The Separation of Church and Faith
How Did We Get FROM THERE: SCRIPTURE?
To here: church traditions?
4. Starting Points –
NOT the ‘church fathers’
Paul presents the Faith of the gentiles
as continuous with the Faith of Israel: Biblical Faith
Gen 12:3 “ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH WILL BE BLESSED”
Gen 35:11 “A NATION AND A KAHAL – EK-KLAY-SEE-A
OF NATIONS WILL COME FROM YOU”
The calling of the gentiles displays God’s faithfulness
to Israel and to all humanity
Ro 8:16-25
“we are fellow heirs with Messiah provided we suffer
together,
that we may also be glorified together”
Creation waits for the Glory in Hope that
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to death –
and obtain the freedom and glory of the Kingdom Come ...
Ro 8:35-37 Sufferings do not signify separation from God’s love
Psa 44:22
But for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
Col 1:24-27
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in Messiah's
afflictions
for the sake of His body, that is, the Ek-klay-see’-a – Kahal,
Assembly,”
Heb 11:32-40
The faithful unto death who were tortured and killed
for the same Hope, still wait for the Promise:
The Resurrection Kingdom, the Regeneration
… that they might rise again to a better life.
THEIR faithful witness is NOT COMPLETE,
without OUR faithful witness
Mystery now revealed:
The Risen Messiah: Christ in you, the Hope of Glory …
Glory: that still belongs to Israel
Glory: for which we wait and “all creation groans”
Glory: “that they might rise again to a better life”
Will not come until:
The Witness of the faithful of all time is complete
1 Thess 4-5
the same themes are woven together:
No one will precede the other in glorified bodies of
resurrection
THE FAITHFUL OF ALL TIME
WILL TAKE PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION – TO LIFE
Ro 9-11
Israel has also suffered … ACCORDING TO GOD’S
PURPOSE
In God’s Election: the adoption as sons – STILL belongs to Israel
The Adoption + the Glory - PRESENT TENSE: still belong to Israel –
Israel’s sufferings do NOT mean God has separated Israel from His love –
Just as: sufferings of Paul, Job, or Messiah do NOT mean separation from
His love
John 9:1-3 … Healing of the blind man, Disciples asked:
‘“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he should be born blind?”
Jesus answered,
“It was not that this man sinned, or his parents,
but that the works of God might be displayed in
him.”’
Ro 9:19-29 If it is God Who reveals and hardens,
How can He condemn?
Bottom line: God reveals His Name – The Definition of Himself
As: Choosing to extend mercy and compassion where He
will In Perfect Righteousness
Job:
“ADONAI gave, ADONAI has taken away;
Blessed be The Name of ADONAI”
Ro 13:8-10
“Love … is the FULFILLMENT of The
Torah”
Ro 11:12+25
uses the same word re. gentiles, Israel,
Torah:
G#4138 πλήρωμα play'-ro-mah … totality, summation,
fullness, fulfillment
Paul, like Jesus, repeatedly affirms the Torah.
Ro 3:2, 27, 31 “The Oracles of God”…“The Torah of Faith”…“we establish The
Torah”
Ro 7:12, 14 “The Torah is holy, and the Commandment is holy and righteous and
good”
“The Torah is spiritual”
Ro 10:4 “For Messiah is the goal, fullness, purpose of the Torah for righteousness
to everyone who believes”
Ro 9:31 … without Messiah, Israel did not arrive at goal of the
Ro 1:5
“… we received grace and apostleship
to bring about the obedience of faith among all the gentiles,
For His Name’s sake”
Ro 16:25-26
“… the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets,
according to the Commandment of the Eternal God,
has been made known to all the gentiles, for the obedience of faith;”
The Letter to the Romans
warns BOTH
Jewish AND gentile believers
against callousness within the
Fellowship
Romans 14:15, 18
“walking according to love acceptable to God and approved by men
Not giving offense - ”
2 Thess 3:6
“… keep away from any brother who is walking disorderly
and not according to the tradition that you received from us.”
1 Cor 11:2 “traditions…as I delivered to you”
2 Thess 2:15
“stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us”
Ephesians 1:
“… making known to us the mystery of His will …
which He set forth in Messiah as a
Plan for the FULLNESS OF TIME,
to unite ALL THINGS in Him,
things in heaven AND things on earth ...
Eph 1:
“… In Him we have obtained an INHERITANCE …
we who were the first to hope in Messiah …
In Him you also, when you heard the Word of Truth,
the Gospel of your Salvation, and believed in Him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit …
Who is the guarantee of OUR INHERITANCE,
until we acquire possession of it
Ephesians1:
“… the mystery of His will … set forth in Messiah as a Plan for the FULLNESS OF TIME,
to unite all things in Him, things in heaven AND things on earth.
In Him we have obtained an INHERITANCE … we, who were the first to hope in Messiah
…
In Him you also, when you heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation, and
believed …
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Who is the guarantee of OUR INHERITANCE, until we acquire possession of it.
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is The Hope to which He has called
you,
Ephesians 3:
“…the mystery of Messiah,
which was not made known … in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to His holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit.
This mystery is that the gentiles are
FELLOW heirs, members of the SAME body,
and partakers of The Promise, in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.
Eph 5:5
“no immoral, impure or covetous person, who is an idolater,
has an INHERITANCE in the Kingdom of Messiah and God.”
Inheritance: G#2817 κληρονομία klay-ron-om-ee'-ah:
same word used in LXX to translate: H#5159
kha-la
‫ נַחֲ לָ ה‬na-
Jews who came to faith in Y’shua are still described as Jews:
Acts 24:14; 25:8
‘“But this I confess to you, that according to The Way, which they call a sect,
I worship the God of Our Fathers,
believing everything laid down by The Torah and written in The Nevi’im,”
‘Paul argued in his defense, “I have committed no offense
either against The Torah of the Jews or against The Temple or against
Caesar.”’
The Jews who did not believe are not portrayed as rejecting a new institution,
But as rejecting the Ancient Gospel of the Ancient Scriptures …
Acts 3:19-26
Therefore, repent and return … in order that
the Times of Refreshing may come from the Presence of the Lord
and that He may send Jesus the Messiah, appointed for you,
Whom Heaven must receive
UNTIL the Period of Restoration of all things
about which God spoke
by the mouth of His Holy Prophets from ancient time.
Faith in Y’shua was seen as a Continuity in Biblical Faith:
 Spiritual + Physical Restoration of the People + Land of Israel through
Messiah
 Spiritual + Physical Restoration of all Humanity + Creation through
Messiah
Package Deal
Romans15:4-13 Paul quotes from The Tanakh
 The Torah/Law, Deut. 32:43 The Song of Moses (Rev 15:3-4)
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
 The Writings/Ketuvim, Book Five, Psalm 117:1
“Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!
Let all the peoples praise Him! All!”
 The Prophets/Nevi’im, Isaiah 11:10
“There shall be a Root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
Romans 11:20…29
“…Do not be arrogant…
For if you were cut from …. a wild olive tree,
and grafted … into a cultivated olive tree,
how much more will these, the natural branches,
be grafted back into THEIR OWN OLIVE TREE …
For the Gifts and the Calling of God are IRREVOCABLE”
The rejection of Messiah was built into the formula…
Just like New Covenant “built into” Old Covenant
Luke 9:22
“The Son of Man must suffer many things
and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and
scribes,
and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”
Psa 118:22-26
“The stone which the builders rejected;
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD’S doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is The Day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
O LORD! Hoshia na!
Blessed is He Who comes in The Name of THE LORD!”
Ro 11:12 – 15
“Now if … their failure is riches for the Gentiles,
how much more will their FULNESS be?! ...
G#4138 πλήρωμα play'-ro-mah … fulfillment, re. gentiles Israel,
Law
“For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance mean but LIFE FROM THE
DEAD?!”
Ro 1:21-22
Saul comments about
“suppressing the Truth in unrighteousness”
“For although they knew God …
they became futile in their thinking,
and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools”
Apostolic Fathers (late 1st - early 2nd century: POST-Apostolic)
Ante-Nicene Fathers (second and third centuries)
Nicene Fathers (fourth century)
Post-Nicene Fathers (fifth century)
So-called Apostolic Fathers of the 2nd century
promoted false doctrines as part of The Gospel:
 baptism provided forgiveness of sin
 celibacy provided forgiveness of sin
 martyrdom provided forgiveness of sin
ALL the later “fathers”: Cyril, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine, John Chrysostom …
Introduce and/or promote the “Extra - Biblical” doctrines of
 purgatory,
 transubstantiation,
 priestly mediation,
 baptismal regeneration,
 sacramental systems – activities that ADD to the Atoning Death …
that claim to achieve a mystical union with “God”
that claim manipulation of the Holy Spirit
i.e. Spiritual Disciplines of Spiritual Formation
Acts 20:29-30
“I know that after my departure
fierce wolves will come in among you,
not sparing the flock;
and from among your own selves,
will arise men speaking twisted things,
to draw away the disciples after them.”
2 Cor. 11:1-4, 12-15
“… For if he who comes preaches another Jesus
whom we have not preached
or… a different spirit … or a different gospel …
you may well put up with it!
… such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen,
disguising themselves as apostles of Christ…”
1 Tim 4:1-6
“Now The Spirit expressly says
that in later times some will depart from The Faith
by devoting themselves to
deceitful spirits and teachings of demons …
who forbid marriage and require abstinence from
foods
2 Tim 3:1-13
“ … in the Last Days there will come times of difficulty.
“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud,
arrogant …
unholy … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF GODLINESS,
but denying its power.
AVOID SUCH PEOPLE …”
2 Tim 3:1-13
“all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted while
evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse,
deceiving and being deceived.”
2 Tim 4:3-4
“For the time is coming
when people will not endure sound teaching …
they will accumulate teachers… to suit their own passions,
and will turn away from listening to The Truth
and wander off into myths”
Titus 1:9
“holding fast The Faithful Word …
give instruction in sound doctrine and
…
refute those who contradict.
2 Peter 2:1
“… there will also be false teachers among you,
who
will
secretly
introduce
damnable
heresies”
Heresies that damn the soul to eternal judgment
G#684 ἀπώλεια ap-o'-li-a …damnation, perdition,
destruction
(c.f. Rev 9:11 Apollyon)
Heretical teachings DENY the Messiah’s:
 Virgin Birth
 Deity … The One And Only God Incarnate – Exclusive
cf. Contemplative Prayer teaches mystic ‘deity’ to all…
Jesus is ‘irrelevant’
 Humanity
 Sinlessness
 Eternality … Triune Nature – Creator – NOT created
 Full Atonement
 Physical Resurrection
 Glorified Physical Return
2 John 1:9
Everyone who goes on ahead and
DOES NOT ABIDE IN THE TEACHING OF MESSIAH,
does NOT have God.
Next week:
The “Apostolic Fathers”
(late 1st - early 2nd century: Post - Apostolic)
 Ignatius
 Epistle of Barnabus
 Justin Martyr