Hebraic Musing – How does this OT promise relate to our NT Christianity?
I
like the way the Old Testament prophets say things so clearly, and then they
re-word it to clarify the message. Since at least two witnesses are required to
condemn one to a death penalty, His Word typically restates the flip side, or
both sides of laws, thus providing at least two witnesses. (See note.) Maybe He
does this so hard-headed Germans like me are sure to understand.
Here
is one of those examples from Ezekiel 33:12-16 with numbers added for the first
statement and each of the five re-statements:
“Therefore,
son of man, say to your countrymen, (1)
‘The righteousness of the righteous
man will not save him when he disobeys, and (2) the wickedness of the
wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. (3) The
righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former
righteousness.’ (4) If I tell the righteous man that he
will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none
of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the
evil he has done. (5) And if I say to the wicked man, ‘You will
surely die,’ but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and
right— if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what
he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely
live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be
remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.”
NIV Note the last two sentences sound
like message of the New Testament – ‘Repent and be saved.’
Yet
some adhere to a doctrine of ‘eternal security’ or ‘once saved, always saved’. And there is much discussion about the
validity of this doctrine; or is the discussion about the interpretation of the
doctrine?
Let
me propose a clarification, which will probably trigger some responses. If a ‘saved’ individual commits sins (acts of
thought, deed or action), in itself, that does not disqualify him/her from the
status of righteousness provided by our Savior, Yeshua HaMashiach. If, however, that ‘saved’ person deliberately
decides to ignore righteous living and effectively says ‘Lord, you are no
longer lord of my life’ then that person’s salvation is in jeopardy. However Ezekiel, speaking for the Lord,
provides restoration options.
The
extent and deliberateness of the willfully disobedient heart is ultimately the
Lord’s decision, not ours. Paul makes
it clear in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 that we are not to judge those outside the
church – What business is it of mine to
judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God
will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” So we have a responsibility to judge one
another regarding matters having to do with church discipline and restoration
of our brother, but not with judging salvific issues.
Point
to ponder
And if we can claim Him, do we also still have the free will to
un-claim Him?
Shalom
Yosef April
24, 2012
a.k.a. Joe Brusherd
Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of
Christian faith”
Note:
Excerpts from #14 in “Hebraic Insights – messages
exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”
Commandments are stated in two ways. …
These Rabbis conclude that in order for a violation of Torah law to result in
punishment, the commandment must be stated twice, once in its positive form
(you shall do X) and once in its negative (you shall not do the opposite of X).
Thus the law itself is presented in two forms, or two witnesses, mandated in
the imperative, and its opposite should be explicitly prohibited. Watch for
examples like these as you read the Torah:
Positive Opposite
Eat
clean food. Do not eat unclean
food.
Respect life. Do not murder.
do good … Turn
from evil Psalm 37:27
Now that you are aware, you will find many more examples!
