My 95
Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 NASB
Good confession – kalen homologian – the good confession. Perhaps we read this and think, “Oh, yes, Timothy confessed his belief in Yeshua. He converted.” But since Timothy’s family already knew Torah, our evangelical assumptions might not be warranted. Besides, Paul’s exhortation presupposes that there is something called a “bad” confession. It seems more likely that Timothy’s agreement (for that’s what homologia means) in the presence of many witnesses goes well beyond our usual “sinner’s prayer” theology.
What if Timothy’s “agreement” included the adoption of Torah as a way of life? That would explain Paul’s comment about the faith of his grandmother. It would also mean that Timothy would find compatibility and camaraderie in the fellowship. Timothy’s kalen homologian would be the declaration that Torah is the way and Yeshua is Torah’s Messiah. This is a lot more than “forgive my sins.”
Martin Luther posted the “Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral on the thirty-first of October, 1517. In this document Luther questioned the power of the pope to pardon sin instead of the need for true confession, repentance and contrition. Luther challenged a way of life, pointing out that the current practice of the Church was not biblically-based. His writings exposed the manipulation of the Church. A new era was born.
It is unfortunate that Luther didn’t take his examination of Scripture further. But Luther was a product of his age. With a thousand years of anti-Semitism in the Church, Luther couldn’t see that his own work wasn’t true to the text either. He focused on the issue at hand, not the assumptions of the culture. Luther was a convert, not a walker in the way. While he overcame the gross profiteering of the Church, he did nothing to re-establish God’s people. In fact, his subsequent history contributed to Holocaust thinking.
But Luther’s action of challenging the current Christian thought and practice was crucial and correct. Today we face a similar challenge. Both Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity are steeped in anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish thinking. Both branches have adopted, without regret, the dualism of the Church fathers, the self-identification of anti-biblical doctrines and the conversion of biblically-based practices in pagan syncretism. A new “95” is needed. Not simply another theological treatise. What is needed is a new homologian, a new confession that begins with the biblical, Jewish Messiah and the way of life he practiced.
Will you help write the “good confession” for this age?
Topical Index: kalen homologian, good confession, Luther, 1 Timothy 6:12
We have a year to do it? Posting it October of 2016.
I have little idea where to begin with it, but I’d love to see a “new 95” come together. Perhaps it would be a spark of change in a world that is increasingly dark.
When Yeshua said “My kingdom is not of this world”, what was He talking about?
He promised that when the gospel had been preached in all the world, then He would return. His disciples took Him seriously, and they worked hard. 12 men. By the second century AD, it was estimated that about 25% of the planet may have been convinced. This was what forced Rome to change her tactics. It was not political, nor was it confrontational, but the real power lay in its very non-confrontation. The Word is not about earthly power: the Word is about something else entirely. What have we not understood?
The Reformation failed because it never understood what the original Followers understood. This is not about fighting false systems: this is about changing hearts in the enemy camp. Hearts change on this planet wherever this is understood. So, where is our plan to change hearts so that He can return? When will our hearts change so that we can see the ‘enemy’ through His eyes? Here lies the power that heaven endorses.
The idea that the kingdom is “not of this world” is not about territory. It is about the SOURCE of power. The Kingdom is here, territorially, but it doesn’t ORIGINATE here. As for 25% of the planet, I think you must mean after the forced conversion by the empire. I doubt there was any time at all where 25% of all people adopted the Way as a living reality. Rome simply used religion as a weapon and a control mechanism. It is true that the final strategy is about changing men’s hearts, but that doesn’t mean we don’t pick up the sword against evil.
The apostles understood that the return was conditional upon the preaching. By the time Paul wrote to the Colossians, he was able to say that the gospel has already been preached to every creature under heaven, and the 25% estimate was about what occurred within the lifetime of those apostles, and none of them ever picked up a sword after Peter did in the Garden.
Yes, the power source lies elsewhere, which is exactly why we are not to look for it HERE, on this planet, within its power systems. The sword has always been about hate, but hate never changed a heart or brought the Return. Hate is just business as usual, which we all understand at some level, but cannot figure out how to do in the flesh. Even Luther understood. He said “Do you know what the devil thinks when he sees men using violence to propagate the gospel? He sits with folded arms behind the fire of hell, and says with malignant looks and frightful grin: Ah! how wise these madmen are to play my game! Let them go on: I shall reap the benefit. I shall delight in it.” But when he sees the Word running and contending alone on the battlefield, then he shudders and shakes for fear. The Word is almighty, and takes captive the hearts.” (ibid., chap. 4, sec. 68) Too bad he and the majority of his descendants never figured out what the apostles knew. The only time you saw one of them in an official place was on defensive trial, and the closest any of them came to a sword was to bow their necks under it.
The quote from Luther reminds me of listening to “The Screwtape Letters” yesterday while I was driving. Not trying to use Lewis for theology, but perhaps as a mirror. 🙂
I think you need to take a serious look at the instructions God gave upon entering Canaan.
That was a theocracy.
YES! Hallelu YaH! Speak truth in love. Just this week I had three people expressing their desire to learn about our Hebraic roots. I pointed them to Skip’s 30 days of Biblical worldview writing. And I’m praying that the Ru’ah HaKodesh teaches!! Teach it to the children. They will run with it! My 8 yr.old grandson this week explained the Name, writing the Paleo-Hebrew symbols and the message of salvation in 5 minutes to a woman who asked what His Name means! And so simple. Keep digging, brothers & sisters:)
According to what Skip just wrote, the message of salvation is “the declaration that Torah is the way and Yeshua is Torah’s Messiah.” If that is the gospel that Yeshua preached, and instructed the disciples to do also, then are the ‘sinner’s prayer’ and the ‘4 spiritual laws’ (both relatively recent additions to evangelicalism) of any use at all? I really don’t know any more (I used to think they were), so this is a genuine question.
I am not a fan of reducing the need for the presence of God to a cognitive creedal recitation. I think the resulting evidence speaks for itself. How many people has Crusade reached? How many sinner’s prayers have been spoken? Did it really make a difference in the world? The Christian Church in its evangelical form is about recruiting for heaven (at worst) but Scripture speaks about transforming life on earth. There is a serious disconnect here.
N.T. Wright, in his work “Surprised By Hope”, writes: “As long as we see salvation in terms of going to heaven when we die, the main work of the church is bound to be seen in terms of saving souls for that future. But when we see salvation, as the New Testament sees it, in terms of God’s promised new heavens and new earth and of our promised resurrection to share in that new and gloriously embodied reality–what I have called life after life after death–then the main work of the church here and now demands to be rethought in consequence.” There’s much Kingdom work to do here today on planet earth. It seems to me that the NT is quite clear that the renewed earth will be where we will be raised to new bodily life as stewards and partners in God’s renewed heaven and earth. So, a belief in “life before death” and what we can do now in Kingdom work now, i.e., helping the needy, feeding the hungry, building shelters for the homeless, serving in any capacity, is so important and, according to Paul, will not be wasted. So roll up your sleeves, there is much work to be done. Shalom
Thanks so much David, for this call to arms (the ones connected to the shoulders, that is…)
I was involved in Campus Crusade and was a product of their ministry for a long time. It’s whole system is outlined and conformed to evangelical methods and forms. I find it pretty much disregarded presently as well as the whole evangelical approach. It simply doesn’t fit or reflect the followers of the Way anymore for me. A sinner’s prayer is nothing until it manifests in the person’s life, actions and conformity to YHVH’s torah, it seems to me. Walking down an aisle and verbalizing words has been and still is a formulaic ticket to something unfamiliar to what Yeshua and the apostles expressed. Not even milk attempting to fill in for meat.
As to it being a “formulaic ticket”: I sometimes wonder if it is like a “spiritual vaccine.” Applied in order to prevent the real thing.
Gayle, I think that’s the funniest thing I have heard in a long time.
We call in being inoculated against the true gospel. It’s a small innocuous sample of the real thing that causes your body to build up an army that fights harder against the real deal when it appears.
Please Do
~ [You] study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me.. ~ John 5.38
We could go either way here.. either “long” or “short,” – but the bottom line for all who just can’t wait is this: The Bible, (yes, “ALL” of it- from stem to stern testifies of One. One who IS, One who was, and One who is yet to come. The Bible, the Word of God, is our Him Book, for ALL of it, is One Book. No, the Old(er) Testament has not been done away with, but rather fulfilled by the Messiah, for He (and He only!) was the onliest(?) One, ever—to have lived a “perfect” (read sinless) life, remembering, listening and obeying (doing) the will of God (His Torah-God’s instructions) from the heart. And as for the rest of us? (Jew and Gentiles alike), from Adam to Zephaniah.. “Sinners – all.” (Romans 3.23)
And friend, what sinners need is a Savior.
As Paul.formerly known as Saul, would later testify- “ALL” have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3.23) The Law of the LORD IS perfect (yes- it is the “gold standard”), but we humans are not. Houston, we (do) have a problem —“sinners r’ us!” There is not one among us, (save One) who may honestly say, as the Sinless One inquired, “Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin?” John 8.46 [Not me!]
Is a quick review in order? Adam? – sinned. Moses? – sinned. David? — sinned. Need we go on? Peter? – Paul? Paul would write these words: “o wretched man that I am!!” – and? – “Who shall deliver me?” Yes, Paul.. – “Who?” A Deliverer? — A Savior? Paul knew he was in need of deliverance/salvation and a new (purified) heart. His confession and mine are the same- “I” am a sinner and stand in need of a Savior and One, (and One only) is both able and willing to deliver me.
And Paul (formerly known as Saul) testifies again to us through the written word: (is anyone listening?) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of ALL acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief! (1 Timothy 1.15)
Why? – tell me why.. (or what if you recall) was the angelic announcement to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night?
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a SAVIOR – who is Christ the LORD.”
May I inquire? Who is our Savior? Our Redeemer? Our Deliverer? It is Christ our LORD, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
[Friends, let us now], “Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.” (Psalm 96.10)
In His own words — “For the Son of man [Friend of sinners!] is come [Hallelujah!] to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19.10)
And? “Whosoever” shall call upon the Name of the LORD? – “Shall” be saved!!
Yes. ~ Blessed IS the Name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.
“Saved?” Yes, past, present and future. Saved from the penalty of sin – death and Hell. Saved from the power of sin- dominion. And one day, (soon and very soon) saved from the presence of sin – Heaven.
What happened in Paris, while tragic, is not shocking, unpredictable or a singular event, rather it is a preview of what we can expect more of in Europe and here. If you bring in untold numbers of unvetted Muslim refugees from Syria you can be sure that there are among them ISIS plants whose main goal is murder, mayhem and terror. The Trojans at least got a condom named after their stupidity with the incident of a giant horse filled with Greek soldiers that overthrew their nationstate. I wonder what we will get for our stupidity in aiding and abetting by welcoming the enemy into our midst, besides mayhem, murder and sharia law imposed upon our children and grandchildren? Maybe the future US caliphate will name a douchebag in our memory?
I would think the “good confession” would be “Shema Israel”…I AM has spoken.
At times, I’m lead to think that Yeshua’s return is rather symbolic of spreading the “good news” of Torah. And THEN, will the Kingdom come and be.