Archive for September 24th, 2009

Prayer Request

Thursday, September 24th, 2009 | Author:

From Roderick Logan:

My grandson Jude, who is a year old, was diagnosed today with the H1N1 virus. My son, Derrick, informs me they are hopeful, but I know moments of fear are a bit overwhelming. Kim, his wife, is pregnant and is due in January. Our concern is for Jude and his unborn brother/sister (gender unknown). Jude has not been hospitalized and is at home with medication.

I ask for the community’s prayer on behalf of my family. I trust YHWH, and his work is moving our lives into Yeshua. This aspect of the journey is startling and emotional for all of us. We have lived so many years without any major tragedies or issues. So many in the world suffer greatly everyday. I confess, my fear is that it is our turn. Thank you.

Name: Roderick Logan
Email: roderick@4myking.com
Phone:
Regarding: I have a prayer request and/or a need from the community

Category: Articles, Community Issues & Prayer Requests  | Tags:  | 14 Comments

Principios Principales

Thursday, September 24th, 2009 | Author:

Porque la ley del Espíritu de vida en Cristo Jesús te ha libertado de la ley del pecado y de la muerte. Romanos 8:2

Ley – una te hace más grande; la otra más pequeño. Como Alicia en el País de las Maravillas. Es evidente que Sha´ul no se refería a Alicia. Habla de dos principios muy diferentes; dos tipos de nomos (reglas). Una te deja vivir; la otra te mata. La diferencia principal entre a estas dos es la vida y la muerte. Una nos mantiene cautivos a la muerte inevitable. La otra nos libera para vivir. Estas dos son las reglas más importantes de la existencia humana. Pero si no sabemos lo que son, deambularemos creando nuestros propios principios de vida, y eso casi siempre es desastroso.

Sha´ul establece estos dos principios en oposición: libertad y vida por un lado; pecado y muerte por el otro. Sabemos lo que piensa Sha´ul sobre el principio del pecado y muerte. Es un intento de operar en nuestros propios términos. Es la desobediencia a las instrucciones reveladas de Dios. Es dar la espalda a la fuente de la vida. Claro que con toda la actividad en el mundo ciertamente no parece como si la ley del pecado y muerte mantiene prisioneros a tantas persona. Pareciera que solo hacen lo mejor que pueden, acumulando lo que suple sus anhelos e intentando ser felices. La realidad del pecado y muerte se disfraza de expresiones angelicales de deleite. Solo Dios puede remover la ceguera y cuando lo hace, el mundo ciertamente parece un lugar muy trágico.

Por el otro lado, Sha´ul se regocija en la ley del Espíritu de vida en Yeshua. Esta ley me libera. Tiene el poder de transformar mi existencia trágica en un peregrinaje con Yeshua y paz con Dios. ¿Pero notaste que no me libera de las reglas? Me libera de las reglas que me matan, pero no me libera de todas las reglas. Aun permanezco bajo la ley del Espíritu de vida. ¿Y cuál es esa ley? lo que Sha’ul tiene en mente debería ser evidente. El es fariseo de fariseos, seguidor del Mesías observante de la Tora, erudito de la Tanak, pecador salvado por gracia, ciudadano de Israel. ¿Cuál ley provee vida a esta comunidad? La Tora, evidentemente. Eso es lo que Dios dijo que haría, y eso es lo que hace. Cuando vivimos según la Tora, Dios lo utiliza para cumplir sus propósitos y somos llenos del Espíritu – todo porque Yeshua nos redimió.

Sha´ul no dice que la ley del pecado y la muerte es removida puesto que toda ley ha sido removida. EL no dice que el principio de “ámense los unos a los otros” ha remplazado las instrucciones previas de Dios. El no dice que la Tora era deficiente y necesitaba ser remplazada, o que era temporal y ahora ha sido sobrepuesta. El dice que Yeshua nos ha sacado de debajo de una ley que nos mataba para que fuésemos capaces de vivir bajo una ley que nos completa. ¿Cómo va el dicho? “Si es bueno para Pablo, es bueno para mí.”  Aparentemente, la ley del Espíritu de vida en Yeshua HaMashiach era bastante buena para Sha´ul.

Ley, principio, nomos, Tora, vida, muerte, Romanos 8:2

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Principal Principles

Thursday, September 24th, 2009 | Author:

For the law of the Spirit of life in Yeshua HaMashiach set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

Law – Sometimes it seems like Sha’ul could have written about Alice in Wonderland.  One pill makes you bigger (one law gives you life) and the other pill makes you small (one law gives you death).   Of course, Sha’ul isn’t speaking like Alice or singing like Grace Slick. He’s talking about two different principles; two types of nomos (rules). One lets you live; the other kills you. The principal difference between these two is life and death. One held us captive to inevitable death. The other set us free to live. These two are the most important governing rules of human existence. But if we don’t know what they really are, we will flounder around trying to come up with our own principles for living, and that is almost always disastrous.

Sha’ul sets these two principles in opposition: freedom and life on one hand; sin and death on the other. We know Sha’ul’s thinking about the sin and death principle. It’s the attempt to operate on our own terms. It’s being disobedient to God’s revealed instructions. It’s turning away from the source of life. Of course, with all the activity in the world it certainly doesn’t appear as though the law of sin and death holds so many hostage. It looks like they are just doing the best they can, accumulating what fulfills their desires and trying to be happy. The reality of sin and death is disguised as an angelic expression of light. Only God can remove the blinders and when He does the world looks like a very tragic place.

On the other hand, Sha’ul rejoices in the law of the Spirit of life in Yeshua. This law sets me free. It has the power to transform my tragic existence into a journey with Yeshua and peace with God. But did you notice that it does not set me free from rules? It sets me free from the rules that kill me, but it doesn’t set me free from every rule. I still am under the law of the Spirit of life. And what is that law? It should be obvious what Sha’ul has in mind. He is a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a Torah-observant follower of the Messiah, a scholar of the Tanakh, a sinner saved by grace, a citizen of the commonwealth of Israel. What law provides life to his community? It is Torah, of course. That’s what God said it would do, and that’s what it does. When we live according to Torah, God uses us to fulfill His purposes and we are filled with the Spirit – all because Yeshua redeemed us.

Sha’ul does not say the law of sin and death is removed because all law is removed. He does not say that the principle of “love one another” has replaced all of God’s previous instructions. He does not say the Torah was deficient and needed to be replaced, or it was temporary and has now been superseded. He says Yeshua got us out from under a rule that was killing us so we could live according to a rule that will fulfill us. How does the saying go? “If it’s good enough for Paul, it’s good enough for me.” Apparently, the law of the Spirit of life in Yeshua HaMashiach was pretty good for Sha’ul.  Keeping the rules results in life.  That’s what you think too, right?

Topical Index: law, principle, nomos, Torah, life, death, Romans 8:2

Today’s photo?  Click here – Abaco

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