Making disciples

Dead on arrival

eejoseph

I am glad wise and just were not in the evangelists’ descriptions of the rich ruler who approached Yeshua with a question that should shock both Jew and Gentile. The question puts Moses and the prophets in poor a light as possible. Dead on arrival describes the truth seeker who has the misfortune of running into a Pharisee (isolationist) or an “expert”.

What the one good thing a Jew might do (to inherit life) might had definitely eluded the Jewish people. One might say they rejected it. All the covenant-making, glory, patriarchs and the seed of the ages, were not good enough: questions were better than faith. That is why the claim of descent from Abraham and is to be taken with a grain of salt.

How do I get life?

The man in Mt. 19:16 was not described as one of the testers sent out by the religious factions opposed to Yeshua.

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? (have, better, get)

  • Nobody knew what eternal life looked like. He had to ask someone who might.
  • Everyone knew that if any one of the hundreds of commands was sufficient for acquiring life Moses and all the prophets would be the great fraudsters of antiquity. Moses and his allies devoted all their energy to tell people to do all the statutes and the judgments that Yahweh commanded
  • God, if he were a man, would be fed up and tired of the lying mantra.
  • We do not know that this question is one that people were asking the priests and scribes. If this question was posed to Jewish leadership the answer would be a lie, just like “we were never in bondage” or “Moses gave us bread from heaven”.

Protection from lies is certain

The gospel is not debatable. Its promise and purpose were not revealed to Jew or Gentile so that no party will be able to say they had advanced notice. No one with eyes or ears can ever say they do not see or hear the difference. People who say the gospel is simply more of the same (law, prophets, and writings, patriarchal customs and folk tales) are likely to be fence-sitters. They are likely to be suffering from indecision

  1. First they teach the kids to be obedient. they themselves do not comply and neither do the kids
  2. then they try to grab first place in the gospel
  3. the kids see the Hollywood and deathrow in obedience calls and know that there is no future in keeping up that facade
  4. Both parents and kids have told themselves that there is no higher goal than keeping the Commandments of God
  5. so if one is keeping one the Commandments all one’s life what does one need when one grows up, (because all of Moses’ teaching and practices were designed for the juvenile phase of life).

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Do you trust someone who tells you he can describe your new life in detail? If you do, what do you have to work out in fear and trembling?

What does someone need to tell you about the Saviour that takes up to 14 years? If you are not a miseducated zealot like Saul of Tarsus God is ready to connect with you and connect you with his church the moment you confess and believe.

Should we not follow the lead of the apostles in acknowledging the believer’s journey?

  • Our presentation of the Saviour needs no spin
  • The seeker is not delayed
  • There is no sin examination by a sinful pastor-evangelist. He knows all comers and himself as sinners

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Matthew 23:15

Interference in Trouble

eejoseph

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

Grave and Irrevocable

What gravity accompanies the Saviour’s concern for his contemporaries who were coming into the way! Our Lord promises a most unpleasant and certain fate – drowned with a heavy stone attached – for the one who interferes offensively with the progress of new believers.

Sadly, this phenomenon proceeds in the 21st century with quasi-Bible studies. Our introduction to Christ, often begun with Bible studies, quickly deteriorates into sectarian and ethnic attempts to control. We do not know what is better for the new convert. Holy Spirit has and knows what is necessary for our converts and chooses the timing for guiding us to truth.

Sneaky Wolf

There have been open and stealthy attacks on people in the Way. From Galatians 2:4 we learn that Christian freedom became a target for zealous Jews (like James) who wanted to enslave people with the Law. They sneaked into our fellowships to intimidate and threaten us.

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

2 Peter 2:19 tells us there were people who preach things they do not possess.

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

Brazen Barbs

In plain sight today lies and propaganda proceed with no shame. Interferers introduce people to Christ by teaching a host of supposed Bible subjects. We thought that unbelievers were the evangelists’ target and that the goal of preaching the gospel was to introduce people to Christ as Savior.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3

If they had been converted they would know what the gospel is and that no one gets saved by anything other than grace through faith. They would have experienced pardon and promise. Instead their priorities are carnal ordinances and elevating types over reality, rank discrimination against women and the little ones who are coming to Christ.