Studies In My Christian Experience

Index

1. A Study of God’s Word ……………….…...1 2. A Study of God…………………………………......3 3. A Study of Gods Torah……………………10 4. A Study of Gods Holy Days…………...15 5. A Study of Gods Calendar.....................19 6. The God I Worship…………............................21 7. What I believe…………….……………….……….23 8. Tenakh Questions……………………..………24 9. Tenakh Terms………………………………..….…32 10.A More Excellent Way…………………….38 11.A Study of Gods Calendar.....................19 12.The God I Worship…………............................21

Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

13.What I believe…………….……………….……….23 14.Tenakh Questions……………………..………24 15.Tenakh Terms………………………………..….…32 16.A More Excellent Way…………………….38 17.

Basic Study Rules……………………...…….39

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A Study of God’s Word A Study of Gods’ Word is important because we must learn what it is and where it came from. We must understand its purpose and how it helps us in everyday life.

The Infallible Word of God The Tenakh is the word of God. That means that God has chosen a way to speak to us in writing so we wouldn’t be afraid to hear from Him if He spoke to us directly. It was written by men who were moved or inspired by God. These men printed out what they heard or felt the Spirit of God saying to them. They wrote these things in their own words and writing styles as best they knew how. The word of God is infallible because it is truth directly from God. It will interpret itself if allowed to. No matter whom God speaks through, He cannot lie. Even if He could lie, His words would become the truth. The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us as Yeshua the Messiah or Jesus the Christ.

The Final Source of Doctrine and Belief

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Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

So many people claim that their beliefs are based on the Tenakh. When truly put to the test of the whole word of God, most doctrines and beliefs fail miserably. For instance, a search to prove that Sunday is the Christian day of worship, may turn up three to five scriptures and most of them in the Apostles. The same search to prove the Sabbath is the Christian day of worship turns up a dozen or more in the Old Testaments, the Gospels, Acts and the letters of the Apostles. All of the real proofs for Sunday are from sources outside the Tenakh. Outside sources should only confirm the Tenakh. Where outside sources do not confirm the Tenakh they are false and must be discounted as true. If a change occurred in doctrine or belief and there is no evidence in the Tenakh, then the change is error and must go.

The Final Historical and Traditional Source for Israel and the Church The same as doctrine, historical information should confirm the Tenakh. A lot of human historical accounts are often filled with bias for or against the Tenakh and are often brought into question. If outside historical sources can relate clearly and confirm the Tenakh, then the source would be true and vice versa. Citing Church history and tradition only from the second, third and fourth century and making the Tenakh line up with that is wrong. If a change in worship, days or time has occurred and there is no mention of it in the Tenakh, then it too is error and must go. Index

The Tenakh of the Jews The “Bible”, of the Early Church, was the Tenakh of the Jews. We call this book the Old Testament. This book consisted of The Teaching or Instructions (Torah), The Prophets (Nevi’im) and the writings (Ketuvim). No person of that time ever heard of a New Testament Bible. There was no such thing for centuries after Messiah. All references in the early Church were to the Tenakh and to letters being circulated by the Apostles, which were later compiled into a Bible. Naming the Tenakh Old and New Testament or Covenant only rebuilds the wall of separation between Christians and Jews that Messiah destroyed. The Messiah said that the Tenakh spoke about him. References to Messiah are everywhere in the Tenakh. His first and second comings are clearly revealed.

The New Testament Bible The New Testament Bible should really be called The Apostles. The Apostles is the story of the coming of the Messiah, the history of the early Church and letters to various early churches with instructions regarding doctrine, belief and tradition. These letters were clarifications to believers of the teachings of the Tenakh and of the Messiah. The Apostles is not a replacement for the Tenakh but an appendix to it. A huge percent of it is quotes from the 2

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Melvin K Donaldson

Tenakh. To eliminate the Tenakh is to eliminate the Apostles. The Apostles explains and reveals what God had in mind in the Tenakh. With these things in mind, my hope is that your studies of the Tenakh may be without bias and pure. Let outside sources confirm what you study not twist it. Let God be true and every man a liar. His word is truth.

Index

Study of God I am starting this journey, A Study of God, because there is so much confusion in Christianity about who and what God is. It seems clear from the Tenakh to me. Why the confusion, I don’t know. I do want to know the truth and I want to find a way to clearly explain who and what God is from the Tenakh and no other source. Different translations, a concordance, a holy land dictionary and encyclopedia were helpful in my journey. This study began for me a long time ago, as a teenager. I was baptized in the Baptist church in 1968. I slowly began to disregard my beliefs because of what I saw as hypocrisy. I explored Catholicism, Islam and many other Protestant denominations. I found the same hypocrisy and more confusion than ever. I soon began to explore outside of Orthodox Christianity and started looking at non Trinitarian groups. The Worldwide Church of God caught my attention immediately through a television show. Soon I was also watching Amazing Facts, by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. These two groups seemed very similar but I gravitated toward the Worldwide Church of God. I became a member in 1986. I could never understand how churches concluded that God is a Trinity. The “God is a family” idea was easier to grasp because it made more sense. God the Father and Jesus the Son, two Spirit beings united as one God. The family was to grow into many sons and daughters of God. This idea seemed clearer in the Tenakh than anything else. 3

Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

Then, the Worldwide Church of God began to break down and accept the Trinity. They also started renouncing all their doctrine in favor of a more Protestant view. Once again I was off on my search for the truth about God. In the spring of 2005, I downloaded some literature titled “God-General Information” from http://www.mb-soft.com/believe/index.html. I browsed it then filed it away for later not knowing this would be instrumental in my conclusions. I also downloaded the statement of beliefs from Christian Churches of God at http://www.logon.org/_domain/ccg.org/mainpage.htm. I also browsed and filed this away. In the fall of 2005, I relocated these documents and began reading them and I was astonished. My study began by investigating the bible study literature on the latter site.

Index

Where do I Begin? It seems that no matter what I decide to study in the Tenakh, I always end up somewhere near Gen 1:1. Here I found that “God created the heavens and the earth”. I decided to lookup all the words in the Tenakh used for God. WOW, there were so many. I will not exhaust this by any means but I want to list a few and define them. • • • • • •

Gen 1:1 Gen 2:4 Gen 14:20

Elohim – mighty ones, angels, judges, magistrates, god(s) Yahovah (YHVH) – self existent, eternal, lord, master (Elohim as suffix) Elyon – most high God, supreme God, mighty God, almighty God El – god, strength, power, strong Gen 15:8 Yahovih – variation of Yahovah (Adonai – lord, master = Yahovah prefix) Prov 30:4 Eloah, Elahh – The deity, God John 20:28 Kurios – lord, master = Yahovah Theos – God = Elohim

Eloah, Elyon and Yahovih seem to be exclusively used for the Father. El, when used in conjunction with other words, can apply to false gods and any or all of the spirit beings including the Father. Yahovah seems to be a title delegated to any spirit being sent by the Father or to the Father himself. Elohim can be used of the Father, all spirit beings and man. So we can see how we can become confused when trying to understand God in our studies. We must be careful to read the scriptures without prejudice. We must also try to eliminate our preconceived ideas when we search for the truth. 4

Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

The next thing I came across was that Gen 1:1 shows us an original first creation and Gen 1:3 is the beginning of a re-creation. Something caused the earth to become without form and void with darkness over the face of the deep in Gen 1:2. I also found that prior to all this creating, there had to be a creation of the spirit world (Job 38:4-7). God is still creating and He has a plan for us.

Who is God and where did He come from? It is hard for us to believe or understand but God has always existed. He appears to have been alone prior to the creation of anything. He is the only immortal being (1 Tim 6:16) which means He alone cannot die. He is all powerful and there is none greater than He. He can give life to nothing or destroy everything. Nothing else is immortal outside His will. He is invisible and no one in the physical realm can or ever has seen Him (John 1:18, 5:37, 6:46, 1 John 4:12, 1 Tim 6:14-16) He is all knowing (Is 44:6-8) and omnipresent (Ps 139:7). He can be everywhere or anywhere as He chooses. He is pure spirit but with form as He chooses. Only those in the spirit world can see and hear him. No human, except Jesus, ever saw His form or heard His voice.

Index

He can be known and understood (Jer 9:23). He desires that we know him and encourages us to. The trinity is a mystery and cannot be understood. God is not a mystery. Any attempt to say that any being is equal to Him is error (Deut 32:39, Is 44:6,8, 45:5,21, 46:9, Hos 13:4 ). There is only one supreme God and there is none like him.

Who is Jesus and where did He come from? Jesus the Messiah is a son of God. His Hebrew name is Yeshua. He is the beginning of the creation of God (Rev 3:14). He is the first begotten of the creation (Col 1:15) and the only born son of God (Mat 3:17, John 1:18, 1 John 4:9). He was born a human by an act of God the father by the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:26-35). He is the Messiah (Mat 16:16, John 1:41). Jesus is one of many sons of God in the spirit world. He was the first of the spirit creation of God. He existed before all other spirits except the Father and before the physical creation (John 1:1-2). Jesus began as a Spirit Being in God’s creation. He was the first of the generation of the Sons of God. It could be said that He was with God and that He was God in the beginning of the physical creation. His generation was the beginning of the spiritual creation. He is not God as the Father is God because the Father has no beginning. He is not worshiped as the father is worshipped because only the Father should be worshipped. We worship the Father through him. He is however to be given the highest honor, praise and thanks as our Lord, Savior and High Priest. His pre-existent name is not known to us but He is called by many recognizable names. He is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, God with us, the Word of God, the Son of God, The God of Israel, The Angel of the Lord, The Angel of the Covenant, The Rock of Israel, The Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night, the Holy one of Israel, The Anointed One and Jesus the Messiah. He was the first of the 5

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many Sons of God. This is important because it clears up a multitude of confusion when you understand it. It helps explain the term “sons of God” in Gen 6:1, Job 1:6 and Job 2:1. He was Divine. Jesus in the flesh was this Great Spirit Being who gave up His Divinity and God status to become a man just like us except He submitted to allowing the fullness of the Nature of The Deity (The Father) dwell in him. This is the same thing Christians are called to do. Jesus made it possible for the fullness of The Deity (The Father) to dwell in us by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Many of us find it hard to believe that Jesus could be a created Spirit Being. The Tenakh does not say that he wasn’t. It seems to say in many scriptures that he was. We should believe what we read and seriously scrutinize any man who comes up with concepts developed by wrestling scriptures into place and ignoring others. Jesus came to us as the Lamb of God to die for our sins. Some think he had to be supreme God to do this. The lesser is always sacrificed for the greater. Animals, for instance,were always used as a sacrifice for human sin. Jesus was not an animal, but he was made a little lower than the angels and became as a lamb, lower than a man, to be sacrificed for all of creation. If we kept God’s Passover, we would understand this. In doing this he could redeem everything that was equal to or less than himself. There was nothing between him and the Father that needed to be redeemed. He is a God among many under the Father (Heb 1:8-9, Ps 82:1, 89:7). He is an Image of the invisible God (Col 1:15). Index

What is the Holy Spirit? The confusion about the Holy Spirit is amazing. I can’t begin to list the enormous amount of scriptures in the Tenakh that prove that this Spirit is the power of God. Because the Spirit is personified, like wisdom in Proverbs, people think it is a person. They turn to a smaller body of scriptures that call it by names or uses pronouns to prove the Holy Spirit is a person. If more evidence proves that the Holy Spirit is the Power of God, why don’t we just believe it? Instead we hold on to fables and less evidence to the contrary. Jesus said the Holy Spirit comes from the Father and that he (Jesus) sends it (John 15:26, John 16:7). The Holy Spirit is the means by which God does everything. It is the way we can know God. It is what makes us one with him. It is the means by which The Father and The Son lives in us. It transforms us to be more like them. It gives us what to pray when we don’t know what to say. It teaches us and comforts us. It helps us obey God. It links God to Jesus and us to them. It is the Spirit of Truth. That Truth Is Jesus, which is the Word of God. It helps us worship God and is the way in which we do this. It is what makes us “Born Again”. Read John 14 to 18. If the Holy Spirit is a person then he is the father of Jesus and not God the Father. Luke 1:35 says “the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and the Power of the Most High will come upon her”. Knowing the Holy Spirit is not a person shows that God is the Father of Jesus and that He used His Holy Spirit to accomplish this in Mary. The Holy Spirit can be called God because it comes from Him. Jesus can be called God because the Father appointed him so. Both are subordinate to and under the will of The Father.

How does God deal with man?

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Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

God the Father deals with man through his Spirit Sons by the power of the Holy Spirit. In my study it appears that there are God-like beings in a Council of God (Ps 82:1, 89:7). These beings appeared for, spoke for and acted for and by The Fathers will. They were seen, talked to, wrestled with and eaten with yet no physical person has ever seen the Father or heard his voice, (John 1:18, 5:37, 6:46, 1 John 4:12). These beings are willingly subordinate to God the Father. They are the Sons of God and they show up everywhere in the Tenakh. They visited Adam and Eve. Satan was one of them. Some sinned with human women and fell in disobedience. They appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Balaam, Joshua, other prophets, John the Baptist father Zechariah, Mary and Jesus. This is how God spoke to us through the prophets. Finally, He sent his only human begotten Son into the world as a lamb to be sacrificed for sin. They are all able to carry his authority, but only by His will. In John 5:30 Jesus said he could do nothing apart from the Father. Jesus said his words weren’t his own words but the Father speaking through him. He submitted completely to the Fathers will (John 5:19). Everything he said or did was at the Fathers command or bidding. Jesus is subordinate to and dependant on the Father for everything (John 14:24, 28). It has always been this way from the creation of the spirit world.

Index

Who are the Sons of God? The Sons of God are created beings. These beings were created before the physical creation including man. God became the Father of Spirits by this act (Heb 12:9). The Tenakh says there are ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands or a myriad of them (Rev 5:11). We know them as Angels. Angels is a word that means messengers but before man was created there was no need for messengers. They were called Sons of God. All spirits communicate through the Spirit of God. Spirits do not need messengers. Here are some terms and titles used for these beings: • •

• • •

• •

Morning Stars – Job 38:7, Is 14:12, Rev 2:28, 22:16 Cherubim – Gen 3:24, Ezk 28:14-16 Seraphim – Is 6:2,6 Angels – Ambassador, King, Messenger, Deputy Living Creatures – Rev 4:6, Ezk 1:5,13-15,19,21, 3:13 Elders – Rev 4:10 Host of Heaven – 1 kings 22:9

They were created to assist God in His plan for the universe. This includes a special purpose for man. The Tenakh says the Tabernacle in Israel,built and set up by Moses, was to be an exact replica of the Tabernacle in heaven. God through his son instructed Moses. The children of Israel were also a replica of the Sons of God in heaven. The Sons of God were setup as a Council of God (Ps 82:1, 86:8, 95:3, 96:4, 97:7, 135:5, 136:2, 138:1). There are 30 in the inner Council (Rev 4:1-11). Another 40 Elders are in the outer Council to make 70 (Num 11:147

Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

26, Lk 10:1, 17, Ex 24:1, 9). Then to the first thousand, one of whom was to become a mediator (Job 33:23). Three sons are named in the Tenakh, Helel (Lucifer/Satan), Michael and Gabriel. Jesus is called Emmanuel which may be his Spirit name. Helel and Jesus are both called Anointed Ones and Morning Stars or Day Stars. The Sons purpose is to worship God the Father, to do His will and to serve man. Helel and a third of the Angels rebelled and were removed from Gods kingdom. He is still god of this world until Jesus returns to destroy him and take his place. Spirit beings, except the Father, can be destroyed. Jesus has qualified to rule the earth and is now resurrected to a state of immortality as we will be in the future. All beings maintain immortality by willing obedience to the Father. Jesus immortality is sealed forever. The rebellion of Helel, who became Satan, caused the earth to become without form and void with darkness. God recreated the earth by His Son Jesus the Messiah. Helel tried to dethrone God and take by force what God wanted to give him freely. God now has given this to his Son Jesus who wants to share Gods Spirit and rulership of the universe with man. God had already given Helel rule of the earth and his Spirit, but Helel wanted more, the throne of God. Jesus submitted himself to the Father, came to the earth to redeem man and died as a sacrifice for our sins. He was raised from the dead and given what Heleldesired, the title of God and the rule of the universe. Jesus will submit all things to the Father in the end.

Index

Who, what and why is man? I have learned in my study that some time long ago, God decided to create His own family. He started with beings who He gave spirit life and free will. They had the ability to choose to obey and love God the Father or not. They did not know the full plan of God. He kept it from them because they like us, must also live by faith and trust in the Fathers judgment. When He revealed to them the creation and purpose of man, rebellion broke out. Some of the spirit beings couldn’t understand why God wanted to create weak creatures like man. From then on Satan tried to undermine everything God began to do. So, God created man out of the dirt of the ground without full spirit life and with free will. He breathed into man enough of His spirit to quicken life and understanding in him. He created a woman with him and made them both mortal. Man is not and does not have an immortal soul or spirit. God alone is immortal (1 Tim 6:16). Why don’t we believe this scripture? God created a garden and placed man in it, to tend and keep it. All kinds of trees were placed there for food and man (male and female) was given one command. They could eat from all but one tree. They seemed to understand this command. No one knows how long it was before Satan begun to undermine the plan of God and deceive man. Satan spoke to them and gave them the impression that God was not truthful with them and that they would not die and would become like God if they ate from this tree. The woman ate and gave some to the man. Their eyes were immediately opened. They became as god knowing good from evil (Gen 3:22). That day they died spiritually and began the process of physical death. God said they would die, Satan said that they would not. They fell for the lie and were removed from the garden for their disobedience and their environment was cursed. 8

Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

There was another tree in the garden that would have put man on the course of obedience, health, wealth and immortality. They chose misery instead. God the Father planned for all of this in advance of the creations. He planned for the rebellion of Satan as well as the rebellion of man. Some day one of the spirit beings would come to earth, redeem the entire universe (spirit and physical worlds) and set all things right with God the Father. It has been nearly two thousand years since Jesus the redeemer has come to set things back to a new choice. In choosing His Son, man’s destiny is to become a spirit being and heirs with Messiah to rule the universe. Who knows what God has planned for us beyond that day?

So, what is God doing? God has been creating from the beginning, continues until this day and on into the future. God is calling man and creating in him His own Holy and Righteous character. He is preparing us for the day of resurrection, priesthood and rulership. This resurrection will produce the first humans since Jesus to be born into God’s new kingdom for special positions of service and leadership. This is difficult for us because our human nature wants to resist God. The world, our flesh and Satan try to destroy God’s plan. Thank God that Jesus came to die for us and to make the power we need, the Holy Spirit, available to us to accomplish God’s purpose. God’s Spirit helps us to continue to seek, repent, live by faith and obey God. Without it we could do nothing.

Index

What is our duty? Our duties are: • To love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength • To love our neighbors as our self • To believe in the one true God and Jesus the Messiah whom he sent • To repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit • To seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness • To obey God by keeping His Commandments This study has opened my eyes to great confusion in the church and the world today. Confusion can only be conquered by the Spirit of God. Only this Spirit, which Jesus sends when we pray and ask for it, can see us through. The story of the Tenakh is simple but we have created all kinds of confusion and difficulty to get to God. All we need to do is study His Word, believe what He says and obey Him. Believe Jesus. “Come unto me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mat 11:28-30). This is the word of the Father. 9

Studies in My Christian Experience

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Index

A Study of Gods Torah A Study of Gods’ Torah is important because there is so much confusion in Christianity about what we are to obey. The Torah is not law. The Torah is teaching and instruction from God. It is clear to me from the Tenakh that God requires obedience from all mankind. The problem is that no one seems to know what we are to obey. Some say we are to go by Jesus teaching in Mat: 5, 6 and 7. Some say the Torah of God is done away. Some say The Torah of God is for the Jews only. It is important to note that while the debate rages on, man is lawless and crime of all kinds occur daily. Man must change in his heart and mind and Gods’ Torah is the way (Ps 111:10).

Man is Corrupt Man became corrupt after the deception of Satan in the beginning (Gen 3). From then on, man has been following the way of Satan, which is our human nature (Gal 5:19-21, Eph 2:3, II Cor 4:4). All these attitudes are his and he transmits them to us because he is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) and the god of this world (II Cor 4:4). He continues to deceive man until the end (Rev 12:9). We have all sinned (Ro 5:12). We have all earned death (Ro 6:21-22). We sit on spiritual death row. We constantly resist God even when we think we do right (Jer 17:9, Ro 1: 28-32, Ro 8:7-8, Jms 4:1-3 Pro 14:12). We are in need of salvation.

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Melvin K Donaldson

God Had a Plan God has always had a plan of salvation when things go wrong because he knew they would. When you create creatures with freedom, they may do anything. A pardon was secured for us before the creation of the world (Jn 3:16, Ro 5:8-10). Our first step in the plan is to repent and believe the gospel (Mk 1:15, Acts 2:38, Lk 13:3, 5). Repentance is conversion or changing direction and turning from our own way (Satan’s’ way) to God’s way. We must change from sin or disobedience to righteousness or obedience to God. Jesus was sent by God and came to pay the penalty for our sins. He lived the life of righteousness as an example for us to follow in his footsteps.

What is Sin? No one seems to want to answer this question directly. Sin is disobedience to God’s Torah (I Jn 3:4). Whatever is not of faith is sin (Ro14:23).To know what is right and not do it is sin (Jms 4:17). All unrighteousness is sin (I Jn 5:17). Disbelief in Jesus is sin (Jn16:9). When we accept Messiah, we are free from the penalty of past sins (Ro 3:25). We must become like little children and learn to accept things the way they do (Mat 18:2-4). God leads us to repentance so we should follow his lead (Ro 2:4, II Tim 2:25, Jn 6:44, 65, Acts 11:18).

Index

What is a true Christian? A true Christian is a sinner who repents and believes the gospel. He is also baptized for the removal of sins and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. We cannot belong to God and Messiah (be Christians) if we do not have the Spirit of God and Messiah in us (Ro 8:9-10, I Jn 2:3-6). We must obey God. We must strive to live completely by his word (Mat 4:4). Notice that it says that MAN shall live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, not just the Jews or Israel or those under the old covenant. Our whole duty is to fear God and to keep his commandments (Eccl 12:13). A true Christian would be striving to keep Gods’ Torah and believing the testimony of Jesus the Messiah. We will be doing this until the end (Rev 12:17, 14:12). This is a true believer, a saint in God’s eyes. We must stay on this path. We may slip and fall but we must be diligent to get up, repent and continue.

Who should we obey? There is only one to obey. That is God and his Torah beginning with The Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are the basic and primary Teaching or Instructions above all other law, including mans law. They are what mans law should be based upon. When The Ten Commandments are disobeyed, sin enters into our lives. All of the major characters of the Tenakh kept and obeyed them. Abraham (Gen 26:5), David (Ps 119), Jesus (Jn 15:10, Mat 19:16-19), Paul (Ro 7:25) and many others are our examples. Some were not perfect but they always returned to obedience to God. We should follow their examples. Jesus showed us that the letter of the Torah must be followed but the Spirit of the Torah was more important (Mat 5:2111

Studies in My Christian Experience

Melvin K Donaldson

22, 27-28, 23:23). Paul and John say the same things (Ro 7: 14, I Jn 3:15). Expanding on what Jesus taught about the attitudes we should avoid: • • • • •

• • • •

•

Rebellion is the spirit of worshipping other gods Ignorance is the spirit of idolatry Foolishness is the spirit of using God’s name in vain Eternal death and unrest is the spirit of not keeping the Sabbath Disrespect is the spirit of not honoring our parents Hate is the spirit of murder Lust is the spirit of adultery Greed is the spirit of stealing Deceit is the spirit of lying Desire is the spirit of coveting

God’s Torah exists to define right from wrong. God’s Grace exists to take care of or cover the wrong.

Index

What is the Spirit of the Torah? The Spirit of the Torah is Love. The first four commandments show us how to love God. The last six show us how to love our fellow man (Mat 22:36-40). The Ten Commandments are the Torah of God, The Torah of Messiah, The Torah of Liberty and The Torah of Love. Gods basic characteristic and nature is love (I Jn 4:8, 16, 20, Jn 3:16). We receive this love by the Holy Spirit (Ro 5:5) which is given to us at baptism and it grows its fruit within us (Gal 5:22-23, II Tim 1:7). The expression of love is found in I Cor 13:4-8. Read this whole chapter. It would be wonderful if all of us can be like this. Love is the fulfillment of the Torah (Ro 13:8-10) or walking out the life of redemption. This obedience is our duty. It does not earn us anything (Ro 6:23, Eph 2:8-9). You can be sure that the disobedient will not enter into the kingdom of God (Mat 7:21-23, 19:16-19, Rev 22:14-15). These are people who think they do nothing wrong and need no repentance. They think that no one should tell them what they should and shouldn’t do. Not even God. The Spirit of the Torah is Gods Character and nature: • • • • •

God is Good -------------------- The Torah is Good (Ro 7:12) God is Just -------------------- The Torah is Just (Ro 7:12) God is Holy -------------------- The Torah is Holy (Ro 7:12) God is Spirit-------------------- The Torah is Spiritual (Ro 7:14) God is Perfect ------------------ The Torah is Perfect (Ps 19:7) 12

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Gods’ character is the way of love. His character will not change (Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8). His Torah will not change (Ps 111:7-8).

What about the Sabbath? The Sabbath is one of Gods’ Commandments. It is the only one that says to remember and most people do not know what or when it is. We think it belongs to and is for the Jews or Israel. Jesus said God made it for man (Mk 2:27, Gen 2:1-2). Notice again that it says it was made for MAN, not just the Jews or Israel or those under the old covenant. It is Gods day and the day that Jesus is Lord of (Mk 2:28). God created it by resting on it. Is that because he was tired, no, It was for an example to man. The Sabbath is Gods day, not the Jews or Israel’s or those under the old covenant (Ex 31:13, Lev 19:3, 30, 26:2, Is 56:4, Ezk 20:12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 24, 22:8, 26, 23:38, 44:24). Why do we believe wrong things? Jesus, Paul and all the apostles kept it as a matter of fact (Lk 4:16, 31, Acts 13:14-15, 42-44, 14:1, 17:1-2, 18:1-4, Heb 13:8). It is still in effect (Heb 4:9-10). We should not follow the disobedient example of early Christians who changed the Sabbath to Sunday. God, Jesus and none of the apostles authorized this change. We are free to worship on any other day of the week we want to, but we should remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy in obedience to God.

Index

What are a covenant and a testament? Covenant • • •

An agreement between two parties It is made binding by blood It is a legal undertaking to do or refrain from doing some act

Testament • • •

A last will It is made binding by the death of the testator It is an act or written instrument by which a person wills or bequeaths certain possessions to another

Jesus brought in the new covenant by his blood, which is the Torah of God written on our hearts and minds (Heb 8:7-12). This begins in us at our conversion when we receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus also brought in a testament or last will at his death. He willed to us the Holy Spirit, which came in Acts 2:1 and Eternal Life as Kings and Priests of God, which we will receive at his return with our resurrection.

What does it mean to be under the Torah? 13

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The Torah of God, like God, has always existed. It is the nature and character of God. It was here before anything was created. When man sinned and disobeyed God in the garden, God revealed His sacrificial system to them by killing a lamb and covering them with the skin because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin (Lev 17:11, Heb 9:22). Man had already tried to cover his own sin with fig leaves. Sacrifice was always in Gods recovery plan but it was only temporary until Messiah would come. Now that Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice has come, sacrifice and certain ceremony are no longer necessary. The Torah also consisted of statutes and judgments. Commandments apply to individual conduct. Statutes apply to national and church affairs. Judgments apply to legal decisions based on the commandments and statutes. The Torah exacted punishment in these judgments. These punishments are where we stand when we are under the Torah. Being under the Torah is being subject to the authority of its penalties. To be accountable to what it says. The whole world is accountable to Gods Torah (Ro 3:19-20). Not just the Jews or Israel or those under the old covenant but the gentiles too. If it is not for the gentile, then how is it that their mouths are stopped and they are found guilty before God? No one is declared righteous by it because it only defines sin. Once we know what sin is then we know what we are to turn from. We turn from sin not from the Torah. The Torah of God must be pursued by faith. Sin keeps us under the demands of the penalty of the Torah but Christians are free from that. Jesus paid the penalty for us and we join him in his death, burial and resurrection through baptism (Ro 6:1-14, 18). We are dead to the Torah with its penalty against us. We can now serve in the newness of the Spirit (doing the Torah) and not in the oldness of the letter (lip service) (Ro 7:6). Index

What is our summation?

This is all summed up in Eccl 12:13 and Mat 4:4. Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man and man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The whole Tenakh from Genesis to Malachi is the word of God. The Torah from Genesis to Deuteronomy is the Torah. The gospels, acts and the letters of the apostles attest to this.

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Index

A Study of Gods Holy Days The world and its religions do not know God. They do not obey His Torahs. They do not keep His day of worship. They have no clue about His plan for us as revealed in His Sabbaths and Holy Days or appointed times. They are all deceived (Rev 12:9).

The Ignorance of Man Man is completely ignorant of God and His ways. We have been in rebellion since the beginning. We think these days are Israel’s or the Jew’s. We think that only those under the Torah must do them. We are in error. We are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos 4:9)

What are God’s Holy Days God’s Holy Days are His Sabbaths (Lev 19:3). They are His Feasts (Lev 23:2). They are His appointed times (Lev 23:37). All of these days had or will have something occur on them. There are the forty eight to fifty two weekly Sabbaths, twelve to thirteen new moons which are 15

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Sabbaths and Seven Feasts which are divided into three seasons of the year. First is the Unleavened Bread season with two Holy or High days. Second is the Feast of Weeks with one Holy or High day. Last is the Feast of Ingathering with four Holy or High days. This makes a total of seven additional Holy or High Days which are Sabbaths. These days belong to no one except God Himself. They are not the Jew’s or Israel’s. Along with the Torah, they give us rest, peace and knowledge in a troubled world. They also give an outline of the entire plan of God.

Index

Leviticus 23 God’s Holy Days are: 1.

The Sabbath - 48 to 52 Holy Days • A sign of who God is to us (Lev 23:3, Ex 31:13) • A weekly Holy Day (Ex 31:14) • A memorial of creation (Ex 31:17) • The day God rested (Ex 31:17) • A sign of our future resurrection rest (Heb 4:9-10) • The day Jesus is Lord of (Mk 2:28)

2.

A sanctification day – 10th day of the first month • A fast day • Not a Holy Day

3.

The Passover - The Feast Preparation Day – 14th day of the first month • A sacrifice of the lamb (Lev 23:5) • A memorial of Messiah’s death (1 Cor 5:7) • A sign of Gods pardon, passing over our sins (Ro 5:8) • Celebrated away from the home (Deut 16:5-7) • Not a Holy or High Day

4.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread – Two Annual Holy Days – 15th & 21st day of the first month • First and last day are Holy Days (Lev 23:6-8) • Symbolic of the sinless life of Messiah 16

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Leaven symbolizes sin (1 Cor 5:1-8) Unleavened symbolizes removal of sin Messiah was resurrected during this week A seven day feast

5.

The First Fruits – Wave Sheaf Offering • Occurred on a Sunday at the time of Messiah • The day the Messiah presented Himself to God after the resurrection • Occurs during Passover Week (ULB) Lev 23:11 • Not a Holy or High Day

6.

The Pentecost – One Annual Holy Day • The feast of Weeks (Lev 23:15) • Occurs on a Sunday • It is a count from the Sunday during Unleavened Bread of 50 days • Memorial of the giving of the Torah (Ex 5:1) • Memorial of the giving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1) • Memorial of the beginning of the Church (Acts 2:1) Index

7.

The Feast of Trumpets – One Annual Holy Day – 1st day of the 7th month • A feast of blowing of trumpets (Lev 23:23) • Symbolizes the return of Messiah (1 Thes 4:16, Rev 11:15) • Symbolizes the first resurrection (1 Thes 4:16-17) • A New Moon

8.

The Day of Atonement – One Annual Holy Day – 10th day of the 7th month • A fast day (Lev 23:26,27) • Symbolizes the Day of Satan’s removal (Rev 20:4-6)

9.

The Feast of Tabernacles – One Annual Holy Day – 15th day of the 7th month • A seven day feast (Lev 23:33,34) • First day is a Holy Day • Celebrated away from the home • Symbolizes the thousand year reign of Messiah (Rev 20:4-6)

10.

The Last Day – One Annual Holy Day – 22nd day of the 7th month • The Last Holy Day (Lev 23:36) • Symbolizes the resurrection and judgment of the rest of the dead (Rev 20:11-15)

11.

The New Moons – Twelve to Thirteen Monthly Sabbaths • Determines the beginning of the biblical New Year • Determines the beginning of the Holy Day Cycle • Maintains the Tenakhs annual Holy Day and Jubilee cycle 17

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There are 48 to 52 weekly Sabbaths, seven annual Feasts with seven annual Holy Days, a Sanctification day (the seventh day of the first month), a Sabbath year every seven years, a Jubilee year every 50 years and 12 to13 New Moon Sabbaths

Man’s Days Traditional holidays are manmade and a doctrine of devils. They are man’s way of substituting Gods Holy Days. They are not worthy of mention here. If you want to know what they are just watch what the Traditional, Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant Christians do. These are their days and an abomination to God. None of their days are mentioned in the Tenakh, so they should not be celebrated. They say that man can worship any way he wants or that man must worship as their church dictates. God says worship His way not man’s (Jer 10:1-5, Mat 15:9, Mk 7:7, Ro 1:21, 1 Tim 4:1, Col 2:20-23, Jn 4:24).

Index

God’s Days The Sabbath and the Holy Days of God are His communication to us of who He is and what He has done, is doing and will do in the near future on the earth. We should stop believing lies and read the Tenakh ourselves for understanding. Before you do, pray and ask God to help you understand. He will because it is His will for us. (Jer 9:23-24)

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Index

A Study of Gods Calendar God’s calendar seems to be a complex subject. I have decided to study this and put my findings down in writing. Today, all the civil calendars we have are of manmade origin and are pagan. Any connection with GOD is to acknowledge holy days for various religions of the day. We think, in religious circles that the Jews probably have the most accurate of GODS calendar but I do not think that is true. I have been watching a number of things regarding their Holy Days. I noticed that their new year is in contradiction to the Tenakh. Their New Year is around September but the Tenakh says the New Year is in the spring, not the autumn. I also noticed that their Pentecost or Feast of Weeks is not on a Sunday or the first day of the week according to the Tenakh but is fixed to a day in the year. The new moons seem to be unimportant to them except for the Feast of Trumpets which is their new year and a new moon day. They also have many rules to prevent the Holy Days and the Sabbath from coinciding which have no biblical authority. I have recently learned that the new moon is the key to finding out when the first day of the month is which then helps in finding out when the first month of the biblical year is. This determines when the first Holy Day of the year according to the Tenakh, the Passover, is to occur. God has placed events in the heavenly bodies of the sky as signs for us to determine days, weeks, months, years and seasons. Some of these signs are sunset or the beginning of the day, the 19

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new moon or the beginning of the month and the equinoxes (spring and fall) and solstices (summer and winter) for the beginning of seasons. First, the Tenakh reckoning for the day is from sunset to sunset. This timing helps to pinpoint the day of the month and the New Year more accurately. The sunset times can be found on the internet and in almanacs. Second, the new moon is the opposite of the full moon. The full moon is when the moon is completely white, reflecting the rays of the sun. This is usually the fifteenth day of the month. The new moon, called the conjunction, is when the sun, earth and moon are in perfect alignment. The moon goes completely black approximately six hours before the conjunction and stays black for approximately six hours after. The day of the conjunction is the first day of the month. The timing of these events has been calculated for centuries. There are primitive ways to determine this and there are modern ways. The information for these events is published on the internet and in almanacs. We have no excuse for not getting it right. Third, the vernal equinox is another event that occurs every year and begins the spring. The timing of this event has been calculated for centuries also. It happens within the same one or two days every year. When these three events are determined, the first month of the biblical year can be found. Index

The first Holy Day of the year is the Feast Day of Passover, the 15th day of the first month of the year, which is a full moon day from Jerusalem the true international dateline. The first day of the first month of the year is the time when the new moon closest to the vernal equinox (spring) occurs in such a way that the Passover falls in the spring on the full moon after the equinox (spring). The 14th or Preparation Day can fall on the equinox (spring) any time before the time of the sacrifice at 3:00pm but the Feast Day of Passover, the 15th cannot. The evening of the 15th at sunset is the beginning of the Feast Day of Passover and must fall after the equinox (spring). The new moon is used to calculate this and does not have to fall on the equinox (spring) but before it. We are not concerned with the moon beginning in the spring but the Feast Day of Passover. If the 15th occurs before the equinox (spring) then the next month is the first month and begins the count to Passover. Once the Passover is determined then the rest of the Holy Days of GOD are easy. The day and the month are listed in the Tenakh for the remaining Holy Days. The first month of Gods calendar has a Hebrew name, ABIB, which means “green ears” and a Babylonian name, NISANU from where the Jews get NISAN. The Tenakh months are actually numbered 1 through 12 with a 13th every few years. The names of the months used by the Jews are Babylonian in origin. I prefer the numbers. The seventh month of Gods calendar is a Sabbath month because it contains a maximum of 9 Sabbaths including the new moon. This month is called Tishri by the Jews, which means “head of the year” in Babylonian. Maybe that’s why the Jews make this their first month and call Rosh Hashanah their new year against biblical authority. With minimal study and research, the sunset time of the day, the first day of the month, the first month of the year and the first Holy Day can be determined. There are also many places to find this information pre-calculated. We don’t need to calculate the calendar, just the heavenly bodies. 20

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My last thought is this; you can observe the new moon on a clear night. It looks like a black ball in the sky. I have seen it and it looks cool. When a sliver of light begins to appear the new moon has past and you are late for God’s appointed times or Holy Days. God has given us great signs in the heavens to determine His Holy Days as defined in the Tenakh. They are for signs and for seasons and for appointed times. Let’s use them and not mans ideas.

Index

The God I Worship The Tenakh teaches us that there is only one GOD who deserves our worship, praise, prayers and repentance (Deut 6:4, 1 Co 8:6). He is called by many names but Jesus said to call Him Father. His real name is Eloah (Prov 30:4). Eloah existed alone (Neh 9:6, Is 44:24) eternally, before anything or anyone else existed. He decided to become an Extended Being (1 Cor 15:28, Eph 4:6), meaning He would extend His existence to beings He would create. The beings would be His family and one with Him by the connection of the Holy Spirit. They would be Divine, sharing His nature. Eloah is Spirit and no human has ever seen His form or heard his voice (Joh 1:18, 5:37, and 6:46). He started this work by creating an image (2 Co 4:4, Col 1:15, Heb 1:3) of Himself and joining them to Himself with His Holy Spirit. He is Spirit and He controls who has the Spirit and who does not. He communicated with them through the Spirit and He could destroy them by removing it. He became the Father of spirits by this act (Heb 12:9). Because of Eloahs’ Spirit, these beings have awesome power and great glory (Rev 10:1, 18:1, Ezek 10) which only Eloah controls. These beings also have free will. They can make their own decisions which means they can sin (Is 14:12, Ezek 28:11-19). Eloah limits or removes their power and glory when they sin. Jesus was one of these beings before he became a man. He was the first of these beings, which are many (Col 1:15). By coming and dying for our sins, he was given preeminence over the others and is now our High Priest (Phi 2:5-11, Heb 1:9, Heb 3:1). 21

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All of these beings, including Jesus (Heb 1:8) and Satan (2 Co 4:4) can be called god, but they are NOT the Father Eloah. These beings are the Elohim. They are subordinate gods to the Father. They are how Eloah deals with man. All of the encounters of Eloah with man were through these beings. They have many names and titles but they were called angels after the creation of man. Prior to mans’ creation they were known as morning stars and sons of Elohim (Gen 6:1, Job 1:6, 2:1). These beings existed before man and saw the universe created. They shouted for joy when they saw its completion (Job 38:7). Satan and one third of them were given the earth to inhabit and to rule. Satan rebelled when the plan for man was revealed and war destroyed the earth. Jesus was in charge of the Elohim to re-create the earth (Ps 104:30), make man in the image of Eloah which is the Elohim and to see to mans training. Satan deceived man and man sinned (Gen 3). Jesus did not fail in teaching man. Man had free will also and chose to disobey and sin through Satan’s deception. Satan is the god of this planet since before the fall and man has been under his swaying ever since.

Index

Jesus came and defeated Satan in the wilderness by resisting him with the word of Eloah (Mat 4). He opened the way for us to return to Eloah with our own free will. He died for our sins to provide cleansing for us. He was raised from the grave to eternal life and sits at the right hand of Eloah interceding for us. He waits for the day when he will return to this planet and finally destroy all the enemies of Eloah. He will finalize our creation as sons of Elohim (Joh 1:12) and submit all things, including himself, to Eloah (1Co 15:27-28). The extension of Eloah continued with the coming of Jesus to earth as a man. We are not born sons of Eloah. Only the spirit hosts were direct creations of the Father. Adam (including Eve) was a direct creation of Eloah through the Elohim. They can rightly be called sons of Eloah. The rest of us were indirectly created by Eloah through our parents. Only upon receiving Jesus and his sacrifice for our sins can we receive the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:9) and begin the direct creation process by Eloah Himself through the Elohim Jesus. We are to become divine spirit beings like the host in heaven. God is one Spirit being who delegates his name and authority to His sons. No one can or ever will share His Glory (Is 42:8) because only He was uncreated. No created being will ever be God as Eloah is God. We can only hope for the great gift of His Holy Spirit, living forever with the Eternal Life He gives and sharing in His Nature (2 Pet 1:3-4).

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Index

What I Believe

1. I believe in one GOD, The Father and one LORD, Jesus the Messiah 2.

I believe Jesus is the Messiah and is aSon of GOD

3. I believe the Holy Spirit is the Power of GOD and the free gift that He gives us 4. I believe Eternal Life is knowing the one true GOD and Jesus the Messiah whom He sent 5.

I believe that upon belief, repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

6.

I believe obedience to GOD keeps the Holy Spirit from being quenched in us

7. I believe obedience begins with faith or knowing that GOD exists and He rewards those who diligently seek him 8. I believe obedience to GOD is of the Ten Commandments and the testimony of Jesus the Messiah by faith 9. I believe we are saved by GODS grace through faith in Jesus the Messiah. 10.

I believe the Torah with the Sabbath, the Holy Days, the Food guidelines, etc. cannot save anyone

11.

I believe because we are saved, we establish and uphold the Torah with the Sabbath, the Holy Days and the Food guidelines, etc. 23

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I believe GOD and Jesus through the Holy Spirit would not have us do less than obey them

13. I believe the Ten Commandments are the revelation of GODS nature and character to us 14. I believe the Sabbath and the Holy Days are GODS appointed times and they reveal His plan of salvation to us 15.

I believe the Foods Guidelines help us maintain strong and healthy bodies to serve as temples of the Holy Spirit

16. I believe in one return of Jesus the Messiah 17. I believe in two resurrections – one at the return of Messiah and one at the end of the thousand year rule of Messiah 18.

I believe we will rule with Messiah as Kings and Priests during His thousand year reign on earth then the universe Index

Tenakh Questions 1.

What is the first lie told in the Tenakh? You shall not surely die. Gen 3:4

2. What is man? He is a living creature or soul. Gen 2:7 Dust of the ground Gen 3:19, 1 Cor 15:47 3. Is man immortal? Only GOD is immortal. 1 Tim 6:16 Man must put on immortality. 1 Cor 15:53 The dead man knows nothing. Ecc 9:5 The body without breath is dead. Jms 2:26 4. What happens when we die? God’s breath gives us life. Job 33:4 All perish without God’s breathe. Job 34:14-15 We return to dust. Gen 3:19 We know nothing. Ecc 9:5 God’s breathe returns to Him. Ecc 12:7 Our state is in silence. Ps 115:17 and darkness Ps 143:3 24

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5. What is GOD? He is Spirit. Jn 4:24 He is a consuming fire. Heb 12:29 He is light. 1 Jn 1:5 He is love. 1 Jn 4:8, 16 6. Who is God? He is the One True God. Jn 17:3, 1 Cor 8:6 He is the Father of Jesus and of us all. He is the Creator who created through Jesus. Heb 1:2 He is King above all Gods. Ps 95:3 He is the object of our worship. Ph 3:3, Rev 19:10, 29:9, Mat 4:10, Lk 4:8, Jn 4:24 His name is Eloah. Prov 30:5 Index 7.

What is Elohim? A general name for the gods. Gen 1:1 They are the Sons of The Elohim. Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7 They are the Council of the gods. Ps 82:1

8. Who is Jesus? He is a Son of God. Lk 9:20, Prov 30:4 He is co-creator. Jn 1:3, Heb 1:2 He is the Word of God. Jn 1:14 He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jn 14:6 He is the Messiah or Christ. Ro 9:5 He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Lk 6:3-5, Mk 2:27, Mat 12:3-9 He is God of the House of God Gen 31:13 He is Lord of the Elohim Gen2:4 (Lord God) He is the Priest of God Heb 4:14, 5:10, 10:21 He is not the Father 9. What is the Holy Spirit? It is the Power of God. Lk 1:35, Gen 1:1-3 Ps 66:7, 104:30, 139:7-8 Jer 32:17 25

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It is the Spirit of truth. Jn 14:15-28, 15:26, 16:7-14 10. What is the new covenant? Jer 31:31-34 Heb 8:10 Heb 10:16-17 11. What is the Gospel? Mat 4:17 Mk 1:14 Lk 4:43 Later included 1 Cor 15:3-8 Index

12. What is the Sabbath? The day God rested and set aside for Man. Gen 2:1-3 We are commanded to do as God did. Ex 20:8-11 It is God’s Sabbath. Ex 31:12 It is God’s sign between Him and us. Ex 31:17 It tells us who is our God? Ex 31:13 It is Holy time. Ex 31:14-15 It is our rest. Heb 4:8 The Jews preserved it. Ro 3:1-3, Ro 9:1-5 No one should judge us for it. Col 2:16-17 We will all (Jew and Gentile) be accountable to God. Ro 14:1-2 13.

Who is Israel? Israel is Jacob the patriarch, son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. Gen 32:28 Israel is also Jacob’s sons. Gen 35:23 Israel is not only physical descendents of Abraham. Ro 9:6-8 Salvation is offered to gentiles. Ro 11:11-21 Gentiles are grafted in to Israel. Ro 11:21-24 God has mercy on all. Ro 11:25-33 Believers are also Israel. Ro 11

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They are the sons of Judah, one of the 12 sons of Israel (Jacob), the son of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham. 15. Who is the first Hebrew? Abram, whom God named Abraham, was because he settled in Hebron. Gen 13:8 16. What were all the patriarchs before God called Jacob Israel? Gentiles of the Chaldeans. 17. What is sin? Sin is the transgression of God’s Torah. 1 Jn 3:4 Sin is actions not of faith. Ro 14:23 Sin is unbelief in Messiah. Jn 16:9 Index 18.

What is the Torah? The Torah is Genesis to Malachi. Mat 4:4 The Torah is Holy, Righteous, Good and Spiritual. Ro 7:12-14. The Torah is love. Mat 22:36-40, 1 Cor 13:1-13, 1 Jn 5:3 The Torah is God’s character and nature. 1 Jn 4:8, 16 The Torah is perfect. Ps 19:7

19.

What does the Torah do? Ps 119 Ps 19:7-9 The Torah makes us aware of what sin is. It does not make righteous. Ro 3:20

20. How does righteousness come? Through faith in Jesus apart from the Torah. Ro 3:22 Faith upholds or establishes the Torah. Ro 3:31 21. Who is Jesus father? God, not the Holy Spirit. Lk 2:49, Lk 1:35 22.

What are the Fruit of the Spirit? Gal 5:22-23

23.

What is the Armor of God? Eph 6:10-20

24. Do faith and works need each other? Yes. Faith without works is dead faith and works without faith is dead works. Jms 2:22, 26 25. Has anyone seen God the Father or heard his voice? Jn 1:18, 6:46, 5:37 27

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1 Jn 4:12 26. Is David in heaven? Jn 3:13 Acts 2:34 27. What name did the fathers know God as? Ex 6:2 Gen 17:1 28. What name did Moses know God as? Ex 3:13-15 Index

29. Who are the sons of God? Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7 Ro 8 & 9 30. Why did the religious leaders want to stone Jesus? Jn 8:57-59 Jn 10:24-38 31. What is marriage? Gen 2:24-25 Mat 19:4 Mk 10:5 1 Cor 6:15-20 32. Do angels marry women? Maybe they could once but not anymore. Gen 6:2 Mat 22:23-29 Mk 12:24-27 Lk 20:34 33. Can the Holy Spirit be quenched? Yes. 2 Thes 5:19 Eph 4:30 34. Is Enoch alive in heaven? Heb 11:13 Jn 3:13 28

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35. Is Elijah alive in heaven? Heb 11:13 Jn 3:13 Elijah taken in a chariot before Jehoram became King. 2 Kings 2:11-17, 2 Kings 3:1 A letter comes to the King Jehoram from Elijah. 2 Chron 21:12 36. Did others go to heaven when Jesus was resurrected? Mat 27:52 Eph 4:8 Index

37. What must we do to be saved? Mat 5, 6, 7, 19:16-30 Mk 1:15, 10:31, 16:15-16 Lk 18:18-30 Acts 2:37-39 38. Where does it say we must speak in tongues to be saved? Nowhere 39. Where does it say we have a prayer language? Nowhere 40. Must you be baptized to be saved? Mk 16:15-16 Acts 2:38 41. Does the act of baptism save you? 1st Pe 3:17-22 42. Can you be saved without baptism? Lk 23:43 Act 10:44 43. What is baptism? Ro 6:3-4 44. What causes repentance? Ro 2:4 45. How does faith come? Ro 10:17 46. What is religion? 29

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Jms 1:27 47. How are we justified to God? Ro 5:9 48. How are we reconciled to God? Ro 5:10 49. How are we saved? Ro 5:10 Index

50. What is the gift of God? Ro 5:17, 6:23, 12:6-8 Acts 2:38 51. What kind was man made after? Gen 1:26-28 52. What is mans purpose? Gen 2:8 Rev 5:10 53.

What does the Tenakh reveal? The Messiah. Jn 5:39

54.

What do the Apostles reveal? The Gospel Mat 4:23 Mk 1:14-15 Lk 4:18

55. What did Jesus finish on the cross? Redeeming man to God Providing access to the Father 56. What nationality were the first Christians? Jewish. 57. What are the basic Christian essentials? Heb 6:1-3 58. How many Gods do Christians have? One God. Deut 6:4, 1 Cor 8:5-6, Eph 4:4-6 30

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59. Is Jesus the only son of God? No. Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7 Ro 8 & 9

Index

60. What is it that God cannot do? Die, Lie and Repent. 1 Tim 1:17, 1 Tim 6:16 Num 23:19 61. What will be put under the feet of Messiah? All things except The Father. He will submit all things including himself to The Father 1 Cor 15:27, 28

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Index

Tenakh Terms The Father –

Eloah

–

The YHVH

–

The Yahovih

–

The Yahovah of Hosts

–

The Yahovah

–

The Elyon

–

The Elohi

–

The Elohim

–

The El

–

The Theoi

–

The Theos

The Son –

A YHVH

–

The Yahovah of Elohim

–

The Yahovah of Israel

–

A Yahovah

–

An Elohi

–

An Elohim

–

An Adonai

–

A Kurios

–

A Theoi

–

A Morning Star 32

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.

Index Angels –

Sons of Elohim

–

Bene Elohim

–

Sons of God

–

Yahovah

–

Elohim

–

Malak

–

Messengers

–

Different in function ○ Morning Stars ○ Day Stars ○ Light Bearers ○ Elders ○ Living Creatures ○ Cherubim ○ Seraphim

–

All Divine beings

–

The Father

–

The God of the universe

–

The Creator of all

–

He has many sons in Heaven (Pro 30:4,5 Job 1:6, 2:1)

–

Jesus is one of His sons

–

Satan is one of His sons

–

He is the head of the Elohim or council of the gods (Ps 82:1, 89:7)

–

He can be called Elohim

–

None of the Elohim is Eloah

Eloah

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–

He is Spirit

–

He has never been seen (Jn 1:18, 1 Tim 6:16)

–

He has never been heard (Jn 5:37)

–

He alone is immortal (1 Tim 6:16) Index

Elohim –

The sons of God (Deut 32:8)

–

The Council of God (Ps 82:1)

–

Subordinates to The Father

–

They are the Image of the Father

–

Jesus the Messiah was one of them

–

These beings were seen and heard by men

–

These beings can see and hear the Father (Job 1:6, 2:1)

–

Have Immortality as the Father gives it or takes it away

–

Angels

–

gods

YHVH (Yahovah) –

Title given by the Father to those sent as a messenger for Him

–

Title used by the Father

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Title used of more than one being

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Title used of the Messiah

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A YHVH

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The Elohim of Israel

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An Elohim

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An Elohi

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A Theos

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A Theoi

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A son of God

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The Messiah

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The beginning of the creation of God

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A Morning Star

Jesus

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One of the Council of God

Index Jesus (cont.) –

All things created for and through him ○ Principalities and Powers ○ The Universe ○ The Earth ○ Man ○

Man as Elohim

–

The first born Elohim from the dead

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The Logos, the Word of God

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An Image of the Father

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He has the title of Father given to him by God

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He has the title of God given to him by God

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The Angel of the Covenant

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The Angel of the Redemption

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The Angel that went before Israel

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God is his Father and His God (Ps 45:6,7 Prov 30:4,5)

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He existed before the physical creation

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He was the first of the spiritual creation

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He is called “God with us”

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He is one of the thousand Job 33:23

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He is the begotten of God

Nephilim –

Fallen ones (Angels)

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The Fallen ones offspring

True Religion –

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Keeping oneself unspotted by the world Index

Christianity –

The way of the life of Messiah

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Love and obedience to the Father

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Love towards mankind

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The Word of God

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Jesus

Truth

Eternal Life –

Knowing the one true God and Jesus the Messiah His son

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Life forever

–

Trust in God

–

The assurance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen

–

Belief that God is and He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

Faith

Repentance –

To turn from our own evil ways towards trust and obedience to God

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God is Love

–

The character of God

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Expressed as adoration and worship to God and kindness and concern for fellow man

–

Defined by the Ten Commandments and 1 Cor 13.

Love

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Good news of the coming Kingdom of God by Messiah

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Good news of the New Covenant instituted by Messiah

–

Good news of man reconciled to God by Messiah Index

The New Covenant –

The Torah of God written on our hearts and minds (Heb 8:8-12, Jer 31:31-34)

The Old Covenants –

Noah (Gen 9:1-19)

–

Abraham (Gen 15, 17)

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Israel (Ex 19:5-17, Ex 24:7-8)

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Sabbath (Ex 31:16)

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Index

A More Excellent Way 



(Substitute your first name for Love in verses 4-8 below)

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not lo ve, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2And 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 lo ve, I am nothing. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not lo ve, it profits me nothing. 1

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

Lo ve 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. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect has come, 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. 12For 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. 8

13

And now abide faith, hope, lo ve, these three; but the greatest of

these is lo ve .

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Basic Study Rules The Tenakh The infallible word of God It has no errors or contradictions It will interpret itself if allowed to Translation have been tampered with It must be studied diligently and without pre conceived ideas

God There is only ONE true GOD – The Father No one has ever seen Him No one has heard His voice He alone is immortal He was alone before the creation

Jesus Was the spirit son of God as the Angel of Yahovah Was the human son of God by birth to Mary Is the glorified son of God by resurrection from the dead Was the first begotten of God’s creation Was the first born god He is the creator under the Fathers direction He is the sender of the Holy Spirit He is not the Father He is not equal to the Father He is a delegate of the Father He is subordinate to the Father He is the God of Israel

Salvation We are saved by grace through faith Salvation is a free gift from God All we need to do is accept it Nothing we can do can or will save us The Torah of God cannot and does not save us Works of any kind cannot save us Index

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Faith Is the substance (realization) of things hoped for The evidence (confidence) of things not seen The key that makes everything work It’s impossible to please God without it You must believe that He is and He rewards those who diligently seek Him It is the means by which we believe

Works The natural result of salvation The things which God has prepared for us to do beforehand The works we do are defined in the Tenakh We are lead to do them by the Holy Spirit We receive our rewards based on our works We cannot be saved by them since we are already saved

Trinity There is no word Trinity in the Tenakh Trinity is a man made concept using the Tenakh God says he is one He is not three whose and one what He is co-equal to no one He is co-eternal with no one The man made Trinity is a mystery and cannot be understood God says He can be known and understood

Rapture There is no word Rapture in the Tenakh Rapture is a man made concept using the Tenakh What the Tenakh teaches is the resurrection of the dead One resurrection when Christ returns One resurrection at the end of His thousand year reign on earth Index

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Immortal soul There is nowhere in the Tenakh that says man is or has an immortal soul/spirit Man is a living soul that can be completely destroyed by God The soul is what gives life to the body The life of the body is in the blood The Tenakh says only God is immortal Man is not a spirit

Death When man dies, he is buried and no longer exists, until the resurrection The body turns to dust This body no longer has memory and knows nothing The spirit that God gives to us and causes us to live, returns to him This spirit has no knowledge of itself but stores the memory of the life of the person This spirit is returned to the body at the resurrection

Life Life is mans training ground to attain eternal life Only those who choose to follow Jesus are on the right path This path is the way of total obedience to God through His Son Jesus Everyone not on this path are automatically assigned to the second resurrection No other religion or spiritual path can lead to eternal life

Knowing God Jer 9:23 Thus says the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: Jer9:24 But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the LORD.

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