Are the Christians living in state of apostasy ?
The misapplication of grace within Christianity and the lack of a healthy fear of YHWH have led to a near wholesale rejection of the Torah by Christian community. This begs the question: if Yahshuah stated that not one Yud or stroke would pass away until all is fulfilled then how did Christianity get to the present stated of selective obedience- or should I say disobedience- because there is no room to be on the fence with this issue. You cannot pick and choose which commandments that you want to obey. You either chooses to be disobedient are to be in a state of lawlessness.
If we fail to obey the Torah, we are in sin. Yahanan clearly reveals this truth by stating: “everyone who sins breaks the Torah; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”! Yahanan 3:4. you will not find this statement in most modern English translations of the text but this is a literal translation from the Greek. The writings of Shaul make a clear distinction between righteousness and lawlessness.
“For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:15. We can see from this passage of scripture that righteousness is the opposite of lawlessness. Righteousness involves obedience and lawlessness involves disobedience- it is that simple.
Now let us examine what the Messiah Himself has to say about lawlessness. “Not everyone who says to me,
Lord, lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does
The will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your Name, cast out demons in your Name, and done many wonders in your Name? and then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice Lawlessness! Matt 7:21-23
Some translations use the word “iniquity” instead of “Lawlessness”. The Greek word for both iniquity and lawlessness in this passage is “anomia” which refers to a transgressor of the Torah: someone who is wicked and unrighteousness. Therefore, this passage may be translated “Depart from Me you who disobey the Torah”.
J: P. Green, Sr. in his interlinear new testament references Tehellim 6:8 when translating this passage. In Tehellim, king Dawid cries out: “Depart from me; all who work iniquity, for YHWH has heard the voice of my weeping”.
The Hebrew word for iniquity in the Tehillim is “aven” and also means wicked and unrighteousness. with the understanding that lawlessness is a state of living in disobedience to the Torah- let us take a moment to see if we can figure out the identity of this group of people referred to by Yahushua. It would seem reasonable that no one in their right mind would want to be found in this group- who appear to be doing things anointed and proper- yet they are lawless and therefore they are rejected by the Messiah.
First of all there are a lot of them because the scripture refers to “many” in this group. Second, they call the Messiah Lord or Master which would lead one to believe that they are familiar with the Messiah and acknowledge His kingship. The fact that the scriptures repeat “Lord, lord” is a way of providing emphasis on this word. These people are emphatic in their calling upon the Messiah as a “Lord”- they are likely crying out with loud and desperate shouts. Third, they are prophesying, casting out demons and doing might work “allegedly” in His name. Forth, they are lawless- in other words- they are living in disobedience to the Torah.
Finally, Yahushua stated that He never knew them- despite the fact they seem to think that they not only know Him but have been serving Him. I feel that is directly related to the fact that His Name is Yahushua while most Christians insist upon calling him Jesus- a name with Hellenistic pagan origins. It appears that this group is calling upon a name and doing mighty works in a name which they believe is the Messiah’s, but they are incorrect and therefore do not really know the true Messiah.
Besides not knowing His Name, their conduct also has a direct effect on their relationship. The scriptures clearly set forth the connection between continuing in sin and knowing the Messiah.
“But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in Him there is no sin. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.” 1 Yahanan 3:5-6.
Therefore, if you think that you know the Messiah and continue to disobey His Torah then you are deceived because lawlessness is sin. You do not really know Him and possibly never knew Him.
So who is this large group of lawlessness people who think that they know the Hebrew Messiah and who are prophesying, casting out demons and doing mighty works, “allegedly” in his Name? As far as I can see the only group on the face of the earth that fits this particular description is the Christian Church.
This actually makes perfect sense because the messiah that the Christian church presents to the world does not line up with the true Hebrew Messiah. So depending upon where a person was introduced to the Messiah, they may have never met Yahushua HaMashiach- they may have been introduced to an imposter, a false messiah; they may have been introduced to an imposter, a false messiah. To put it in another way, they may have met the anti-Messiah, the lawless one who through the secret power of lawlessness is attempting to take the place of the true Messiah of Yisra´el, who will deceive the very elect, if possible.
In the good news according to Luke, the Messiah gives us another look at this same scenario involving a group of lawless people.
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to another to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, saying, Lord, lord, open for us, and he will answer and say to you, I do not know you, where you are from, then you will begin to say, we ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Avraham and Yitsqaq and Ya´akov and all the prophets in the kingdom of Elohim, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and west, from the north and south, and sit down in the
The Greek word for iniquity in this passage is “adikos” which also means wickedness and unrighteousness. Interestingly, J. P. green, Sr. again references Psalm 6:8 when translating this passage. While two different words are used to describe this group of people in the Greek manuscripts, they appear to be one and the same according to the Messiah. They are workers of iniquity- wicked, unrighteousness and lawless. Strong’s complete dictionary of Bible Words goes so far as to define lawless in this context as not being subject to the “Jewish Law”, which is, of course, referring to the Torah.
This is very important and powerful message coming straight from the messiah and it does not seem that it could be presented any clearer. In both instances He states that He does not know the people who are calling to Him and in both instances it is clear that he does not know them because of their state of lawlessness.
This point is reinforced further in the Messianic Scriptures as follows: “now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments. He who says, I know Him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of Elohim is perfected in him, by this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.” 1 Yahanan 2:3-7.
Yahanan reaffirms that knowledge comes from obedience to the commandments and that is how a person can be assured if they know the true Messiah: if they obey His commandments but “an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.” Of course this is the same Yahanan that wrote the beautiful words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the word was Elohim.” Yahanan 1:1 it was the Messiah who was and is the word and therefore to obey Him is to obey the Torah. We are to walk as He walked- according to the Torah.
Why then is there so much confusion, unbelief and disobedience in Christianity related to the Torah? This is what Shaul meant when he spoke of the mystery of iniquity or, to put it another way, the mystery of lawlessness.
“1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[a] had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[b] is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God[c] in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He[d] who now restrains will do so until He[e] is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Anyone even slightly familiar with the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation would recognize this lawless one to be the anti-Christ- also known as the anti-messiah. People often get wrong impression of who the lawless one will be because the use of “anti” is a bit misleading. “Anti” in the Greek is a primary particle which means not only, “ opposite or in opposition” which is the common understanding, but also “instead of or in substitution.”
So not only does the anti-messiah oppose the true Messiah, but he also wants to replace the Messiah and substitute himself for the Messiah and be worshiped like Elohim. Therefore where Messiah obeyed the Torah, (thus the title rabbi- teacher), the lawless one, or anti-messiah, promotes disobedience to the Torah through “the secret power of lawlessness.”
He does not want people to obey, because obedience leads to relationship, knowledge and blessing. He does not want people to know YHWH nor does he want them to be blessed.
“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” Daniel 7:25
Notice from the passage in the Thessalonians Shaul stated that the secret power of lawlessness was already at work. A review of the history of an early believers shows that anti-nomianism-against the Torah – was very prevalent. This is something which the early Apostles spent much time combating. This was due in large part to the massive influx of pagan Gentiles who flooded the early assembly of believers- often times bringing some of their pagan practices and beliefs with them.
Acts 8:9-24
9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
The Sorcerer’s Sin
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
We have a great promise with regard to knowing YHWH and it is found in the Renewed covenant: “33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:33-34.
There will soon come a day when YHWH will introduce Himself in such a way that there will be no mistaking who he is, but until that time the spirit of Lawlessness is working feverishly to lead men toward disobedience and lawlessness-away from knowing the true Elohim. While the Messiah Yahushua taught and lived the Torah- Christianity worships and promotes Jesus, who allegedly changed or abolished the Torah. He has been promoted as a lawless messiah and I trust that the problem is now apparent.
I for one believe that we are in the last days so it makes perfect sense that the secret power of lawlessness is here, deluding people in preparation for the appearance of anti-messiah. Many might ask how could this happen to believers. We have been warned by the Messiah Himself.
Matt 24:11-12
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
To this day, untaught and unstable teachers are using the writings of Shaul to twist the scriptures and undermine the Torah. It is important to read on and see where this leads.
2 Kepha 3:17
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
The delusion of lawlessness is the false teaching that you do not have to obey the Torah.
This is the same delusion referred to by Shaul in his letter to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12), the same lawlessness referred to by Yahanan. (1 Yahanan 3:4) and it is the same error referred to by Yahushua. (Matt 7:23; Luke 13:24-30).
For those who profess to “know Elohim” but practice lawlessness it is time to rethink your concept of the Torah and grace. Kepha taught both grace and obedience:
“ therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Yahushua Hamashiach; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “ be Holy, for I am Holy.” 1 Kepha 1:13-16
As Kepha aptly demonstrated, the Torah and grace are not in opposition to one another, but rather allies in the eternal plan of YHWH. A good way to illustrate this point is to describe the Torah as a container and the Messiah as the living water which is poured into the container. You need the container to receive the water. Without the container, the water spills on the ground and we are unable to drink.
This partnership between the Torah and grace is aptly demonstrated by the fact that the Torah was given to the children of Yisra´el on Shavuot (Pentecost) and the spirit- this is no coincidence. The spirit writes the Torah on our hearts and in our minds and empowers us to live the Torah just as Messiah was living Torah.
