Conformed or Deformed?

And Who Have We Become – Conformed or Deformed?
by py thomas
© August 16, 2013

⁸ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. ¹¹ Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹² And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. ¹³ They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the Law; ¹⁴ for we have heard him say that this Yeshua of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” ¹⁵ And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. (Acts 6:8-15)

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One[Yeshua], of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, ⁵³ who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” (Acts 7:51-55)

·         YHVH hates false witnesses, as it was false witnesses that condemned Yeshua to death. 

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
¹⁷ A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

·         A false witness opposes truth.  

A faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter lies.⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But knowledge is easy to him who understands. (Proverbs 14:5-6)

·         Stephen who was a Believer/Christian confronted the church leaders of his day (the Pharisees) about their failure to keep the Law.  Note, Stephen was “full of faith and power” (Acts 6:8), and therefore was not speaking out of his own resources.  The Holy Spirit was testifying against the Pharisees for not keeping the Law.  How much more so are we accountable for obeying the Law, especially since through Yeshua we now have the power and might to choose to say no to the sin of lawlessness and rebellion?

·         Because of their lies and the false witnesses they brought forward to falsely accuse Yeshua, Stephen under the influence of the Holy Spirit named them “betrayers and murderers…received the Law…and have not kept it.” (Acts:7:52-53)

Those in leadership that ignore truth and embrace that which is false are always able to persuade those who are like-minded in dishonest dealings to bring a false witness against those that practice and apply that which is true.  Even with this being true, we see from Yeshua’s example that no matter what He drew  a line in the sand and always sided with the Father for righteousness and truth.  This is the triumph over death that Yeshua accomplished for us.   The power of death (also being the power of sin), no longer has rule or dominion over us.  This is why Scripture states

⁵⁰ Let me say this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot share in the Kingdom of God, nor can something that decays share in what does not decay. ⁵¹ Look, I will tell you a secret — not all of us will die! But we will all be changed! ⁵² It will take but a moment, the blink of an eye, at the final shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed. ⁵³ For this material which can decay must be clothed with imperishability, this which is mortal must be clothed with immortality. ⁵⁴ When what decays puts on imperishability and what is mortal puts on immortality, then this passage in the Tanakh will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.^[b]55 “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”^{[c]   56} The sting of death is sin; and sin draws its power from the Torah; ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! (1 Corinthians 15:50-57)


Footnotes:
[ a] 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
[b] 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14

Sin draws it power from the Law, because the Law testifies against us, as we’re all guilty of not keeping some portion of the Law.  Therefore, the proper righteous response to YHVH’s mercy demonstrated by His forgiveness He extends to us would be our willingness to give YHVH tremendous thanksgiving, glory, praise and honor for the victory He has given us through our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach! 

We should never grow tired or weary of recalling how good, merciful and gracious YHVH has been to us.  However, if we find ourselves in this place, let it be a warning of note that we have not been as diligent as we ought to in the pursuit of being conformed into the image of Yeshua, nor by having our minds renewed and transformed daily.  It is to our benefit that we do surrender to be conformed and our minds transformed, as the Word states,

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed [focused and trained] on You,
Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)

We are given a commandment (not a suggestion) against false witness (see Exodus 20:16)

And who have we become?  With the New Year fast-approaching and those in covenant with YHVH being called into a season of introspection,  Acts 7:51-55 provides us with a snapshot picture of the history of those YHVH chose to be in covenant with Him.  We learn from Scripture that YHVH did not choose the Hebrew people because there was something noteworthy about them to choose.  As a matter of fact, it was quite the contrary, they were:

1)      Steeped in their carnal sinful nature and sinfully stubborn

2)      Determined  in their pursuit of sinful of rebellion against Adonai

3)      So entrenched in their rebellion that the spirit of the anti-Messiah was their primary  influence instead of the Holy Spirit

4)      In the mindset which opposed and hated YHVH’s appointed prophets because they spoke truth

5)      So under the influence of the Adversary and their sinful flesh, that they resisted and hated truth to the point of wanting to completely silence truth by murdering those who spoke truth;  and

6)      Committed to continue in a lawless lifestyle, desiring to live apart from the laws and commandments of YHVH and instead do and live like the pagans around them lived - worshipping false gods and indulging their sinful flesh continually.

Part 2:  The Indictment  - The Road to Conviction that Leads to the Path of Forgiveness & Victory
If one didn’t know any better, they would think that Acts 7:51-55 described the modern day Saints for the most part.  Plus, just as those before us, many of those in the covenant of salvation don’t want to be corrected, and worship  everything but the true and living GOD.  This unfortunately is quite evident when we see that many are more knowledgeable about the world and worldly things than their knowledge and application of the Word of YHVH.   Sadly many worship people (celebrities, pastors/preachers/teachers and relationships); material possessions, money, status and success, and more.   They have no understanding of what sin is and why sin is such an offense to Elohim.  Many don’t even understand what salvation truly means, let alone being set apart and living consecrated lives to YAH. 

Game Changers.  There are those who don’t know what Yeshua’s death and resurrection means and how it is to be manifested and applied in their lives; and worst yet, don’t want to know.   Their love of self and sinful flesh is their true god as long as they remain in a willful state of unrepentance – backslidden and in bondage.  We all are struggling with our old sinful natures, however, the game changer and difference is those who have decided not to do anything about it, versus those who have decided to do something about their sin nature and are in active pursuit of learning about the Word of YHVH and applying it to their lives.

Whenever we are unwillingly to face the truth about ourselves (and others), it is because we are unwillingly to face the truth about the Word of YHVH first.  We truly have no knowledge and understanding of truth apart from entering into the covenant of salvation through Yeshua. 

⁶ Yeshua said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

 If we reject Yeshua, we truly are rejecting YHVH – the two are inseparable.   If we reject the Holy Spirit, we have rejected both Yeshua and YHVH; and that is the unpardonable sin.  For in rejecting the Holy Spirit, that person has rejected all 3, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  They have rejected truth and have believed the lie.  They have decided to believe that there is no sin, and they have no need of salvation.  They have chosen eternal death instead of eternal life – how unfortunate and sad for them, in that they have made their decision and will face the consequence of that decision.   Selah. 

Yeshua stated,

²⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; ²⁹ but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— (Mark 3:28)

Blaspheme:  Defined in the Noah Websters 1828 Dicitionary - To arrogate the prerogatives of God.  Arrogate - To assume, demand or challenge more than is proper; to make undue claims, from vanity or false pretensions to right or merit.  Prerogatives - An exclusive or peculiar privilege.  The right of governing created beings is the prerogative of the Creator.

³⁵ For whoever does the will of God is My [Yeshua’s] brother and My [Yeshua’s] sister and mother.” (Mark 3: 35)

And who have we become?  The “we” that this question refers s to, are those who have entered into covenant relationship with YHVH through Yeshua’s shed blood.    Where is our power, our authority, and the testimonies of YHVH in our lives?  Many have become dead branches, withered up and are no longer good for anything except firewood.  In their rejection to submit to the lordship and authority of YHVH, they have become the opposite of those who have actually believed, evidenced by their surrender and willingness to apply the Word of truth to their hearts and spirit.

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

The call to holiness is a call to surrender and obedience so that we might be transformed into YHVH’s original created purpose with minds that are renewed to hate sin as YHVH hates sin; to once again reflect the image of the Father YHVH and the Son Yeshua as it was in the beginning before sin entered in through the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  These are the testimonies of YAH – a people that would testify to the deity, sovereignty, and majesty of Elohim, our Creator and Righteous Judge; the testimony of being delivered and our sin-sick souls healed by the shed blood of Yeshua.  Who is awesome, but Yehovah!  Who is Adonai of Tzavot?  It is the LORD who will fight all of our battles when we get out of the way!

Just who are we and what have we become, we the sons and daughters of the covenant of salvation?  If you’re breathing and have gone astray, you can return to YHVH (GOD). 

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 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 1:8-10)