Tag Archives: Salvation

Salvation — What Is It and Do You Have It?

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What is Salvation?

The dictionary defines the word salvation as “the deliverance from the power and effects of sin.” In a general sense, salvation is “preservation from harm, ruin or loss.” Relating the first definition, which is biblical in nature, to the second definition, which is generic in nature, we see that salvation is the deliverance or preservation from the power of sin, which causes harm, ruin or loss. Salvation and redemption are synonymous terms in biblical Hebraic thought. We will discuss the idea of redemption below.

So what is sin that it causes harm, ruin or loss, and what is being harmed or being lost such that we need deliverance? Very simply, Scripture (the Bible) defines sin as the violation of YHVH Elohim’s (the LORD God’s) Torah-laws (1 John 3:4). What is YHVH Elohim’s Torah-law? It is the instructions, precepts or teaching of YHVH as found in the first five books of the Bible, which can then be expanded to include the entire Bible or Word of YHVH. Man is commanded to live by every word found in Scripture (Deut 8:3; Matt 4:4). Man is to hear and do the Words of YHVH (Deut 6:4), place YHVH’s words in his heart (Deut 6:6), teach them to his children (Deut 6:7), and to make them the basis for all that he does and thinks (Deut 6:8). The words or laws of YHVH Elohim can be summed up as loving YHVH and loving one’s neighbor (Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18; Mark 12:30; John 14:15). The cornerstone of those laws is found in the well-known ten commandments as found in Exodus 20. They are…

  1. I am YHVH your Elohim.
  2. You shall have no other gods before me.
  3. You shall not take my name in vain.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it set-apart.
  5. Honor you father and mother.
  6. You shall not murder.
  7. You shall not commit adultery
  8. You shall not steal.
  9. You shall not lie.
  10. You shall not covet your that which belongs to your neighbor.

The first five statements constitute loving YHVH Elohim, while the last five constitute loving one’s fellow man. These ten statements are but the beginning of YHVH’s laws as outlined in Scripture, which if man break, man is guilty of sin. There are 613 such laws in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and more than 1050 in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament). This may seem like a lot of laws for man to have to follow, but in reality, it is nothing compared to the hundreds of law books that constitute the laws of most nations on earth. Whole law libraries are established to contain them all!

As civil governments have established laws to maintain order among the inhabitants of a society, and as all societies impose penalties upon its citizens for breaking those laws, the Continue reading →

 

Reasons to Believe in Yeshua

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1 Corinthians 15:20, But now Messiah is risen from the dead. Why Believe in Yeshua the Messiah? Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ll believe it when I see it”? Is seeing really believing?  Many people saw Yeshua when he was on this earth, but most didn’t believe him. 15209414

It has been 2000 years since Yeshua walked this earth, and since we’ve never seen him, nor even talked to those who saw him, what is the basis of our faith? Is faith in Yeshua blind? Or are there logical reasons to believe in him?

For those of us who have had a faith in Yeshua for a while, for us there are a myriad reasons that have come together to form the basis of our faith. However, for those who are new in their faith walk and don’t have a lifetime of “spiritual experiences” that corroborate that faith, initially finding a basis for that faith can be difficult.

Some people come to Yeshua because that’s their last hope. They’ve hit rock bottom in their lives and there’s no where else to go. They hear and believe the gospel message of hope and end up experiencing the power of the Yeshua and his Holy Spirit in their lives. Others take a more reasoned approach to establishing a faith in Yeshua. Perhaps their lives haven’t hit rock bottom, but they know they’re missing something — there’s still a void in their life. They sense that there must be more to life — a higher purpose — than simply existing and then dying. Others come to faith in Yeshua because they look around and see intelligent design behind everything in existence, which speaks of a Creator, which leads them to want to know more about him. Some people come to Yeshua as a way of dealing with their on mortality.  In their quest to answer the question of whether there’s life after death, they come to faith in Yeshua. Perhaps some come to faith in Yeshua due to the pang of a guilty conscience because of their sin and the need for redemption. Some people have studied the world’s religions and find that only the gospel message as presented in the Bible addresses the deeper issues of life.

These are all valid and logical reasons for coming to faith in Yeshua. Whatever the reason for believing what the Bible says about Yeshua, there are good reasons to believe in him  based on both the claims of the Bible and logic.

Yeshua — A Historical Figure

Whatever we think about Yeshua pro or con, he was a historical figure. More has been written about him than anyone else, and he has impacted the world more than anyone. There must be something to all this, and thus we have

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New Video: The Gospel Message in the Biblical Sacrifices

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How did the Levitical sacrificial system point forward prophetically to the death of Yeshua the Messiah on the cross as an atonement for men’s sins? This video connects the dots and helps make these ancient ceremonies spiritually relevant to you.

 

Torah Explorers: A Free Torah-Study Guide for Everyone!

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The Torah (the first 5 books of Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) are the very words of YHVH Elohim as revealed to the children of Israel and written down by Moses. It forms the foundation for the rest of the Bible. In pre-apostolic times, the Jews divided the Torah into weekly portions called a parashiot (singular, parashah). There are 54 of these Torah portions read during a leap year, which has 13 months. During a 12-month year, the smaller Parshiot are doubled up so that there are 50 portions read.

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Typically the entire Torah is read in one year, ending at the biblical fall Feast of Tabernacles (in Hebrew, Sukkot). After Sukkot, the Torah cycle starts over again with Genesis 1.

Torah Explorers is perhaps the only study guide of its kind in the English language that’s available for free and that’s gospel oriented. It’s specifically written for pre-teens and teens, but is highly recommended for anyone (including) adults who want to explore the pro-Torah Hebrew-Jewish roots of the Christian faith.

Torah Explorers is also unique in that it was written by a pastor and Torah teacher who as a follower of Yeshua (Jesus) himself started walking in the Torah as a young child, and has continued to do so more than 50 years later.

The author of Torah Explorers developed this teaching tool for his own four children and those of the congregations he and his wife shepherd. We hope that Torah Explorers will help to ground all those who read and study it in the full counsel of Elohim’s Word (from Genesis to Revelation), and help them to establish a foundation for a righteous lifestyle, and point them to a life-giving and intimate relationship with Elohim through his Son, Yeshua the Messiah, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Torah Explorers is not only an instructive commentary on the Torah, but it is also an interactive and thought-provoking study guide with questions and Scriptures to look up to find the answers. It is ideal tool for individuals and groups. We recommend that the readers keep a special notebook wherein they keep their Torah Explorers printouts along with their notes and answers to the questions.

Torah Explorers everyone how to study the Bible while at the same time washing them spiritually with the water of Elohim’s Word (Eph 5:26). It is our goal to help raise up the younger generation to be obedient to the Torah commandments of YHVH and to be followers of the Yeshua—the identifying characteristics of the end time saints (Rev 12:17; 14:12).

Find Torah Explorers  at Torah Explorers http://hoshanarabbah.org/parshiot.html.

 

Three threes: the feasts, man, the tabernacle & the plan of salvation

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Exodus 23:14–19, Three times you shall keep a feast. Conventional Jewish wisdom teaches us that during the three pilgrimage festivals all the individuals of the nation are to appear out of all isolations personally in the presence of the one God of Israel in the festival circle (or chag) around the common sanctuary (where YHVH has chosen to place his name, Deut 16:2,11,15), thereby becoming conscious that each one is connected to all the other members of the nation, with YHVH Elohim, and with the Torah (The Pentateuch—Deuteronomy, p. 310, by S. R. Hirsch).

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But there is much more than this if we add Yeshua the Messiah of Israel into the picture. Each of the three feasts point directly to him. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles all point to Yeshua, since the first three spring feasts point to Yeshua’s first coming, while the last fall feast points to his second coming. Each of these feasts represent milestones in the spiritual walk of the redeemed believer.

But it gets better.

There were three sections in the Tabernacle of Moses: the outer courtyard, the holy place and the holy of holies. These correspond with the three parts of man: body, soul and spirit (1 Thess 5:23). The feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread are the first two feasts we celebrate in the spring and represent the first steps in a new believer’s spiritual walk. This corresponds with the outer courtyard and relates more to the spiritual cleansing of the outer parts or body of man. It is here that one begins their spiritual walk and relationship with Yeshua, who is the Word of Elohim.

The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost is the next step one takes in their spiritual walk. The holy place speaks of bring the soul (the mind, will and emotions) into submission to the will of YHVH as one advances in their spiritual walk and learns about the fruits and gifts of the Spirit of Elohim, who they are as redeemed Israelites, and about worship and praise.

Finally, the holy of holies corresponds to the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day and the spirit part of man. This part of the tabernacle speaks more of man’s ultimate spiritual relationship with Elohim. It is here that man relates to Elohim, who is a Spirit, on a spirit to Spirit level (John 4:24; 1 Cor 2:10–13). This points to man’s ultimate destiny as glorified beings in the New Jerusalem as adopted members into the family of Elohim (John 1:12; Rom 8:14–15, 23; 9:4; 2 Cor 6:18; Gal 4:5–6; Eph 1:5; 1 John 3:1; Rev 21:7).

 

The Gift of Elohim’s Indwelling Presence

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Psalms 91:1, 4, Under the shadow of the Almighty…under his wings. According to the ancient Jewish sages, Moses composed this psalm for the tribe of Levi who dwelt under the shadow of the wings of cherubim that stood over the ark of the covenant in the Tabernacle of Moses — a physical representation of YHVH’s throne room in heaven.

Sunlight 67963020The sages go on to explain that the psalmist describes the devout man of faith who lives with Elohim in his heart, and who never leaves Elohim’s shadow. Such a man is a true biblical hero of faith to whom Elohim pledges (v. 16) he will satisfy with long life and show him his salvation (The ArtScroll Tanach Series Tehillim/Psalms Commentary on Ps 91).

This psalm ends with the promise of the blessing of long life to those love and serve YHVH, and beyond that, salvation, which is the Hebrew word Yeshua — the very name of the coming Messiah who would offer his people deliverance from the ultimate enemy, namely sin and its death penalty. The result of this deliverance is the glorious divine gift of eternal life through faith in Yeshua the Messiah — the supreme gift and blessing of all! This psalm is a prophecy pointing to the Messiah.

In Jewish understanding, the Tabernacle of Moses wasn’t complete until the glory of Continue reading →

 

A Gift for Yeshua: Why I Love Him — Reflections on His Nativity

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At this time of year, we think of the birth of Jesus (Yeshua). Most people who are knowledgable know that he wasn’t born in December, but in the early fall. But nine months before this puts us at the end of December when Yeshua was conceived — when the life of our Savior began in Mary’s womb. It was at this time that the heaven-sent Yeshua miraculously pierced the spiritual darkness of the this world at the darkest time of the year. This divine spark of life in the womb of a woman would become the spiritual light of this world to lead men out of the darkness of sin and evil and to the supernal light of his Father, Elohim, and to eternal life.

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Whether you celebrate the birth of the babe in the manger in December or in the fall, Yeshua’s arrival is still heaven’s ultimate love gift to humanity as John 3:16 says. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Please stop for a moment and quiet your heart and mind to reflect on the significance of this momentous event that occurred in the tiny town of Bethlehem some 2000 years ago.

For years since I was a child, my mind fully believed what the Bible tells us about the birth of Yeshua. But it wasn’t until years later, as an adult, that while I was alone one night and quietly seeking Elohim, that the revelation of the priceless nature of Elohim’s love gift to me literally pierced my heart like a lightening bolt from heaven. As a result of this supernatural revelation and an overwhelming sense of Elohim’s love that accompanied it flowing Continue reading →