You're in the right place if...

You're in the right place if you have ever asked yourself questions like:

• How would a first century Jewish believer in Yahshua (Jesus) understand Scripture?
• How can we know if the way we worship today is how YHWH (G-d) wants it?
• What was the original faith of the apostles?
• Where does it say in Scripture that the "ceremonial" laws were done away?
• Why can't I find legalism or judaizer in my Strong's Concordance?
  
• Who are the chosen people?
• Who were the Nazarenes?
  
• Are our church traditions valid expressions of faith? Certainly we aren't guilty of placing our traditions above Scripture, or are we?
• What are the origins of our modern church practices?
• Why did the Pilgrims in America outlaw Christmas?
• If Yahshua (Jesus) was buried on Friday afternoon and rose Sunday morning, how does that add up to three days?
• Does Scripture really say He rose on Sunday morning?
  
• Or any other question about our Christian heritage.

Rest assured, this blog affirms the validity of Scripture. Nothing here is meant to cause doubt in the Elohim (G-d) of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac, nor in His Son, Yahshua HaMasciach (Jesus Christ).

Quite the contrary, this blog is meant to strengthen and establish your faith in those things which are true. I could quite easily interject the Apostles Creed here.

However, it has been my discovery that much of the Christian world inwardly believes that the faith they practice is flawless and pure.

Somehow we can read about the repeated sins of the Israelites who turned away again and again from obeying YHWH (G-d), yet we get insulted and defensive when it may be suggested that the modern church is guilty of the same sins. Unfortunately, we must have a bit of unconfessed arrogance to resolve.

It is my contention that the way the ancient Hebrews viewed and understood Scriptural teachings is often vastly different from the way we 21st century, western gentiles interpret the same Scriptures.

An illustration can easily be shown just in the difference between the Authorized 1611 KJV of the Bible and today's English. In the KJV we find the word "suffer" as in "suffer the little children to come unto me." Its meaning is to "allow", yet today that word means to endure pain.

In a matter of less than 400 years the meaning of words have changed within our own language.

Can you see how much more the meaning of words and illustrations could change over the period of 2000 years, especially from one culture to another?

Another illustration may be helpful.

Refer to Matthew 5:17. "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."

In several good online Christian forums I have seen this verse discussed for literally months at a time. There will be word etymologies, Greek derivations, etc, etc tossed back and forth until it all becomes very tedious and you can sense the anger rising.

Generally it is said the Law was fulfilled - it has no further use. Forum members extend great effort explaining how their (modern) definition of fulfillment does not destroy the Law even though modern teaching says we don't have to obey it any longer.

The question is, "How would the people standing there at that time understand what Yahshua (Jesus) was saying?"

It is really simple. This is an expression of the times.

When it was said that someone "fulfilled the Law" it meant that he taught it correctly.

When it was said that someone "destroyed the Law" it meant that he taught it incorrectly.

Taking His words in context of the first century, it is clear that this verse has nothing to do with discontinuing, annulling, or cancelling the Law. Yahshua was saying He came to teach the Law correctly, that His teachings were true and faithful to the full meaning of the Law.

So, you see, idioms or word expressions have their own meaning in context of the times and culture it's used, but may mean little to outsiders. Imagine 1000 years from now people trying to dissect our saying, "You're in a pickle."

The purpose of this blog is to stimulate you as a believer to think about your faith from a renewed perspective. Leave your western, gentile mentality behind.

Learn to adopt an Hebraic worldview and a whole new world of understanding the Scriptures will open up to you.

If you can grasp what I am saying,

If you want to go deeper into your faith than you ever imagined (while keeping it on layman's terms),

If you want your eyes opened to the trappings of paganism that choke the modern church,

If you want to grow spiritually more into the likeness of the Savior,

Then this blog will be of great interest to you.

Look for new posts about every 7 to 10 days.