Growing up into the full measure of Christ (Including preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and setting the captives free) & Embracing our New Identity in Him
We recently had to face not one but two of our cats dealing with urinary obstructions. I am not fully versed in praying for animals but certainly found a couple of very comforting verses in praying for these precious family members. One has survived and is thriving and one we buried this week. This was hard as we saw him turn the corner and slowly improve to the point we has hope and then suddenly decline. So many answered prayers and then loss.
In grief, I was asking the Father where our pets really go after death (though I suspect I well know the answer). I have parted with 2 cats, one because of old age, and now this young one, who we were all dearly attached to. Both times I asked if I could have them back in the Kingdom. It was not the answer to my first question that brought comfort but the thought that followed and answered an unasked one that provided even greater comfort.
That these family members, so full of unconditional, even fierce, completely vulnerable, unreserved love, affection, loyalty, acceptance, adoration, forgiveness, endearing/distinct personalities and dependence, are a precious glimpse of the Kingdom to come. Not only how we will feel towards the Father and other humans but also the warmth and love and affection that we will feel coming towards us. I praise Him that He is so faithful to provide us with these amazing companions and for every minute that we get to have them in our midst. I think this is in part why it is so very hard to be parted from them. I think we inherently understand that in them and through them we experience of touch of divine love, acceptance and affection, so when they go, we feel the disproportionately big hole in our lives they leave behind.
It is so easy when we are grieving to imagine that it would be better to protect our hearts from the potential loss of our loved ones. I choose to say yes Lord, to however many dear friends, human and animal that he brings into my life, and savor the light of the Kingdom that they touch my life with for as long as Yahweh allows me to have them. The sorrow we feel in missing them ,I believe is the grief we feel in having had the ability to cuddle, touch, interact and hold the Kingdom in our arm, suddenly taken our of our reach. I will be cherishing these little Kingdom light carriers on a whole new level going forward.
Jeremiah 17:8 AMPC “8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.”
Everything we do ought to serve a biblical purpose with the ultimate goal of serving and producing fruit for His Kingdom and His glory. This is a root Growing post. An exhortation and encouragement for you to grow your own roots down deep into the marvelous love of Yashuah (Jesus Christ) and to be deeply rooted in the Truth.
First, this is above all else and invitation for you to study out the significance and symbolic meaning of trees through the whole Bible. My goal, intention is to be a tree that directs everyone back to THE tree, Yahshua, the TREE of all life. In gardening, hybrid is a term used to describe a variety that results from crossing 2 different plants to get a different variety that is somewhat between the 2 originals. In this case, I can only hope to be at best a hybrid whereas, Yahshuah, is pure and the only source of pure in the entire garden, so to Him and Him alone I want to direct your ultimate attention. The best teachers can direct you to much of the truth, but only the Bible, only Jesus can teach you the pure truth.
Through much of the Bible, you will discover the prominence of trees. Much of the time, a tree represents a source of food, of sustenance, either physical or spiritual. Teachers of doctrine from any and all religions can be represented as different trees in a vast forest. People can wander among the trees forever, taking a sample from this fruit hear and that fruit there, but most ultimately pick their favourites and stick to them. So when you are looking for the truth and wondering how do I know which tree is the right one, the answer is there is only ONE, in the entire forest, that you can trust for your spiritual food, that is the tree of Life. So above all, feast on the Word of the God, on the fruit of the tree of life, on the Holy, pure scripture direct from the source.
Acts 17:10-11 KJV “10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
But there is more to the picture here. The Word tells us that we are to eat from other trees and be strengthened by their fruit as well. The Bible tells us there are teachers, shepherds, evangelists, prophets, elders and others who Yahweh (God the Father) has appointed and annointed to help us grow those roots and be fruitful. So before partaking from the other trees, test them according to the scriptural guidelines, be Berean, checking what they say continuously against what the pure Word of God actually says. Treat every tree as a berry bush of unknown origin that you find in the woods. I frequently tell my children not to eat eat berries they find in the woods unless they are 100% sure of their origin. I do this as I know there are poisonous berries that can make them very sick. The same is true of spiritual teachers. There are many false teachers in the world and the words they teach are as poison and will make anyone who eats from them spiritually sick and vulnerable.
1 John 4:1-3 KJV “4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
I cannot encourage you enough to read and meditate on 1 John and 2 John as these both spell out in detail how to spot a false teacher or prophet.
1 John 5 AMPC “5 Everyone who believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring).2 By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)—[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching]. 3 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).”
1 John 5:10 ESV “10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son”
Anyone who contradicts what Jesus said or teaches, or teaches a different version of Jesus than the Bible is liar and not to be trusted.
2 Corinthians 11 NLT “3But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 4You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.”
Any teacher who encourages you to follow them exclusively, to eat only from their trees, to follow their commentary, to become a member , to be baptized into their name, basically who points you to their own ministry, community and or church as being the one true church, instead of pointing you to the tree of Life as the only pure source would raise big red flags for me. A true teacher recognizes that at best we are hybrids, those who teach parts of the truth but are still limited in our vision and scope and purity to not be capable to teach them the truth perfectly. We all must point to and depend on the Tree of Life (The Bible) being the only true pure tree in the garden. We are warned that factions and divisions are not an option in Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:11-17 ESV “11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
1 John 2 ESV “4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
1 John 2 ESV “18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 2 “
Those who teach others to walk differently than Jesus walked or have branched out and away from the pure teaching of the apostles, those who have gone out from what was begun in the Spirit, are of an antichrist Spirit. We must set up camp, feed from or worship according to those trees.
If you look up the term “green tree” in a search engine like biblegateway.com, you will discover that setting up altars and worshipping under every green tree was a common expression. I personally am increasingly convinced that these green trees represent antichrist teachers, gods and religions.
In the garden, there was only one tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and One Tree of life and the rest of the trees were good and safe to eat from. We now live in the age of Hybrid. There is now only One Tree of life, and all the other trees are hybrids after some fashion, some far more Christ like and others far more worldly, so make sure above all, that you eat from the pure tree, the Living Word of Yahweh far more than from any of the other trees. Let your roots grow down deep into the marvelous love of Christ so that you will be as the tree described in Jeremiah.
Matthew 13:19-21 NLT “19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.”
The key to watering is consistency. Your tomato plants need a consistent supply of water to support their continuous growth. That consistent supply won’t be provided if you quickly flood the soil every few days and leave the plant to its own devices. When you water in large amounts too quickly, the water tends to run off rather than penetrating the soil and reaching the roots where it is needed. By watering slowly, you fully saturate all parts of the soil – not just the topsoil. In this way, you’ll give the plants access to more water over time than if you were to flood the soil, even if you use the same amount of water.If you don’t feel like standing around watering your plants slowly for hours – good news. You don’t have to. Installing a drip irrigation system will solve the problem for you and take much of the hassle out of watering. It’s easy to purchase one and install it around your tomato plants, or you can simply make your own with items available around your house.
Water deeply Even though you can’t see it, what happens to your tomato plant below the soil is just as important, if not more important, than what’s going on above the soil. A strong root system is key to a healthy, productive plant. And one of the ways you can encourage your plant to develop a strong root system is by watering deeply.When you water the soil slowly and thoroughly, the roots of the plant travel further down into the soil to soak up the extra water. This gives the plant access to more nutrients and establishes a deep root system that will help the plant survive during dry spells. As a general guide, soak the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. Again, a drip irrigation system can help with this task by providing a consistent supply of water that penetrates deep into the soil, rather than remaining on the top layer only.”
We are like those tomato plants in so many ways. In a society, where instant gratification is the norm and fast convenient foods are standard fare, let us intentionally slow down and embrace that the Kingdom works through the same principles that work in the garden. Those shallow, feel good, meets all I immediate desire for instant and easily accessible gratification, waterings and fertilizer applications (ie listening to pre-digested sermons, reading commentaries, seeking out the truth others have established etc) will sustain in times of plenty and abundance but at the cost of the deep established roots that will sustain us during times of tribulation and drought. So allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth Yahweh’s way. Slowly, deeply, consistently, forcing us to reach down deep into His Word, His truth and His life.
Practically speaking what does this look like. It will of course vary as nothing that is Spirit led is ever formulaic. Here is what is sometimes looks like in my life. I will find something that triggers my spiritual thirst for more, a deeper better understanding than what I have right now. Today that something is the significance of trees in the Bible. But that might have to wait as there are 2 things that I am already growing roots into that I want to let the Holy Spirit teach me more about before jumping to the next thing. It jumps off the page to me and says there is so much more to learn and understand about this than what I presently know. So I write it down that it is something I would like to study. Over the next year or two as I read the Bible on a regular schedule, I will likely find that any verses that involve trees will be of greater interest. I will highlight the verses using pencil crayons (all in the same colour) and I will put tabs in my Bible to mark the pages that the verses are found in). I will write notes in the margins, and at the end of a couple of years, will be able to go back and review everything that stood out to me and consider the “full counsel of Yahweh” on the matter of trees and begin to see how to individual trees fit into the bigger picture of the forest. I could go and watch a few videos, I could go and read a bunch of sermons, and they would give me gratification more quickly than what the 2 year process will take me as I follow the Holy Spirits leadings. But the result will be deep, strong roots, roots that had to struggle and push past rocks, go around obstacles, overcome challenges but in doing so have become strong, long, deeply anchored roots that are able to tap into the storehouses wisdom, understanding and knowledge only available to those who are willing to dig down deep into the truth of the Word. I find myself thinking about these things more often, naturally, without effort, and my understanding will blossom and my knowledge of scripture increase. I will likely at the end of the 2 years go and read and watch some videos, and be encouraged to find that others have come to the same conclusions and same lessons. I will be blessed by having my own deep roots in the truth AND be positioned to be even more deeply blessed by hearing the teachings of others who have studied these truths as well, being able to quickly recognize gaps in my own understanding and also being able to recognize anything false that ought to be questioned or dismissed. I will no longer be like a boat tossed to and fro by every wave of contradicting doctrine but will be firmly rooted in the truth of God’s Word.
I encourage you to embrace the slow, deep and continuous waterings of our Heavenly Father, the inevitable prunings that must come to sheer away the dead and false wood that would otherwise lead us astray, and the loving and faithful hand of the Master Gardener as He redeems and renovates every part of our thinking and lives.
The age of healing and miracles is not passed. The great commission, the same from Matthew 28 that most church organizations quote as their main mandate to preach the gospel also says very plainly that the disciples were called to preach the gospel, baptize, AND Teach “them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” These all things are plainly recorded in all 4 gospel accounts, so to understand what it means to be a disciple we must study all 4 gospel accounts and hearken diligently to every command within them. Matthew 10:8 is where you can find the command to heal the sick. John 20:21 tells us that just as the Father sent Jesus, Y’shua (His name in Aramaic), now He sends the disciples:. The central objective to go and make more disciples who are doing all the Y’shua taught the original twelve to do.
Matthew 10 KJV “1And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”
Matthew 10 KJV “5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”
Matthew 28 KJV “16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
John 20 KJV “”19Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
Luke 10 KJV “1After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 7And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.”
As I understand it, Y’shua came to inaugurate His Ministry on Earth. He came to make disciples, which he did with the 11 disciples and once they completed their initial training, He sent them out to do the work of the ministry. The term apostle, simple means:
Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb ἀποστέλλω (apostellō), meaning “to send away” or “to send forth.”
In other words, anyone who is equipped to do the work of the ministry of Christ as outlined by Matthew 28 and is subsequently sent out to do it is operating as an apostle. He gave the great commission to the 11 disciples only. He sent them to a mountain and met them there, in the absence of other believers and told the essential to go and make more just like them. The Aramaic translation brings in the line from John listed above above:
“18And Yeshua spoke with them and he said to them, “All authority has been given to me in Heaven and in the earth; in the manner in which my Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
In other words, the disciples were to go out and create more disciples who were equipped to make more disciples, who are called to make more disciples until the gospel as Y’shua preached it reaches until the ends of the earth. I believe the elders are the more “rooted” teachers and disciple makers who equip believers at a community level, and that the apostles are the send out ones who travel about equipping many and establishing elders to oversee the the maturing process at the community level. I personally believe we are generally hearing the preaching of a partial at best, inaccurate and even corrupted at worst gospel. I also believe that human teachers while essential, are supposed to just as John the Baptist understood, become less and less significant as Christ becomes more and more so as individuals mature in Christ. Our organizations ought to be more like schools, we go, get equipped, and then go out to do the work of the ministry. We are missing the mark if we teach that that the point of church is to have a weekly place of worship and fellowship (which do have value, these are just not the main central role appointed by Yahweh), I believe we are misunderstanding the central role of the church. We cannot add or take away from what the Word plainly says. Study these verses for yourself, and seek out the true gospel. If we get our walking orders wrong, how can we possibly hope to hit the mark. See below for other supporting verses.
Hebrews 6:1-2 tells us what the basic central core foundational teaching of HIs ministry are:
1“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of:
6. and of eternal judgment. 3And this will we do, if God permit. 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame”
Ephesians 4 KJV “9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
Hebrews 5 KJV “12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the [b]oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14But solid food belongs to those who are [c]of full age, that is, those who by reason of [d]use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
I invite you to study this subject using the original language tools available readily online or in book format that help us resolve translation issues or confusions. Caveat, I have not found single Bible study tool that is not doctrinally biased. By referencing several, but exceedingly above all seeking the answers in the Bible and asking God (Yahweh) to reveal the Truth. I personally use the Strong’s Concordance, websites like blueletterbible and biblehub.com, Thayer’s Lexicon, as well as many difference translations of the Bible including Andrew Roth’s Peshita (Aramaic Interlinear Bible) among other tools to try to resolve conflicting theologies on key topics. I remind myself constantly that the Word of God sheds it’s own light so even the simple can understand (Psalm 119:130 NLT) and that no scripture is subject to private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20) and that it is the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth (John 16:13).”
First, I must resist every temptation to view the verses through the lens of who I think God should be and how He must act to line up with my perspective. That would be easy and convenient. I truly believe that it is not God’s will for anyone to end up in this place. Frankly, above any scripture verse I hear quoted on the subject is the adamant gut feeling, insistence that “I cannot believe a good God would allow someone He loves (that I love) to suffer eternally. It just doesn’t mesh with my heart/inner knowing/my understanding/ any part of my paradigm of who god is.” Additionally, since of course they themselves are good people, that they are going to heaven and if that doesn’t turn out to be true, they will simply cease to exist. Ultimately they believe God will prove to be good and that their own judgement of their own goodness and the goodness of the ones they know and love will win out in the end. Many truly do not understand that Yahweh’s ideas on right and wrong far exceed the same sentiments as expressed through mankind. I am leery of anything that depends on my gut instinct and heart telling me things as the Word is clear that the human heart is deceptive above all things. I need scripture. Concrete inspired words to cling to.
Critical Concept: Our emotions and heart will lead us astray if we try to run Yahweh’s Words through our understanding, our mental framework of right and wrong and our paradigms. In doing so, we are actually appointing ourselves to be judges over God’s own words and to be the ones who decide which parts are true and which parts of scripture must be adjusted to suit our own paradigms. We set ourselves up as god over God. We must set these entirely aside and let the scriptures alone shape our understanding.
Test this out. Go ask 10 different people if they believe in hell, in torment after judgement and find out what they answer. Do they reference scripture above all, or do they express their personal belief about who God is according to their mental construct of who they believe he ought to be? Resurrection and eternal judgement are among the 6 foundational teachings of Christ.
Hebrews 6:1-2 KJV ‘”Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of 1. repentance from dead works, 2. and of faith toward God, 3. Of the doctrine of baptisms, 4. and of laying on of hands, 5.and of resurrection of the dead, 6.and of eternal judgment.”
Critical Concept: The Enemy would like nothing more than for us to build our beliefs on a faulty foundation therefore these 6 foundational doctrines of Christ are attacked, undermined, counterfeited, misrepresented and targeted intensively. Hebrews tells us that these are the primary, first things that must be firmly established. If we have any of these wrong in our thinking, the structure we build on top of them will be unsound.
Jeremiah 17 EST “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Critical Concept: We bear responsibility before God for what we share with others.
Acts 20 BSB “…25Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again. 26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.”
Romans 14 ESV “13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died“
Luke 17 BSB “11Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him”
The Lake of Fire/Gehenna are used as a threat in a relatively small handful of scriptures in the New Testament and of course referenced in the Old. Truly, the search for the truth ought to include considering every single one of these verses concurrently. What is clear is that to end up in this place is far more fearful end then just mere physical death. Per the verse above, better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in a horrific death than face the penalty for sin. Full stop. This is the one thing we can know absolutely. It is not a good end and to be avoided. This is all that I can at the time of this post say 100% conclusively. If Yahweh firmly and repeated warns me that I don’t want to end up there and that this is eternally impactful in a negative way, that is sufficient for me to want to avoid going there. I have highlighted and/or underlined key passages, but also take note of how often the original language words for destroy can alternatively mean to cut off from, deprive of etc.
Daniel 12:1-2 KJV “12 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Matthew 25:41 AMPC “41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!”
Matthew 25:46 “46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
G2851. Strong’s Lexicon kolasis: Punishment, correctionOriginal Word: κόλασις Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: kolasis Pronunciation: KO-lah-sis Phonetic Spelling: (kol’-as-is) Definition: Punishment, correction Meaning:chastisement, punishment, torment, perhaps with the idea of deprivation. Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb κολάζω (kolazō), meaning “to punish” or “to correct.” from: https://biblehub.com/greek/2851.htm
Revelation 20:10 KJV “10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Matthew 10:28 KJV “28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.“
622apóllymi (from 575/apó, “away from,” which intensifies ollymi, “to destroy”) – properly, fully destroy, cutting off entirely (note the force of the prefix, 575/apó).
622/apóllymi (“violently/completely perish”) implies permanent (absolute) destruction, i.e. to cancel out (remove); “to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction” (L & N, 1, 23.106); cause to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.”
Many believe, since of course they are good people, that they are going to heaven and if that doesn’t turn out to be true, they will simply cease to exist, because of course to think otherwise is unthinkable. However, there are many warning verses, a few of which are mentioned above. These seemingly contradicts the argument that to be cast into the Lake of Fire means to be destroyed in an instant, annihilated and cease to exist. There is virtually no difference between being dead in the grave and being cast into Gehenna. According to this belief, both mean to cease being, and feel and know nothing further. Based on these verses alone, I cannot choose to take this stance and risk be accomplice to eternal suffering that could result from this position if it turns out to be false.
Revelation 20 and the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus likely are the two verses that I have heard explained away more than any of the others. So I determined this year to find out what the language really says and if these counter arguments have merit.What does this really mean?
We cannot add or take away from the Word, and are therefore constrained to stay within the definitions of the original language resources. Sometimes, often, unfortunately we are biased and blinded by our cultural or social slants. Thankfully He has promised that He will lead us into all truth, that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him and will not follow another. (See John 10) The accuracy of our working definitions, the translations we read and our central paradigms can radically impact our understanding.
CORRECTLY UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE REQUIRES ACCURATE LANGUAGE DEFINITIONS AND YAHWEH’S PERSPECTIVE
If my understanding conflicts with someone else, it is likely that either my word definitions, or my paradigms need adjustment (praise Yahweh, love it when I am corrected) or theirs do or we are both wrong and Yahweh wants to sort us both out.
Practically Speaking How to Proceed?
We all need to take the necessary time to study this out for ourselves before coming to any conclusions by seeking out the full counsel of Yahweh. To me this means finding every verse through the entire Bible that discusses the topic, collecting them and then working through them systematically and comparatively to come to a better understanding. I actively seek out the evidence as revealed to others by asking pretty much everyone I know and respect which verses have molded their thoughts on this topic and what they see plainly in reading them. This often helps me to locate verses that I have missed in my own seeking.
Here’s my challenge. While referenced often, the Bible says very little regarding the details on the topic of what the Lake of Fire is.
Here is what is stated in the clearest terms: The Lake of Fire is a place of total, absolute, eternal separation from Yahweh. Whether people are conscious and existing eternally or simply annihilated and snuffed out. I cannot say concretely.
So let’s broaden our word searches and seek out the other ways in which the Bible describes eternal judgement. Matthew 7:12, those lacking faith will be thrown into the outer darkness. Matthew 7:23, workers of iniquity will be sent from his presence. Jeremiah 23:39, wicked will be cast out of His presence. Even in the garden of Eden, we see the central penalty for their sin was to be cast out of His presence. It is from these verses that my personal position on this topic stems. The trend I see start to finish is permanent eviction from God’s presence is the gravest penalty of all.
Matthew 7:23 KJV “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7 “10When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those following Him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Jeremiah 23:38-40 KJV “38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence: 40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.”
My present paradigm is the Lake of Fire is a real place and that it will remain eternally. That it is literally the realm beyond the light, the place of outer darkness, where all of our Creator’s light, goodness, presence, love, essence is completely and totally absent, where people who choose to want no part of Yahweh and His Kingdom receive precisely what they wished for. Him gone, evicted and locked out of their existence forever. Cast out and locked out of His presence eternally by their own self will. Based on the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, I would have to argue that there is at least a chance that they will continue to speak, be aware, be in torment and very much conscious of their surroundings. Why else would Yahweh include this one semi detailed glimpse into such a place if it simply does not exist? If we take a few moments even to imagine such a place, where an unspecified number of godless people, Satan, the Beast, the False Prophets and all the fallen angels are locked out with no means to escape one another or themselves, where God’s goodness cannot reach, the horror of that place would far exceed anything I can imagine. This is not Yahweh doing it to them, it is them doing it to themselves and one another without any interference or help from on High. Existence with no light, no water, no reprieve, no love, no satisfaction, no relief, just hunger of every kind with absolutely no means to satiate it and worst of all, no end and eternity to reciprocally take it out on another.
Luke 16 HCSB “19 “There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. 20 But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was left at his gate. 21 He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man’s table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side.[a] The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. 24 ‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’25 “‘Son,’[b] Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’27 “‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so they won’t also come to this place of torment.’29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’31 “But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HELL IS NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS THAN EXISTING IN THE ABSENCE OF EVERY EXPRESSION OF GOD?
I believe this belief can be readily expressed with the confines of the original language and that there are no conflicts with all of the other verses in the Bible. It often takes me years to come to a firm understanding. I have invested hours into looking up the verses, the words in the original language and this idea of separation is consistently found in the definitions. Additionally, if my working understanding of this is wrong, no one I share my view with will suffer for believing in this perspective. Their torment will not be on my hands. If I promote no hellfire, no torment and it turns out I am wrong????
There are several groups that believe this place does not exist. That the Lake of Fire is simply a place where people are thrown into and instantly incinerated. If you are among them, share the verses, substantiate your view with verses, with reliable source original language definitions. My own theology on this topic is not rigid or fully formed. From what I have studied so far though, there are however language conflicts with this perspective.
1. Death and 2nd Death basically are from a human perspective equally bad as they amount pretty much to the same thing. The horror expressed by the disciples etc. of this place expressed seems to contradict this interpretation.
2. Revelation 20 plainly say that they will be “tormented day and night eternally”. Day = from sunrise to sunset, and night… forever… outside of the constraints of time… Implies an ongoing 24/7 experience, not an instantaneous extinction. The Lake of Fire is referenced directly only in the book of Revelation, prior to that it is referenced as Gehenna. Therefore looking up both these terms in the original language should shed light on why there are two different words used if they both mean the same thing.
3. Death and Sheol are thrown into the Lake of Fire prior to the goats in the final judgment expressed in Revelation 20. Jesus said the last thing to be put under his feet is death. But Death and Sheol are judged and sentenced before the goats. Once Death is destroyed, there remains no way to die.
This is expressed also in Revelation 9:6:“4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”
Sadly, we assume that at least we reserve the right/mercy of Jehovah in death. But in the Lake of Fire, Mercy, an attribute of Jehovah will be entirely absent. We see here a terrifying precedent that these people were to suffer 5 months with no means to escape the suffering.
If I promote this view and someone believes me and it turns out that the 2nd death, being cast into the Lake of Fire, turns out to be this place of torment, then I become accomplice to the choices they made through misinformation. Ask any child if they would break God’s regulations if the only threat is that when they die, they will be annihilated and never come back VERSUS…
2.If after they die, they know they will be resurrected to face judgement, that death will be destroyed at that time and that they will continue to exist either fully in communion and with all the benefits and comforts of living with the King of Kings in His Kingdom OR in a place where they will be existing with Satan, the fallen angels, the beast, the false prophet and everyone else who are now incapable of having a good thought, doing a good thing, being kind in any way… basically existing in the absence of all goodness and the source of all goodness.
Many will sign up readily for option 1. Actually some if not many would welcome it as a relief from the suffering and the elements of hell they are receiving on earth..
Very few will knowingly agree or risk option 2 if they spent any real time thinking about it.
We therefore bear tremendous responsibility in taking a position on this subject and should not do so lightly without being completely convinced we know the truth of the matter. Even if I was 99% convinced that a place of eternal torment did not exist, I would not promote that belief without being 100% sure.
The Verses Pertaining to the Lake of Fire and Gehenna
lake λίμνῃ (limnē) Noun – Dative Feminine Singular Strong’s 3041: A lake. Probably from limen; a pond.
that τῇ (tē) Article – Dative Feminine Singular Strong’s 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
burns καιομένῃ (kaiomenē) Verb – Present Participle Middle or Passive – Dative Feminine Singular Strong’s 2545: To ignite, light, burn, lit. and met; I consume with fire. Apparently a primary verb; to set on fire, i.e. Kindle or consume.
with fire πυρὶ (pyri) Noun – Dative Neuter Singular Strong’s 4442: Fire; the heat of the sun, lightning; fig: strife, trials; the eternal fire. A primary word; ‘fire’.
and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong’s 2532: And, even, also, namely.
This ὅ (ho) Personal / Relative Pronoun – Nominative Neuter Singular Strong’s 3739: Who, which, what, that.
is ἐστιν (estin) Verb – Present Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular Strong’s 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
the ὁ (ho) Article – Nominative Masculine Singular Strong’s 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
second δεύτερος (deuteros) Adjective – Nominative Masculine Singular Strong’s 1208: Second; with the article: in the second place, for the second time. As the compare of duo; second.
death.? θάνατος (thanatos) Noun – Nominative Masculine Singular Strong’s 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.
2288thánatos (derived from 2348/thnḗskō, “to die”) – physical or spiritual death; (figuratively) separation from the life (salvation) of God forever by dying without first experiencing death to self to receive His gift of salvation.
Revelation 19:20
King James Version
“20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
Revelation 20:10
King James Version
“10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Revelation 20:13-15
King James Version
“13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Usage: In the New Testament, “geenna” is used to denote a place of final punishment for the wicked. It is often translated as “hell” in English Bibles. The term is used to describe a state of eternal separation from God, characterized by suffering and destruction. It is distinct from Hades, which refers to the temporary abode of the dead.
Cultural and Historical Background: Gehenna originally referred to the Valley of Hinnom, located southwest of Jerusalem. In the Old Testament, this valley was associated with idolatrous practices, including child sacrifices to the god Molech (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31). By the time of the New Testament, Gehenna had become a symbol of divine judgment and eternal damnation. Jewish tradition held that it was a place of fiery torment for the wicked.”
Matthew 5:22-30
King James Version
“22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”
Matthew 10:28 KJV
“28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
“Word Origin: From the preposition ἀπό (apo, meaning “from” or “away”) and the base of ὄλλυμι (ollumi, meaning “to destroy” or “to lose”).”
“622apóllymi (from 575/apó, “away from,” which intensifies ollymi, “to destroy”) – properly, fully destroy, cutting off entirely(note the force of the prefix, 575/apó).
622/apóllymi (“violently/completely perish”) implies permanent (absolute) destruction, i.e. to cancel out (remove); “to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction” (L & N, 1, 23.106); cause to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.
[This is also the meaning of 622/apóllymi dating back to Homer (900 bc.]”
Matthew 18:7-9 KJV
“7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”
Original Word: αἰώνιος Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: aiónios Pronunciation: ahee-OH-nee-os Phonetic Spelling: (ahee-o’-nee-os) Definition: Eternal, everlasting, forever Meaning: age-long, and therefore: practically eternal, unending; partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting.
Word Origin: Derived from αἰών (aiṓn), meaning “an age” or “eternity.”
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: – עֹולָם (olam) – Strong’s H5769: Often translated as “everlasting” or “eternal,” used to describe God’s eternal nature and covenant promises.
Usage: The Greek word “aiónios” is used in the New Testament to describe something that is eternal or everlasting. It often refers to the nature of God, the life promised to believers, and the duration of divine judgment. The term emphasizes the concept of timelessness and perpetuity, transcending the temporal limitations of the earthly realm.
Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of eternity was often associated with the divine and the afterlife. The Jewish understanding of eternity, as reflected in the Old Testament, was rooted in the eternal nature of God and His covenant promises. The New Testament writers, influenced by both Jewish and Hellenistic thought, used “aiónios” to convey the eternal realities of God’s kingdom, salvation, and judgment.”
Matthew 23:33
“33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
Mark 9:43-50
King James Version
“43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4663: σκώληξ
σκώληξ, σκωληκος, ὁ (perhaps akin to σκολιός), a worm (Homer, Iliad 13, 654); specifically, that kind which preys upon dead bodies (Sir. 10:11 Sir. 19:3; 2 Macc. 9:9; Anthol. 7, 480, 3; 10, 78, 3): ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ, by a figure borrowed from Isaiah 66:24 (cf. Sir. 7:17; Judith 16:17), ‘their punishment after death will never cease’ (σκώληξ symbolizing perhaps the loathsomeness of the penalty), Mark 9:44, 46,(T WH omit; Tr brackets these two verses),48.
Luke 12:4-5
King James Version
“4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”
This is an alarming verse. It plainly says don’t be afraid of the one who can kill your body, rather afraid of the one who can cast you into hell. Someone in the grave who knows nothing, feels nothing, experiences nothing will experience zero change or suffering from moving from the grave to annihilation. There is no threat of being cast into hell if it simply means being destroyed.
The White Throne Judgement
Who will be judged?
Revelation 20 “11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
My understanding… All the dead were raised at this time. Believers are among the living not the dead, so this excludes them. The now resurrected unbelievers will be judged based on their works.
Verse 15 makes it plain that anyone whose name is out of the book of life, ends up in this place as their final eternal destination. If death and the grave are done away with and have permanently lost all dominion over the dead, the possibility of dying ceases. I think the plain reading, literal word definitions allow for this possibility. I am not Yahweh’s judge, and the ending He sees fit for each person is clearly going to be fair, just and good and reflective of his perfect love. I believe this and am fully satisfied that Yahweh will be proven faithful even in this. Therefore, I choose not to reason my way through any of this as I fear my own human perspective will lead me to wrong and detrimental conclusions.
Why am I not fully convinced and sure about my present perspective? Honestly, it is the use of the word fire.
Original Word: πῦρ Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: pur Pronunciation: poor Phonetic Spelling: (poor) Definition: Fire Meaning: fire; the heat of the sun, lightning; fig: strife, trials; the eternal fire.
Word Origin: A primary word
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: – H784 (אֵשׁ, ‘esh): Fire
– H8316 (שְׂרֵפָה, s’rephah): Burning, fire
Usage: The Greek word “πῦρ” (pur) is commonly translated as “fire” in English. In the Bible, it is used both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to physical fire, such as that used for cooking or burning. Metaphorically, it often symbolizes God’s presence, judgment, purification, and the Holy Spirit. Fire is a powerful element that can destroy but also purify and refine, making it a potent symbol in biblical texts.
Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient cultures, including those of the biblical world, fire was essential for daily life, used for cooking, warmth, and light. It also played a significant role in religious rituals and sacrifices. In the Old Testament, fire is frequently associated with God’s presence, as seen in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2) and the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites (Exodus 13:21). In the New Testament, fire symbolizes the Holy Spirit, as seen at Pentecost (Acts 2:3).
HELPS Word-studies
4442pýr – fire. In Scripture, fire is often used figuratively – like with the “fire of God” which transforms all it touches into light and likeness with itself
God’s Spirit, like a holy fire, enlightens and purifies so that believers can share more and more in His likeness. Indeed the fire of God brings the uninterrupted privilege of being transformed which happens by experiencing faith from Him. Our lives can become true offerings to Him as we obey this imparted faith from God by His power.”
This is a highly emotionally charged topic. Why? Because it is just so personal, and because we all inherently understand there is no biblical principal as deeply and eternally impactful than where we end up eternally. It is hard to balance the need to be loving and kind and mindful that many people need this to be true as it brings them a feeling of peace regarding friend and family members who have died apart from Christ. While I would never want to take their source of this comfort, Yahweh never takes away something without giving us something far greater in return. My place of absolute peace is that He will never fail us, He will never forsake us, and when we see things as they really are, no matter how they look to us in the fleeting moments of life in a fallen creation, that in the end His faithfulness, His love, His goodness and His Perfect Judgements will prove true.
Critical Concept: The peace that Yahshua (Jesus) gives cannot be shaken. We often settle for partial peace solutions, comforting thoughts, biblically inspired books and authors etc what soothe us without delivering us completely. But the peace that comes from Yahweh is absolute and unshakeable. If you are still wrestling, still hurting, still struggling to stay in peace, He has more for you, so keep seeking Him and don’t settle for anything less than perfect peace.
Isaiah 26:3 “2Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter—one that remains faithful. 3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You. 4Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.”
Critical Concept: You cannot bypass having a deep and real relationship with God. Our part is to fix our thoughts on Him. NLT says “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” This peace flows directly out of the measure of trust you feel towards God. The more memories you have of the times He has been faithful, the easier it is to trust Him. Invest the time in prayer, in the Word and in thinking about Him and meditating on all that He reveals to you “Having your spiritual senses exercised by reason of use.” Hebrews 5:14.
For 20 years I have tried to take my eyes off the issues and rest them on Yahweh’s goodness and faithfulness. My memories are overflowing with the times that He proved Himself beyond faithful, exceedingly good and awesome. He carried me through the separation of more than one of my children through miscarriage, of several dear friends and my own precious mother.
It was when my mother passed though that I discovered “His peace that passes all understanding.” A lovely, kind and generous woman, but not one who had given or devoted her life to serving God. I had no confirmation that she was saved prior to her passing. When she was first diagnosed with terminal cancer, I was desperate, selfishly so, to assure myself that she was saved and frankly tried to hijack every opportunity to this end. It got to the point where she would leave the room if I mentioned God. Then Yahweh spoke gently to my aching heart and said “You are not her saviour, I am, and you in your efforts are making the walls higher instead of bringing them down”. “I have never failed her, I have never forsaken her and I am surrounding her with messengers and and squeezing my goodness towards her through ever crack that she has left open to receive me through.” It came with such force that I ceased l instantly changed course and chose to trust him. In the end, I went to visit her in the hospital, one month before her passing, she actually allowed me to pray for her. As I was leaving the room, the dear lady, a homeschooling christian mama who was in the other bed in the room, pulled me aside in tears and said she was so relieved that I had come. She had been praying for my mother the entire time she was there and had been searching for some way to share the love of Christ with my Mom. To this day I cannot think about this moment without being overcome by his goodness in allowing me to catch a glimpse of this faithfulness in every detail of my mom’s life. This was the straw that changed my perspective forever. Yahweh isn’t worthy of my praise because the story ends the way I want. He is worthy of my praise because regardless of how my mother responded to his love and graciousness towards her, He WAS PERFECTLY GOOD towards her during every moment of her life. From that moment, I made a decision that I will praise Him for who He is and What He does and not for how it is received. When she died, I grieved in the sense that I missed her terribly but never once did I question God’s goodness. I praised Him from the moment she passed over until now. I have no firm grasp of where she is today. This is the perfect peace that passes all understanding. I know that when I find out, I will find out that He was even more and even better than I have ever imagined.
I would encourage anyone who loves the Lord to take the time to study His Word and full counsel by considering every verse pertaining to this subject and seeking him heartily for the truth before sharing their views with others due to the potentially eternal consequences if we get this one wrong. There is a growing and vocal chorus chanting what most people want to hear, that hell is not real, that eternal suffering is impossible, and that the worst that can happen is they can return to dust and cease to exist. I pray you would not join your voice to that chorus in ignorance. My own voice cries out “I do not know for certain, but I have no peace or assurance that people simply cease.”
Isaiah 5:13-15 BSB “13Therefore My people will go into exile for their lack of understanding; their dignitaries are starving and their masses are parched with thirst. 14Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat and opens wide its enormous jaws, and down go Zion’s nobles and masses, her revelers and carousers! 15So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes”
Hosea 4:5-6 BSB “6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children. 7The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.”
Twenty years in to studying the Bible and I am still blown away but what was so simple, I missed it.
In the beginning it was so simple: “All believers can lay hands on the sick and they will recover”
Mark 16 KJV
“17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”
I believed it, so I did it, and small numbers of people were actually healed. But of course, Jesus, Yahshua, healed them all and promised that the sick “shall recover”. So clearly I had a lot more to learn.
And then, I bought all kinds of books ( only read a few of them), listened to every kind of teacher and attended several conferences, watched endless videos and frankly, got completely overwhelmed. I learned about the 22, 10, 49 reasons why healing is blocked, doesn’t work, fails. Fifteen years of trying to lock down the truth by working through so many ineffectual, partially true, confusing teachings only to directly from the Bible discover:
Laying on of hands was not what I thought. I thought I was to put 2 hands on the sick. Now I see it as I am to put one hand on Jesus(Yahshua) and the other hand on the sick person. I stand literally in the gap and complete the circuit, like a power cord connecting an appliance to the outlet in the wall. Let me attempt to explain this better.
The source of all healing power: Yahweh, Our Heavenly Father, Jehovah Rapha, is the source, the only source of the power that heals the sick. Though God is so much more than this, trying to tap into Our Creator directly, whilst we are living in human and imperfect bodies would be like flying up to the sun and wanting to plug in my toaster. The measure of power is to big and my positioning in relationship to the sun makes the process, inaccessible, nigh impossible.
From the Power Plant to our the Outlets in Our Homes: Jesus Christ (Yahshua), He is the adapter and the delivery system that makes the power of Jehovah to heal the sick within our reach, wherever we are.
The Plug: Our Faith, allows us to plug into the source via the outlet, Yashua. Tis is simply believing what He says to be true. I lay hands on the sick regularly and pray for them because He says I am commissioned to do so. Luke 10 gives a wonderful account of the authority and commission we are given and why it works. Through the name of Yahshua, demons fled from his disciples. The same is true today. I personally am using Yahshua (Jesus in Aramaic) more and more as in ministry I simply find it is more effective.
The Power Cord: The thing that bridges the gap between Yahweh and the person in need of His Kingdom. This includes our physical bodies, our intercession, our prayers, basically us as a spiritual and physical conductor of power. Just as your physical body will transfer static electricity and transfer it to whoever you touch when you shuffle across a carpet, so will transfer the power of the Kingdom if you have one hand plugged into the Father’s Power and the other holding on what needs to receive that power to work.
The Promises of God (of Yahweh): These are like the individual appliances we plug into.
Enter Jesus, Yahshua, our Savior. He is connected to the source and we can safely and in confidence, “take hold of the fringe of his robe” and in doing so, tap into the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
2 Peter 1:2-4 KJV “2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Two Biblical examples:
1st How we can connect to and receive from Yahweh via Yahshua.
Why was the women who touched the fringe of Messiah’s robe healed?
Ezekiel 44:19 AMPC “19 And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off the garments in which they ministered and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, lest by contact of their garments with the people they should consecrate (separate and set apart for holy use) such persons [unintentionally and unfittingly].”
Matthew 9:18-24 AMPC “20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment; 21 For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.22 Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health.”
When she touched Jesus, our High Priest’s robe, the garment he wore was imbued with the power to consecrate by His communion with our heavenly Father. She believed what she heard about him, and in touching him in faith, completed the circuit, the power of Yahweh flowed and she was instantly sanctified, made fit for holy use, forgiven her sins and made perfect). It is that simple. The hard part is the believing part and evicting all the human reasoning, teaching and logic that keeps us from simply touching the source via Jesus Christ.
Matthew 14:35-36 KJV “35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”
2nd, How do we stand in the gap for the healing of others?
Acts 3:5-7 KJV “5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”
Peter acted in this verse as the power cord. The promise he took hold of was that the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth heals. He plugged into the source by believing it was true with one hand and completed the circuit by taking the beggar by the right hand allowing his body to become a physical conductor of the power of Yahweh. In the simplest terms, he stood in the gap while holding onto to God’s promise and the one needing God’s promise.
Here’s the thing that rubs anyone with pride or a religious spirit the wrong way. Literally anyone who believes can do this. It is not based on special gifts, it is not based on exceptional skill or wisdom. This flows 100% through believing in the one who was sent and his word (ie reading it, choosing to believe it is true without allowing the teachings of man, personal experience or human reasoning to talk you out of believing it) and than obeying what he says to do. So even the most simple among us can do this without any qualification beyond what is mentioned. I can take zero credit for healing the sick. It is always the power of Yahweh that does the work of healing.
Words are symbols that communicate specific ideas. When we hear a word it means something to us. If our definition is wrong, or if we use the same word in a culture to whom it means something different, we will clearly fail to communicate.
A funny life example. While living in France, I was asked in polite company during an intergenerational meal, if I enjoyed French food. My answer was “Very much, I especially appreciate that the French don’t use “preservatifs” in their cooking”. This was followed by a round of giggles and chuckles. You see, to the French in France, this means “condom”. My definition was different than theirs and the result, in hindsight, quite hilarious.
I have always been told that the New Testament definition of sin is “missing the mark” and because the teachers who taught me this seemed to be so engaged in looking things up and making sure the language was right, it never occurred to me to look it up, until now. Why?
Romans 3:23
In Context in the Amplified Bible “22This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, 24and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [c]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, 25whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] [d]sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus’ crucifixion]. 26It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus [and rely confidently on Him as Savior].”
It stood out to be that all have sinned (past tense) AND (something more or different) presently and ongoingly fall short of the glory of God. Yahweh does not repeat Himself in vain so surely these must mean different things. I looked it up and it turns out these are different definitions.
Cognate: 264hamartánō (from 1/A “not” and 3313/méros, “a part, share”) – properly, having no share in; to sin, which always brings forfeiture – i.e. eternal loss due to missing God’s mark. Like 266/hamartía, 264 (hamartánō) is regularly used in ancient times of an archer missing the target (Homer, Aesch., etc). Every decision (action) done apart from faith (4102/pístis) is sin (Ro 14:23; cf. Heb 11:6). See 266 (hamartia).
5302hysteréō (from 5306/hýsteros, “last”) – properly, at “the end,” i.e. coming behind (to “be posterior, late”); (figuratively) coming behind and therefore left out; left wanting (falling short).
5302/hysteréō (“failing to fulfill a goal”) means to be in lack and hence, unable to meet the need at hand because depleted (“all run out“). This state of lack (insufficiency, privation) naturally results when a person misses out on what is vital.
It turns out this is equally true of the Hebrew Words for sin, transgression and iniquity. The definition includes the “crime” and the deserved “penalty” for the crime.
If I say I am a sinner, I am saying I am one who has forfeited my part in eternal glory. From now on I will be plain and delighted to confess that I truly am sinless (one who has not forfeited my part in eternal glory to missing the mark) but that I am a “faller short of” God’s perfection and so grateful that Yahshua delivered me from the forfeit part. What a relief to know that we can be deficient and lacking and yet not sin. I must balance this by sharing that the Bible makes no room for ongoing and wilfull defiance and breaking of His Word and says indeed there is no covering or redemption for willful and repetitive sin.
Hebrews 10:26 NLT “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.”
In an interesting note, I now have over 800 verses between the Old and New Testaments to reread inlight of this correction to my understanding. I love it when Yahweh blesses me in correcting me.
Healing and Discipleship 