend, if you are benefiting from this ministry, we now allow you an opportunity to help us. Please prayerfully consider supporting us financially. Whatever amount and however often is irrelevant but greatly appreciated. What matters most is that, if you do give, give “cheerfully.” And, rest assured, your donations will certainly not go to waste.

During these last few years, ministry has taken up more and more of my time and energy. When we first began many years back, I wrote a handful of Bible studies a month. Currently, I produce—at minimum40 written Bible studies a month, not including replies to our emails. As you can imagine, that is an extremely demanding schedule, crammed with prayer and Bible study. It now prevents me from having outside employment for the time being. The necessity for print materials (booklets, books, et cetera) has also arisen, particularly for those who want to use and distribute our material without internet access. In the future, we do plan on becoming a legally recognized (United States) non-profit organization, so that we may better serve you. That too will require some financial commitment. Again, friends, it will be up to you how far along we will get this year in the ministry. Thanks ever so much, and we look forward to serving you in the future. Now is your chance to show your gratitude! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ! 🙂

  • Philippians 4:17: “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”
  • 1 Timothy 5:18: “The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
  • 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

You may give securely by visiting the following website:
https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux
(This “PayPal – Donate Now” link has also been added to our homepage.)

In Christ, Shawn Brasseaux (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Who is the “them” of Romans 5:14?

WHO IS THE “THEM” OF ROMANS 5:14?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“Brother Shawn, who were the people ‘who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression’ in Romans 5:14? ‘Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.’”

Who are the “them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression?” In the context, it would be the people who lived between the time of Adam and the time of Moses, roughly 2500 years. That would be Genesis chapter 5 onward until the book of Exodus, when the Law was given at Sinai.

Those people did not actually partake of forbidden fruit (Adam did that), but they had—like Adam—fallen short of God’s standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23—“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”). Thus, sin and death affected them the same way it affected Adam, for they were Adam’s descendants (Romans 5:12—“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”).

The Law given to Moses was the first time that code of God’s righteousness (that condemned mankind as sinful) was systemized, written in the tables of stone, for people to actually see and hold in their hands (Exodus 31:18; Exodus 34:4). Prior to that, God’s laws were only known to people via their invisible conscience, according to Romans 2:14-15: “[14] For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: [15] Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”

Also see:
» Was God “unfair” to punish us for Adam’s sin?
» Did Adam die a saved man?
» Could you please explain Romans 2:14?

Did John 10:16 predict the Church the Body of Christ?

DID JOHN 10:16 PREDICT THE CHURCH THE BODY OF CHRIST?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Apostle John recorded Jesus Christ as saying in John 10:14-16: “[14] I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. [15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Was verse 16 predicting the formation of the Church the Body of Christ? Should we agree with the many who espouse that position in the ranks of Christendom? Let us search the Scriptures.

When we read about the Lord Jesus as “Shepherd” and Him leading “sheep” in John 10:16, our minds should recall Matthew 10:6, when He had previously instructed His 12 apostles, “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In Matthew 15:24, He said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Other verses should come to mind as well. For example, Isaiah 40:11, written over 700 years B.C.: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” However, the majority of these parallel verses are in the book of Ezekiel. Its 34th chapter predicts the restoration of the nation Israel; that is, God bringing her out of her Satanic and Gentile captivity, reestablishing fellowship with her, and bringing her into her land and His earthly kingdom. As the verses quoted above suggest, Jesus Christ began to bring this restoration about during His earthly ministry (along with the ministries of John the Baptist and the 12 apostles).

Let us turn to the 34th chapter of Ezekiel and read the words of the prophet. Please note especially the bolded terms and clauses:

“[1] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? [3] Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. [4] The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. [5] And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. [6] My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.”

Israel’s religious leaders—the priests and the other Levites—were unfaithful in communicating God’s Word to God’s nation. This was one reason why Israel disintegrated spiritually, economically, politically, socially, et cetera. They were not faithful to the covenant delineated in the writings of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy). Without the foundational doctrine of that Mosaic Law, the Jews embraced Satan’s plan for them. They became increasingly idolatrous, unfaithful to the one true God. God was very upset because the men He had placed to guide His people into His truth had driven them so deep into error, false religion, heathenism. His people were lost sheep, scattered and wandering about. No one cared enough to search for them and bring them back to their spiritual Father. Let us keep reading in Ezekiel chapter 34, again noting the bolded words and phrases:

“[7] Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; [8] As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; [9] Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; [10] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.”

Divine judgment was coming upon these shepherds, these religious leaders of Israel, who thought more about themselves than about God’s people they were to lead. (Sound familiar?) God would punish these leaders for polluting His people, His nation in the Earth. He would also deliver His people from these apostate leaders, these phonies, these men of Satan. JEHOVAH God would do for Israel what no one else was willing to do for her. He would search for His sheep, seek them out, and do good unto them despite their unfaithfulness! They were so disloyal to Him as a cheating wife would be to her husband, but He was so faithful beyond words. No matter what, He would keep His word to them! The following verses provide greater detail. Again, continuing in Ezekiel chapter 34, we note the bolded words:

“[11] For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. [12] As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. [13] And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. [14] I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. [15] I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. [16] I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. [17] And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. [18] Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? [19] And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.”

These phrases resemble the Lord Jesus’ words in the Four Gospels—and now you know He was quoting Ezekiel! The rest of the chapter is just too awesome to ignore, so we will provide it so you can see additional glimpses into the 1000-Year Reign of Christ on Earth. Once again, note the bolded statements: “[20] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. [21] Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; [22] Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. [23] And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. [24] And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. [25] And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. [26] And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. [27] And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. [28] And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. [29] And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. [30] Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. [31] And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”

Now, with all of that background from the Prophet Ezekiel, we return to the Four Gospels to understand the purpose of Christ’s earthly ministry. In Matthew 10:6, He had instructed His 12 apostles to “go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And, in Matthew 15:24, Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” The Lord Jesus and His apostles were working to fulfill Ezekiel chapter 34, among other prophecies! They were all trying to lead Israel back to faith in JEHOVAH God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were attempting to rescue Israel from the vain religious system (Satanism, idolatry) that had so corrupted them. They were trying to convert Israel so they could become His kingdom of priests and then be able to reach the Gentiles. Then, the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3) and the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16) would be fulfilled.

Returning to John 10:14-16, we now better understand Jesus’ words: “[14] I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. [15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

Jesus Christ was the “Good Shepherd”—the Leader of Israel who would do what most of Israel’s religious leaders had failed to do for centuries upon centuries. As we read earlier, the LORD had promised in Ezekiel 34:12: “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” The Lord Jesus was starting to fulfill this in His earthly ministry.

Check Luke 12:31-32, Jesus’ promise to give Israel’s kingdom to her believing remnant: “[31] But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. [32] Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” See also Luke 22:28-30. This “little flock”—John the Baptist’s converts, disciples of Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry, and the converts of the 12 Apostles in early Acts—are those who Jesus Christ has led back to Father God (thus fulfilling Ezekiel chapter 34, for example). They will (future from our day) become the kingdom of priests that God intended to form with Abraham’s descendants!

Returning one last time to John chapter 10: “[14] I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. [15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” When Jesus spoke these words, there were still more lost Jews who needed to be converted by placing their faith in Him and being water baptized. Remember, later, Peter’s preaching led to the conversion of almost 3,000 Jewish souls on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Another 5,000 Jews were saved through the Apostles’ preaching in Acts 4:4. John 10:16 was referring to this. Additional Israelites (“lost sheep of the house of Israel”) were now forsaking their spiritual wickedness and ignorance, and coming to understand Jesus Christ as their Messiah-King. This formation of Israel’s Little Flock continued throughout the rest of the book of Acts until we come to Paul’s ministry, before it eventually fell away. That Little Flock will form the earthly kingdom of priests when Jesus Christ returns (1 Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 20:6; cf. Zechariah 8:20-23; Isaiah 61:6; Jeremiah 3:17; Exodus 19:5-6).

THE BODY OF CHRIST – A SECRET UNTIL THE APOSTLE PAUL

Friend, now, notice this often-overlooked passage from Ephesians. Chapter 3: “[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: [7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. [8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; [9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:”

The Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to write that God’s people did not always know about the Church the Body of Christ. There was a time when that “fellowship” of believing Jews and Gentiles in one Body was completely unknown to man (verses 3-9). Hence, it is called “the mystery” (secret). These verses say that Paul’s ministry was the “due time” that God finally revealed the secret that He had kept hidden in Himself (see Romans 16:25-26; Colossians 1:24-26; 1 Timothy 2:3-87; Titus 1:1-3). Had Jesus Christ predicted the Body of Christ in John 10:16, then it could not have been “hid in God” until Paul (Ephesians 3:9).

CONCLUSION

Jesus Christ in no way spoke of the Church the Body of Christ in the books of Matthew through John. John 10:16 is certainly not a reference to us, the Church the Body of Christ. God’s purpose in Christ’s earthly ministry was to form believing Israel, not the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ did not speak about the Church the Body of Christ during His earthly ministry (Matthew through John) because it was not time to reveal it. To force us into Christ’s earthly ministry is just another error that causes us to (wrongly) conclude that we are the nation Israel, that we have replaced Israel, that we are a continuation of Israel, and so on. Do not disregard dispensational Bible boundaries and harmonize the Bible passages that are meant to be separated. We are to “study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Friends, let us look at verses in context. A failure to do so will just bring about more confusion.

Also see:
» Is the Church the Body of Christ in Matthew 16:18?
» Who is the “nation” in Matthew 21:43?
» Did the Church the Body of Christ begin in Acts 2?

Did Adam die a saved man?

DID ADAM DIE A SAVED MAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Friend, we gladly share with you what the Word of God says about that.

Throughout human history, faith is always the first and foremost issue when having a right relationship with the Creator God: “But without faith it is impossible to please [God]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). And, contrary to popular myth, no person was ever saved unto eternal life merely by doing good deeds in religion. Whatever truths God had revealed to mankind at any particular time, God expected contemporary people to believe and obey those instructions in order to fellowship with Him. The first Scriptural example of this is the eternal life of Adam and Eve. Their performance had merited wrath and judgment, true, but they eventually came to believe God’s Word to and about them post-Fall.

Genesis chapter 3: “[1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. [7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and then tried to cover up their sin—their naked bodies—with fig leaves. This was utterly useless because they were still spiritually naked before God. They had lost His righteousness, and so they hid in the bushes. Note: “[8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. [9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? [12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. [13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”

We will refrain from commenting on the following verses for brevity’s sake. They are provided merely for contextual purposes: “[14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: [15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. [16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. [17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; [18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; [19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

Now, friend, we have arrived at the verses pertaining to your question: “[20] And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. [21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” The Bible says that the LORD God “made coats of skins” and “clothed” Adam and Eve. This has a dual application. God killed some animals, shed their blood to atone for Adam and Eve’s sins, and then He covered this husband and wife with coats of skin—a spiritual covering followed by a physical covering. Verse 20 is Adam’s profession of faith. He called his wife “Eve” because “she was the mother of all living.” God had told them that they would both die because of their disobedience. Yet, Adam said Eve would live to be a “mother.” Why and how? In verse 15, God told Eve that she would live to bear at least one child, someone who would fight and defeat the Devil and undo what she and Adam had done in Eden. We know this “seed” as Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16; Galatians 4:4). While Adam and Eve did not know of the name of “Jesus Christ,” they at least knew “the seed of the woman” (some man) would come one day and do God’s will on their behalf since they had failed.

Adam was most definitely a saved man. He died “in Christ.” What information God had revealed at that point in human history, Adam believed it. Adam trusted in God’s promise of Genesis 3:15, and according to Genesis 4:1, Eve believed that Gospel message as well. Adam also realized that his fig-leaf apron (religion) was embarrassingly insufficient to cover him and Eve. Thus, he let God clothe him and his wife with His righteousness. Most definitely, Adam died a redeemed man, as saved unto eternal life as we are in Jesus Christ. The same is true of Eve. (When you get to heaven one day, brother or sister in Christ, please be sure to talk to them!)

Here is a lesson we can learn. If we are unsaved today, God is not looking for us to “clean up our lives” so He can then welcome us into His heaven. Oh, no. Our works can do nothing to do save us. We must come to the Creator God by faith, simple truth in the fact that “Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). That is the Gospel by which we are saved today—no “sinner’s prayer,” no walking an aisle, no shaking a preacher’s hand, no keeping commandments, no signing a church membership form, no turning from your sins, nothing that you do. As Adam believed God’s Word to him, so believe God’s Word to you. God has not shed an animal’s blood for you. Rather, He gave up His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of that animal blood that was shed in the Garden of Eden ever so long ago. My precious reader, please delay no longer, if you have not relied exclusively on Jesus Christ. Death may come sooner than you think, and then you will not have another chance. Come by simple faith to Calvary’s cross and trust Jesus Christ, so that you too, as Adam and Eve, will one day die a saved person.

Also see:
» What of the “talking snake” of Genesis chapter 3? (COMING SOON!)
» Why did God ask where Adam was?

» Was God unfair to punish us for Adam’s sin?

What about the Jewish Roots Movement?

WHAT ABOUT THE “JEWISH ROOTS MOVEMENT?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

“What can you tell me about the ‘Jewish Roots’ Movement? I have several friends who are being greatly influenced by their teachings.”

Friend, thank you for that question. Prior to this, I was unaware of such a movement. Having now researched it, I will outline this system using two simple points. While much could be written about its other tenets, a discussion and thorough refutation of its two core doctrines should sufficiently answer your question. Adherents of this “Jewish Roots” system (also known as the “Hebrew Roots” system) hold to the following two basic beliefs. While this will get lengthy—the culmination of nearly a year’s worth of study and prayer—please know that this Bible study was abbreviated and simplified as much as possible. Beloved, this is our special-edition Bible Q&A article #225!

JEWISH ROOTS POINT #1. CHRISTIANS SHOULD (RE)LEARN THE “JEWISH ORIGIN” OF CHRISTIANITY TO RESTORE DOCTRINAL INTEGRITY.

Jewish Roots proponents believe that the Christian Church today has largely forgotten its origin in the Bible’s “Old Testament” books (Genesis through Malachi). They argue that Christianity is so doctrinally weak and deceived today due to its complete departure from Old Testament Judaism. Jewish Roots people urge us to return to the unadulterated teachings and writings of Moses and the other Old Testament prophets, that we restore our doctrinal purity so that it matches the original “New Testament” church. They contend that the original “New Testament” church was Judaistic in nature and we Christians today should follow Judaism.

Some Jewish Roots supporters have gone so far as to study the Old Testament Scriptures in the original Hebrew language—rather than an English translation—to obtain an alleged “greater understanding” of God’s Word. They do not believe that the English language communicates God’s Word to the extent of the Bible’s original languages. (Sounds to me like someone’s been listening to unbelieving “scholarship!”)

JEWISH ROOTS POINT #2. CHRISTIANS SHOULD USE THE MOSAIC LAW TO EXPERIENCE DAILY RIGHTEOUS LIVING.

Romans chapter 11 is said to teach that we Gentile Christians have been “grafted into Israel.” (See our study linked at the end of this article.) Consequently, we need to follow Israel’s passages as though they were written to us. The Jewish Roots people claim that, in order for us to have victorious lives in Christ, we must keep the commandments of the Torah (Moses’ five books, Genesis through Deuteronomy). In that system, obedience to the Mosaic Law is how Christians overcome daily sins. They insist that we keep God’s laws to receive His blessings and avoid His curses. They maintain that we must walk by faith in the Law of Moses because the Lord Jesus Christ did so in His earthly ministry. Not surprisingly, Jewish Roots adherents are known for observing kosher food laws (abstinence from pork, for example). They also claim to observe the holy days the LORD through Moses commanded Israel to observe in Leviticus chapter 23—feast days, Sabbath days, and so on. They encourage us (the Body of Christ) to join them in keeping these religious holidays also.

JEWISH ROOTS—AN “AWAKENING” PROMPTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR JUST ANOTHER RELIGIOUS SYSTEM FABRICATED BY MAN?

The Jewish Roots Movement is viewed as an “awakening,” supposedly “a move of the Spirit of God to cause people to better understand the Bible.” Consequently, since the mid-1990s, the movement has experienced significant growth. There is no official count because Jewish Roots followers are scattered throughout various churches and ministries. Worldwide, there are perhaps tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of “Jewish Roots” supporters. The movement sounds impressive, but is it worth our support? We aim to answer that question in this Bible study.

Although there is no single leader of the Jewish Roots Movement, an interesting tidbit sheds light on its history. Founded by Herbert W. Armstrong (1892–1986), the now-defunct cult “The Worldwide Church of God” (WCoG) was noted for its observance of Old Testament laws, including the Sabbath day and Israel’s feast days. One “Jewish Roots” author I read openly admitted that his decades-long background in the WCoG was influential in causing him to embrace the “Jewish Roots” paradigm. It is not a surprise, then, that a person from one cult would easily embrace a movement and transform it into a cult. There may in fact be many former WCoG members now coming under the banner of “Jewish Roots” to form their own new denomination.

For the rest of this study, we will look at the two above “Jewish Roots” points and evaluate them according to the Holy Bible rightly divided. The majority of this study will focus on the second point (Law-keeping and Christian living), addressed from several various angles. While this will be some “deep” material at times, it has been prayerfully edited and re-written many times over, that it reads its smoothest and clearest.

REBUTTAL POINT #1A. JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY, THOUGH RELATED, ARE OVERWHELMINGLY DISTINCT

Jewish Roots supporters are correct in saying that Christianity and Judaism are closed connected. We Bible-believing dispensationalists have no disagreement there. The JEHOVAH God who introduced Judaism through Moses’ ministry is the same God who founded Christianity through the Apostle Paul’s ministry. However, in the Jewish Roots Movement, too much emphasis and too much authority is placed on the Old Testament Scriptures. As we progress in our analysis of the system, we will see this thoroughly demonstrated.

While the books of Genesis through Malachi are inspired of God (2 Samuel 23:2; cf. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21), and while God has promised to preserve His words forever (Psalm 12:6-7; Psalm 33:11; Psalm 100:5; Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 30:8; Isaiah 40:6-8; cf. Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25), these 39 Bible books have nothing to do with us today. They have nothing to do with what God is doing today. We can and should study the Old Testament (cf. Romans 15:4), but we should not expect to find ourselves or God’s plan for us back there. However, Jewish Roots people believe their identity is found in the Law of Moses. They use the Old Testament Scriptures to interpret the New Testament Scriptures. This is actually a reversal of what God the Holy Spirit intended. The 39 books of the Old Testament were given first, before the 27 books of the New Testament were given. We should use the advanced revelation to understand the earlier revelation. It makes no sense to use old information to interpret new information.

Friend, there is extensive testimony in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, that we (the Church the Body of Christ) were not revealed to the Old Testament prophets. Those prophets of old knew absolutely nothing about our Dispensation of Grace, absolutely nothing about God’s plan to restore the heavenly places to Himself, and absolutely nothing about the agency that He would use in the heavenly places for His glory (the Church the Body of Christ). For Scriptural proof, please see Romans 11:25-29, Romans 16:25-26, 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, Ephesians 1:9-12, Ephesians 3:1-11, Colossians 1:24-27, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, 1 Timothy 2:3-7, and Titus 1:1-3. (Unfortunately, we do not have time and space to quote and expound upon all these passages. Please read them at your convenience.) When we go back to try to find ourselves in the Old Testament, we are ignoring the dispensational boundaries God has established in His Holy Word. We are contradicting the principle of progressive revelation and making it regressive revelation. Going back in time actually limits the spiritual light and understanding in God’s Word. The Bible was revealed to mankind over a period of 1,600 years or so. Why stress the earliest books of the Bible when you have more recent Scripture written down?!

Jewish Roots adherents—like all denominations in Christendom—fail to follow the divine principle of Bible study delineated in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly divide the word of truth.” Rather than keeping Paul’s epistles separate from the rest of the Bible, they use the Old Testament to interpret (actually, corrupt and diminish) Pauline theology. God never intended us to mix prophecy and mystery. Yet people do it all the time in Christendom without hesitation. We cannot expect to use what God revealed in “time past” to shed light on what He kept secret in “time past” but has revealed in the “but now.” That which God spoke since the world began (Acts 3:21) can in no way be used to explain that which He kept secret since the world began (Romans 16:25). That is to say, the Old Testament Scriptures were never meant to explain Paul’s epistles. Paul’s books describe what the God of the Bible is doing apart from the Old Testament prophecies, apart from Israel’s prophetic program, apart from her earthly kingdom plan. Paul’s epistles were meant to explain why there is a delay in the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, why there is a delay in Israel’s prophetic program, and why there is a delay in her earthly kingdom plan.

The Apostle Peter, in his final epistle, mentioned how people “wrested” the Scriptures “unto their own destruction.” These people mixed up the verses that God had separated, and then they made their spiritual lives a complete mess. They had particularly corrupted Paul’s epistles. This is true of all the groups and denominations in Christendom today—and yes, the Jewish Roots Movement is guilty of this. Note 2 Peter 3:15-16: “[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; [16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Jewish Roots people claim that we Christians are “spiritual Jews,” alleging that we have been grafted into Israel. (See our study at the end of this article.) This is a gross misrepresentation of Romans chapter 11. Friends, the Bible says there is no Israel before God today in our Dispensation of Grace (verses 11,12,15,25,28)! Since Jewish Roots adherents believe we are “spiritual Jews,” they tell us to behave like Jews. Although their assemblies are primarily made of Gentiles, Jewish Roots participants wear Jewish clothing, employ Hebrew names and phrases, and practice “Davidic dancing.” In fact, they dislike the Greek name “Jesus.” They prefer His Hebrew name “Yeshua,” and they use “YHWH” (the Tetragrammaton translated “JEHOVAH/LORD” in our English Bible). They claim we should use the “pure names of God”—Yeshua, YHWH, et cetera. This is a direct denial that God’s Word and name can be pure even in a translated form. Just what good was the gift of tongues if God’s Word and name were tainted in translation (Acts chapter 2, Acts chapter 22, et cetera)?! How could the Holy Spirit guide these men into such error if translation was as bad as the Jewish Roots people claim?!

Dear friends, like most of the professing church today, Jewish Roots people want to be Israel so they follow Israel’s verses and behave and talk like Israel. The truth is that the Jewish Roots adherents are more obvious about what they believe than other denominational systems in Christendom. Regardless, all these denominations blur distinctions between the Church the Body of Christ and the nation Israel. As we noted earlier, the Jewish Roots doctrine is that we have been grafted into Israel because the Torah made provisions for believing Gentiles to come and join Israel (see Exodus 12:48-49; Esther 8:17). Again, this is a failure to understand the Bible dispensationally. God’s dealings with mankind today are vastly different from His will during the days of Exodus and Esther!

Indeed, God promised blessings to Gentiles on the basis of Israel. Genesis 12:1-3 is one of the most classic cases in point. Matthew 25:31-46 is another example. But, let it be repeated once more, there is no national Israel today in the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Friend, read the entire eleventh chapter of the book of Romans. We do not approach God today by becoming a member of Israel or by coming through Israel. We are made “nigh [near unto God] by the blood of Christ… for through him we both [Jew and Gentile] have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:13,18), not by the nation Israel. Why? Again, there is no Israel today through which we can approach God. Jews in national Israel are said to be “enemies for your [Gentiles’] sakes” (Romans 11:28). In God’s mind, national Israel is blinded and cut off. How can we approach God through an agency that He does not associate with today, a nation that He does not recognize today? It makes no sense. That is one of the primary faults of the Jewish Roots Movement—claiming Israel’s verses and promises as true today when they are not valid today.

REBUTTAL POINT #1B. LEARNING HEBREW, THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, IS UNNECESSARY FOR CHRISTIANS.

Some (if not most) Jewish Roots people encourage us to study the Old Testament books in their original Hebrew language so that we can learn deeper truths “obscured” in English Bible translations. This is complete nonsense. It parallels the Roman Catholic doctrine of, “Come to the priest, that he may interpret the Latin Bible so you can know what God’s Word really says! After all, God has made our ecclesiastical leaders the sole interpreters of His Word.” Beloved, our 1611 King James translators, empowered by the Holy Ghost, were thoroughly equipped to translate the original Bible languages for us. If we cannot teach our theology from the 400-year (standard) English Bible, we had better toss out that theology and quick! If we have to re-translate the Holy Bible to make it say what we want to teach, we had better be ready to give an account to God Almighty Himself for usurping the role of the Holy Ghost! He will demand why you thought you knew better than Him!

The Bible-believing view is that the Holy Bible in any language is still God’s pure Word. (To say otherwise is to closely identify with Mormonism, which says that the Bible is God’s Word “as long as it is correctly translated.”) God instituted human languages in Genesis chapter 11 at the Tower of Babel. Does He not know how to translate properly? I would say that He does. God’s Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to speak a translated Gospel message in Acts chapter 2. Paul’s Hebrew speech was translated into Greek in Acts chapter 22. God wants His Word translated into all the languages of the world, that all nations of the world be reached with His truths (Zechariah 8:20-23; Matthew 28:19; Romans 1:5; Romans 16:26). Do you agree with God concerning the translation of His Word, or have you adopted the absurd manmade position that language limitations limit God Almighty?

While I am not a Hebrew scholar, and I never plan to be, I have been told that Hebrew is a very difficult language to master as a “second language.” It is more challenging than Greek, the language of the New Testament. Even scholars have difficulty when translating Hebrew. To read and translate a Hebrew Bible is no easy task, and Jewish Roots demands all Christians be equipped to do it?! Absurd ad infinitum! Furthermore, unless the person reading the Bible has the Holy Spirit, the Bible might as well as have been written in Egyptian hieroglyphics largely eroded over time. Beloved, language and translation are not the problems. The problem is a spiritual matter. People need God’s Holy Spirit to understand His Word (1 Corinthians 2:11-16)! No doubt the “difficult” and “mysterious” passages in the Bible are “difficult” and “mysterious” in any language. After all, the Bible is discussing spiritual truths that the unsaved human mind will never, ever, ever comprehend anyway… no matter what the language! The Bible truths that are difficult for Christians to understand, require thoughtful verse comparison and critical thinking, not retranslation. It requires hours of daily study, and most people refuse to study the Bible because they find it “boring.” They would rather sing, dance, clap, and jump in “church.” They would rather some preacher or priest read and “interpret” the Bible for them… if so, they had better hope and pray he/she “interpreted” it correctly!

We will now look at the other primary error of the Jewish Roots Movement. This is the bulk of our discussion.

REBUTTAL POINT #2A. THE LAW SYSTEM BELONGED IN JESUS CHRIST’S EARTHLY LIFE BUT NOT IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES

“Jewish Roots” zealots view Jesus Christ’s earthly life and ministry as a pattern for their (and our) life and ministry. If Jesus lived by the Mosaic Law, and He did, then we Christians should do it, too, so they say. They enjoy quoting 1 John 2:4-6 to drive home this point: “[4] He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. [5] But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. [6] He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Or, 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” They quote Jesus’ words found in John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

However, there is one glaring problem with their reasoning. They ignore the fact that Jesus Himself said concerning His earthly ministry, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). He said in John 4:22, “Salvation is of the Jews.” Jesus was not talking to us Gentiles in the 21st century! Jesus’ life under the Law (Galatians 4:4) was for Israel’s benefit, not for ours. He followed the Law because the Law was what God demanded Israel follow in Exodus and Deuteronomy, among other places. That Covenant of Law was never given to Gentiles (Romans 3:19-20). It was given to Israel. What is God’s Word to us? We follow the Apostle Paul as he follows Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). We do not know Jesus Christ after the flesh, after His earthly ministry: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more (2 Corinthians 5:16).

Jewish Roots followers obey the kosher food laws of Judaism (Leviticus chapter 11; Deuteronomy chapter 14). Why are they so fixated on Law-keeping? They are trying to force Christians to quit living wild, worldly lives. Law-keeping is seen as the answer to the carnality so rampant in the professing church today. One Jewish Roots author suggested that we repent, or stop sinning, in order to be saved! (This sounds no different from the average, “evangelical/Protestant” “salvation invitation” of “Repent of your sins and then repeat the sinner’s prayer after me!”) In Jewish Roots, there is also great emphasis on Sabbath-day keeping and observing Judaism’s other religious days (more on this in Rebuttal Point #2G). Like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jewish Roots people avoid “pagan” Christmas and Easter. After all, the Old Testament laws forbid following heathen practices. When Paul tells us not to observe holy days (Galatians 4:9-11 and Colossians 2:16-17), the Jewish Roots people suggest that he is actually forbidding us from embracing pagan customs. In other words, they say Paul was not discouraging us from observing Israel’s feasts as the traditional view holds. They say the Apostle just wanted us to avoid the pagan customs that the Law of Moses forbade. (Again, we will later debunk this, their sly defense, in Rebuttal Point #2G.)

Jewish Roots people say we should keep the Law of Moses in order to be justified before God. They run to Romans 2:13: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Beloved, this is a tremendous distortion of that verse. Paul was not arguing believers needed to keep the Law of Moses to be justified before God. If I say, “Only those who can run and jump a few miles will be able to cross the Grand Canyon,” am I implying that any person can accomplish such a feat? No, I am saying that no one can reach the bare minimum needed to jump across the Grand Canyon. God was not saying our way to salvation was Law-keeping. He was saying that our way to hellfire was Law-breaking. In the context, Paul is discussing soul salvation from sins (chapters 1-5), not daily living of believers (chapters 6-8). Paul was saying in Romans 2:13 that we could not keep the Law; therefore, the Law was not the way to eternal salvation! The Law was the way to eternal damnation! He was arguing that people trying to establish their own righteousness would not be justified before God, because they could not keep the Law. It did not matter who heard the law, but rather people who obeyed the Law of Moses. Israel heard the Law but they did not do the Law. They were sinners, just like the Gentiles they condemned as “sinners.”

Everyone heard the Law but no one had the ability to keep it, thus necessitating Jesus Christ’s coming to usher in a better system (the theme of the book of Hebrews). That Mosaic Law system was finally done away with once God proved that such a system was disadvantageous to the sinner (later discussed in Rebuttal Point #2E). If we are justified by faith in Christ, that is our position. Now, we simply have to walk by faith in that identity so it becomes practice (victorious Christian living). Let us explain the faulty nature of the “Jewish Roots” system and the Mosaic Law system, and how the Grace system is ever so much better.

REBUTTAL POINT #2B. THE LAW SYSTEM DESTROYS THE HOLY SPIRIT’S CURRENT MINISTRY

Interestingly, before the deputy of Achaia, the Jews accused Paul the Apostle as one who “persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law” (Acts 18:13). The Jewish Roots people have a hard time with this verse, but it is possible to worship God contrary to the Law of Moses. Certainly, Paul, the Jewish rabbinical scholar that he was, believed we could worship God without following Moses’ writings. (Horrors!) Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, tell us that we can worship Father God today according to the system of Grace. We do not need the former system of worship (Law) when the current one is so much more advantageous (Grace)!

The “Jewish Roots” Movement is a reversion to a system that God has since ended. Galatians 5:18 settles the matter once and for all: But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Jewish Roots people gloss over this verse for obvious reasons.) This verse and its context are talking about Christian living. The Spirit of God never, ever, EVER leads anyone to strive under a performance-based acceptance system in this the Dispensation of Grace. Period. If we have to labor to get God’s blessings, then that it is legalism. Jewish Roots is legalism. If we have to do good works in order to avoid God’s curses, then that is legalism. Jewish Roots is legalism. Legalism is Law-keeping, Jewish Roots is legalism, and it is not what God would have us to do today. God’s grace teaches us how to live. We do not need the Mosaic Law. If someone says we need the Law of Moses to govern our lives, they have automatically denied and pushed aside God’s Spirit and His grace. How serious! (And this “Jewish Roots” system is supposedly being used by “God” to “awaken” people to the truth? What duplicity! What a scam! What a sham! What error!)

Titus 2:11-14 delineates the basis of our Christian living: “[11] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” If God’s grace alone can “redeem” us and “purify” us that we may be a “peculiar people zealous of good works,” then what is the purpose of the Mosaic Law for Christians? Friend, that is just it. The Law is not necessary for Christians! It is a Satanic attempt to sidetrack today’s believer!

When the Apostle Paul speaks against the Law of Moses, the Holy Spirit says exactly what He means and He means exactly what He says. God has a new operating system today and it is not the Mosaic Law. It is so easy to understand that Paul writes that we are under grace not law. Paul did not tell us to observe God’s laws rather than “pagan Israel’s laws.” In Galatians 5:18, Paul said we are under no law system at all. Unlike the Jewish Roots people, the Holy Spirit through Paul did not distinguish between pagan laws in Israel and God’s pure laws in Judaism. God is not operating any law system at all. Period. Romans 6:14-15 says: “[14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” (We will look more fully at this in Rebuttal Point #2D.)

The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Quench not the Spirit.” If the Holy Spirit works today apart from the Mosaic Law (and He does, according to Galatians 5:18), and a Christian operates under the demands of the Mosaic Law (as the Jewish Roots Movement encourages), then that Christian is hindering the Holy Spirit from working in his or her life! It is most serious, dear readers, that we not be deceived by this system of Jewish Roots. Avoid it like a plague, friend, avoid it like a plague!

REBUTTAL POINT #2C. THE LAW SYSTEM IS PERFORMING TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS AND AVOID HIS CURSES

One of the most damnable beliefs of the “Jewish Roots” Movement is that we must perform to gain and maintain God’s blessings. We have to live right to receive blessings and avoid curses. It is believed that the United States of America is currently under God’s curse today because it has broken the Ten Commandments. In the Jewish Roots Movement, “good works,” “enduring temptation,” and “overcoming” are necessary to receive God’s blessings. Friends, that is straight out of the Mosaic Law system. Defenders of the Jewish Roots Movement contend that just as we have to obey manmade laws, we have to observe Father God’s laws. If we have no problem with obeying all of our nation’s thousands of laws, they say that we should not be so resistant to keeping God’s laws, that we should not call it “legalism” or “salvation by works.” Rubbish! Silliness! Absurdity! Double-talk! Deception!

While it is a clever defense, the above “Jewish Roots rebuttal” is nothing more than “wisdom of words” meant to deceive (1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Romans 16:17-18). How Father God deals with us and how a manmade government deals with us are two incomparable systems. If God dealt with me on the basis of my works, I would not have a chance. The same is true of you. God’s laws are much stricter—to break them is not to pay a fine or go to prison for life (as with a human government), but to go to hell forever! Why does a government develop and pass laws? It does so to keep order in society. Why did God give the Mosaic Law? To show Israel—and all the world—we sons and daughters of Adam could not measure up to God’s glory and righteousness. Again, there is a big difference between manmade laws and God’s laws. Obeying the laws of the land is compulsory. Do it or face a harsh penalty. A Christian is not commanded of God to “do good works or else.” Beloved, we are free to follow God and we are free to reject Him. That is grace! That is not compulsory! In gratitude to Him for what He did for us, we should be so willing to delight in doing what He wants accomplished. If we have that attitude, we do not need to have Him motivate with threats of curses.

In all fairness, all “Christian” circles today claim that we need to follow the Mosaic Law (to varying degrees). The Jewish Roots adherents appear to be most obvious extremists. Should we Christians obey and follow the Mosaic Law to get God’s blessings? Well, let us study the Bible to answer that question. Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). What God has to say us is in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. All of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us. In time past, God dealt with Israel using the Mosaic Law. If a Jew wanted to know God’s will, he/she had to go to the Law of Moses (Romans 2:17-20). But again, God sent Moses to Israel, not to us Gentiles. Whom did God send to us? The Bible says it was Paul. What does God tell us about keeping the Mosaic Law today? What is God’s will for us? Let us see what else God has to say to us through Paul.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). “And ye are complete in him [Christ Jesus]” (Colossians 2:10a). “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). God has made us “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). We have complete and total fellowship with Father God, the same fellowship His Son Jesus Christ has with Him (1 Corinthians 1:9). And, it is because of God’s faithfulness not our faithfulness! That is why we can never lose it. God is always faithful, friend, which is more than what we can say about ourselves!

Everything we need, we already received it in Christ. There is not one blessing, not one blessing, NOT ONE BLESSING, we have not already been given upfront in our Lord Jesus Christ. Father God has nothing left to give us! Why do we have to strive to keep the Law and get God’s blessings when we already received God’s blessings in Christ without us keeping the Law? “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). We were made righteous by Christ’s obedience at Calvary (cf. Philippians 2:8). It was Jesus Christ’s obedience that saved us and blessed us, and it is Jesus Christ’s obedience that keeps us saved and keeps us blessed. Dear friends, unless we have a denominational system to advance, it is quite easy to understand. God does not give us blessings just to revoke them. He never gave us those blessings due to our obedience anyway!

REBUTTAL POINT #2D. THE LAW SYSTEM IS “THE MINISTRATION OF DEATH” AND “THE MINISTRATION OF CONDEMNATION”

Jewish Roots adherents ignore 2 Corinthians chapter 3 for obvious reasons. We do not serve in the oldness of the letter but in the newness of spirit (the Spirit of God, verse 17). This is clearly a contrast between the Law of Moses in “time past” and the ministry of the Holy Spirit today in the “but now.” A system of works does not give life but rather it kills. Dear friend, what the Holy Spirit does (grace) is what gives life!

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians chapter 3: “[6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. [7] But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.”

Romans 6:14-15 says: “[14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Why are we under grace and not law? Because the Bible says the Law gives sin dominion over us! God took away the Law system that was disadvantageous to us and He replaced it with something that benefited us—grace, everything He could do for us through Calvary’s finished crosswork because we are unable to do anything for Him. Law does not belong in our Christian lives. In 1 Corinthians 15:56, we read “the strength of sin is the law.” Do you want sin to be strong in your life? Again, the Bible says to place yourself under the Law system. Romans 3:20 says “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The Law does nothing but condemn you, whether you are saved or you are lost.

By the way, it does not matter whether it is the Law of Moses, your laws, your church’s laws, your parents’ laws, your spouse’s laws, et cetera, all “law systems” operate the same! No matter what type of performance-based acceptance system it is, you as a sinner are doomed to fail. Again, that is why God replaced that weak and beggarly system with the grace system described in Paul’s epistles! The “ministration of death” and the “ministration of condemnation” is the antithesis—the opposite of—grace. If you want righteousness (godliness) to reign in your life, stay with grace. If you want sin and guilt to run your life, and ruin your life, follow the Law system. It really, really is that simple, friends. Make your choice… and be ready to live with the consequences, good or bad!

One of the most important portions of the book of Romans is its seventh chapter. Jewish Roots supporters also gloss over these Bible passages because of their implications. In it, Paul speaks very negatively of the Law of Moses. The Apostle begins the chapter by affirming we are “dead to the law by the body of Christ” (verse 4). Note verse 5: “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” In our old identity, in Adam, when we were sinners, before we came to faith in Jesus Christ, “the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” The Law is what gave sin strength in our lives as lost people. The Law pointed out our failures. It did nothing to help us reform for it could do nothing to help us correct our sins. It simply accentuated, or highlighted, everything we did wrong. Verse 6 says, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

And continuing on in the chapter, Romans 7: “[7] What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. [8] But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. [9] For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. [10] And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. [11] For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. [12] Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. [13] Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”

Could the Bible be any plainer? We are not under the demands of the Mosaic Law. This is not a matter of opinion. Look and how the Law of Moses “helped” Paul in the above situation. It “helped” him to become a miserable wretch, so defeated and despondent. He concluded the chapter, “[24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Paul’s Christian life was in ruins; the Mosaic Law had killed his victorious Christian life. Read all of chapter 7 of Romans and you can see that clearly. Commandment-keeping did not help the Apostle Paul in his Christian life. Are we not silly to think the Law will make our Christian life successful and enjoyable? Are we any less sinners than Paul was?

We know that Paul is talking about the Mosaic Law in Romans chapter 7 because he mentions coveting, the last of the 10 Commandments. It has nothing to do with Paul speaking against Christians observing pagan religious rules. It has everything to do with Paul speaking against Christians observing the Law of Moses. The answer to experiencing Christian living is not the Law of Moses but the principle of “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2). All of Romans chapter 8 is the answer to the misery of chapter 7. The Spirit of God will work in us when we believe His words to us, Romans through Philemon. We are not performing to receive God’s blessings (Jewish Roots and legalism). Father God is working in and through us because He has already given us all of His blessings. One of these spiritual blessings is victory over sin on a daily basis. This is accomplished by Jesus Christ’s finish crosswork, not by our commandment keeping.

REBUTTAL POINT #2E. THE LAW SYSTEM IS NOT FOR SAINTS BUT FOR SINNERS

Let us now read what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy chapter 1: “[6] From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; [7] Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. [8] But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, [10] For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; [11] According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

Like those false teachers in Ephesus whom the Holy Spirit through Paul condemned, the Jewish Roots adherents and teachers do not know what they are saying or what they are really causing people to do. They are binding people using a religious system that ended in complete failure. Like all denominations, they are using God’s Word—the Mosaic Law—to destroy the lives of Christians. The Law of Moses never saved Israel, it never helped Israel, and it never gave Israel a right standing before God. That is why God will make with Israel a New Covenant, to give them the spiritual blessings they could never gain under the Old Covenant of Law (see Hebrews chapters 8-10).

As 1 Timothy chapter 1 said above, all that the Law could do was condemn people as “lawless, disobedient, ungodly, sinners, unholy, profane, murderers of fathers and mothers, manslayers, whoremongers, them that defile themselves with mankind [homosexuals], menstealers, liars, perjured persons,” et cetera. How do we use the Law of Moses “lawfully?” Galatians 3:24 says of Israel, “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The only purpose of the Law is to show us that we need a Saviour—not a bunch of rules and regulations—to deal with our sin problem. It teaches Israel that they need a Saviour rather than another performance-based acceptance system. To use the Law system for righteous people is to use the Law wrongfully. Christians are righteous in Christ, so what does it mean if a system force the Law on the Christian? (The Law of Moses is being used wrongfully!)

Jewish Roots adherents tell us to use the Law of Moses as a means for daily Christian living, yet the Bible tells us repeatedly that the Law is not made for righteous man. The Law of Moses is for an ungodly man. Are Christians “godly” or are they “ungodly?” Are they “righteous” or “unrighteous?” If they are godly and righteous, and they are in Christ (Romans 3:22; 1 Corinthians 1:30; et cetera), then they have no need for the Law. Again, the Law shows us that we need Christ; the Law is not meant to make us acceptable before God, either positionally or practically. The Law is there to show us we do not merit God’s favor with our performance. Law-keeping does not stress God’s performance on our behalf but rather our performance to try and please Him.

Once more, Jewish Roots adherents demand that people obey the Mosaic Law in the Dispensation of Grace. In 1 Timothy 1:6, the Holy Spirit calls this “vain jangling,” empty chatter, worthless talk, just a bunch of noise. There is no substance and no soundness in what Jewish Roots people preach and teach… or any other legalistic preacher or teacher, for that matter. It is all the sadder when we remember that such people are deceived because they have not used the Bible properly and they are deceiving others because they do not use the Bible properly themselves. They damn souls using the Bible, the very text that should have been able to clear up the confusion and bring salvation. How awful! I would hate to be in these people’s shoes when they stand before God one day! They will have to confess to Him what they did using His Word all the while claiming “Jesus Christ” was being honored in their deeds!

Frankly, the Jewish Roots Movement advocates (childish) legalism. A child has to be led by the hand, instructed regarding every little detail—what to wear, what to eat, where to go, what to do, how to do it, et cetera. We read from the Bible’s famous New Covenant passage, Jeremiah chapter 31: “[31] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD. God’s own summary of the Mosaic Law is that it is to “take [Israel] by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.”

As an adult would lead a child, so JEHOVAH God led Israel out of Egypt. By calling us back to Mosaic-Law observance, Jewish Roots people are making us return to an immature spiritual lifestyle. As the book of Galatians (4:1-10) and the book of Ephesians (4:11-16) say, we are full-grown adult sons of God. We are to be mature because a completed, written Word of God to lead us, and we should know enough about what it says, in order to make our own decisions in life. What does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 say? “[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” The word “perfect” does not mean sinless, it means mature. God does not want spiritual children for Christians; He wants spiritual adults! Go read Hebrews 5:10-14, God’s rebuke of ignorant and immature Israel.

Galatians chapter 3 says in verse 10, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Whenever we do not continue in everythingyes, EVERYTHING—the Law demands, we are cursed. James 2:10 amplifies it: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Friend, do you still want to place yourself under that system? The law works wrath, Romans 4:15 says. Does God’s wrath belong in the Christian’s life? Then, it only stands to reason, neither does the Law! And neither does Jewish Roots!

We read again in verses 23-25 of Galatians chapter 3: “[23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. [24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us [Israel] unto Christ.” Now that we have found Jesus Christ, there is no further purpose of the Mosaic Law. The Law has taught us (Jew and Gentile) that we all need Jesus Christ. The Mosaic Law is now irrelevant, replaced by something far better. The grace system!

Here is yet another major inconsistency within the Jewish Roots Movement. While they constantly claim they are observing JEHOVAH’S feasts according to the Law of Moses, a close inspection reveals that they are not doing what they allege. They are no more honest with Moses’ writings than they are with Paul’s epistles. Moses said that Israel’s three main feasts were to be observed in Jerusalem at the Temple (Deuteronomy 16:16). The fact is that most Jewish Roots adherents do not live in the land of Israel, or anywhere near Jerusalem. They do not go to Jerusalem three times a year for Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. And yet Moses said Israel’s men were to do just that! If the Jewish Roots people are “spiritual Jews,” should they not be doing what Moses told Jews today? Duplicity could not be more obvious, friends! Israel’s Temple has been destroyed since A.D. 70, so no one—not even Jews in Jerusalem—can properly observe the feasts of Judaism.

REBUTTAL POINT #2F. THE LAW SYSTEM IS “WEAK AND BEGGARLY,” NOW REPLACED BY THE GRACE SYSTEM

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). We are not bound to keep the Mosaic Law in this the Dispensation of Grace. At this point, the following objection will undoubtedly be raised, “If the Bible says we are free from the Law of Moses, does that mean we now have license to go out and sin all we want?” The next verse tells us: “God forbid [May God protest it and never let it happen!].” “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Romans 6:15). To say that we can sin all we want because we are under grace is a complete failure to fully grasp what the passage (and grace) teaches (more on this later). To say that the Law helps control sin, is to miss Romans 6:14 entirely. The way you have sin rule your life is to place yourself under the Law. Again, we need to remind ourselves that the Law works wrath (Romans 4:15)!

Notice Galatians 4:9-11: “[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? [10] Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. [11] I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” And Galatians 5:1,13: “[1] Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage…. [13] For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

The Christians in Galatia were being pummeled with false teaching. After Paul left Galatia, some false teaching went into the local assemblies there and taught them that they had to keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved (cf. Acts 15:1-5). Paul’s response was simple (we quoted it in the previous paragraph). He instructed these deceived believers: “Galatia, do not return to ‘bondage’/the Mosaic Law, either for salvation or for Christian good works.” The Apostle urged them not to be “bewitched”/tricked into working for their salvation, or using the Law system in their Christian lives to enhance their salvation.

See also Galatians 3:1-5: “[1] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? [2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? [4] Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. [5] He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” The Bible says “Law-keeping” today is “foolish!” Thus, Jewish Roots is equally “foolish!”

Again, we know Galatians is not merely a forbiddance against pagan practices and false religion, but the pure Law of Moses with its physical circumcision (Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:17-25; Galatians 4:4; Galatians 5:2-3; Galatians 5:13-14). “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter [the Law]” (Romans 7:6). This is spoken against the Mosaic Law, not pagan practices as the Jewish Roots people claim.

Romans 10:1-4 testifies: “[1] Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Why did Paul want Israel to be saved in the above passage? It was because the unbelieving Jews were—like so many billions of people today—using the Mosaic Law to try to please God. They were attempting to prove their own righteousness by performing in religion. These lost Jews were encouraging Paul’s converts in Galatia to do the same. None of them had learned the truth of Romans 3:19-20, that God gave the Law to condemn all Jews and all Gentiles as sinners: “[19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The Law only pointed out their failures, our failures, as sons and daughters of Adam. Simple! SIMPLE!

Galatians chapter 3 affirms once more: “[19] Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. [20] Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. [21] Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. [22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. [23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. [24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”

Why was the Law added? Was it to highlight Israel’s goodness? Was it to show Israel just how obedient they really were to Almighty God? On the contrary, the book of Galatians says that the Law “was added because of transgressions.” Could the Bible be any clearer, beloved? The Mosaic Law was not given to give anyone a right standing before God. Period. Romans 5:20 sustains this argument: “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” That sin would appear for what it really is, God gave the Law of Moses. As Galatians 3:24 says above that the Law was Israel’s “schoolmaster” to “bring [Israel] unto Christ.” But, oh, grace is so much better… where sin abounded, grace could (and did) cover it! Praise God for Romans 5:20!!!!!!!!!

Why are we not under the Law of Moses today? God has done away with Israel’s works-religion system (Judaism). It failed because the Jews were sinners. We are all sinners, Jew and Gentile (Romans 3:9). The Jews could not live up to the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:10), and we certainly cannot live up to those standards today either. If Israel wanted to be blessed of God and be on God’s “good side,” they had to obey Him (keep the Law). Otherwise, they would receive God’s curse. Those were the conditions of the Old Covenant/Mosaic Law (see Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28). The Law, in God’s eyes, is “weak and beggarly” (Galatians 4:9). It is “weak through [our] flesh” (Romans 8:3). We cannot keep the Law, and God does not expect us to because He has already used the Law to prove us as sinners (Romans 3:19-20). So, if not by the Law of Moses, how are our Christian lives governed today?

As we saw earlier, Titus 2:11-12 explains: “[11] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” And verse 14, “[Jesus Christ] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, God’s grace has saved you from sin. Now, you are a saint of the Most High God. God’s grace and your new identity in Christ give you the capacity to say, “My former, lost lifestyle is not me anymore. My life needs to reflect the life of a saint, not a sinner.” As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” God’s grace teaches us to put away sin as Jesus Christ put away sin when He died and was buried (Hebrews 9:26). Why do we need the Law of Moses to teach us how to live, when God’s grace teaches us how to live? Why do we need the Law of Moses (which cannot produce righteousness), when we have God’s grace (which can and does produce righteousness)? See, dear friends, Satan is causing us to leave what is valuable and embrace something worthless! To go back to the Law is to ignore Grace! Period.

As we study and believe God’s Word dispensationally—understanding that God’s Word to us is Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon—God the Holy Spirit will use that sound doctrine to work in us, and He will fulfill the demands of the Law, and God performing in us will bring about a change in our behavior. As 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says, “…the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” And, again, Galatians 5:18 says, “But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” The basis of our Christian life is not us fulfilling the demands of the Mosaic Law. It is allowing the indwelling Holy Spirit to accomplish His will in and through us. God Himself will work in us to fulfill the righteousness that the Law demanded Israel produce on her own. (Not because God thought Israel could do it, but to prove to Israel she could not do it!)

The way to sabotage your Christian life is to place yourself under Israel’s performance-based acceptance system like Galatia was doing—performing to get God’s blessings and to avoid His curses. Paul struggled with keeping the Law as a Christian in Romans chapter 7, and he concluded the chapter in defeat. Again, I would encourage you to read Romans 8:1-15, which describes the Christian allowing the indwelling Holy Spirit to fulfill the demands of the Law in him/her, instead of the Christian forced to fulfill the demands of the Law in his/her own strength (like with Israel). There is nothing about keeping the Law in chapter 8 of Romans, and yet, that chapter talks all about how to have victorious living in Jesus Christ! You cannot just be “Scriptural.” You must also be “dispensational.” Yes, Law-keeping is in the Bible, and it was practiced at one time, but it is not true today. That is what right division is all about. Return to 1 Timothy chapter 1 and see how using the Law of Moses—the Scriptures—was detrimental/harmful to Christians in Ephesus.

Some Jewish Roots people claim, “Keeping the Torah brings blessings—not salvation.” Our Apostle Paul never said such a thing, either. We are already blessed in Christ, forever and ever. We lack nothing in Christ. We do not need to work to be saved or to be blessed. God already gave us everything in Christ! God has already “accepted you in the beloved [Christ Jesus],” regardless of your performance (Ephesians 1:6). He has already “blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3), and we did not work to get them—Christ worked for them. Our performance is not the issue—Christ’s performance in us is the issue! Notice Galatians 2:19-20: “[19] For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. [20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” The Christian life is not us living for Christ, but Christ living in us! “Christ liveth in me.” (The Law system was Israel’s performance to live for God, but the Grace system is God working in and through us to fulfill the Law.)

Notice again how God’s grace transforms our lives (without the Law). Romans 12:1-2 explains: “[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” How do we get the “renewed mind?” Study God’s Word dispensationally, and, by faith in that sound doctrine, we let the Holy Spirit use that sound doctrine to work in us for God’s glory (see Ephesians 4:17-32)!

Romans chapter 5, verses 20 and 21: “[20] Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: [21] That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Once more, the law system makes offences abound. The Law only exposes failure. It does not grant righteousness or bestow blessings. We can study Israel’s 1500-year-long stint operating under the Law of Moses. Look at what a disaster it turned out to be. Read Genesis through Malachi. God let them see just how wretched they were all along but they were in denial of it! As you can see, grace is advantageous to sinners. Sin reigned as a king to produce functional death in our lives. Our behavior as lost people got us nowhere before God. Now, grace can reign in our Christian lives to produce eternal life in our daily lives. We can now display “the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:11). Now, not by us keeping the Law but by Jesus Christ operating in and through us according to grace!

REBUTTAL POINT #2G. WAS PAUL MERELY AGAINST PAGAN PRACTICES, OR WAS HE ALSO AGAINST THE PURE LAW OF MOSES?

Jewish Roots defenders have a very clever way of getting around Paul’s “anti-Law” passages. They argue that the Apostle Paul was not against the Law of Moses, the traditional interpretation of Paul’s epistles, but rather the Apostle was actually opposed to Christians observing the pagan laws that Israel used to pollute the pure Law of Moses. We want to answer this now.

Let us turn to Acts chapter 15, noting verses 1 and 5: “[1] And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. [5] But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” Is there any doubt as to the context, good friends? It is the Law of Moses, and physical circumcision according to Moses. There is no pagan religion here. This is the pure, unadulterated Law of Moses. Members of the Church at Jerusalem (elders and apostles) were filled with the Holy Spirit, so they were observing the pure Law of Moses. Jesus (like James and 1 John) told the Little Flock to keep the Law of Moses. Jesus said that if the members of the Messianic Church did not keep the commandments of the Mosaic Law and teach others to do the same, they would be “least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-20; cf. Matthew 28:19-20). Even as late as Acts 21:20, there were believing Jews in Israel’s Little Flock who were “all zealous of the law.”

The famous Jerusalem Council of A.D. 50 settled the matter once and for all as to whether or not Gentiles in Paul’s ministry should keep the Law of Moses as Israel’s Little Flock were doing. Peter in verse 10 of Acts chapter 15 says that the legalizers in Jerusalem were “tempting God” by forcing Paul’s Gentile converts to observe the demands of the Law of Moses. That does not sound like a good thing, does it? Yet, Jewish Roots proponents are “tempting” God even today, forcing Paul’s Gentile converts back under the Law of Moses! (Satan never quits, beloved, even 2,000 years later!) And, once more, is there any question about pagan practices being observed? No, it is talking about the Law of Moses.

Again, when Peter said the other believing Jews were “tempting the Lord” in putting a “yoke on the disciples’ neck,” we know he was referring to the Law of Moses. Remember, verses 1 and 5 already set the context! It was not a matter of observing pagan practices and believing pagan ideas, but whether or not Paul’s converts should keep the Law of Moses, the pure Law of Moses. What was the conclusion? Paul’s Gentiles converts were not under the Law of Moses. Period. Read Acts 15:19-35. Paul made reference to this Jerusalem Council in Galatians chapter 2, illustrating to the Galatians they were wrong in observing the Mosaic Law. The Galatians were under Paul’s ministry, the Mosaic Law did not belong in Paul’s ministry, and the Mosaic Law did not belong in the Galatians’ lives!

In stark contrast to the Jewish Roots doctrine, Colossians 2:16-17 says that we have no obligation to observe any feasts of Israel. We are not under the Sabbath day rule, the holydays, new moons, et cetera. Colossians 2:16-17 could not be clearer: “[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: [17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

As noted earlier, the Jewish Roots supporter will immediately rebut by saying that Paul was not against observing the “Feasts of JEHOVAH” (Leviticus 23), but rather was just telling the Colossians not to participate in pagan feast days and holidays in false religions. This is a very slick defense, but again it does not work. Are pagan feasts prophetic? Are they “a shadow of things to come?” Of course not! However, those Feasts of JEHOVAH were prophetic, for they prophesied various historical events in Israel’s history and future (Christ’s death at Passover, His burial for Unleavened Bread, His resurrection at Firstfruits, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day Pentecost, re-gathering of Israel for Trumpets, Christ’s Second Coming to make atonement for Israel’s sins, and the establishment of His earthly kingdom with Tabernacles). Did pagans observe the “Feasts of JEHOVAH” noted in Leviticus chapter 23? No. Then, Paul in Colossians chapter 2 was indeed referring to the Feasts of JEHOVAH as delineated in Moses’ writings. Paul said we are not obligated to participate in them. Those feasts involved God’s plans for Israel—and let us say it again, until you see it in your sleep—we are not Israel!

Did pagans observe the Sabbath Days? Of course not! Who was given the Sabbath Day commandment? Israel (Exodus 20:8-11)! Yet, Paul mentioned the Sabbath Days in Colossians 2:16 by name and he forbade such activities amongst the Gentiles in his ministry. Obviously, Paul is not referring to pagans and pagan activities. He is referring to the Mosaic Law feast days and calendar! Colosse was to avoid all types of religion—pagan and Moses! Religion is the antithesis of grace. Works is the enemy of grace. Get it! Get it! Get it!

REBUTTAL POINT #2H. COLOSSIANS 2:6-7—THE “DEATH BLOW” OF THE “JEWISH ROOTS” MOVEMENT

After all this, we still have a little more to say before we conclude. Colossians 2:6-7 is the final nail on the coffin lid of the Jewish Roots Movement. While Jewish Roots proponents say they are not teaching “salvation by works,” they in fact are. Let consider Colossians 2:6-7: “[6] As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: [7] Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” How did we “receive Christ Jesus Christ the Lord?” Was it by works (law) or by faith (grace)? As Paul asked in Galatians 3:2-3, “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

We received Jesus Christ by faith, Colossians 2:5 says. Our salvation, our Christian life, started on the basis of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. It had nothing to do with our performance. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ without works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Colossians 2:6 says that our Christian life will operate on a daily basis in the same manner as it started. How is? Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, His victory over sin in resurrection life, not our legalistic performance to put away sin in our own strength! (If the Jewish Roots people are correct in saying our Christian lives operate on the basis of works/Law, then Colossians 2:6 forces them to say that they believe we are initially saved by works!)

CONCLUSION

While this Bible study was in the early stages of development, the following brief correspondence was sent to me via email by one of our online friends: “As one who used to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days, Passover, Unleavened Bread etc, dietary laws etc etc I can tell you the Jewish Roots movement is a CULT! Thankful for the Grace of God and my salvation through faith in Christ alone. PTL.”

I would strongly agree with the sender above that the Jewish Roots Movement is cultic. Why? As you saw beyond the shadow of a doubt, that movement is designed to draw away Christians from their identity in Christ, from sound Bible doctrine that is applicable to them, and have them focus on something else. Christians in religion are so busy concentrating on their performance in religion, they very little time, if any, to think about what Jesus Christ did for them at Calvary’s cross! They are so busy worrying about what the “church” wants done that they do not know what God wants done!

In light of the above comments and verses, it would be best to avoid the Jewish Roots Movement. It is a dangerous system that promotes Bible ignorance and deception. In my own opinion, it is one of the most convoluted “Christian” religious systems I have studied. While we cannot read the hearts of its adherents and proponents, we can read and understand that their teaching is overwhelmingly false. True, they quote some verses properly, but they persistently attack the New Testament Scriptures and especially Paul’s epistles. They confuse the Body of Christ with the nation Israel, they mix law and grace, and so on. We sincerely doubt the legitimacy and godliness of the Jewish Roots Movement.

There are pros and cons to the way of approaching Scripture from the Jewish Roots mindset. Yes, by examining the issue it further accentuates how the God of the Bible transitioned from Judaism to Christianity. Jewish Roots is an attempt to curb or eliminate the worldliness in the lives of professing Christians today. There are some good intentions. However, the reality is that there is very little truth in the Jewish Roots Movement. It is not worth pursuing beyond its two foundational principles.

Those who are not skilled in the word of righteousness have a hard time differentiating and rightly dividing the word of truth. The Jewish Roots system, despite good intentions (?), just further compounds the confusion that already abounds in the minds of the “worldly” Christians it condemns. Through this research, we have come to understand that the “Jewish Roots” Movement has done (and does) more harm than good in the minds of the people it has reached. Again, it confuses the Body of Christ with the nation Israel. It confuses God’s program for the earth with God’s program for the heaven. It confuses law and grace. In no way does the Jewish Roots Movement glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. It ignores His heavenly ministry through the Apostle Paul. For that reason, Jewish Roots Movement is not of the God of the Bible. Jewish Roots is worth neither our time nor our trust.

Also see:
» Have we replaced Israel?
» We are saved by faith but are we blessed by works?
» Have we been “grafted into Israel?”

What does 2 Corinthians 7:5 mean?

WHAT DOES 2 CORINTHIANS 7:5 MEAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 7:5: “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.” What does this mean? We will look at verses that describe this most distressing time of Paul’s life and ministry, and then we will better understand that Scripture.

We can estimate that the Apostle Paul wrote this in the early verses of Acts chapter 20, when he was passing through Macedonia (northern Greece). You must remember that Paul had just barely survived a very violent riot in Ephesus (see Acts 19:21-41). Acts 20:1 calls it an “uproar.” Paul was just as human as we are, and he had times of intimidation, discouragement, and depression. See Ephesians 6:18-20, for example: “[18] Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; [19] And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, [20] For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Or, see 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, the context of the verse you are asking about. The riot in Ephesus (Acts chapter 19) and the period that followed were the lowest point in Paul’s life and ministry up to that point. Note especially 2 Corinthians 1:8, how Paul and Timothy wrote, “We were pressed out of measure,” squeezed/pressured, “above strength,” “insomuch that we despaired even of life.”

Whenever Paul went into a new city or region, he always wondered what types of people and troubles he might encounter. Would the people receive him, or abuse him? Would they believe and be saved unto eternal life, or would they mock the preaching of the cross of Christ? Would he escape with his life, or would he be imprisoned and/or killed? Having just left the mob in Ephesus, the mob trying to injure or kill him, he entered Macedonia (Acts 20; cf. 2 Corinthians 7:5) all shaken up in mind and spirit. He had just survived some violent attacks (“without were fightings”) and he was deeply troubled (“within were fears”). Up to that point, he had already suffered some major difficulties and sufferings in the ministry (see 2 Corinthians 11:22-33). He had the ordeals/trials/sufferings of Acts 20-28 and beyond, still ahead of him, after writing the epistle of 2 Corinthians! What we can learn from this is simple, brethren. If God’s grace was sufficient for the Apostle Paul to endure all his troubles in ministry, we can endure all of ours for the Gospel’s sake!

Also see:
» Should we pray for “safe trips” and “traveling mercies?”
» What does Colossians 1:24 mean?
» How did Satan “hinder” Paul in 1 Thessalonians 2:18?

What does Colossians 1:24 mean?

WHAT DOES COLOSSIANS 1:24 MEAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“[I Paul] Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Colossians 1:24 can be misread (misconstrued) to teach that the Lord Jesus did not suffer enough on Calvary’s cross. It is sometimes assumed that the Lord Jesus only paid for some sins, and that Paul was suffering for the sins Christ did not expiate. Even today, we are urged to “do penance”—suffer for our sins, make up for the wrongs we have done. Of course, these statements are good religion for people who do not read the Bible for themselves. It endorses denominational tenets and church agendas but it does not convey Bible truth. Read your Bible, friends!

Colossians 1:24 can be understood in light of two extremely simple facts. Firstly, Jesus Christ is not physically here on Earth. He is in the third heaven at His Heavenly Father’s right hand (Colossians 3:1). No one can mistreat Him anymore. They cannot scourge Him, or beat Him, or spit on Him, or crucify Him. That all happened long ago, never to happen again. They can touch Him no longer. He can no longer be abused. “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Secondly, we Christians are physically here on Earth. We are Christ’s “ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20), His representatives, or “outposts from the third heaven.” While unbelieving people cannot harm Jesus Christ, they can and do mistreat us, His people. Lost people did not like Jesus Christ when He lived in His flesh, and they will not like Him when He lives in our flesh. These are the “afflictions of the gospel” that Paul spoke of 2 Timothy 1:8. Read the book of Acts. Immense opposition and persecution come with preaching the Gospel of God’s Grace to this lost and dying world.

Colossians 1:24 simply means that Paul was suffering tremendously for the Church the Body of Christ. As 2 Corinthians 11:22-27 said, he was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, scourged, and so on, all for the sake of Jesus Christ’s ministry to the Gentiles. Jesus Christ’s enemies could not abuse Him, but they could (and did) harm His servant, the Apostle Paul. Hence, Paul was “[filling] up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Likewise, they persecute us Christians today, to varying degrees— name-calling, shunning, physical violence, imprisonment, and execution. But, Paul said that he rejoiced in his sufferings for the grace believers in Colosse. It was well worth his trials and tribulations to have them learn about Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery (see Colossians 1:28-29). Brethren, may we say that with our Apostle!

Also see:
» Is the indwelling Christ the mystery of Colossians 1:27?
» Does God chasten us when we sin?
» Should we pray for “safe trips” and “traveling mercies?”

Do John 5:31 and John 8:14 contradict each other?

DO JOHN 5:31 AND JOHN 8:14 CONTRADICT EACH OTHER?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Lord Jesus said, “If I bear record of myself, my witness is not true” (John 5:31). Later, He said, “Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true” (John 8:14). These two verses have been known to appear on just about any and every list of Bible “mistakes.” Scoffers and skeptics take great delight in parading two of the handful of verses they actually know! Is there a contradiction between these two verses? It will be a greater delight to let the Bible answer its critics. We just have to look at the Bible for ourselves.

“At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death” (Deuteronomy 17:6). In the Mosaic Law system, in order to determine a person worthy of death, two or three independent witnesses were needed. That is, a single witness was not enough to carry out the death penalty. The reason being that the testimony of one person may or may not be true. Having a second person, or even a third person, to bear witness of events is more advantageous because lies can be manifested and the truth can be established more confidently. Any honest distorted/hazy perception of one witness can be corrected by the other parties’ testimonies.

We can now proceed to letting the Bible answer this “contradiction” charge.

JOHN 5:31

When Jesus said in John 5:31, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true,” He was reminding the Jews of Moses’ words quoted above. Jesus did not simply want them to take His word for it. For all they knew, Him simply saying, “I am Messiah,” was a lie. (Note at Christ’s crucifixion, “Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews” [John 19:21]). They wanted to say Jesus was a “self-professed Messiah,” someone who had no validation apart from His own testimony. The Lord Jesus wanted Israel to see that He was Messiah, not merely because He claimed that He was, but because John the Baptist was another witness of that reality. John had water baptized Jesus and they had both heard the voice of Father God from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We read in John 1:31 that John the Baptist’s water baptism identified Jesus as Messiah for all of Israel to see: “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” You may also cross-reference that with John 1:1-30.

However, John the Baptist was only one witness. John 5:36 says that Jesus had “greater witness than that of John.” It was the works that Jesus did, the works that His Heavenly Father had given Him to finish, they also demonstrated who He was (see Isaiah 35:3-6, for example, or Isaiah 61:1-2). “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”

Additionally, the writings of Moses verified Jesus as Christ. The Jews had such great respect for Moses and the Law, supposedly, and yet they were totally unaware that Moses had predicted Jesus Christ in the various elements of that Law system they worshipped! Note the words of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in John 5:39-47: “[39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. [40] And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. [41] I receive not honour from men. [42] But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. [43] I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. [44] How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? [45] Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. [46] For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. [47] But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

The Lord Jesus sternly rebuked Israel, especially her religious leaders, for being ever so ignorant of the Scriptures they professed to honor and know. (What would He say about the so-called “Christian church” today?) Had Israel really believed Moses, they would have believed Jesus Christ, for Moses wrote of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies contained in the writings of Moses. Had Israel really paid attention to and believed the writings of Moses that they read every Sabbath day in their synagogues (cf. Acts 13:15; Acts 15:21), they would have recognized and accepted Jesus as their Messiah!

JOHN 8:14

When Jesus said in John 8:14, “though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true,” this in no way contradicts His previous words (John 5:31). As we mentioned earlier, one witness was not enough to bear testimony of the truth under the Mosaic Law economy. Still, this is not to say that the one witness was necessarily lying. For example, if you witnessed a struggle and saw someone being murdered, and then you saw the victim before dying kill his or her murderer, you would be the only living witness to those events. If you sat in a court of law and reported what you had seen, would you be telling the truth? Sure, but there is no other living person to corroborate your story. You would need other evidence—fingerprints, murder weapon, surveillance footage, et cetera. With or without that physical proof, your spoken testimony would be true, but your audience would have no way of knowing with absolute certainty the reliability or faultiness of your claims. That external, independent proof would strengthen your claims. So, whether or not Jesus had the witnesses (see previous section), His testimony was still reality. He was still who He said He was—the Son of the living God, Israel’s King and Messiah!

See John 8:14-20: “[14] Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. [15] Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. [16] And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. [17] It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. [18] I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. [19] Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. [20] These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.”

The Lord Jesus said in John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Ultimately, it was up to them to believe on Him as Messiah-King. His words and deeds fit Moses and the other prophets of old. They were to decide for themselves whether He was whom they and their patriarchs had long waited for. If they wanted to die in their sins and go to hell, He would not stop them. He was the only Way to eternal salvation, but He would not force Himself on them!

Also see:
» Why does Acts 2:35 use “foes” but Psalm 110:1 use “enemies?”
» What about Romans 10:9-10?
» Does Hebrews 10:25 really teach we must attend church?

Should we pray for “safe trips” and “traveling mercies?”

SHOULD WE PRAY FOR “SAFE TRIPS” AND “TRAVELING MERCIES?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

It is common to hear Christian people assemble to pray for “safe trips” and “traveling mercies.” What exactly are “traveling mercies” I have no idea, so please do not ask me. The term is meaningless. But, I remember many times as a young child that my family and I would pray before leaving in a vehicle. As instructed in church, we would ask God to keep us safe on our journeys. As a child, I was under the impression that, if we would not pray for God to protect us before we left home, we would get in an automobile accident while en route to our destination. Many years ago, once I came to understand the Bible dispensationally, I realized just how futile that sort of praying was. Us praying about safe trips had nothing to do with what God was doing today. Let me tell you what I mean.

If we look at the Apostle Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, and we see how our apostle prayed, we find nothing about Christians praying for “safe journeys” and “traveling mercies.” Romans through Philemon contain four large model Pauline prayers—Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9-10. These are specific prayers that Paul said on behalf of Christians in the Church the Body of Christ in the Dispensation of Grace. He said nothing about safe trips. However, he wrote plenty about dangerous trips.

Led by the Holy Spirit, Paul himself confessed that he had many hazardous journeys, trips that involved him being robbed, beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, destitute of shelter and food, and so on. In fact, there is language that Paul was killed (and God raised him) on a few occasions. We read in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27: “[23] Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. [24] Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. [25] Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [26] In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; [27] In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” If anyone should have prayed for “safe trips” in the Bible, it should have been the Apostle Paul! And, yet, he wrote nothing about such prayers. He never prayed them and he never exhorted us to pray in that manner, either. What are we doing praying to avoid something our apostle faced? If God was able to enable our apostle to endure it, surely God can enable us to bear them, too.

SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE

In fact, if you are going to say that the Lord will give us safe travels, how exactly will He do this? Will He send angels? Well, the answer is no, because Paul never talks about guardian angels in the Dispensation of Grace. I remember some time ago, a woman claimed that angels had protected some of her family members in a very serious car wreck. They were injured, some severely, but not killed. Some spent months in painful recovery. That sounded very silly to me. If there were guardian angels, I would expect them to guard against all injury, and not guard merely against death! Why did the angels not manipulate the circumstances so as to avoid the auto accident altogether? The truth is, whether in the Bible, or confirmed in our circumstances, angels have no ministry to us. Why? Because God is doing something different today than what He with Israel and angels in time past!

Ephesians 1:12-14 says: “[12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. [13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, [14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

The Bible says that we who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we are “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” That word “sealed” is a preservation term. It denotes security. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 that God the Father has “also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” What security! The Holy Spirit has encompassed our inner man, our soul and our spirit, and marked us as His own. Why should we be praying for God to protect our outward man—our physical body—when this physical body will eventually grow sick, grow old, and die anyway? Our soul, which lasts forever, is much more important than our physical body. If we die in a car accident, so what! We will go to heaven and be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

SUPPLEMENTAL: YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT ROMANS 1:9-10?

Those who dislike dispensational Bible study look for any little verse or piece of a verse that proves their “safe trips and traveling mercies” persuasion. I have noticed that their favorite passage is Romans 1:9-10: “[9] For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; [10] Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” Yet, they stop reading the passage right there. They do not continue reading verses so as to establish the context. (It sounds like someone has a denominational agenda to promote!!)

Here, we pause and ask, “What does Romans 1:10 actually say?” People are forcing Paul to write, “Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a safe journey by the will of God to come unto you.” But, that is not what the verse said in our King James Bible!!! Paul is praying for aprosperous journey” not a “safe journey.” And just what does that expression “prosperous journey” mean? We do not have to wonder. We just read the next few verses and Paul will tell us!

“[11] For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; [12] That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. [13] Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.”

As we can clearly see, the “prosperous journey” of verse 10 is not for Paul’s benefit. The Bible is saying that that “prosperous journey” is for the Romans’ benefit! The Romans will prosper here. Paul wants to teach the Roman believers some doctrine that will firmly fix their understanding in sound Bible doctrine. He wanted to “impart unto [them] some spiritual gift.” He wanted to provide them with the same spiritual wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and spiritual understanding that he had. This is a far, far, far cry from Paul wanting to have a nice, sweet, carefree trip to Rome! (By the way, Paul did eventually arrive in Rome in Acts chapter 28—chapter 27 says he first experienced a storm at sea and then a shipwreck!)

Also see:
» Should we pray for sick people?
» What is Pauline prayer?
» What does Romans 16:20 mean?