The 21st century Church is a mess. Divisions abound. Doctrinal confusion is widespread. The church is anything but unified.
The Apostles Paul, Peter and John recognized the early evidences of the apostasy early in the first century. They each warned it would get worse, and it certainly has worsened significantly.
The revelation of the New Testament is not comforting in the least. The apostasy will grow worse and worse.
Before our Lord’s return; there will be relatively few faithful to the Lord and the Scriptures. The Faithful will be not only few: the Faithful will be fiercely persecuted.
You said: The Apostles Paul, Peter and John recognized the early evidences of the apostasy early in the first century. They each warned it would get worse, and it certainly has worsened significantly.
You are exactly right, brother.
I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote:
2 Timothy Ch 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not have patience for sound teaching, but will cater to their passions and gather around themselves teachers who say whatever their ears itch to hear.
Why?
2 Timothy Ch 3:1 Moreover, understand this: in the acharit-hayamim will come trying times.
2 People will be self-loving, money-loving, proud, arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good,
4 traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God,
5 as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people!
Paul, there are so many things I could say about this. It sounds like we are walking a similar path but coming from different directions. I have Jewish ancestry going back to the promised land but no Jewish links growing up. About ten years ago, in a morning encounter with Yeshua, He said He was a Hebrew man and to get closer to him I should start learning more about his roots. Nine years ago we started keeping the sabbath and the feasts. In that time we met many legalistic people in the walk and found ourselves quite isolated. Sadly, a lot of these experiences were unpleasant. Covid also had an effect on our gatherings. I started going to church again and I am now in deliverance ministry.
I agree with the denominational aspect being a ruse of the enemy to cause division. The Lord has been showing me to love my brothers and sisters if we agree on the most important fundamentals. As a family, we still keep the sabbath and the feasts, but we are clear they are meant to be a delight and not a list of rules and rituals. I’m journeying through this as we all are, working my salvation out in fear and trembling. One thing I will say is that Yeshua explained it to me in the following way. Our faith is like a house. The foundations are the Torah upon which the NT stands. The NT would fall without the foundations. I love reading the Torah because it’s so rich and I believe it’s about asking the Ruach how we apply the laws to our hearts, rather than placing ourselves under it. That’s what Yeshua came to teach us and to model for us. If it is written on our hearts, then our hearts will be changed. The key is to ask the Lord about everything. We all see dimly through a glass and we need to ask Him, and also need each other to be able to see more clearly.
I have met many on fire believers in most denominations so my view has changed in that regard but we know that soon the two sticks will be joined into one, and I believe the Lord is closing the gap.
Yes, sister, at the end of my article I posted what Paul wrote:
Philippians Ch 1:18 But so what? All that matters is that in every way, whether honestly or in pretense, the Messiah is being proclaimed; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
It is just my desire that the gentiles return to G-D’s Torah as they are commanded to do. I say that with a heavy heart.
While I clearly see denominations as a dividing and manipulative—and deceiving—wall, at least in some churches the Precious Name of YESHUA is being Proclaimed. And from there, the HOLY SPIRIT takes over in the hearts of those who hear YESHUA’s Name.
As you said, the Torah is the foundation. Without Torah everything crumbles. When I see denominations reject Torah their house is built on sand, as YESHUA taught. Obeying the Feast, for example, is great joy because each Feast leads directly to YESHUA. Each Feast is connected to the Exodus in Egypt (Sacrifice, Salvation, Immersion and Deliverance). What does painting a chicken egg have anything to do with YESHUA?
If only my Jewish brothers and sisters would open their hearts to YESHUA—and if only the gentiles would open their heart to G-D’s Torah. The division is a deep wound and will continue to be one until YESHUA returns.
With great joy, Zechariah Ch 12:10 will come to pass for my Jewish brothers and sisters:
Zechariah Ch 12:10 and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced." They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.
And in joy Isiah Ch 2:2-3 will come to pass for the gentiles:
Isiah Ch 2:2 In the acharit-hayamim the mountain of ADONAI's house will be established as the most important mountain. It will be regarded more highly than the other hills, and all the Goyim will stream there.
3 Many peoples will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of ADONAI, to the house of the God of Ya'akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim.
Oh, those days cannot come soon enough.
Shalom, sister.
G-D Bless, you, always.
Shabbat Shalom when the sun sets. And is not Shabbat the happiest and most beautiful day of the week!!!
The 21st century Church is a mess. Divisions abound. Doctrinal confusion is widespread. The church is anything but unified.
The Apostles Paul, Peter and John recognized the early evidences of the apostasy early in the first century. They each warned it would get worse, and it certainly has worsened significantly.
The revelation of the New Testament is not comforting in the least. The apostasy will grow worse and worse.
Before our Lord’s return; there will be relatively few faithful to the Lord and the Scriptures. The Faithful will be not only few: the Faithful will be fiercely persecuted.
You said: The Apostles Paul, Peter and John recognized the early evidences of the apostasy early in the first century. They each warned it would get worse, and it certainly has worsened significantly.
You are exactly right, brother.
I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote:
2 Timothy Ch 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not have patience for sound teaching, but will cater to their passions and gather around themselves teachers who say whatever their ears itch to hear.
Why?
2 Timothy Ch 3:1 Moreover, understand this: in the acharit-hayamim will come trying times.
2 People will be self-loving, money-loving, proud, arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good,
4 traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God,
5 as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people!
Shalom, brother.
G-D Bless you.
Paul, there are so many things I could say about this. It sounds like we are walking a similar path but coming from different directions. I have Jewish ancestry going back to the promised land but no Jewish links growing up. About ten years ago, in a morning encounter with Yeshua, He said He was a Hebrew man and to get closer to him I should start learning more about his roots. Nine years ago we started keeping the sabbath and the feasts. In that time we met many legalistic people in the walk and found ourselves quite isolated. Sadly, a lot of these experiences were unpleasant. Covid also had an effect on our gatherings. I started going to church again and I am now in deliverance ministry.
I agree with the denominational aspect being a ruse of the enemy to cause division. The Lord has been showing me to love my brothers and sisters if we agree on the most important fundamentals. As a family, we still keep the sabbath and the feasts, but we are clear they are meant to be a delight and not a list of rules and rituals. I’m journeying through this as we all are, working my salvation out in fear and trembling. One thing I will say is that Yeshua explained it to me in the following way. Our faith is like a house. The foundations are the Torah upon which the NT stands. The NT would fall without the foundations. I love reading the Torah because it’s so rich and I believe it’s about asking the Ruach how we apply the laws to our hearts, rather than placing ourselves under it. That’s what Yeshua came to teach us and to model for us. If it is written on our hearts, then our hearts will be changed. The key is to ask the Lord about everything. We all see dimly through a glass and we need to ask Him, and also need each other to be able to see more clearly.
I have met many on fire believers in most denominations so my view has changed in that regard but we know that soon the two sticks will be joined into one, and I believe the Lord is closing the gap.
Thank you for sharing this. Spot on!
Yes, sister, at the end of my article I posted what Paul wrote:
Philippians Ch 1:18 But so what? All that matters is that in every way, whether honestly or in pretense, the Messiah is being proclaimed; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
It is just my desire that the gentiles return to G-D’s Torah as they are commanded to do. I say that with a heavy heart.
While I clearly see denominations as a dividing and manipulative—and deceiving—wall, at least in some churches the Precious Name of YESHUA is being Proclaimed. And from there, the HOLY SPIRIT takes over in the hearts of those who hear YESHUA’s Name.
As you said, the Torah is the foundation. Without Torah everything crumbles. When I see denominations reject Torah their house is built on sand, as YESHUA taught. Obeying the Feast, for example, is great joy because each Feast leads directly to YESHUA. Each Feast is connected to the Exodus in Egypt (Sacrifice, Salvation, Immersion and Deliverance). What does painting a chicken egg have anything to do with YESHUA?
If only my Jewish brothers and sisters would open their hearts to YESHUA—and if only the gentiles would open their heart to G-D’s Torah. The division is a deep wound and will continue to be one until YESHUA returns.
With great joy, Zechariah Ch 12:10 will come to pass for my Jewish brothers and sisters:
Zechariah Ch 12:10 and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced." They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.
And in joy Isiah Ch 2:2-3 will come to pass for the gentiles:
Isiah Ch 2:2 In the acharit-hayamim the mountain of ADONAI's house will be established as the most important mountain. It will be regarded more highly than the other hills, and all the Goyim will stream there.
3 Many peoples will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of ADONAI, to the house of the God of Ya'akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim.
Oh, those days cannot come soon enough.
Shalom, sister.
G-D Bless, you, always.
Shabbat Shalom when the sun sets. And is not Shabbat the happiest and most beautiful day of the week!!!
You summed it up perfectly. I often see it as being a bridge between two worlds. I guess that’s why the prophecy of the two sticks rings so true.
And yes. Shabbat is the best day of the week. It was made for us. It’s a gift. 🙏