Holiness by Extension
If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Romans 11:16 ESV
Root – Nothing too unusual about this word, rhiza. Root of a plant. Foot of a mountain. Depths of the sea. By the time rabbinic Judaism developed in the 3rd Century BC, the idea of Israel as the plant of God on earth was well established. Abraham is the root. Even righteous Gentiles were already considered “planted” in Abraham. The New Testament didn’t invent these ideas. Maybe that’s why Paul uses them with such facility.
Paul notes that God’s choice of the root of Israel is vital to the Messianic fellowship. In fact, those grafted into the commonwealth by God’s grace could not exist without the root of Israel. Those grafted in are wild branches, not the root stock. They find life through the root and the health of the branches depends entirely on the health of the root. Without God’s covenant promise to Israel and God’s revelation to and through Israel, no righteous Gentile could survive.
With this in mind, it’s very difficult to see how contemporary Christian theology can claim that Israel has been replaced by the Church or that the revelation of God to Israel is no longer needed. If the root is unhealthy and defective, how can the branches survive? In fact, Paul warns the Gentiles not to assume priority over the Jews simply because God has shown them grace. The idea that somehow God’s favor toward the Gentiles has elevated them beyond the covenant with the root seems ridiculous in the analogy of the plant. We should be cautious about any theology that suggests somehow Israel is no longer God’s chosen. Of course, there is a difference between the Israel of God’s choice and the nationalism found in Israel, the state, but how God sees that difference isn’t always as clear as we would wish.
Here’s what we know for sure. God chose Abraham and made a covenant that extends to all of Abraham’s offspring. Exactly who constitutes a descendant of Abraham is a bit fuzzy, but the covenant promise is not. It is forever. It extends to all who accept the obligation of loyal faithfulness to Abraham’s God. Those who are attached to Abraham by direct line to the promise are just as much a part of God’s Kingdom as those who come through adoption. And any attempt to dismiss either group is a tragic mistake.
Paul employs the principle of first fruits to make his point. If the offering of the first is acceptable, all the rest is deemed acceptable. If Abraham is accounted righteous by God, then his offspring are as well. That means that you and I, and our Jewish brothers, participate equally in the promise of the first fruits. We who have been grafted in are deemed holy because some came before us. Let us not forget them nor the debt we owe.
Topical Index: first fruits, root, rhiza, Romans 11:16, Israel
A Note from Rodney Baker:
Heartfelt thanks from my family and me for those who have been supporting us in prayer over recent weeks. My Mum passed away peacefully this morning 13/05/2013 around 10:30am. She is now resting safe in the arms of her Lord and Saviour and awaiting the resurrection, when we shall see her again.
Honora Engel (Honi) Baker
09/09/1931 – 13/05/2013
[15] Precious in the sight of YHWH is the death of his saints. [16] O YHWH, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. [17] I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of YHWH. [Psa 116:15-17 ESV]
My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family today, Rodney.
David
We have lost family and close friends very recently as well. We grieve with you and together on the absence of loved ones bodily and give thanks for the assurances of hope and life beyond in the world to come.
Physical death is a sure thing as we live life, yet it’s starkness changes us when we experience it so closely via family and friends departing this world. Since these several close deaths I have thought deeper and fuller on life and its many facets. Death, in a sense, has awaken me to more in life somehow.
Rodney, please accept a ‘digital’ hug and embracing heart felt pats on the back from us during this raw time. Our love to you and your family.
Skip,
For all the years I had embraced the theology of the essential separation of Law and Grace, I languished in a flimsy charade of life and chatted in a thinly supported word game. I intellectually accepted the concept but struggled with its applications practically.
I heard the promises that I was forgiven by my confession. My struggle was, in reality, the absence of any power of the “Law” (now understood as Torah, Hashem’s instructions for life, the very core of life rooted in Yeshua). I was a actively and strongly taught that the Law doesn’t matter any more. Only Grace.
It really sounded good. However, in reality, my struggle was both practical and intellectual. Practically, without the Law, I really had no guideline or path definitively before me in which to follow. Well, just follow Jesus, love Jesus, trust Jesus, etc. It all sounded really good. I did everything I could to embrace it all, but never really knew if I was or wasn’t acceptably carrying out all those Jesus things. It became exhausting, frustrating, and very heavy.
I was continually embroiled in trying to figure out all those things I needed to do to be right, to be in fellowship and obedience to Jesus. As long as I attended Church, went to Sunday School, appeared to tithe as they wanted me to, it was all good.
Intellectually, I had difficulty making my theology compatible with real life. I laid down the law with my kids and EXPECTED them to follow it. I laid down the law with my employees and EXPECTED them to follow it. When my kids or my employees transgressed, it didn’t make them not my kids anymore or not my employees anymore. (Sometimes it did with employees depending on the severity of the infraction, of course.) But never my children. They were always my children. I did love them graciously, over looking so many failings, BUT I did always EXPECT them to learn what was right and then FOLLOW it.
It made sense to expect a moral standard of them. When they did, life was glorious. When they didn’t, it was hell. A simple concept. Do right things and life is good, proper, acceptable, and it has continuing value. Do NOT do right things, and, well, bad, yucky and obnoxious things were created that had continuing influence, and not for good.
Now, I understand the concept of grace thoroughly. He gives it to me upon teshuva, returning to the path illustrated and explained in his Torah, instructions for and to life, illustrated totally by Yeshua. It is exactly his grace extended to me that clearly explains the absolute necessity for Torah observance in my life. Yeshua certainly didn’t change or modify it. Hashem’s character is set. He is Hashem, always has been and always will be. He character is somehow reflected in Torah. When I follow it, walk down its path, I am walking in the footsteps of Yeshua, in the character of Hashem, God, YHVH, Elohim. Pretty simple.
How can I accept his grace and then throw his Torah and obligation aside, in the trash, and neglect. THAT makes no sense. I cannot equate having to follow Torah to own redemption. That is his to grant and give. He does it upon believing, that is, following his Torah with my life, as evidence of my believing. It’s not an intellectual thing only. Words without action giving it body is but vapor, nothingness.
Grace and Law. Yes, is my answer. I choose with the free will he gave me to obligate myself to that which he has explained and defined as expressing his character, his image. That is Torah, gladly and willingly in response to the powerful grace he pressed upon me when I said, “Yes,” and returned to walking his path of light.
Rodney,
Blessings of the good King to you and your family during this season of rejoicing and sorrowing.
Holiness is not the way to Christ – Christ is the Way of Holiness.
~ without Me, you can do nothing ~
Abiding in Christ (John 15.4-6)
-His Part and Ours
With the goal of bearing fruit- we must remember the fruit belongs to the Vine-
Love,joy,peace,gentleness,goodness,faith (Galatians 5.22)
Our part- As branches of the Vine we must:
• Recognize our inability,need,weakness,dependence
“without me you can do nothing” John 15.5
“be ye followers of God as dear children”
• Realize the true Source of life (in Christ)
Flowing through the Vine to the branch
“the words I speak unto you,they are spirit/breath” (John 6.63)
• Respond to His invitation- “Abide” (a continual,conscious and critical choice)
A yieldedness of will. A daily, (even moment-by-moment) purposeful decision.
• Rest in Him. It is His pardon, protection,provision, Presence and peace – all the result of the privilege of His blood covenant with us.
• Rejoice in His abundance-
My grace is sufficient for thee (2 Corinthians 12:9)
The “Vine” will supply all the needs of the branch!
• Remember His Words-
the quality of our hearing and the quality of our obedience will determine the quality of our lives.
The connecting point from branch to Vine is Christ. Where the branch intersects with the Vine is the exchange of life.
Light is that which reveals.
~ What then shall we say? That the Law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the Law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ~ (Romans 7.7)
The fact has been established- “all have sinned..”
And now since we know this.. what is our next step? Is there a solution for sin? A cleansing and a covering? (an atonement). – And may I ask, how this has been accomplished?
Rodney, May YHWH comfort you and all those who mourn in Zion and Jerusalem. Our thoughts this Shavuot are with you and your family. May your mothers memory be always a beacon of light to your spirit. In Him, Michael and Arnella
Rodney, our prayers and hugs will you and yours at this time.
May you be filled with many joyful memories of your Mom, and that this is temporal separation.
Shalom and blessings.
Law and grace has always been together since creation; without law how do we experience grace, and how will grace be extended?
Adahm and Chavah received grace when they were created to enjoy YHWH’s Gan Eden;
they received grace when they were deceived, and driven out and was clothed;
Cain given a mark to identify him so he will not be killed; all the way to
Noach , and countless others after him, to the time of Yahushua.
Grace did not begin in the Brit Chadasah.
Neither then would grace be without Torah, otherwise translated as law, when we step out of line.
Law/Torah would be despised by those who choose not to walk in His ways.
So, why are so many Believers of Jesus refusing to accept law, which is Torah, is really confounding.
Love what you shared, Michael C. Shalom!
I am so thankful that through law, I come to appreciate grace.
Shalom to all!
The reason that so many Christians reject the idea of the eternal character of the Torah has little or nothing to do with the apostolic writings and everything to do with the intentional reconstruction of Pauline thought in order to provide a foundation for the separation of Christianity from Judaism (as will be quite clear in an upcoming TW on anti-Judaism). The historical record clearly demonstrates this was the result of a few intellectuals among early Gentile believers. But after 2000 years of training, most Christians are completely duped by this trajectory, a direction that was not present en masse until after Constantine.
You are right, Skip, “everything to do with the intentional reconstruction of Pauline thought in order to provide a foundation for the separation of Christianity from Judaism….”
It is intentional, to present a false gospel to stumble those who are naïve and not doing their studies to seek ABBA’s guidance in understanding the Word, from the beginning, and historically.
It has also to do with the calling in our lives by YHWH. Somehow, I could not remain long in a church environment, so was hopping from one to another, name it, and my family and I have been there, yet, somehow, we did not grasp the dietary commandments of clean and unclean, nor the Feasts of YHWH, though we did guard the Sabbath but on the wrong days! 🙁
In a “Messianic” congregation, ABBA revealed how mixed they were-Christianity and ‘Judaism’, shabbaths on sat mornings with lighting of candles, challah bread and wine, but, at lunch break, I found ham sandwich on the table!! One guy retorted-what’s wrong with ham sandwich?!
That goes to show how far gone Christianity has down the wrong path. Sadly.
Some of these congregations call themselves “Messianic Judaism.” Such confusion.
So, these folks claim to have the “H.Spirit”; if that is the true Ruach in their lives, these folks would have dashed out of that religious unclean system, even without knowledge of historical facts.
Shalom!
Ps Believers in Jesus refusing to accept law/Torah is really NOT confounding as most have a different mindset anyway.
~ What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ~ (Romans 7.7)
This is only one of the “Ten Words” or ten commandments. Coveting. Desiring something (or someone) that someone else has for your own. May we say ‘coveting’ is related to selfishness? Are we less than content with what we have been given (or who we are) and wanting more?
Jealousy (or envy) is the green-eyed cousin to coveting. Have any of us “completely innocent ones” ever experienced covetousness or envy or jealousy, when the Law, (God’s Law which is just and holy and pure and righteous) explicitly instructs “You shall not covet?”
Are there any among us, (whether Jew or Gentile or male or female) who have never broken this (one) commandment?
And what do the scriptures say?
~ For whoever keeps the whole Law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it ~
(James 2.10)
Torah obedient people, all it takes is one. Disobedience to one, and one time, and one “small one” is all it takes. One wrong thought. One wrong deed. One wrong attitude. One small drop of gasoline in one cup of cold water pollutes the whole glass and makes it polluted and less than pure.
What is sin?
~ Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the Law ~
(James 2.10)
In short, God says, “You shall not..” and we (all) shouldn’t have, but we “did.” We did what God said not to do.
But, that’s not all- there is more.
For the word of God also says, “You shall..” You shall love the LORD your God with ALL your heart and ALL your mind and ALL your strength..”
While this is still fresh, – Do you? With “all?” And if not.. this too is disobedience to the direct, written in stone instructions for daily living, the Torah of YHWH.
~ Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart ~ (1 Peter 1.22)
Is this also a “command?” -that we love one another with a purified soul and pure heart?
And if this “command” is to be fulfilled, how are we to do so- not in mere theory or words, but in daily practice?
If we do not love one another sincerely with a purified soul and intensely with a pure heart, is this also “sin?”
Is there more?
Friends, there is so much more..
~ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith ~
(1 Timothy 1.5)
Love God and love people. Anything less is sin.
Is it at all possible to do this? Have we all been instructed to do so?
God said to Peter, “Arise Peter, kill and eat..” What was Peter’s response? ( I love Peter, he reminds me so much of my self!) He said these (Oh so wrong!) words.. “Not so, LORD..” Huh?
If Christ is LORD (of all)..
No. – (not so..)
“Since” Christ IS LORD of all.. (much “more gooder” Carl..)
Because Christ IS LORD of all.. ~ whatever He says unto me (the servant) I will do it! ~
I will join with my Elder Brother and say (also) unto (yes!) “my Father,” (also) ~I delight to do Your will! ~
Is there any father among us who is not pleased with obedient children?
~ I (too) have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth ~ (3 John 1.4)
~ A Davidic song of ascents. How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! ~
(Psalm 133.1)
“We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men’s transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message (logon) of this reconciliation”
(2 Corinthians 5.19)
I really like to read the wisfom of God on these pages! It gives clear and fresh insight! Awesome! Though, after some careful consideration I think, the root is (eventually) Christ Himself, pre-existent Christ from the dimension of Eternity, the One Who has no nationality. Even Abraham can`t be considered holy; righteous, yes, but not necessarily holy….