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If You Were a Faithful Jew 2,000 Years Ago

If You Were a Faithful Jew 2,000 Years Ago

If you were a faithful Jew in AD 27, what would you have believed? Who would you have trusted? Where would you have placed your loyalty?

Your entire life, you would have been taught by your parents, teachers, and priests that you were a member of God’s specially chosen people, a people who had the inspired writings of the prophets and who were waiting for the coming of the Messiah.

Your entire life, you would have been taught that all the other religions of the world are false.

Your entire life, you would have participated in weekly Sabbath observance, regular sacrifice at the temple, and annual feasts, such as Passover and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

Your entire life, you would have trusted the religious leaders—the priests, the Sanhedrin—to interpret the sacred writings, to tell you of your duty to God, to define religious rights and wrongs, and to identify heresy and blasphemy.

And your entire life would have been a burden—a life lived under the fear of sin, the weight of legal religious duties, the fear of failure, the unremitting doubt, the sense of inadequacy, the constant worry that perhaps despite all your tithe paying, all the animal sacrifices, all the hard work of trying to conform to the rules, that you were still not accepted by God.

If you were that Jew, what would you do? Was there another organized religious institution through whom God was working other than Israel? Was there a better Bible (scriptures) with more accurate revelations from God than the Torah?

Would that mean the leadership of the Jewish organization was teaching the truth?

If you were a Jew 2,000 years ago, would it have been wise to trust the priests, Levites, and Sanhedrin to determine what is true? What is God’s will? What is sin? How is one saved from sin?

What did the Jewish religious leaders have wrong? They couched their interpretations of Scripture in the wrong understanding of law. They viewed God’s law as functioning like human law—imposed rules that require imposed punishments. Thus, they misconstrued the ceremonies and symbols to be literal requirements for salvation, rather than theater, metaphor, object lessons to teach reality.

And then Jesus came and taught with authority (see our blog Authority And Satan’s End-Time Deception) the authority of how reality works. All of His parables taught God’s laws as design laws—how things actually function. Jesus broke manmade religious rules to advance the kingdom of heaven. Jesus healed on the Sabbath and socialized with prostitutes, tax collectors, and Samaritans. Why? Because Jesus deals with reality—and the reality is that God created one human species in Eden. Adam infected himself with sin and, therefore, every single human being is born with that terminal sin condition (Psalm 51:5); every human being needs the exact same solution, treatment, remedy to that sin condition; and Jesus came to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) in order to provide the remedy to our sin condition, saving and healing all who partake of what He has provided (Galatians 2:20; 2 Peter 1:4). Sin cannot be resolved by rules and rule-keeping—only by recreation, healing, cleansing of hearts and minds by the recreative power of God!

Jesus said,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16,17 NIV84).

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30 NIV84).

And the religious leaders, the leaders of God’s chosen people, when they saw Jesus healing, blessing, and forgiving, said of Him,

“Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” (John 8:48 NIV84).

If you were a faithful Jew 2,000 years ago working for the “church,” how would you have responded if confronted by your leadership as these faithful followers were:

Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared.

“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them” (John 7:45–49 NIV84)?

So, if you were a faithful Jew 2,000 years ago, would you continue to be faithful by being loyal to your denomination, the orthodoxy as taught by the teachers, priests, Levites, and Sanhedrin? Or, if you followed those leaders of God’s chosen and blessed system, would you have moved from faithfulness to rebelliousness and joined them in crucifying Jesus?

What about today?

If you are a faithful Christian, belonging to a denomination that is called by God to take the gospel of Jesus to the world and advance “right” doctrines, will you be able to stay faithful if you surrender your thinking to your pastors, priests, theology professors, and church officers—or must you think for yourself and know the truth for yourself?

As Paul advised in Romans 14:5, shouldn’t you be fully persuaded in your own mind of what is true? Might it be that in order to stay faithful to Jesus, you will need to be like Peter, Paul, and the other apostles and reject the teachings of your church leadership?

This is not hypothetical; it is historical—a fact of history that has recurred and will recur again. As one of the founders of the Adventist Church notes in her commentary on the life of Christ, The Desire of Ages,

The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ’s message and was bent upon His death; therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.

As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ’s withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience (The Desire of Ages, pg 232, emphasis mine).

I challenge you: Don’t fall into the trap of surrendering your mind to others, but always think for yourself and stay loyal to Jesus above all others!

 

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Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 1

Thank you! I love listening to the Come And Reason Ministries Bible study classes and am using some of your notes to get the lessons together that I will be teaching. You always have such good quotes and Bible texts and pull things together to make good sense.

T. C., IN, USA

 

Testimony 58

I have been watching your videos in The Power of Love seminar and I must say these have liberated me and have improved my relationship with the Lord. I am no longer terrified of him as I was before following your teachings.

Thando N., South Africa

 

Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, USA

 

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 20

I just wanted to personally thank you for your teachings and insight into scripture. I came across your website via my cousin who suggested I look into “Healing the Mind” information. My youngest daughter has been struggling over the last couple of years and it all came to a head this spring. When I started listening to the “Healing the Mind” lectures my own life began to be transformed. I began sharing with all my daughters the concepts you laid out so clearly. I ordered your book and soaked it up. I just want to say “Thank You!” My walk with the Lord has been refreshed and renewed. Your obedience to the Lord is a blessing to so many.

R. K., Anderson, SC, USA

 

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia

 

Testimony 67

I was introduced to Come And Reason by a friend of my mother-in-law, who gave me several CD’s of Dr. Jennings. The clarity of the message and recognition that God’s is a God of love was so clear, advancing beyond Dr. Maxwell’s message. However, grappled with Maxwell saying God used emergency measures for the fallen world. Now after several years of being a regular listener of the Come And Reasoning bible study class and attending Jennings’ meetings in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, things are becoming clearer for me. Design law versus imposed law has added so much to my personal understanding of theology. This message has really impacted my work in counseling so many people miserable because they are searching for and trusting human governments to create order and peace or believing in a God who says love Me or I will kill you. I am grateful that I have an alternative view to offer my clients that makes sense. I teach a bible study class on a semi-regular basis and I value the materials that Come And Reason so freely offers to aid me in presenting this vital message. Thank you for continuing to provide advancement in our very limited understanding of a Infinite God that is rational and believable.

Dr. Roger D, Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 4

I’m a youth leader in South Africa. We as a youth group are currently using a lot of the material on the Come and Reason site. Since we’ve started using the material, our youth group has grown.

R. V. N., South Africa

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, USA

 

Testimony 8

Thank you for the ministry you are sharing with us, it is a real blessing to us and especially to my husband and myself! You are encouraging us to think for ourselves and not just to except everything, without thinking it through, with God’s word!

M.K., USA