Photo courtesy of my husband
I was reading 1 Corinthians 5:7 (telling of how [cwhy/Yahusha our Mashyach[Messiah] is our Pesach[Passover] Lamb) and I continued to read the rest of the chapter. Verses 9-13 really stood out to me, given the state of the church and world. Far to often, we see those that are "members of the church/Faith" who reflect the world more than a talmidim/disciple of [cwhy/Yahusha. Now it is true that we all have some level of the world in us, none are perfect and fall short of the glory of Yahuah[YHVH] (Romans 3:23).
VERSE 9
"In my earlier letter I wrote you not
to associate with people who engaged in sexual immorality"
A sexually immoral act includes any sexual acts that are outside
of a biblically defined marriage between a man and woman. It also includes
un-natural sexual behavior, with same gender, animals, etc... and watching,
reading or looking at pornography of any type.
VERSE 10
"I didnt mean the sexually immoral
people outside your community, or the greedy, or the theives, or the
idol-worshipers--for you would have to leave the world all together."
This world is filled with all manner of
sexual immorality and sin that is detestable to YHVH. This is why in Romans 12:2 we are commanded
not to be conformed to the ways of this world, but to be instead transformed
by the renewing of our minds.
In brief, the renewal of our mind means to
change the way you think of and see the world. You begin to love what YHVH
loves and detest what he finds detestable.
VERSE 11
"No, what I wrote you was not to
associate with anyone who is supposedly a brother but who also engages in
sexual immorality, is greedy, worships idols, is abusive, gets drunk or steals.
With such people you should not even eat!"
This is pretty powerful. I remember a lesson my Youth Minister (hwhy/YaHUaH rest her soul) taught one night back in 2009. She was asking the youth group what a non-believer would see as "Mashyachians" if they walked in and saw the way they dressed and behaved.
Would they see the [cwhy/Yahusha from the Bible? Or some version of him that says you can continue to embrace the ways of the world and still call yourselves saved.
I will never forget this. If we are [cwhy/Yahusha’s talmidim, and if we LOVE him, he told us to follow his example. He said to show our love by keeping his Abba's mitzvot (command). Again I reference Romans 12:2. We are not to conform to the ways of the world. hwhy/YaHUaH commands his people to be holy because He is Holy in Leviticus 11:45; 19:2; & 20:26. And again it is commanded of us in 1 Peter 1:16.
If we see one of the members of [cwhy/Yahusha's body straying from the path by partaking in these worldly and carnal sins, we should first lovingly take them by the hand and try to help them by pointing it out. If they refuse to see their actions for what they are, then go before the elders of the church, and if they still refuse... well. Do not even eat with them.
VERSE 12
"For what business is it of mine to
judge outsiders? Isn't it those who are part of the community you should be
judging?"
What those who are immersed/baptized in the world do should not concern us. We can pray for their salvation, even, when led to do so, share the Testimony of [cwhy/Yahusha with them, but we should not go beyond that. What they choose to do or not do is not our concern.
If you shared the good news [cwhy/Yahusha has given us and they reject it, then pick up your mat, shake off the dust and leave(Matthew 10:14). DO NOT cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). It is not our place to pass judgement on them.
Now, contrary to much of what you may even
see shared on Facebook, we are supposed lovingly judge each other's actions
based on what hwhy/YaHUaH's Word teaches us. YES! You read right.
This is what it means to wash each other's
feet, but make sure the water is the correct temperature. It is not of hwhy/YaHUaH to
say to the brother or sister who comes to you, "don't judge me lest you be
judged" this is taking that verse entirely out of context and meaning.
In Matthew
7:1-5, [cwhy/Yahusha was teaching us that if we see another brother or sister struggling with
something, and we too are struggling with the same thing, first fix our own
short comings and THEN go and lovingly judge our brother or sister in an effort
to help them back to the righteous path. In this way, we are not passing
judgement ON them, but merely helping to point out how they may be straying
from the Narrow Path.
I do believe, that if we saw a brother or
sister straying, and we said nothing, did nothing, and they lost their way, we
will in someway be held accountable. If you try and they refuse, then your
hands are washed clean. You tried and that is all you can do.
VERSE 13
"God will judge those who are outside.
Just expel the evildoer from among yourselves."
YHVH will handle those outside of his house.
Once we have attempted to share, we have planted a seed. We don't need to do
anything else besides pray for the lost that they may be found.
With members of [cwhy/Yahusha's talmidim, if a brother or sister is partaking in willful sin, is unrepentant and embraces the ways of the world rather than of YHVH, we are to go to them in [cwhy/Yahusha's love and point it out with a full willingness to help them. If they refuse to see their wrong and remain unrepentant, instead holding on tightly to the ways of the old carnal nature of the world, we should expel them from us as an unbeliever.
Otherwise, our message to others that may be seeking the truth in YHVH's word will be tainted and lead them astray. It tells others that they do not need to repent at all but instead can straddle the fence and be luke warm. [cwhy/Yahusha told us, "If you love me then keep my mitzvot" Revelation 3:14-16 states that YHVH will vomit you out of his mouth if you are lukewarm (serving two masters). Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 tell us that we cannot serve two masters because one will always be favored more than the other. You will seek to please one master over the other.
My dear brothers and sisters, I ask that you
sit and reflect upon ever choice you make. Who is it that you are seeking to
please? Is it God? or the world? (Galatians 1:10) Do your decisions and
choices make you a friend of YHVH? or a friend of the world? If you are a
friend of the world... you have made yourself an enemy of Abba Elohim (God/Yahuah/YHVH)
(James
4:4).
Shalom Brothers and Sisters, I pray that Abba Elohim has blessed you with this. [cwhy/Yahusha says, "go and sin no more"
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