Who Exactly Will be Declared Righteous?

Are You in Position to be Declared Righteous?
by py thomas,  (c) February 15, 2015

 

¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Romans 2:13)

Note that the scripture states “will be declared” denoting of a future event based on our current and past action of obedience or lack thereof.  The apostle Paul, like everyone else in the New Testament only referred to what was written and established in the beginning (what we refer to as the Old Testament), as there was no New Testament during their times to refer to...so you see, nothing, nor has YHVH changed His requirements out of those who name themselves Followers (aka Believers, Christians, Messianics, etc.)  and enter into relationship with HIM. Yeshua (Jesus), His followers, disciples and apostles...all followed and kept YaH's law (Torah - which is just another word for describing YaH's guidelines and standards for righteous living).

I grow more and more convinced that people’s aversion to the word or mention of “law, commandments or Torah” is due to our sin nature going into high revolt.  Our flesh will always oppose that which YHWH has deemed unholy, corrupt, wicked or evil.  It’s part of the curse of our inherited sin nature.   Sin hates truth and righteousness...thus, it would behoove us to consider the wisdom that teaches us where the battle and resistance is coming from in us.  It’s our flesh and sin nature battling to keep us from being declared “righteous” and can and will be accomplished UNLESS we turn from rebellion and enter into obedience – YHVH’s way – not our own.

If we try to keep Shabbat apart from Torah...then we have no true rest. Because YHVH's rest is only achieved through His Torah...His Word...that became flesh and dwelt among us.  We deceive ourselves if we believe we can enter in YHVH’s presence (Shabbat/rest) apart from His living Torah, His Son.  Just as Y’shua lives, and is life; likewise there’s no rest if there is death.  If we have access to eternal life, rest and peace in this life through Y’shua’s resurrection which fully embodies Torah...without Torah we have not entered nor kept YHVH’s holy Shabbat.   Y’shua our living Torah has made provision for us to enter into life (which is rest) and not death (which is torment).  Choose who you will serve this day...choose life and not death.

 

The laws are given to us as a gift and a pathway to redemption and restoration, just as the Torah (law) teaches us the importance of the gift ELOHIM gave us – the Shabbat – a day of rest, and a feast day.  Who could be upset with having a paid day off, and a table of His Word and blessings of the fruit of our labors spread out before us to enjoy?  None but one in utter darkness would reject such a beautiful gift of blessings from our Creator YHVH.  If you believe in Y’shua (Jesus), your belief should also include what the Father ELOHIM tells us to do.  It’s all about choices...choose wisely, as it will determine whether you are “declared righteous.”  It is only YHVH’s righteous that will be allowed to enter into His eternal kingdom.  Selah

Too Impatient for Patience? Can You Really Afford the Cost?

A True Hebrew Laments, Confesses & Repents…
by py thomas, © February 5, 2015

²⁸For he is not a Yehudite  (Hebrew/Jew) who is so outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. ²⁹But a Yehudite (Hebrew/Jew) is he who is so inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in Spirit, not literally, whose praise is not from men but from Elohim.
(Romans 2:28-29)

When we choose to surrender to Torah (YaH’s righteous guidelines found in both the Original Covenant (OT) and the New Covenant (NT), will yield YaH’s (not ours) the desired results.  Personally, YaH has and continues to work on me in this area of patience as far back as I can remember.  We all need to have patience, as it works a good work in us…it takes patience waiting on the promise of eternity…so why not begin practicing patience and resting with a quiet spirit while we wait for Messiah’s return.

But that’s a beautiful thing and I’m glad about it!  Anything worth having requires patience and diligence.  Therefore I attest and avow that the true sign of patience is this, a quiet spirit.  Selah



Based on Lamentations 3:26, which reads: 

“It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of YHVH”

Patience’s good work is part of the good work of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), which YHVH promised to complete in us.  However, we need to participate in the process since we have a free will to choose (accept or reject) how the Ruach is leading us. 

The Torah (YHVH’s guidelines for righteous living) and the Master Yeshua’s Shabbat (Sabbath) were all created and given to us as gifts.  Yeshua modeled the Torah, which is the ancient  pathway to our eternal rest.  And, we have no rest or peace apart from Yeshua as HE is the bridge to our reconciled relationship with YHVH. 

“And YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I YHVH your Elohim am holy.

³ ‘Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am YHVH your Elohim”    (Leviticus 19:1-3)

Because of Yeshua, we now have the opportunity to spend eternity with HIM vs. going to hell for failure to come to repentance from sin – especially because sin is what separated us from ELOHIM (GOD). 

We have no rest (Shabbat) without the RESToration of Yeshua’s atonement through the shedding of HIS innocent blood for our sin.  Once we have made our confession of faith, let us remain mindful to not choose to stray from living apart from Torah, which sadly is living apart from Yeshua).  Instead, let us continue our race, not allowing the traditions of men to hinder us…but let us complete that which is placed in front of us.  Living apart from Torah, is death and defeat.  Besides, we’re called to be “more than conquerors!”

³³Who shall bring any charge against Elohim’s chosen ones? It is Elohim who is declaring right. ³⁴Who is he who is condemning? It is Messiah who died, and furthermore is also raised up, who is also at the right hand of Elohim, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of the Messiah? Shall pressure, or distress, or persecution, or scarcity of food, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶As it has been written, “For Your sake we are killed all day long, we are reckoned as sheep of slaughter.” ³⁷But in all this we are more than overcomers (conquerors) through Him who loved us. ³⁸For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers nor principalities nor powers, neither the present nor the future, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Elohim which is in Messiah our Master (Romans 8:33-39)

YaH’s righteous guidelines for living a life of trust (faith) so we can be found well-pleasing to HIM is found in both Testaments (Covenants).  In the Original Testament we have the written guidelines (also known as Torah – the laws, commandments, statutes and precepts); and in the New Testament, we have the living Torah, which is Yeshua the Messiah, who is the “Word which dwelt among us as our example.  He is ultimately the One whose death and resurrection gave us victory over our “inherited” sinful natures.  Now, we have access to our new inheritance – a clean and forgiven life.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”  (1 John 1:1-3)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Shalom (perfecting peace) to those near and to those far off, as we patiently wait for His return…

Let us be thankful for our seasons, Shabbats and Holy Feasts unto YHVH the Father, Creator and Righteous Judge for our preparation for holy habitation with Yeshua the Messiah!