Letter
from the Editor
In the last issue, I made
an error in the birth announcement. It should have read:
Birth:
To Kevin and Virginia Yeatts of
Weston, CO, a daughter, Abigail Margaret Yeatts, at 2:50 AM, Thursday,
Oct. 30, 2003. She is their first-born, and weighed in at 9 pounds, 1-1/4
oz. Congratulations to the new parents; also Aunt Tam and Uncle Todd!
Nurture her in Yahweh’s love always. ~
Here is a new one:
Birth:
To Will and Olga Pryor, a daughter, Yochanna Danit Pryor. She was born on
Nov.13 at 6:52pm in Dallas, and weighed 6 lbs,10 ozs. Her grandmother is
Laurajean Patterson, of Burleson, Texas.~
I touched a nerve
in the last “Personal” with the comments
about those who are denying Yahshua’s Messiahship and the New Testament,
particularly Paul’s writings. One reader requested I unsubscribe him from
the newsletter, and another asked me to print the following response. Here
it is, with my own comments in boldface:
“Dear Frank:
Upon returning home on the 26th I received
your Newsletter No. 66, wherein I found the "Letter from the Editor" on
page 1. This letter contained the following:
"2) More Believers are turning back to
their own destruction, (2 Peter 3:16). They usually start out questioning
Paul's writings, then 'progress' to denying the virgin birth, then denying
that Yahshua is the promised Messiah. Next comes denying the entire New
Testament. By this time they are usually so far gone as to be
unsalvageable. Several friends and acquaintances have fallen in this
fashion, upsetting friends and family. Once denial has set in, it seems
the more you point out truth, the more adamant they become in their error.
[This is true not only on this
point, but on others as well. For example, those who believe in lunar
Sabbaths, and that Abib 14 and 20 are the High Sabbaths, and that
Pentecost counts from the first High Day of UB, etc. ad infinitum.]
“May Yahweh's Holy Spirit keep you on the
right track. If you are thinking along these lines, turn back
before it is too late! There is no other way to salvation except through
the shed blood of the Messiah. The Law tells us what sin is. Once we have
broken it, there is no provision for sacrifice to atone and make it right
with Yahweh other than that provided. ..." In answer to the above quote I would ask if you are aware that Yahshua was Jewish and a member of the Jewish religion, that he was a believer in the Torah. That he was not trying to start a NEW religion, but rather he was trying to reform and correct his own religion.
[Yes, of course I am aware that
Yahshua was a Jew. But He was also the promised Messiah, the revealer of
the Holy Spirit and the fact that it would be imparted into the minds of
Believers who would then be able to obey the Torah with a Spiritual
intent, as Yahweh meant when He said, "O that there were such an heart in
them that they would obey my Law always." Then He added, "But the days are
coming when I will write My laws in their hearts." This was part of that
process. Paul did reveal more detail later.] The one who tried and succeeded in starting a NEW religion was Paul. In reading the teachings of Yahshua, i.e. the Sermon On The Mount [so called], we find Yahshua offering several ways to enter the Kingdom, to wit: by being poor in spirit; by being meek; by being merciful; by being pure in heart; by being a peacemaker;
by being reviled and having evil spoken
against you falsely!”
[It is necessary for a Believer to
have ALL these qualities, not just one, and altogether they are qualities
of a converted individual. However, none of these things, standing alone,
or even altogether, will get one into the Kingdom. Yahshua Himself said
that there is no other way other than through Him (John 14:6).]
“Notice how these pronouncements are
unconditional!”
[This is not the whole "package." He
also said in Acts 1:5-8 that He would send the Holy Spirit to empower
them. See also John 15:26, 16:13-18. Yahshua, having both physical AND
spiritual qualities, bridged the gap between the Spiritual and the
physical.]
It is only later when Paul and others
stepped in, that requirements were added. Yahshua says nothing about shed
blood or virgin birth in the Sermon On The Mount. These concepts were
added later, MUCH LATER!” [See Mark 8:31 where He said He would be killed and then rise 3 days later. See Mat. 26:28, where He said "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Also see Mk. 14:24 and Luke 22:20.]
_As to breaking the law, i.e. the
Torah, this is what the priests, scribes, Pharisees, etc., were doing,
Yahshua was trying to reform them. One of the laws found in the Torah
says, "... and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not
justify the wicked" (Exodus 23:7). Was this one of the laws you were
referring to above?”
[Note well, it says "slay THOU
not..." for I will not justify the wicked.." and that is absolutely true.
But He has made a way for the wicked to repent, have a change of heart,
and thus be righteous - no longer "the wicked."
It is ironic to behold -- Christianity
claims that Yahshua [Yahshua] was the most righteous and innocent person
to ever live -- BUT they claim he had to be killed in order to JUSTIFY THE
WICKED!!! In exact opposition to THE LAW FOUND IN EXODUS 23:7!!!”
[No, again. Not to justify the
wicked in their wickedness, but to justify the "ex-wicked" after they have
repented.
There is no provision in the Law for
forgiveness of a "capital sin" such as murder or adultery. All the
sacrifices in the Old Testament were for accidental or unintentional sins.
The others were stoned to death - or at least were supposed to be. But
back then, like now, justice was not carried out by men.
So, a way was made for mankind to be
forgiven - ONLY through the Messiah's blood. "Without shedding of blood
there is no remission," (Heb 9.22).]
Therefore, I ask, just who needs to turn
back before it is too late??? I say it is Christianity and those who
hold and teach their law breaking doctrines.”
[At least we agree that nominal
Christians are law-breakers. However, they cannot "turn back," since
they have never been headed in the right direction to begin with.]
Frank, I respectfully ask you to print my
response in your newsletter, thank you.”
Richard H. Francis Jr. |