Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective here is Gideon Levitan.

Gideon Levytam: The study of the book of Galatians chapter 5 Christ Messiah is become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the law ye are fallen from grace. See what he's saying? Amazing because this is always our problem. It's always our problem. It's not only a Jewish problem it's not only the first century Galatians problem it's also our problems today. When we think that God will now justify us or we will gain the sanctification by keeping certain things he says listen you have fallen from grace. And it doesn't mean that they have fallen in a sense of that they are losing their salvation of course not.

He called them brethren 10 times in the book of Galatians. They were already believers they were already justified they were already saved but they had a problem in their lives. Because in their lives when they thought that they are going to keep certain things rules or being justified by the law they have fallen from the realm of grace. And grace brothers and sisters sometimes we think grace grace God's grace grace that is greater than all my sin. The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Yeshua Ha Mashiach. The law is holy and just but I am sinful and defiled.

So how can I gain salvation? What shall wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of the Lord Yeshua the Lord Jesus the Messiah. And that's how what happened is we are not careful in our walk with the Lord as he says here in verse 4 if you think that you will continue your life based upon law keeping you're fallen from grace. Listen I didn't say it the Bible say it. You cannot take a verse from the Bible and destroy it and say it's not Bible. It's the word of God. We either believe all the writings of scripture or we cannot have confidence in the word anymore.

So we continue now listen to this in verses 5 and 6 he explained to them because he doesn't want them to lose spiritual wealth. He is explaining in verses 5 and 6 how living life in a sphere of grace is done through the power of the Holy Spirit and not through the works of the flesh or the works of law. Notice that and I'm reading verses 5 and 6 for we Paul and the Galatians we Paul the Galatians and us. He says for we through the Spirit notice the capital S here this is the Holy Spirit of God.

For we through the Holy Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Verse 6 for in Jesus Christ in Yeshua Ha Mashiach neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but faith which works by love. In these interesting two verses what he is really saying he is really saying that the only way to appreciate justification and to appreciate our salvation and to live in a sphere of grace is to recognize that the Holy Spirit of God is our leader who will direct us in our life to follow the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and live for him.

He continues as he says in verse 6 that neither circumcision availeth anything not uncircumcision availeth anything. What does he say? He simply says you can go ahead if you want to get circumcised. You can cut off the foreskin of your flesh. Do you think this going to make you more sanctified or more right with God? He says it doesn't change anything. Do you know that when God commanded Abraham to circumcise Yitzhak Isaac in Genesis chapter 17 Isaac was only 8 days old. He didn't believe in God. He didn't know whether God is the God of Israel.

He didn't know anything. He had to grow up and he had to follow the God of Abraham his father and to submit to his authority and to love him in response to his call. But when he was circumcised he did not know anything. You know when Yaakov was circumcised and Esav his brother they were also 8 days old. But they didn't know whether they're going to follow God or not. But you know that both were circumcised. Jacob chose to follow God but Esav who was also circumcised didn't follow God. You see beloved brothers and sisters here is the circumcision doesn't avail doesn't make one more justify or less justify because our justification our salvation is entirely based upon the finished work of the Messiah and that's why he says in Jesus the Messiah in Yeshua Ha Mashiach neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but listen to this brothers and sisters in verse 6 at the end but faith that as it says here in verse 6 which works or expresses itself through love through sacrificial love for the Lord through sacrificial love for the brethren.

Can you imagine if you will be a pretty good law keeper but all the time will have treat your brethren bad what kind of law keeping is that? If you will be circumcised and all day long you will disobey the Lord what will that avail? Paul is trying to expound this to the Galatians to help them to understand hey listen brethren he says to them you need to understand that which is external it's not that which makes you right with God. The truth is that you need to have faith but also faithfulness not only faith for salvation but the faith for salvation ought to be characterized in our life the faithfulness to the Lord and to his people will show us or will be evident through the love for God and the love of the people of God and even love for our enemies.

That's amazing. It's amazing that's what differ between religion and relationship. Unfortunately in Christendom today in the last days in which we live in that's the the folly that existing even in the day in these last days of the church age. And we need to express our faith in the Lord which will be evident through love. And this is not merely feeling oh I have tingling feeling in my heart but this is love that is unconditional. Yeshua said in John chapter 13 you remember what he said to the disciples before he went and he died on the tree.

He said in verse 35 by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have love one to another. John chapter 13 in verse 35. In chapter 15 and verse 17 he continue we continue and we read John 15 and verse 17 he says these things I command you that ye love one another. In Hebrew we say ahava. You remember 1 Corinthians 13 love is patience love is kind love does not pride itself. If you read 1 Corinthians 13 it is fascinating to see what love is and we can change the word for love and say Mashiach is Yeshua is.

1 Corinthians 13 it says and I'm just going to read it for a moment in 1 1 Corinthians 13 and verse 4 we read love suffer long love is kind love envious not love vaunteth not or boast not itself. Love is not puffed up does not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily a provoked thinketh not evil rejoicing in not in iniquity but rejoicing in the truth beareth all things love bear all things love believe all things love hope for all things and love endureth all things love never fail. We can say the Messiah Yeshua never fail.

He becomes the law for the believers who trusted in him. So brothers and sisters number one do not lose your spiritual liberty Galatians 5 and verse 1. Number two do not lose your spiritual wealth Galatians 5 verses 2 to 6. Now bear with me just a little bit more. In verses 7 to 12 Shaul Paul now give us the third thing that we have to be careful not to lose. And therefore in verse 7 to 12 he says do not lose your spiritual direction. Ye did run well but now someone hinder you from running well.

And Apostle Paul used the word running because he often used to in his ministry to teach concerning the athlete their grace that we have. And as we continue on in this race not race against each other race along with each other and as we move along we have to be careful not to be cut off by someone that will hinder us from our spiritual direction. And so you notice in verse 7 the Galatians used to run well but something happened. And he says Shaul said to them in verse 7 ye did run well. Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?

He says to them in verse 7 you used to run well when you first became believers until someone came and hindered you and taught you some false teaching. He like cut you off slow you down. They were believers they were saved. But something happened to them that's why he said to them in verse 7 you did past tense. You were running well in the past when I first led you to the Messiah to Christ but something happened. You are not running well anymore. Now you are saying the justification is not only on the basis of faith in the Messiah you need to be circumcised and keep the law.

Now you are no longer saying that the justification but now even sanctification you said that you're going to be holier by certain rules that you're going to keep and not through the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. You used to run well but look at you today. And I can say it about us as well. Many over the ages in the church age in the time in which we live in this dispensation this period of time this a as the as Ephesians tell us called the age in which we live in the Greek economy. In this economy how many a times believers are used to run well somebody cut them off and caused them to stumble or something cut them off.

They used to read their Bibles they used to pray they used to attend meetings they used to have fellowship with believers they used to be humble and broken before the Lord they used to fall on the grace of God depending on him. they used to like we used to. But what happened is that we are not sustained because we are not close to the Lord. And we allow false stitching to creep in. That's why by the way that's why the many assemblies many churches many congregation that they don't read the Bible and they false teaching in their midst are breaking apart.

That's why there's so many so professing church groups that today don't even believe in the divine nature of the Messiah. They don't believe in the inspirational of the word of God being inspired. They don't believe in the virgin birth. They don't believe in the deity of the Messiah. They don't believe in the Trinity of God. They set the things aside. They used to believe they used to run well. But they are no longer because they got hindered. And that why he asked them in verse 7 who did hinder you? Who did it to you? In chapter 3 if you remember in verse 1 he said to the Galatians in verse 1 he said oh foolish Galatians who has bewitched you?

Who may who tricked you? And now he says who has hindered you? You see there's always the danger beloved brothers and sisters in our lives that sin and false doctrine easily be set us a set us aside and and easily come upon us and we become hindered from growing spiritually. We can blame the Galatians or we even cannot blame those early Hebrew Hebrews but we can always look at our own hearts and search our hearts and ask ourselves this question. And so he continue in verse 8 and verse 9 he said to them this this temptation or this persuasion is really is not from God is not from the Messiah nor does he say in verse 8 he says this persuasion cometh not of him that call you.

It's not from God who called you by his grace. It's not from God he's saying to these brothers and sisters in Galatia that what's happened to you that you were hindered from spiritual growth don't blame anybody it's not from God it's coming up because you allowed false teaching to creep into your mind. And notice what he does in the next verse very interesting. In verse 9 he says a little leaven. Leaven is the whole lump. A little a little leaven the whole lump. What does he say here? Do you know that this little leaven leaven is the whole lump comes from the history of our forefathers Israel who God told our people of Israel to take all manner of leaven out of their homes when they kept Pesach.

And leaven in scripture always in scripture speaks of sin. But the sin has its appearance in two ways in two ways. There is moral sin but there is also doctrinal sin. There is moral evil but there is also doctrinal evil. And we are in a danger of adapting both moral evil on the one hand or doctrinal evil on the other hand. Now please bear with me go to 1 Corinthians 5 just to read to you a verse there. In 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and verses 6 and 7 the same Apostle Shaul Paul used the same expression but there he wrote it to the Corinthians but here he's writing it to the Galatians.

Notice in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 in verse 6 he says your glorying is not good know ye not that a little leaven leaven is the whole lump? Now why does he use this expression for both in Corinthians to the Corinthians in the Galatians to the Galatians? What's the difference? It's simply this. In the city of Corinth there was moral evil that existed that a man took his father's wife and continue on to be part of the assembly and didn't judge this moral sin. And Paul said to them brethren you have to deal with that. Don't you know that a little moral a little leaven has leaven is the whole lump?

But in Galatians it was not an moral sin. In Galatians it was doctrinal sin. False stitching. And here in Galatia he said to them the very same thing in verse 9 he says a little leaven leaven is the whole lump. In other words there is not only an issue of moral evil but there is an issue of doctrinal evil. Don't let yourself or allow yourself to have doctrinal evil. And today beloved brothers and sisters in the professing church false teachings is being taught sadly. And we don't realize that when we began to play with the Bible and we start to introduce men made views human opinion and we twist or change the word of God we don't realize how quickly it may not be a moral evil but doctrinal evil creeps in.

Leaven speaks of sin speaks of and it has to be judged and set aside because a little leaven leaven is the whole lump. That's why many times people who used to be following this simple ABC of the Bible they thought that they know more than God. So they started to introduce things that are not found in the world. And it didn't take long time and it become a religion. And God blew on it. And the local assembly the local church it's closed the door was shut because God is not pleased with it. It's not honoring to him.

And so Paul is saying to the Galatians really this persuasion is really not from God who call you. Don't you understand that a little leaven of false doctrine leaven is the whole lump? It's not going to be for your benefit. Be careful not to allow yourself to be swayed by false teaching. In Acts chapter 20 Shaul Paul said I know that after my departure grievous wolves will come not sparing the flock. That's what Satan does. He sow false teaching among God's people. So God's people who are saved who are forgiven but they will allow themselves to be influenced by these false teachings.

And so notice now as he's closing this portion in which you and I dealing with today Galatians 5 verses 1 to 12 in verse 10 Paul was confident that the law in the Lord that the Galatians eventually will do the right thing. He says in verse 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord not in your own strength but it's through the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded. He's saying I believe and I trust the Lord who's going to enable you to make a right decision and not allowing yourself to be influenced by false teachings.

But then notice he says notice what he says in verse 10 B but he that trouble you shall bear his judgment whosoever he been. You will see sooner or later when we divert from the truth of the gospel God is a judging God. He's a holy God. His law is holy which Israel could not keep which should have led them to know that Yeshua is the Messiah. We should have turned their hearts to the Messiah. The very same God who is a holy God will eventually judge. Scripture tell us the judgment must begin at the house of God.

And if it begin with us what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel? That's how God will deal with it. And finally in verses 11 and 12 Shaul Paul is denouncing the false teachers and the false teaching. And they accused Shaul Paul but he denounced them. And you notice what he says and I'm reading just these last two verses he said and I brethren he's speaking to the brethren to the to the believers in Galatia he says I brethren if I yet preach circumcision meaning circumcision for salvation why do I yet suffer persecution?

Then is the offense of the cross sees. He says I'm suffering. I'm being persecuted because I believe that Yeshua is the Messiah and the only way of salvation is through the work of the Messiah and not through the works of the law. And they were blaming him. And you know why they were blaming him? Because he circumcised Timothy. But Timothy was a saved Jewish man. He was already a believer in Acts 16 he circumcised him as a testimony not for salvation but as a testimony as a Jewish man. He was part of the Jewish people of the nation of Israel he circumcised him but there was accusing him.

And then he closed this portion and he said I would they were even cut off which trouble you. You're talking about cutting off of the foreskin of the flesh. I wish those that have done this to you will be cut off. I wish they will they will no longer do this to you. They will no longer come in your midst and disturb you. I wish that they will be cut off them which trouble you. And we can say this beloved brothers and sisters today we pray and wish that those who come around in our midst and teach us false teaching we too will be very careful not to lose our spiritual liberty not to lose our spiritual wealth and not to lose our spiritual direction.

We are to follow after Yeshua the Messiah who loved us and gave himself therefore us. May the Lord bless his word. Can we say amen to that?

Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levitan. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel box 1411 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11:00 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.