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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Thursday, March 5, 2020
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Beware the Flesh Bible Verse :Philippians 3:1-3 "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, . . . " Message:
Christians have struggled with antisemitism throughout the ages. Martin Luther, and at times the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, were horrendously antisemitic. Contrary to the belief held by many people, the Catholic Church rarely resorted to outright murder of Jews (although it happened sporadically).
The most oft-cited instance, the Spanish Inquisition, murdered only Jews who had been “voluntarily” baptized. The purpose of the Inquisition was to identify and punish heretics, primarily among those who converted from Judaism and Islam to Catholicism. Although Ferdinand and Isabella did not kill Jews as such, however, they did force a great number of them to leave Spain and give up most of their property if they did not convert. Many Spanish Jews chose to fake baptism rather than endure such a harsh exile, thereby becoming heretic Christians.
Luther’s late writings, which also centered on expulsion of Jews from “Christian” nations, were harsher in one respect: he would have executed rabbis who refused to stop preaching. (On Jews and Their Lies.)
Luther’s Scriptural starting point was Paul, and today’s Scripture is a prime example. But Luther, like the Inquisition, simply made up their excuses for mistreating the Jews. The attitude of Christians towards Jews reflected in the New Testament was summed up in a sentence by Pope Paul VI in 1965: “Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures.” What the Bible tells us, in other words, is that Jews are no different from any other non-Christian. And nothing in the Bible gives us leave to mistreat people (much less murder them!) for not accepting Christ.
Neither Jew nor Gentile
There is an entirely opposite reading of the New Testament prevalent today, especially among political conservatives in the United States; and just as much as Luther’s antisemitism, it represents a blindness to the actual word of God, in order to promote personal and political agendas.
Somehow — and I confess, I cannot even follow the logic — many Christians think that Judaism is still viable, that the modern nation called “Israel” is no different than the Israel of David, and that the military success of Israel represents the hand of God, fulfilling His promise to Abraham.
Such ideas do not come from the Bible, for the New Testament says the exact opposite. The concept comes, rather, from power politics, i.e., people who see Israel as a military outpost in a bloody war against Islam and/or a military struggle for oil. So, they search for passages in the Bible that might appear to support their preconception, rather than trying to read and follow what the Bible actually says. The only response one can make to these emotional harangues is, “read Galatians.” The sole heir of Abraham is Jesus Christ—not the Jews—and that salvation comes only to those who believe in Him. God has fulfilled His promises to Abraham by faith, not by the Law.
The teaching is referenced in today’s verses: “[B]eware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus.” God never intended the Law to be a road to salvation. It was an instrument to show us that salvation by our own actions was impossible. As Christ Himself taught us, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey [or believe in] the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36).”
And beware any Christian teacher who tells you that the nation calling itself “Israel” today has any connection to Christianity. It does not. A person might have strong sympathies for Israel, but recognize that these concern personal or political issues. The Jerusalem beloved by God is no longer on this earth. (See Galatians 4:25-26.)
Meditation : “Many times, even where we trust Christ, we leave the Father out! Christ came to bring us to God, the Father. Christ lived the life of a man exactly as we have to live it. Christ the Vine points to God the Husbandman. As He trusted the Father, let us trust the Father. In that way, everything we ought to be and have, as those who belong to the Vine, will be given to us from above.” Prayer : Now all glory to you, great God, who is able to keep us from falling away and will bring us with great joy into your glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to you who alone are God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are yours before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! ......Amen |
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