When Atonement is Blind & Faith Is Dead

Got Loopholes? You’ve Got Rebellion & Lost Sight of Atonement
by py thomas
© September 14, 2013

 

What’s Special about Today.  Today is the one of the most holy high day and Shabbat (Sabbath) called the Day of Atonement aka Yom Kippur.  It is a day we are called to fast and consider the great mercy of YHVH when He sent His Son Yeshua to die in our place for our sin so that we would no longer be separated from YHVH, and could receive forgiveness.  Let us not take forgiveness of sin for granted, but examine ourselves in light of YHVH’s Word, and not in the dim and shadowy light of our own understandings and thinking. 

²⁷ “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. ²⁸ And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.  (Leviticus 23:27-28)

The word “atonement” in this passage of scripture is referenced in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance  [3725] – is the Hebrew word “kippur” (pronounced “kip-poor’”); from [3722]; expiation (only in plur.): - atonement.  “Kippur” is a root of [3722], the Hebrew word “kaphar” (pronounced “kaw-far’”); a prim. root; to cover, to placate or cancel: - appease, make an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (iliation). 

Atonement is YHVH’s expression of His mercy towards us.  Not giving us what we truly deserve.  For had He gave us what we truly deserved, it would have been eternal death for our sin.  No chances, no “get out of jail free card,” no nothing.  But do we consider this daily?  It is in the daily consideration that will keep us humble before our Holy God, ELOHIM.

What’s Really Going on Today.  We are already seeing the results of the Church (born-again believers in Yeshua (Jesus) )not observing and keeping YHVH’s High Holy days.  It is by repetition that we learn and remember.  If the Body of Yeshua the Messiah (the Church) observed the Day of Atonement, there would be less focus on the political and worldly news; and more focus on the Good News of the Gospel of Salvation and what that truly means on a personal level as well as on a corporate level within the Body of the Messiah.  We would annually remember, just as we annually now remember the Holocaust, September 11^th and other notable dates in history.

We have instead replaced the adherence of observing His special observances (holy-days) with our special daily observance, which I call “I Don’t Want to be Accountable.”  For instance, I recently read an article about a woman of is now dedicating her life to find some legal recourse to pursue her ex-boyfriend for taking nude photos of her  (that she gave to him while they were dating) and posting them online on a “revenge” website for jilted ex-lovers.    Now for many of those who have been victim of this will scream, “Yeah!  Go after him girl!  Sue him for all you can!”  However, let’s take a step back to the root of the problem…

1.       Can we spell fornication?

2.       How do you spell sexual immorality?

3.       Should we be taking nude photos and giving them to someone to begin with (especially to someone that you’re not in committed relationship with (i.e. marriage))?

4.       Why do we leave evidence for it to publicly testify against us later, whether it comes from a jilted lover or spouse; or if it’s in a format that resides on a computer or smart phone that is stolen or sold that can be accessed by others?

When we don’t exercise modesty and have made physical intimacy into a carnal lust act, what do you expect?  Physical intimacy is supposed to be expressed in the context of marriage between a man and a woman as it was in the beginning (read about it in Genesis 2:18-24); and for us to be fruitful and multiply to bring forth/raise Godly offspring/children –

¹⁵ But did He not make them one,
Having a remnant of the Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. (Malachi 2:15)

This is like when one gets a sexually transmitted disease, it testifies against the persons involved – because there has been more than just a husband and wife involved who are (supposed to be) one, but have been with others.

My Personal Confession & Testimony.  It is our lapse of memory and consideration of the consequences of our actions that we make these poor decisions in the heat of the moment (no pun intended) that can find us out later.  We all know from personal experience that this is true.  I number myself among the guilty.  However, like some of you, I believed YHVH’s promise that “⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 8:9-10)  I was named as a “woman at the well” who met Yeshua in the midst of her many sins, but thankfully received forgiveness.

What’s Needed for Today.  If we adhere to the commandments for the observances that YHVH establishes (His weekly Sabbath and the other ordinances He has given), then we are reminded of the necessity to keep our sinful flesh in check; and ever increase the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to exercise the needed restraint to protect ourselves from ourselves.  YHVH is merciful and long-suffering in that He has provided us with a plan (covenant) to protect us, while preparing and teaching us how to be restored to the place of what He originally created in the beginning, holiness and eternal life with Him; just as Adam walked with Him in the Garden of Eden before sin entered in.  SELAH.

Since the spirit of the anti-Messiah (Christ) has so effectively infiltrated the Church, many of YHVH’s people have been fooled into believing that the commandments given in the beginning are no longer necessary to observe nor keep.  Really? 

Rationales:  Why YHVH’s Laws & Commandments Aren’t Good Enough For You.  Why wouldn’t we want to keep that which has been given to us to help us to become holy?  YHVH’s word is what kept Yeshua while He was on earth after He had taken on the same sinful flesh that we have to contend with.

 If the laws and commandments of YHVH were holy and good enough for Yeshua and for YHVH’s covenant with His chosen people, why isn’t it good enough or worth consideration for us?  Hmmm.  Could it be that we think we know better than YHVH?  Could it be our true god is in our bellies and driven by our carnal appetites?  Or could it be we disagree with our Creator & Judge, ELOHIM that our bodies are not the temple of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and we can therefore do anything with our bodies that we please without regard to YHVH?  Remember, nowadays many self-professed Christians, Believers, Saints  love to say:

·         “It’s my body I can do what I want to it, besides I’m not hurting anyone“

·         “It’s  a woman’s body, her choice so she can consent to the murder of the innocent life in her womb”  (But not without consequences – adverse ones to boot.  Those men and women who have consented to this, have many regrets, scars and deep rooted pain.)

·         Or as it relates to tattoos and body piercings, “they are an expression of who I am, plus I’ve tattooed Yeshua (Jesus’) name on me and my mother’s name…”   Yet, YHVH says, “²⁸ You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:28)

The True Agents of Legalism Exposed.  So grievous is that the list of excuses and search for loopholes goes on and on.  This is the true expression of  “ legalism,” the search for loopholes not to obey YHVH’s laws, commandments, statutes and precepts; and thereby creating your own statutes and “traditions of men.”  Satan has so confused the Body of Messiah to think that obeying the laws and commandments of YHVH is legalism…

Its one thing to do the sinful things I’ve cited in the preceding paragraph when we were not in covenant relationship with YHVH.  But it is an altogether different situation once we’ve entered into the covenant of salvation with YHVH and do and practice these things.  How we grieve the Holy Spirit in our rebellion…and to think that we the sons and daughters of the covenant of salvation have Yeshua not only our Savior, but as an example of how to obey, yet, we have ignored.

One of the Adversary the devil’s shrewdest assaults on the minds of the sons and daughters of salvation, is his influencing our thoughts to think they can willfully sin and not be held accountable.  At that moment, we can reject the thought and resist the temptation of the sin of rebellion.  However many times we don’t resist the temptation.  (I mean, isn’t it hard to resist that which we refuse to acknowledge sin?) 

Our Need & YHVH’s Provision.  If we would be honest with ourselves and YHVH, we would see that this points to our NEED to walk in close relationship with YHVH because of our carnal sinful natures.  We would subsequently welcome His commandments to obey Him and observe the ordinances He has set in place that keep us on the straight and narrow path that leads to salvation.  But again, when we make ourselves the authority, let me warn you that you better put on your seatbelts and expect a rocky and hard ride before you crash and have a near death experience.

The Word truly attests to the wide road that leads to destruction that many of the sons and daughters of the covenant of salvation are on, because of their continuous rebellion and rejection of the whole counsel of YHVH’s word.  The influence and manifestation of the deep-rooted corruption of sin and wicked strongholds that hide in our faith, is that we want to be “fully” saved, but only want to partially obey.  This is why it’s hard for us to see the strongholds of the enemy of our souls, is because he has strategically hidden right in our faith.

So what are we going to do about this conundrum we find ourselves in?  It’s time for us to face our Damascus road - the crossroad of choices and decisions we make going forward (see Acts 9:1-16 to learn about Saul of Tarsus’ conversion to opposing Yeshua to serving Yeshua).  If you are alive today, that means you still have the breath of the spirit, which YHVH breathed into you when He made your soul come alive and into existence as stated in the beginning:

⁷ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

If you allow the work of the Holy Spirit to truly teach you all things, then many of the things we say, do and post on social media will take a dramatic change and more reflect that you are truly in a personal relationship with YHVH through Yeshua, as you will have the testimonies of YHVH, the boldness to share and the ability to rightly divide/discern and apply the Word of YHVH in your life and be a vessel that impacts others for YHVH’s kingdom.

Yeshua tells us in John 16:7-14:

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  (John 16:7-14)

Alternatively, you can choose to remain in the state you are, seek loopholes for not being accountable for your acts of rebellion against YHVH’s laws and commandments (when you are convicted in your spirit), and try to explain your faulty rationalizations before a Holy God, ELOHIM on the impending Judgment Day.

We all need to work out our own salvation – none of us are exempt who have entered into the covenant of salvation.  To fail or ignore to do so is what it means to take Yeshua’s name in vain – the name that YHVH has placed over all names in the heavens and in the earth.  I don’t know about you, but as for me, I ‘m not big enough or bad enough to challenge YHVH…my frame is dust and I’m nothing apart from Yeshua’s righteousness.

Corrupt people and governments of this world is only a symptom of the bigger problem, SIN.  Yeshua and your submission to obedience is your only answer.  This is my personal testimony as well…as I was the woman at the well in the midst of my many sins when I met the one I had heard about and found Him to be faithful and true, Yeshua the atonement for our sin.

I pray that this message will help those who have ears to hear and eyes to see, be released from the bondage of sin on this holy Shabbat – The Day of Atonement.

In the mighty and strong name of Yeshua,
One of many of His maidservants, py thomas