I was thinking of all of you again while I was at the Temple with my brother this afternoon. We were discussing one of the laws with a priest, and I was rebuked for misunderstanding one of the commandments in Leviticus. It reminds me of our situation that you will be facing before I return. I just had word that the persecution has been progressing closer to home. Would you believe me if I told you that God was sending us this persecution to mature us into His likeness? We often wonder why God allows evils… well, don’t think of these persecutions as evils, but as tests and situations to build our character and make us better.
Think of Job, who was tested by God Himself. Job was more righteous than any of us and had such a small picture of God’s salvation plan. We have seen this plan completed in Christ, so we need to continue on even stronger than Job with our eyes fixed on the truth. Even righteous Job was corrected by God as a futile human, but Job was grateful for the correction, even though it was painful. Would you not rather be perfect in God’s eyes and have a few scars than come to the end of your time here unscathed, sending a beautiful body to a flaming torture apart from God? Be careful you do not become unfaithful! We’ve been corrected by these imperfect teachers and are so thankful when they set us on the right path, so should we not be all the more thankful for God’s instruction and correction? Doesn’t it make this approaching trial look so much more appealing, so know that God is sending it for our good, and if we persevere, there will be fruits of righteousness produced in our lives?
Like Esau, you and I are among the firstborn (of God, the best Father) and bequeathed an inheritance. However, we have the right to give up that birthright, throw it away, just like Esau did for a hungry belly. Do you want to lose that invaluable blessing of communion and relationship with the Father through the Son by denying His sacrifice on the cross and returning to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant? The Old Covenant has been nullified, made of no consequence, by the sacrifice of Christ. Being both the full covering for sin and the only sacrifice now accepted by the Father, I implore you not to turn away from truth because of the coming persecution.
I wish I could be with you to encourage you through this time, and I will return as quickly as God allows me. But remember, as I trust you will choose to be faithful to Christ, you can approach God face to face on the Mountain of Zion, rather than be separated through a curtain as on Mount Sinai. Imagine what it would be like if each of us glowed as much as Moses after having come from God’s presence; we would all have to wear veils around even each other, because the brightness of a brother’s face would merely magnify our own reflection. Take comfort in one another, that we all bask together in the glorious presence of our Savior whether near or far apart. I am constantly lifting you up in prayer, that this trial will only prove your faith and approve you in God’s favor.
Beware that you do not let go of that faith in this time of persecution. Think of us all as holding onto the railing of God in His faithfulness, while the persecution is merely a shake from God to see who is really holding onto the rail and who is merely pretending. We have been shaken once and were found faithful holding onto God. But are we ready to really cling to Christ? Prepare yourselves, because the shaking is beginning. Never relinquish the Gospel you first accepted, recognizing it as far superior the Mosaic sacrificial system. Beware, if you consider letting go when the shaking drives your pain to the point of blood and death: God’s consuming fire will devour any who let go. That is a place none of is able or desire to face, the wrath of God upon His own who has denied Him. Do you realize that returning the sacrificial system is denying God?
As you cling to Christ, be careful not to sin. Discipline yourselves to remain true to the lord’s commandments so you may be found blameless like Job. You have not always made mature decisions in terms of your marital fidelity, hospitality and love for one another. Please do not allow the immaturity of your past to disqualify you from making this mature decision to obey out of love for God. As long as you are faithful in clinging to Christ, He will develop in you those fruits of righteousness through your suffering. But if you let go, beware, because you are not falling to the destruction of man, but of God. So not only hold fast in order to be matured, but because God’s wounds cut deeper than man’s and His fire consumes all while man’s merely kills. Man may kill the body, but God holds in His hand our eternal souls.
I wish with all my heart that I could encourage you in person at the time to make the decision. But I fear I will not be with you when the day of persecution arrives. Therefore, be faithful and make the obedient decision. Pray for me too as I am facing my own struggles and desire the encouragement of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. I look forward to persevering through this life with joy alongside you once I have returned to you. Be mindful that Our Lord sees all your deeds, so make sure they are pleasing to Him! I wish I could have written more to you, but time runs short! Timothy might come with if he is able to come to Italy on his way back to Paul, I know you all will be glad to see him. All our relatives here in Jerusalem say “HI!”
I love you all, now stay with God.
Yocheved
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Observing the Futility of Sacrifice (Argument 4)
I have been thinking a lot about the sacrifices I’ve watched while here at the Temple. I persuaded my older brother to linger with me at the Temple, watching all the people who come and go. He is a good Hebrew student, and quizzes me on the reasons why each person offers the sacrifice they do. We speculate on what it could be that compels them to seek repentance… do they truly desire favor in the eyes of Adonai or were they compelled to repent because of a disgruntled spouse. My brother is a firm believer in the unity of obedience to please God and compulsion. He is too idealistic a Jew to admit the tendency of man to disobey the Law out of selfish idolatry. My brother loves God, but denies the need for anything other than the Law to make him righteous before God. But you, my brothers and sisters, know how dead we are and how incapable under the Law, because by the Law we realized sins, and transgressed against the Law more because of it (as Paul pointed out).
Realizing how great our sacrifice was in Christ, that I may sit as an observer to all other sacrifices, never needing to atone for sins again, where as my brother must offer sacrifices, and all that effort and blood and death… and yet those sacrifices do not purify his sins as much as my sacrifice does. I had the perfect sacrifice, One who sacrificed Himself once in order to pay for all my sins. My brother must return again here every year to be covered under the sin offering on the Day of Atonement. And yet my brother will sin again, and the blood from his last sacrifice will not clean him until the end What freedom we who are in Christ have, no longer being bound to seek blood absolution for our sins! Look, you have this sacrifice absolving your sins, so don’t stand outside the Temple like an unclean woman, press into the very presence of God, the heart of the Father. Once close in His presence, remain there in purity, do not defile the sacrifice He has made for us, because the blood was already pain for the whole sacrifice, Christ has no more sacrificial blood to spill!
We are coming closer and closer to the time when we will want to deny His blood because it is going to hurt us to claim this perpetual absolution. Do you realize it will be willful sin, willful denial of Christ is you return to your Temple sacrifices? This would mean that Jesus was just another sacrifice, not the eternally absolving sacrifice. Let me compare for you the consequences of willful sin vs. unintentional sin between Old Covenant and New Covenant just to encourage you not to relinquish your claim on Christ’s blood. If you all hold together in the blood of Christ throughout this trial, the fellowship you share as fellow sufferers will strengthen your individual resolve, and you will not be as tempted to fall away from Christ as you would be if you approach this trial divided.
In Mosaic Law, willful sin brought death if convicted by two or three witnesses, so God would not tolerate it then. How do you think that you, under a greater sacrifice and your sins completely covered, will escape punishment for your willful sins? You are not less accountable because your sins have been completely covered, but because your sacrifice is worth far more and absolves you far better, you are expected to be holier than those under the “mere” Torah! You have a spiritized Torah, a means of following the rules, not just the rules themselves! Do not test God this way by sinning willfully, by denying the power of His Son’s blood. It is the most dreadful thing in the world to witness God’s judgment on His own. It is because He loves you and wants you to have the best, be holy and perfect, and so because you have been cleansed and are able to live holy, God will hold you to a higher standard of behavior than those under the Old Covenant!
And even those under the Old Covenant who did not see the fulfillment of their promise, actually see Christ remove their sins from God’s presence, remained faithful to God. This proves that you are far more able to live holy, obedient lives before God than they, since you have seen this fulfillment of the promise. Look at our fathers: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham (even Sarah!), Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses! They all faced great trials and persevered until the end, sticking to their decisions. Even you have already suffered persecution and endured in spite of it. So why would you give in to the temptation now, simply because it’s a greater persecution than you endured last time? All those who persevered and finished the race under the Old Covenant are standing on the sidelines as we run this persecution through until the end. But we do not just have the fathers cheering us on, we have Christ himself, who not only encourages us to keep running, but runs alongside us.
Therefore, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and remain together. You are temples of Christ, now, don’t be caught in the old sacrificial system, because if you turn back from the better sacrifice of Christ now, you are willfully sinning against God and He will judge you for it because He loves you. Look, Jesus Himself suffered like you are now, suffering even a worse persecution. And He finished… therefore think of Him and you will too. I love you all. I will keep watching the Temple and describe it to all of you when I return!
Realizing how great our sacrifice was in Christ, that I may sit as an observer to all other sacrifices, never needing to atone for sins again, where as my brother must offer sacrifices, and all that effort and blood and death… and yet those sacrifices do not purify his sins as much as my sacrifice does. I had the perfect sacrifice, One who sacrificed Himself once in order to pay for all my sins. My brother must return again here every year to be covered under the sin offering on the Day of Atonement. And yet my brother will sin again, and the blood from his last sacrifice will not clean him until the end What freedom we who are in Christ have, no longer being bound to seek blood absolution for our sins! Look, you have this sacrifice absolving your sins, so don’t stand outside the Temple like an unclean woman, press into the very presence of God, the heart of the Father. Once close in His presence, remain there in purity, do not defile the sacrifice He has made for us, because the blood was already pain for the whole sacrifice, Christ has no more sacrificial blood to spill!
We are coming closer and closer to the time when we will want to deny His blood because it is going to hurt us to claim this perpetual absolution. Do you realize it will be willful sin, willful denial of Christ is you return to your Temple sacrifices? This would mean that Jesus was just another sacrifice, not the eternally absolving sacrifice. Let me compare for you the consequences of willful sin vs. unintentional sin between Old Covenant and New Covenant just to encourage you not to relinquish your claim on Christ’s blood. If you all hold together in the blood of Christ throughout this trial, the fellowship you share as fellow sufferers will strengthen your individual resolve, and you will not be as tempted to fall away from Christ as you would be if you approach this trial divided.
In Mosaic Law, willful sin brought death if convicted by two or three witnesses, so God would not tolerate it then. How do you think that you, under a greater sacrifice and your sins completely covered, will escape punishment for your willful sins? You are not less accountable because your sins have been completely covered, but because your sacrifice is worth far more and absolves you far better, you are expected to be holier than those under the “mere” Torah! You have a spiritized Torah, a means of following the rules, not just the rules themselves! Do not test God this way by sinning willfully, by denying the power of His Son’s blood. It is the most dreadful thing in the world to witness God’s judgment on His own. It is because He loves you and wants you to have the best, be holy and perfect, and so because you have been cleansed and are able to live holy, God will hold you to a higher standard of behavior than those under the Old Covenant!
And even those under the Old Covenant who did not see the fulfillment of their promise, actually see Christ remove their sins from God’s presence, remained faithful to God. This proves that you are far more able to live holy, obedient lives before God than they, since you have seen this fulfillment of the promise. Look at our fathers: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham (even Sarah!), Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses! They all faced great trials and persevered until the end, sticking to their decisions. Even you have already suffered persecution and endured in spite of it. So why would you give in to the temptation now, simply because it’s a greater persecution than you endured last time? All those who persevered and finished the race under the Old Covenant are standing on the sidelines as we run this persecution through until the end. But we do not just have the fathers cheering us on, we have Christ himself, who not only encourages us to keep running, but runs alongside us.
Therefore, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and remain together. You are temples of Christ, now, don’t be caught in the old sacrificial system, because if you turn back from the better sacrifice of Christ now, you are willfully sinning against God and He will judge you for it because He loves you. Look, Jesus Himself suffered like you are now, suffering even a worse persecution. And He finished… therefore think of Him and you will too. I love you all. I will keep watching the Temple and describe it to all of you when I return!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
After the Passover Celebration (Argument 3)
My family celebrated Passover as we always do, my father and younger brother reciting the prayers and eating the feast which my mother, female relatives and I always spend the whole day preparing. Thinking about the sacrifice of a perfect lamb and how all the Jews still kill an animal to atone for their sins, I remember again how free I am by the sacrifice of Christ’s blood. Our high priest and our sacrifice—both perfect and complete. We Christians are so free compared to our Jewish brothers… we are no longer bound to these rituals in order to be right with God, our sacrifice is complete! Because Christ as our sacrifice is far better than the animal sacrifice of our fathers, we are able to have a far better faith than our fathers, even better than our father Abraham.
Think about it: Abraham did not know how animals sacrifices substituted for his sins, yet we not only know why Christ had to die, but our sacrifice did not stay dead! Because we have such a better sacrifice, how can we return to an imperfect sacrifice once we receive Christ? I am concerned that you are still wavering as to whether or not you may hide your new identity in Christ as act as if nothing had changed in your life. You have been given the Holy Spirit and been given the mind of Christ and tasted the goodness of God, so how can you fall away and hope to be given grace while you are putting the name of Christ to shame and crucifying Him again? It is impossible to repent while you are sinning! To deny Christ now in order to avoid persecution would be presuming upon God’s mercy, just like the Kadesh Barnea generation of our fathers.
They continued to sin, thinking that God would always be merciful, and so did not realize when God withdrew His mercy, sending them into the wilderness to wander. That was a terrible judgment which all of that generation who were disobedient paid for with their lives. Even worse was when our kings and people denied God through idolatry, taking no heed to the word of the prophets who were sent to warn them of coming exile. And so our fathers were carried off in chains, some never to return, because they tested God. So decide now to obey God, while you are sure that you may enter His rest after this trial, because a more terrible consequence than our fathers suffered lies before us if we fail. In fact, the consequence is so terrible, that we should not even desire to know what it is… because only through experiencing the limit of God’s mercy can we know where the line of His mercy is to cross.
As long as we continue to obey God and claim the name of Christ, enduring persecution, we can be sure that God will be faithful to us, as He was faithful to our father Abraham. If we persevere, God will give us rest after the persecutions have ceased. We cannot be sure of mercy or judgment from God if we are disobedient, so let us not kindle the Lord’s righteous judgment against us. Remember the greatness of our High Priest and the magnificent sacrifice He performed so that you will not fall away: Our Jesus was not a priest as Aaron who had to offer sacrifices for himself before he could atone for the people, but He is a perfect priest, always able to intercede on our behalf. Remember the account of Mechizedek, the priest-king whom Abraham encountered? He was just and perfect in the entire record of his life. In the same way, our Lord Jesus Christ lived and suffered as a man, but did so perfectly. Why would you want to turn back from the perfect to the imperfect?
Think about it: Abraham did not know how animals sacrifices substituted for his sins, yet we not only know why Christ had to die, but our sacrifice did not stay dead! Because we have such a better sacrifice, how can we return to an imperfect sacrifice once we receive Christ? I am concerned that you are still wavering as to whether or not you may hide your new identity in Christ as act as if nothing had changed in your life. You have been given the Holy Spirit and been given the mind of Christ and tasted the goodness of God, so how can you fall away and hope to be given grace while you are putting the name of Christ to shame and crucifying Him again? It is impossible to repent while you are sinning! To deny Christ now in order to avoid persecution would be presuming upon God’s mercy, just like the Kadesh Barnea generation of our fathers.
They continued to sin, thinking that God would always be merciful, and so did not realize when God withdrew His mercy, sending them into the wilderness to wander. That was a terrible judgment which all of that generation who were disobedient paid for with their lives. Even worse was when our kings and people denied God through idolatry, taking no heed to the word of the prophets who were sent to warn them of coming exile. And so our fathers were carried off in chains, some never to return, because they tested God. So decide now to obey God, while you are sure that you may enter His rest after this trial, because a more terrible consequence than our fathers suffered lies before us if we fail. In fact, the consequence is so terrible, that we should not even desire to know what it is… because only through experiencing the limit of God’s mercy can we know where the line of His mercy is to cross.
As long as we continue to obey God and claim the name of Christ, enduring persecution, we can be sure that God will be faithful to us, as He was faithful to our father Abraham. If we persevere, God will give us rest after the persecutions have ceased. We cannot be sure of mercy or judgment from God if we are disobedient, so let us not kindle the Lord’s righteous judgment against us. Remember the greatness of our High Priest and the magnificent sacrifice He performed so that you will not fall away: Our Jesus was not a priest as Aaron who had to offer sacrifices for himself before he could atone for the people, but He is a perfect priest, always able to intercede on our behalf. Remember the account of Mechizedek, the priest-king whom Abraham encountered? He was just and perfect in the entire record of his life. In the same way, our Lord Jesus Christ lived and suffered as a man, but did so perfectly. Why would you want to turn back from the perfect to the imperfect?
First Sabbat in Jerusalem (Argument 2)
Worship in the Temple is spectacular. The rabbi exhorted us out of the Law of Moses to cleanse ourselves from all impurities as we prepare for the Passover celebration. I remember when I was younger, scouring the house for the leaven which my mother would hide for my father, that he might prove to the family that our house was free from sin. Passover has become such a solemn time, where did the joy of our deliverance go? Is it not marvelous that God spoke to Moses, freeing Him people not only from Egypt, but from the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations through the Law? For we know that any man who perfectly kept the Law would be perfect in God’s eyes: how many could do this, though? Not even our father Moses who received the Law!
That is why our hope is in the perfection of Christ rather than the Law—we would be doomed to the same inability to obey the Law as Moses and the Kadesh Barnea generation. Even though Moses is the “father” of our Jewish heritage because God revealed Himself through the Law of Moses, Moses himself is not as great as Christ (for he cannot save us). Moses could not enable the people to obey the Law, he could only give them the Law. Yet in Christ, we who believe are made to be sons, and enabled by partaking in Christ’s death and His life to perfectly follow the Law. Christ is our righteousness, our ability to please and obey the Father while Moses was “merely” God’s servant.
However, like the generation of Kadesh Barnea, we are faced with a choice: to believe God and obey or to disbelieve God’s Word and sin. We see that those of Kadesh Barnea were given God’s grace in spite of their sin—God forgave them for countless sins before sending them to wander in the wilderness. All the grace they were given was the time in which God expected them to decide whether or not they would believe Him. The time called “today” passed when the ten spies and all the people besides Joshua and Caleb disbelieved that God was great enough to remove giants and large walls from their path into Canaan. God closed the window of opportunity for repentance after this last act of disbelief, fating the Kadesh Barnea generation to wander till dead for forty years in the wilderness.
What will we choose, to believe God’s word or to doubt Him? Do we believe that God is great enough to strengthen us through this persecution? The time is still “today,” and we cannot waver in the balance forever: we must either obediently claim Christ and endure persecution, or choose to believe the One who endured all trials as we do now and overcame them is incapable of helping us. If we fail to obey God and our window of opportunity passes, it is the same as if we chose not to believe God. Remember my brothers and sisters that this trial is only for a time—just as God promised rest in the land of Canaan to Israel if she obeyed Him, so He promises us rest after our time of persecution. His rest is still available to us now if we choose to obey, but a time will come when we cannot choose rest anymore. Let us obey now while we still can.
Think of our fathers leaving Egypt who disobeyed God: He caused them to wander 40 years and never enter His rest, leaving all the disobedient to die in the wilderness. And we who walk closer to God, what more terrible things would befall us to deny the truth of our Savior to save our own skins? Our fathers did not have the same atonement for sin that we have—Aaron had to continually sacrifice for both himself and the people that they might be right with God. With Christ as our high priest, there is no more sacrifice, for Christ’s perfect sacrifice paid once for all sins—enabling us to live freely from the law of sin and death. Let us take rest, then, in the completeness of our sacrifice in Christ and remain free through our obedience to God by persevering through this trial.
That is why our hope is in the perfection of Christ rather than the Law—we would be doomed to the same inability to obey the Law as Moses and the Kadesh Barnea generation. Even though Moses is the “father” of our Jewish heritage because God revealed Himself through the Law of Moses, Moses himself is not as great as Christ (for he cannot save us). Moses could not enable the people to obey the Law, he could only give them the Law. Yet in Christ, we who believe are made to be sons, and enabled by partaking in Christ’s death and His life to perfectly follow the Law. Christ is our righteousness, our ability to please and obey the Father while Moses was “merely” God’s servant.
However, like the generation of Kadesh Barnea, we are faced with a choice: to believe God and obey or to disbelieve God’s Word and sin. We see that those of Kadesh Barnea were given God’s grace in spite of their sin—God forgave them for countless sins before sending them to wander in the wilderness. All the grace they were given was the time in which God expected them to decide whether or not they would believe Him. The time called “today” passed when the ten spies and all the people besides Joshua and Caleb disbelieved that God was great enough to remove giants and large walls from their path into Canaan. God closed the window of opportunity for repentance after this last act of disbelief, fating the Kadesh Barnea generation to wander till dead for forty years in the wilderness.
What will we choose, to believe God’s word or to doubt Him? Do we believe that God is great enough to strengthen us through this persecution? The time is still “today,” and we cannot waver in the balance forever: we must either obediently claim Christ and endure persecution, or choose to believe the One who endured all trials as we do now and overcame them is incapable of helping us. If we fail to obey God and our window of opportunity passes, it is the same as if we chose not to believe God. Remember my brothers and sisters that this trial is only for a time—just as God promised rest in the land of Canaan to Israel if she obeyed Him, so He promises us rest after our time of persecution. His rest is still available to us now if we choose to obey, but a time will come when we cannot choose rest anymore. Let us obey now while we still can.
Think of our fathers leaving Egypt who disobeyed God: He caused them to wander 40 years and never enter His rest, leaving all the disobedient to die in the wilderness. And we who walk closer to God, what more terrible things would befall us to deny the truth of our Savior to save our own skins? Our fathers did not have the same atonement for sin that we have—Aaron had to continually sacrifice for both himself and the people that they might be right with God. With Christ as our high priest, there is no more sacrifice, for Christ’s perfect sacrifice paid once for all sins—enabling us to live freely from the law of sin and death. Let us take rest, then, in the completeness of our sacrifice in Christ and remain free through our obedience to God by persevering through this trial.
Friday, September 14, 2007
On the road to Jerusalem (Argument 1)
We set out for Jerusalem one week ago on the perilous Passover journey. These days, my father tells me, are far different than when he made this traditional pilgrimage at my age. Now, the Romans rule our Holy City with an iron fist. Dangers await us on this road, not only from the wintry weather and bandits, but from Roman guards: if a man in our group looks threatening or speaks out too loudly in Jerusalem, he may be imprisoned. Zealous Jews have caused too many uprisings in recent days to allow us to peace of a Roman-free city in which to celebrate Passover. Because of the increasing Roman supervision, costs of this journey rise every year, more taxes, more bribes. I know my father has saved and sacrificed greatly to allow us this month long journey. I cannot wait to set foot in the Temple... to see the house where God chose to reside… to be in the place not only God’s presence resides in, but where God Himself walked.
Rumors have caught up to our caravan that the persecutions are drifting towards our town out of Rome. I wish I could be there with you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, that we might encourage one another through this coming trial. I remember how fearful many grew when the shadow of persecution fell upon us. But we have such a greater hope than we used too; we no longer need to run from our enemies as we did before we knew Christ. While our fathers only knew God through the messages of His prophets and tidings of angels, we have a surer knowledge of our hope, for Christ made Himself visible to us! We know that Christ was a greater messenger than the prophets or angels because He has conquered where they were overcome: He has dominion over death, as do all who are sons in Him. We have so much a better understanding of truth than we did with just the revelation to the Jews, because God’s own sons have brought it to us!
What should persecution matter to us, if God Himself was willing to risk pain to bring us hope, bringing it through a far greater messenger than our fathers knew? Not only did the Son, Christ, bring to earth the news of the gospel, but we too heard the truth from sons rather than servants! Why are we so afraid of pain? Didn’t God allow His own sons (both Christ and other believers) to suffer for the truth? But we have the hope of glory beyond the pain of our bodies. Listen, I know its frightening to hear accounts of the pain our fellow believers have faced for Christ. I am on my way to our Holy city where James was recently killed, don’t you think I want to continue living? But Christ did not withhold His life from death in order to save me, so why should I not risk my life for His sake as well?
Be careful that you do not succumb to the temptation to hide behind your Jewish heritage. No, they will not persecute you if you renounce Christ, but how much greater will the consequence be for your disobedience to the call of a greater message? We know more fully than our fathers did of God’s salvation… and did they ever renounce their faith when times grew hard? Abraham believed God was his righteousness without ever seeing that righteousness, and yet we have seen ours, Christ! With our understanding, how will we be held blameless if we reject the truth to protect ourselves? How can we pretend we never saw the gift we have been given, never took part in it? That would be worse than having never accepted God’s salvation!
Jesus Himself knew what our pain was like, He knew from walking as a man in the will of the Father that we would face troubles. Jesus Himself suffered the same temptation in the Garden, the pain of death, separation from His beloved disciples even a greater pain than we face in persecution: the prospect of separation from God. Our Savior too agonized to the point of bleeding over the temptation to reject God’s will and be comfortable. But He chose obedience to the Father, cutting the path in which we might follow—perfectly obedient in spite of the pain. Therefore hold fast to the path God has prepared for us, even though pain and death may lie ahead, because He who endured the same struggle can keep you from falling!
Rumors have caught up to our caravan that the persecutions are drifting towards our town out of Rome. I wish I could be there with you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, that we might encourage one another through this coming trial. I remember how fearful many grew when the shadow of persecution fell upon us. But we have such a greater hope than we used too; we no longer need to run from our enemies as we did before we knew Christ. While our fathers only knew God through the messages of His prophets and tidings of angels, we have a surer knowledge of our hope, for Christ made Himself visible to us! We know that Christ was a greater messenger than the prophets or angels because He has conquered where they were overcome: He has dominion over death, as do all who are sons in Him. We have so much a better understanding of truth than we did with just the revelation to the Jews, because God’s own sons have brought it to us!
What should persecution matter to us, if God Himself was willing to risk pain to bring us hope, bringing it through a far greater messenger than our fathers knew? Not only did the Son, Christ, bring to earth the news of the gospel, but we too heard the truth from sons rather than servants! Why are we so afraid of pain? Didn’t God allow His own sons (both Christ and other believers) to suffer for the truth? But we have the hope of glory beyond the pain of our bodies. Listen, I know its frightening to hear accounts of the pain our fellow believers have faced for Christ. I am on my way to our Holy city where James was recently killed, don’t you think I want to continue living? But Christ did not withhold His life from death in order to save me, so why should I not risk my life for His sake as well?
Be careful that you do not succumb to the temptation to hide behind your Jewish heritage. No, they will not persecute you if you renounce Christ, but how much greater will the consequence be for your disobedience to the call of a greater message? We know more fully than our fathers did of God’s salvation… and did they ever renounce their faith when times grew hard? Abraham believed God was his righteousness without ever seeing that righteousness, and yet we have seen ours, Christ! With our understanding, how will we be held blameless if we reject the truth to protect ourselves? How can we pretend we never saw the gift we have been given, never took part in it? That would be worse than having never accepted God’s salvation!
Jesus Himself knew what our pain was like, He knew from walking as a man in the will of the Father that we would face troubles. Jesus Himself suffered the same temptation in the Garden, the pain of death, separation from His beloved disciples even a greater pain than we face in persecution: the prospect of separation from God. Our Savior too agonized to the point of bleeding over the temptation to reject God’s will and be comfortable. But He chose obedience to the Father, cutting the path in which we might follow—perfectly obedient in spite of the pain. Therefore hold fast to the path God has prepared for us, even though pain and death may lie ahead, because He who endured the same struggle can keep you from falling!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Whispers...
Rumor has it that a movement in Rome has begun to try and eradicate Christians. A ripple ran through our gathering tonight when one of the elders mentioned it... some began to panic and dread a terrible fate like some of the incidents we have heard of... like when Stephen was killed by Jewish zealots... a story the Apostle Paul was witness too... except this time its on a much wider scale. The news came from Ostia Antica that in Rome that some Christians have been disappearing in the streets. Some of the older ladies like Maura in the congregation began fretting and trying to quiet the more outspoken youths. One even grabbed me by my hands and began to earnestly plead that if I were ever to be caught, not to reveal the meeting place or names of our small congregation in Pitigliano. At this, I was horrified... should we hide behind the faith of our fathers, should we cower beneath our Jewish heritage and renounce the freedom we have in Christ?
The woman held my wrists so tightly that I couldn't move from my seat. I looked over to Eleazar, my friend who is bold in the faith and dares to question the rabbis. He saw my distress and stood to his feet. A hush fell over the group and many looked ashamed, even the older ones. We Jews are hearty survivors, but as Christians, we do not compromise the truth to appease even our greatest tormentors. Brother Timothy, when he accompanied Paul, reminded us of what Jesus Himself told the Apostles: that they would face troubles in this world for His name's sake. Eleazar exhorted the group as Moses had Joshua to be of good courage, for we have assurance of the Lord's favor. We have been delivered from so much, from bondage to a law that could only redeem our souls if followed to perfection... which no man has ever done aside from Christ. In Christ's fulfillment of the Law and our identity being found in Him, we have a greater grace than our fathers.
I am not known for my speaking in the congregation. I am the only young woman in our small party who is not married or betrothed... the other single girls are too afraid of losing their opportunities for a respected husband in the community. They sacrifice their souls for those marriages. I have heard that the Apostle Paul writes many letters to the churches he visits. I should very much like to read those letters. Perhaps if I am called away some day I can encourage my own community too through letters. My Father has always spoken of celebrating passover in Jerusalem... he heard tales of its glory from his grandfather, and wants to see it before it is spoiled by the Romans. My father has lost his hope in God and relies on his righteous acts and business to get him by in this world. He is a good man, but he does not know God. The bread will burn if I write any more!
The woman held my wrists so tightly that I couldn't move from my seat. I looked over to Eleazar, my friend who is bold in the faith and dares to question the rabbis. He saw my distress and stood to his feet. A hush fell over the group and many looked ashamed, even the older ones. We Jews are hearty survivors, but as Christians, we do not compromise the truth to appease even our greatest tormentors. Brother Timothy, when he accompanied Paul, reminded us of what Jesus Himself told the Apostles: that they would face troubles in this world for His name's sake. Eleazar exhorted the group as Moses had Joshua to be of good courage, for we have assurance of the Lord's favor. We have been delivered from so much, from bondage to a law that could only redeem our souls if followed to perfection... which no man has ever done aside from Christ. In Christ's fulfillment of the Law and our identity being found in Him, we have a greater grace than our fathers.
I am not known for my speaking in the congregation. I am the only young woman in our small party who is not married or betrothed... the other single girls are too afraid of losing their opportunities for a respected husband in the community. They sacrifice their souls for those marriages. I have heard that the Apostle Paul writes many letters to the churches he visits. I should very much like to read those letters. Perhaps if I am called away some day I can encourage my own community too through letters. My Father has always spoken of celebrating passover in Jerusalem... he heard tales of its glory from his grandfather, and wants to see it before it is spoiled by the Romans. My father has lost his hope in God and relies on his righteous acts and business to get him by in this world. He is a good man, but he does not know God. The bread will burn if I write any more!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
a woman from ancient Jewish-Christian world
For the understanding of my reader, I will identify myself as Yocheved, a young woman living in the days shortly following the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, you may guess by my specification of the man Jesus as "Lord" and "Christ" that I am indeed a Christian. However, I am not one of those Christians who lived without the law and in ignorance of God. I was born a Hebrew, evidenced by my name which means "God's glory." I owe the debt of my faith to the brave preaching of the Apostle Paul and Timothy in my synagogue, and though many in my community desired to drive them out of our city, they proclaimed the truth without fear. I am not ignorant of the zealot revolts-- at one time I was willing to fight along side them in their pursuit of freedom for Jerusalem, but my weakness as a woman prohibited me.
All I knew of God and the Holy Scriptures was what I had witnessed my brothers reciting and memorizing while attending synagogue as all good young Jewish boys do until the age of 12. I was never permitted to study the Scriptures for myself, considered an inferior member of society by men. Our rabbis view it as a sin for me to learn God's law for myself: “Let the words of the Law (Torah) be burned rather than be committed to a woman…If a man teaches his daughter the Law, it is as though he taught her lechery” (Sotah 3.4). But I am not as ignorant as the donkey which plods along under its burden or content to have God dictated to me by men. I remembered the prophecies of Isaiah and the cries of the psalmist which I heard in synagogue and practiced by my brothers. So when the preachers came to my town, my heart resonated with their words, and I knew them to be truth. They told me I didn't have to believe because a man told me words he expected me to believe as truth, but that God Himself would speak to me. This freed me from being a second-class citizen to a member of Christ's body equal with any man!
I have thrived on this new teaching, though I only record what I learn here in my journal, for if my family, especially my father were to discover the faith I have adopted, he would cast me out of the house at least. At worse... who knows, I could be stoned because of some of the things our rabbis teach. So I have snuck out to hear the preachers proclaim the truth of Christ to us, or to sing praises with fellow believers. Can you believe it? I am permitted the freedom to sing in Christ! The rabbis most certainly would not approve of a woman singing, with men no less. I learn from others what the preaching contained when I cannot steal away from my home to hear the preachers. I must end my writing soon, or the hiding place of my confession will be discovered and I will be undone. I still live at home, though I am far older than many of my companions when they were betrothed. I have managed to remain free of any man at this time.. and I must be free in order to learn of my Lord. Were I to marry a Jewish man, he would divorce me upon learning of my faith and I would die. More later...
All I knew of God and the Holy Scriptures was what I had witnessed my brothers reciting and memorizing while attending synagogue as all good young Jewish boys do until the age of 12. I was never permitted to study the Scriptures for myself, considered an inferior member of society by men. Our rabbis view it as a sin for me to learn God's law for myself: “Let the words of the Law (Torah) be burned rather than be committed to a woman…If a man teaches his daughter the Law, it is as though he taught her lechery” (Sotah 3.4). But I am not as ignorant as the donkey which plods along under its burden or content to have God dictated to me by men. I remembered the prophecies of Isaiah and the cries of the psalmist which I heard in synagogue and practiced by my brothers. So when the preachers came to my town, my heart resonated with their words, and I knew them to be truth. They told me I didn't have to believe because a man told me words he expected me to believe as truth, but that God Himself would speak to me. This freed me from being a second-class citizen to a member of Christ's body equal with any man!
I have thrived on this new teaching, though I only record what I learn here in my journal, for if my family, especially my father were to discover the faith I have adopted, he would cast me out of the house at least. At worse... who knows, I could be stoned because of some of the things our rabbis teach. So I have snuck out to hear the preachers proclaim the truth of Christ to us, or to sing praises with fellow believers. Can you believe it? I am permitted the freedom to sing in Christ! The rabbis most certainly would not approve of a woman singing, with men no less. I learn from others what the preaching contained when I cannot steal away from my home to hear the preachers. I must end my writing soon, or the hiding place of my confession will be discovered and I will be undone. I still live at home, though I am far older than many of my companions when they were betrothed. I have managed to remain free of any man at this time.. and I must be free in order to learn of my Lord. Were I to marry a Jewish man, he would divorce me upon learning of my faith and I would die. More later...
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