Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Shalom,
Day 39 of counting the Omer
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is five weeks and four days of the counting of the Omer.
Follow up that prayer by remembering a blessing from the Lord and give Him thanks.
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Victory Over Sin part 25 – Romans, part 86
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua.
Paul starts (what would become) chapter 8 with (what would become) one of the most misunderstood verses in the entire Bible. There are many ways to misunderstand anything. However; two main possibilities for this verse seem obvious. We read “no condemnation” as if it says “anything goes,” while nothing could be further from the truth. I’ll say more about this in a moment.
Secondly, we read the phrase “in Messiah Yeshua,” with some level of confusion. Who is “in Messiah Yeshua?” When do they get in, and how? Theologians call this “soteriology.” It is the study of the salvation experience.
Sometimes, we can gain perspective by looking at the inverse (reversing the negative) statement. “Therefore; there IS now condemnation for those who are NOT in Messiah Yeshua.” Maybe, if the love of Yeshua isn’t motivating people to leave their sin behind, perhaps some old fashioned “fire and brimstone” (holy terror) will “scare” them into the kingdom. Then again, maybe not.
Turning back to “no condemnation”…. We are warned in Scripture not to condemn one another, and we are warned similarly not to judge one another. However; neither of these warnings preclude us from applying God’s righteous principles with wisdom. To do so is to use “discernment” which is encouraged.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who through practice have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.
And, while we’re on the subject of discernment, can we discern who is in Messiah Yeshua? Is it everyone who ever said the sinner’s prayer? The Bible never mentions anything about the “sinner’s prayer.” Those who are living like hell should not expect to get to heaven. Yeshua put it this way….
John 5:24 “Amen, amen I tell you, whoever hears My word and trusts the One who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed over from death into life.
Biblical “hearing” is not done in the ears, it is done in the heart. Biblical hearing is not listening, it is “taking heed unto obedience.” Let me tell you straightforwardly, Yeshua came so that we would change.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory—just as from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
These words of Paul provide a great description of “no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua.” Being transformed into His image is the opposite of condemnation. It is life affirming from the Lord. It is affirmation in the Spirit. What a blessing; give Him thanks. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Day 39 of the Omer
Wed 17 May-2023 26th of Iyar, 5783 Day 39 of the Omer
Nu 3:1-13 Jer 9 Job 30 Ro 10 (Mt 27:1-31)