We Wield a Dangerous Sword

A Shoulder to Cry On
A Great Responsibility to Love FIRST

As all of us walk through our challenges of life, sometimes we just need a sympathetic ear to help us through our day.  One of the most sobering passages in the Bible are those which the New King James subtitles as “The Greatest Gift”.  And indeed it is the greatest gift.

How quickly we forget Jesus’ greatest commandment.  There he sat to dine with His fellow apostles, and spoke the most astonishing wisdom the entire world could ever hear.  In a single statement, our King summed up the sole purpose for our existence.  In a kind and gentle word, he explained that the greatest commandment of all, was to deeply love everyone on this earth more than we love ourselves.

Failure to measure each word we say, against this forumula for utter love, causes us to injur our fellow man.  There are complete Bible teachings out there on the supernatural power of a single word.  Just the Proverb which states “As a man thinketh, so is he” is enough to make you stop and ponder.  It’s not only the words you say that matter, its HOW you say them, and also HOW they are perceived, as well as what you “think”. 

And then to realize it’s not only the words, but your “thoughts” as well.  God looks into our hearts. (1 Sam 16)  He is a “spirit” and we communicate spiritually to our Heavenly Father.  Sometimes I pray to God at night before bed without uttering a single word.  I know He is listening.  He hears our every thought.

Bible Verse Panic Mode

Once I neary had a nervous breakdown over Hebrews 10:26. And it still haunts me even today. Hebrews 10:26 to the average reader, such as myself, condems each and every Christian straight to Hell.  It is a “dangerous weapon” in the hands of the “self righteous” that might have the unfortunate tendency to think they have found the secret formula for success.

Taking Bible verses out of context is a terrible thing to do.  Not understanding the entire FLOW of the scripture and the overall “net meaning” of the entire series of Books, is a terrible thing to do.  But we are all likely guilty of it at one time or another.  I know I am.  I bet you may have done the same thing too.

A true Bearean has probably read the entire Bible more than once.  And I’m only talking about the 66 book canon.  If you haven’t read the whole thing from beginning to end, you likely haven’t noticed the “flow” of the events and the various dispensations (or phases) that unfold.  These “phases” of humanity’s struggle for redemption are PARAMOUNT to understand the associated texts found in later portions of the Book.  It is a DANGEROUS CHRISTIAN indeed, that decides to do a study on “sin” or “hell” and does a word study taking scripture after scripture out of context to make a point.

The Unfortunate Misunderstanding of Luke 14:26

To give you one extremely important example of Biblical misunderstandings, let’s first take a peek at the Bible hater’s flagship verse.

Luke 14:26-27

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

NKJV

Now how in the WORLD could Jesus Christ say something so utterly out of character?  Let’s find the true meaning of this verse shall we?

First it’s important to note that Jesus was explaining the EXTREME level of committment to become His personal disciple.  And yes it is more than reasonable this verse was meant for each and every one of us who wants to give our lives to the job of “discipleship”.  And some argue that the job of every truly dedicated Christian is a form of discipleship.

But how can you love your neighbor, more than yourself, but hate your father and mother, wife and children to follow Jesus?  This is NOT POSSIBLE.

The problem here once again, is one of unfortuate translation.  Remember that Greek is an extremely complex language.  For example there are 5 words in Greek for the one word “Love” in English.  With English you can “Love Meatloaf” and also “Love your Wife”.  But if you tell your wife you love her like meatloaf, you are in a hill of dookey.  It just doesn’t work.

The word “hate” used in Luke 14:26 is more correctly translated into “LOVE LESS”.  Get it?  Let’s take another look at Luke 14:26 with the more appropriate use of the term “love less”.

Sometimes I truly believe, sitting at every table of Bible translators, is a pagan blood thirsty Luciferian, with an agenda to bend the truth.  Praise Jesus for those of us with the means to afford multiple commentaries and references so we can find the real meaning of our King’s words.  Woe be to those who intentionally manipulated our King Yeshua Jesus Messiah’s intended meaning.
 
 
The Misery Caused by Hebrews 10:26

Reading Hebrews 10:26 without understanding the context of the speaker and the recipient of the message is a horrible thing to do.  Praise God for the wonderful people who have dedicated their lives to the deeper understanding of the scripture over the last several hundred years.  And Glory be to God that this information (and much more) is available to the average lover of King Jesus today.

Let’s take a look at this ominous verse.

Heb 10:26-28

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

NKJV

DID YOU HEAR THAT?   NO WAY!!

At face value this verse will give the average Bible student a surge of utter horror.  With a mediocre understanding of scripture, this verse condemns each of us straight to HELL and nullifies the Atonement completely.  Right?

Wrong.

In this case the words “willfully sin” are more correctly interpretted in the context to mean “apostasy” or to “apostasize completely” from the gift of the Christ’s Sacrifice.  This information was contextually being given to those in the “ecclesia” who were Jewish from birth, and who were considering returning to Mosaic Law as a life style.  To the new disciples of that time, doing so would have been tantamount to turning their back on Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross for their “sins”.

In this case the writer of Hebrews, many who believe is Paul, was warning people that turning willfully away from the gift of Christ’s atonement, was a guarantee they would have to face judgment by God Himself and could no longer benefit by the AWESOME MERCY of our loving King’s sacrifice by the Blood He Shed for our Sins! 

The bottom line here is you either accept the astonishing and heart wrenching gift of our King’s forgiveness, or you face judgement and fire from God Himself.

(ref. Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Barne’ Notes, Bible Knowledge Commentary, The Bible Exposition Commentary, and on and on and on … Praise God for Them All)

The Romans 13 Debate

God did in fact institute all the governments of the world.  We are IN FACT to submit to these governments whether we like it or not.  Tough beans if you don’t like it, you have no choice if you want to follow your King’s instruction.

Remember before the Foundations of the World, we rebelled against the Heavenly Office and got involved in the “Wars in the Heavens”.  We are going through a type of Judgement on this earth and God has EVERY INTENTION of us being subject to the same IRON YOKE of Babylon, he placed around the neck of His “chosen people”. 

Show me a single set of verses in the Bible, not taken out of context, that suggest living a Christian life is going to be a prosperous walk in the park, and I will eat a CROW PIE on You Tube for the world to watch.  Amen.

I actually have books in my library that do unfortunate studies of Romans 13 to explain to everyone our duty to “fight back” as Americans actually supecedes the instruction of the scripture.  GIVE ME A BREAK!  I strongly recommend to anyone who buys this “bovine feces” to go back and re-read my article entitled:

A Horrible Misunderstanding
http://tribulation-now.org/2011/01/06/a-horrible-misunderstanding/

I even had an ordained church pastor email me after reading that article and tell me he was getting rid of his guns on account of that teaching.  AMEN!

A Guided Missile with a Broken Fin

In my most tearful humble opionion, excited good meaning Christians are indeed the greatest danger to Christianity and the saving of souls for Jesus.  Yesterday was one of the worst days I have ever had since I began Tribulation-Now. Sometimes people just need a kind ear to listen and they don’t want to hear everyone’s words of wisdom. Sometimes people just need a shoulder to cry on.

I’m in that same boat a lot.

When people are on the verge of breaking, our enthusiam with our new found “so called” scriptural wisdom overcomes our mandated requirement to deeply love the plights of our bretheren. Now I know better than ever before why Paul would weep from his jail cell as he wrote the churches begging them for a kind ear of humility. It is not the sheep that destroy the church, it is the arrogance of the church leadership and misguided “so called” Bereans that destroy the church and “scatter the sheep”.

I am not worthy to be a shepherd. I don’t even know how I ended up in this position in the first place. I just wanted to help people. And I suppose by the miracles’ of God, many have been helped. The testimonies are wonderful and the fellowship of the kind loving Christians out there has been amazing.

No gift from God means anything in the world, if our delivery is not done out of utter humility and the deep loving desire to help our fellow Sons of God cry their way to the loving arms of our King Yeshua Jesus.

Summary in Jesus Name

The more we think we know the more dangerous we are.  And it’s true the people closest to you are the one’s most likely to disable you and your work toward loving others.  Sometimes it is a “Get thee behind me Satan” issue like with Jesus and Peter.  Other times its out of an unfortunate mistake or misunderstanding.  Proverbs tells us “more than once” it is the WISE man that LISTENS more than he TALKS.

I am horribly guilty of this myself and have sobbed for hours over my behavior begging for forgiveness.  Many people don’t mean to be hurtful and they believe they are doing good for you by expounding on their words of their “assumed” wisdom.  We must always take a second look at what we are saying (and thinking) and examine the damage it might cause before we allow our hunger to edify people to ultimately hurt the mission of loving one another and saving souls for our King.

In closing let me share with you the wisdom of Paul once again in 1 Corinthians 12-15.  It’s crtically important to embrace the context of this section of scripture.  Here we see Paul talking to the church of Corinth, telling them about the FABULOUS POWER they were given by receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  There are “at least” nine gifts that are specifically referred to in this text.  These are not normal behaviors.  These are special “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” that are ONLY available from God as he seems fit to “aportion” them to the “body” … if and ONLY if they have been Baptised in Fire.

And what’s REALLY amazing is that one of those miraculous gifts is the Gift of Love.  So how much more important is the text I will share with you here, when you realized that ALL THESE GIFTS are meaningless if you do not SUPERCEDE these gifts with your mandate of LOVE AND CHARITY first and foremost.

THE GREATEST GIFT

1 Corinthians 13

First … 1 Cor 12:31

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.


4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, (JESUS) then that which is in part will be done away.


11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.


13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but

… the greatest of these is love.

NKJV

Love everyone with all your heart.  Always assume the person you are speaking with is hurting inside.  Always remember that many church pastors go home and cry at night in their beds.  Love is the essence of Jesus Christ and our “prime directive”.  Without love we are meaningless to this world and our King’s mission to save souls. 

Take nothing for granted and always “think and speak” from deep seated LOVE.

In closing I recommend you all take a read of one of Tribulation-Now’s most popular articles ever written.  If this doesn’t humble you and help you understand we all “wield a dangerous sword” then nothing will.  I received letter from people in tears from all across the world after this article was published.

A Little Church on Wednesday Night
http://tribulation-now.org/2010/09/01/a-little-church-on-wednesday-night/

And most of all…

BE BLESSED IN JESUS NAME