Judging Others; Condemnation and Jesus; Grotesque Over Lords or Messengers of Salvation

One of our most dramatic courtroom scenes from a movie is from “A Few Good Men”. Colonel Jessup is on the stand being questioned and he exclaims “You want the truth, you can’t handle the truth!”  We Christians want the truth, but many times we can’t handle the truth because the truth demands change. The truth for us today is that we are not called to be judges over the world or each other in the Body of Christ. We have not been offered that position yet. We struggle with this idea because we want to be found favorable in the eyes of Yahweh, however we fail to realize that one of the guidelines we’ve been given is to not judge one another. Yes, there are civil matters that one must give account to the ruling authorities, but for people in the body of Christ, we are not to judge, size up, critique, or evaluate another person’s life. We will see why the Holy Spirit recorded that for us shortly but first we have to distinguish between civil matters and personal life.

Moses set judges up over the people at his father-in-laws suggestion, because his time was being consumed by people not getting along. The Israelites were traveling in a large group, in circles for forty years, and they didn’t always get along. During the time of the Judges over Israel, people were again supposed to judge civil matters between parties who had disputes. But judgments were not to be made unless infractions were incurred; meaning between two parties that disagree over a physical matter. Any type of judgment of spiritual matters was only declared by Yahweh. For example, were offerings accepted or not? Did the Israelites end up having to fight other nations because of disobedience or go into captivity because they did not adhere to the direction Yahweh gave them? So the two types of judgments are civil judgments, settled by men in physical cases and spiritual judgments settled by Yahweh. There should not be any men set up as spiritual judges today. There was never to be a group of humans making spiritual judgments over people, and yet we find ourselves stuck in this ridiculous battle over judging each other and not recognizing that we should not set ourselves up to be judges over the world or the Body of Christ. That is the truth we cannot handle. That is the truth we don’t understand. That is the truth that we close our eyes to.

While we all want to know that we are “OK” in the eyes of Yahweh, we also tend to want some human affirmation that we are living well and we want to be accepted by other humans who cloister in our groups. While Col Jessup is an inconvenient truth sitting on the wall, and we find his existence grotesque (and certainly the non-believers find his existence grotesque), we put our Col. Jessup’s into spiritual positions over the Body of Christ because having a watchman who tells us the rules makes us feel secure in our salvation. Unfortunately, the watchmen are watching in the wrong direction, looking for the wrong things. Surely it is acceptable for us to have judgmental opinions over each other. Surely we should be expected to compare ourselves to one another and evaluate ourselves so that we feel confident that we are better than others. Surely we should assess our salvation based on the merits of right rule living, shouldn’t we? No. That is an inconvenient truth because it disassembles our whole system of thought and understanding. We put the Col Jessups’ on the wall over the body of Christ by listening to their judgments, and as long as we agree with them we keep them there. We then repeat the judgements of the Col Jessups’ and proceed to dissect each other. Here is the truth we cannot handle, ready? It does not matter what we think. It does not matter how we feel. It does not matter whether our opinions line up with other people’s opinions. It does not matter whether we like something or not. It does not matter whether we agree with something or not.  It does not matter what we think. We have one thing to work towards, bringing salvation to the world. It is not our job, nor was it Jesus’ job to judge and condemn the world, and it is not our job to judge and condemn each other within the Body of Christ.   

John very clearly tells us that Jesus did not come into the cosmos to judge the cosmos. Some translations read “condemn”, but as we will see, the Greek word is krino which is not just condemn but to try or judge. In our modern understanding of the word condemn, we don’t always think of this as an act of judgment by an upright and true judge, but we think of condemn as an act of bullying by someone who intends to dominate and intimidate someone. Unfortunately, that is exactly how the Body of Christ looks, like bullies, to the unsaved world. And even within the Body of Christ some have become bullies, when unmistakably we see Jesus saying that believers on Jesus are not judged.

John 3:17-19 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge [2919] (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment [2919]; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation — he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged [2919] already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] 19 The [basis of the] judgment [2920] (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. [Isa 5:20.] AMP

We have taken on the Judaic mindset in which Yahweh is judging Israel. But Yahweh is not judging the world, the nations, as of yet. Yahweh is rescuing the nations, making the people who believe in Him from all tribes and tongues whole, sozo.  The danger in always taking on the Jewish mindset is that we attribute old rules and laws to new administrations. Clearly, John’s most famous verse, the one we see on large signs at large gatherings or sporting events, John 3:16, is not a standalone verse. Verse 17 has a message that complements verse 16. Jesus did not come into the cosmos to punish the cosmos but to deliver the cosmos. And the delivered humans are then no longer judged, by Jesus or by other humans.

Verse 18 then says whoever believes in Jesus is not judged. Now we have a problem. If the believers in Jesus Christ are not judged why are we so busy judging each other? It may be that Christianity has been misled by a verse or two in 1 Corinthians, and we will examine the context shortly to conclude the matter. In any event, the unbeliever is judged because they have not trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. That is the dividing line. That is the hinge point for all humans, one who believes on Jesus Christ is made righteous and not judged. One who does not believe on Jesus Christ is unrighteous and judged or punished. Yet Jesus didn’t come to punish but to save, or deliver the entire world. The Message says this in a practical way. 

John 3:17-18 God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. 18 Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Just in case we thought this was the only place we read that Jesus did not come to judge the world, John tells us that Jesus says it again. Jesus is not punishing people now. Again we are not seeing the wrath of the Lamb or the wrath of God the Father, we have studied this extensively and this is something that will happen in the future, but not now. If you are telling people God is punishing nations, or people, you are really saying the god of this world (the devil) is punishing nations and people, not Yahweh. I challenge anyone who claims that Yahweh is punishing people to use his name and say it out loud. Do not hide behind the title “god”, use the name of the Creator, Yahweh. Jesus said it so plainly.

John 12:46-48 I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me [whoever cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] may not continue to live in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My teachings and fails to observe them [does not keep them, but disregards them], it is not I who judges [2919] him. For I have not come to judge [2919] and to condemn and to pass sentence and to inflict penalty on the world, but to save the world. 48 Anyone who rejects Me and persistently sets Me at naught, refusing to accept My teachings, has his judge [2919] [however]; for the [very] message that I have spoken will itself judge [2919] and convict him at the last day. AMP

Again, Jesus did not come to judge, condemn, pass sentence, or inflict penalty on the world. He came to save. That is almost a lost message today. In the media we hear how one Christian group is judging the non-believers, or another Christian group is condemning the actions of others. The devil has Christians all mixed up. We have to stop applying the Jewish way of thinking, the Jews do not believe Jesus is the Messiah, they believe he is a liar and a false Messiah and they would prefer that you believe that as well. Therefore we have to stop behaving as if we are under the dispensation of the law and behave as if we are under the dispensation of grace. That means we have to adjust our thinking and change our behavior.

Let’s look at the words being used in scripture for judge and judgment.

NT:2919 krino (kree'-no); properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish: KJV - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:2920 krisis (kree'-sis); decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against); by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice (especially, divine law): KJV - accustion, condemnation, damnation, judgment. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:2923 krites (kree-tace'); from NT:2919; a judge (genitive case or specially): KJV - judge.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:2632 katakrino (kat-ak-ree'-no); from NT:2596 and NT:2919; to judge against, i.e. sentence: KJV - condemn, damn.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Jesus did not ride through town with a megaphone to deliver this message, and he expects that our lives and lifestyles will present this message. Matthew records that Jesus came to bring justice to the nations, not judgment. However, someone may have altered that to try and prove the non-Jews were not favorable to Yahweh while the Jews were more favorable. The funny thing is, the non-Jews (Gentiles) set their hope and trust in Yahweh while the Jews do not.

Matt 12:17-21 This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, 18 Behold, My Servant Whom I have chosen, My Beloved in and with Whom My soul is well pleased and has found its delight. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim and show forth justice [2920] to the nations. 19 He will not strive or wrangle or cry out loudly; nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets; 20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering (dimly burning) wick He will not quench, till He brings justice [2920] and a just cause to victory. 21 And in and on His name will the Gentiles (the peoples outside of Israel) set their hopes. [Isa 42:1-4.] AMP

Before we dive into this verse to look at some alterations, we should consider what this is telling us. Jesus will show justice to the nations, but he will not strive or wrangle or cry out loudly. He won’t be yelling in the streets. Jesus, the one whom the Holy Spirit descended on like a dove at his baptism, will bring justice to the nations. When will that be? Now, during the times of the nations, Luke 21:24, Romans 11:25. Jesus is bringing the nations into his fold by opening up the way for the nations to believe on Him. Then, justice is served as everyone has an opportunity to decide whether to believe on Jesus or not. Jesus did not come yelling, or making a big production in the streets, he came somewhat quietly. During Jesus’ millennial kingdom he will set all things right, he will judge and bring justice to all people. Right now Jesus brings salvation, but in the future he will bring accurate ruling. Let’s read the Message to get the gist.

Isa 42:1-4 "Take a good look at my servant. I'm backing him to the hilt. He's the one I chose, and I couldn't be more pleased with him. I've bathed him with my Spirit, my life. He'll set everything right among the nations.  2 He won't call attention to what he does with loud speeches or gaudy parades.  3 He won't brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won't disregard the small and insignificant, but he'll steadily and firmly set things right.  4 He won't tire out and quit. He won't be stopped until he's finished his work — to set things right on earth. Far-flung ocean islands wait expectantly for his teaching." (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

We have a few alterations here. We need to look at the Amplified, the EC Marsh Septuagint, the AP Polyglot Septuagint, and the KJV.

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Isa 42:1-4 BEHOLD MY Servant, Whom I uphold, My elect in Whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice and right and reveal truth to the nations. [Matt 3:16,17.] 2 He will not cry or shout aloud or cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not quench; He will bring forth justice in truth. [Matt 12:17-21.] 4 He will not fail or become weak or be crushed and discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the islands and coastal regions shall wait hopefully for Him and expect His direction and law. [Rom 8:22-25.] AMP

42:1 Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor shall his voice be heard without. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench; but he shall bring forth judgment to truth. 4He shall shine out, and shall not be discouraged, until he have set judgment on the earth: and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.  http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Esaias/index.htm

1G*Jacob, G3588 G3816my child, G1473 G482I shall take hold of G1473him. G*Israel, G3588 G1588my chosen, G1473 G4327[²favorably received G1473³himG3588 G5590¹my soul]. G1473 G1325I have put G3588 G4151my spirit G1473 G1909upon G1473him, G2920[²judgment G3588³to the G1484⁴nations G1627¹he shall bring forth].

 2G3756He shall not G2896cry out, G3761nor G447shall he send up his voice, G3761nor G191shall [²be heard G1854³outside G3588 G5456¹his voice]. G1473 

 3G2563A reed G4917being crushed G3756he will not G4937break, G2532and G3043[²flax G2585.2¹smoking] G3756he will not G4570extinguish; G235but G1519to G227validity G1627he will bring forth G2920judgment.

 4G353.1He shall illuminate, G2532and G3756shall no tG2352be devastated G2193until G302whenever G5087he should set G1909[²upon G3588³the G1093⁴earth G2920¹judgment]. G2532And G1909upon G3588 G3686his name G1473 G1484nations G1679shall hope. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Isaiah%2042

Isa 42:1-4 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. KJV

We can see some Masoretic alterations to the text here. The translated word used for judgment (G2919) should be justice (G2920). The Old Testament KJV, taken from the Masoretic text, suggests that the coming Messiah will judge the nations instead he will show justice to the nations, and the nations will hope and trust in His name. What does John 3:18 say? Those who do not trust in the name of the only begotten Son of God are judged, but here the nations believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God. It would seem that the Jews who do not believe on the only begotten Son of God would like to distort yet another verse so that you will not believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God too. Clearly the nations will trust in His name. We know the word Gentile is a misnomer as well, the word is nations. The Greeks did not have a word to call themselves heathen dogs as compared to the Jews. The word Gentile is mistranslated in many places and should always be translated nations. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/12/gentiles-all-jews-are-goyim-multitudes.html

Jesus’ lineage is established in Matthew and Luke, and the Spirit of Yahweh was upon Him. It is hard for Jews to imagine that a Messiah would come to save non-Jews as well as Jews, but that is what Jesus came to do. Because we know Jesus’ lineage, it seems it was easy to erase the first part of verse 1 noting the connection to the line of Jacob.

We have recognized that Jesus did not come to judge but to save. Jesus told us we are not to judge, and the measure we judge others with, will be what we are judged by. We studied mercy and forgiveness are weighed and balanced, and judgment is as well. What that means is to the extent we judge others we ourselves will be judged. And just like the amount of mercy we show others we will receive that amount of mercy ourselves. Forgiveness is the same as well, to the degree we forgive others we will be forgiven. Do we notice a pattern here? No one is above anyone else, we all will receive what we grant to others. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/12/mercy-and-forgiveness-weighed-and.html

 

Matt 7:1-2 DO NOT judge [2919] and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged [2919] and criticized and condemned yourselves. 2 For just as you judge [2919] and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged [2919] and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. AMP

Again this idea is reiterated in Luke.

Luke 6:37 Judge [2919] not [neither pronouncing judgment nor subjecting to censure], and you will not be judged [2919]; do not condemn and pronounce guilty, and you will not be condemned and pronounced guilty; acquit and forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released. AMP

Jesus wants us to understand that if we do not judge others we will not be judged. That seems funny as we have been schooled in our churches to observe other’s bad behaviors, point it out to them and others, and then avoid interacting with those who don’t behave the way our church says we are to behave. We then cloister ourselves with others who make the decision to live the way our church has told us to. Within the cloister if someone changes their behavior in an unacceptable way, they become shunned. But if we are going to be judged in the same measure that we judge others we have a fundamental problem in this behavior. Paul says this as well.

Rom 2:1 THEREFORE YOU have no excuse or defense or justification, O man, whoever you are who judges [2919] and condemns [2632] another. For in posing as judge [2919] and passing sentence on another, you condemn [2632] yourself, because you who judge [2919] are habitually practicing the very same things [that you censure and denounce]. AMP

This is interesting, when we pose as judge we have made ourselves judges even though we are technically not judges. We are not supposed to be judges. This is our foundational problem, we pose as judges but no one ever gave us that job, we took that position upon ourselves, therefore we will actually be condemning our own selves. For example, if I condemn someone who smokes cigarettes I will be condemned for the thing I do that is similar. People smoke when they are nervous or fearful or whatever, other people eat junk food when they are afraid, others lash out on family or friends when in fear, and some attempt to bury emotions of fear with drugs or alcohol. Whatever it is, I will be condemning myself for the way I deal with my fear. Just because I don’t smoke doesn’t mean that when I condemn a smoker I won’t be judged since I don’t smoke, I will be condemning myself just the same. Paul gives us more of a clue as to why we should not judge and condemn others.  

1 Cor 4:5 So do not make any hasty or premature judgments [2919] before the time when the Lord comes [again], for He will both bring to light the secret things that are [now hidden] in darkness and disclose and expose the [secret] aims (motives and purposes) of hearts. Then every man will receive his [due] commendation from God. AMP

Do not make judgments before Jesus comes again. Has he come back yet? No. Then we should not judge because there are things we do not know that are hidden. The deep motives of the heart, the wounds and the secret scars that motivate us, or drive us, or chase us, are the things we cannot see on the surface of an individual’s life. When we make a judgment about someone else we are not considering all aspects of what we are judging. There will be a time when all things will be brought to light, that will be during the Millennial Reign of Christ. At that time the saints will judge those who did not make Jesus Lord in this life. Jesus told the disciples that they will judge the twelve tribes. 

Matt 19:27-30 Then Peter answered Him, saying, Behold, we have left [our] all and have become Your disciples [sided with Your party and followed You]. What then shall we receive? 28 Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new age [the Messianic rebirth of the world], when the Son of Man shall sit down on the throne of His glory, you who have [become My disciples, sided with My party and] followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge [2919] the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name's sake will receive many [even a hundred] times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who [now] are first will be last [then], and many who [now] are last will be first [then].  AMP

It is not yet time for the Millennial Reign and the twelve are not judging yet. Jesus mentions the inheritance of those who follow Him as well. But you and I are not one of the twelve are we? No, but we will also be judging during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

1 Cor 6:2-3 Do you not know that the saints (the believers) will [one day] judge [2919] and govern the world? And if the world [itself] is to be judged [2919]and ruled by you, are you unworthy and incompetent to try [such petty matters] of the smallest courts of justice? 3 Do you not know also that we [Christians] are to judge [2919] the [very] angels and pronounce opinion between right and wrong [for them]? How much more then [as to] matters pertaining to this world and of this life only! AMP

This is where we have mixed up the idea of judging and judgment. In the Millennial Reign when Jesus reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords, the redeemed will judge the world, as well as angels. The context of what Paul is saying here is that the Corinthians were taking each other to secular courts to settle disputes. Paul was trying to get them to understand that believers should not go to secular courts but instead learn how to deal with disputes within the church. Paul was proposing this because we would one day judge the world and angels, therefore we should be able to judge disputes within the church now, rather than asking a secular judge to decide a matter between the redeemed. Paul is discussing civil matters, such as quality of work done vs. payment, or someone’s dog using another neighbor’s yard as a place to relieve itself. It would be ideal to settle such matters within the Church but it rarely works. Selfishness and people not walking in love are at issue within the Body of Christ.

In the Millennial Kingdom the redeemed will judge the world, those who didn’t believe on Jesus. But the redeemed will also judge angels. That is a surprise to some as angels seem to be of a higher class than humans. The reality is humans were created in Elohim’s image, not angels. Angels have freewill like humans but are not redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Jesus came to rescue humans not angels, and as we know some angels have fallen, leaving their own bodies and have taken on human form to procreate with humans. This reminds us that while angelic bodies are interdimensional human bodies are not, we are locked into three/four dimensions, hence another reason for Jesus to save us. Angels were to serve the saints, and we see from the Book of Enoch that the fallen angels asked Enoch to intercede for them, but were scolded for asking Enoch to intercede for them when in fact they were to be interceding for humans. That is an interesting idea because angels were supposed to help humans but some angels brought knowledge to humans that they should not have, causing humans to do things they should not have done. Whatever type of existence the angels live in and are subject to, we will be judging them as to what they did or did not do. When all the secret and hidden things are revealed during the Millennial Reign of Christ we will know all the things we do not know today. This is again why we cannot make right judgments today.

We have studied how Paul, a scholar and Pharisee, had to un-learn and re-learn, because in the new administration the believer is freed from the law. The law was a set of rules and practices that we could not live up to, so in abolishing the law, we somehow forgot to abolish judgment as well. James tells us that very thing.

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James 2:11-13 For He Who said, You shall not commit adultery, also said, You shall not kill. If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become guilty of transgressing the [whole] Law. [Ex 20:13,14; Deut 5:17,18.] 12 So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged [2919] under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love]. 13 For to him who has shown no mercy the judgment [2920] [will be] merciless, but mercy [full of glad confidence] exults victoriously over judgment [2920]. AMP

How is it that we have forgotten to live by the law of liberty, and walk in love? We wouldn’t need secular courts to handle our disputes if we were not selfish and we actually walked in love and settled matters quickly with our brothers like Jesus suggested.

James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you [yourselves] may not be judged [2362]. Look! The Judge [2923] is [already] standing at the very door. AMP

Again, if we complain or judge or rule against another we will receive the same type of harshness we dished out to others. But here is the best news yet. Who can condemn or rule against us if we are already made righteous? We have to re-learn what it is to be a son or daughter, we are made righteous and we cannot lose that. Righteousness cannot be undone.     

Rom 8:30-34 And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. 31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]  [Ps 118:6.] 32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?] 34 Who is there to condemn [2632] [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us? AMP

Here is another truth we cannot handle: we cannot use the Bible as a manipulation tool to “make” or “force” people to live the way we want them to. We are made righteous by Jesus’ blood when we believe, period. There is no one who can accuse us or condemn us. Understanding the depth of this is huge but rarely explored in churches today. Those who are redeemed cannot be unredeemed. There will be a different kind of judgment for the redeemed. That judgment is for rewards. It is called the “judgment seat” in Romans.

Rom 14:10-13 Why do you criticize and pass judgment [2919] on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat [968] of God. 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. [Isa 45:23.] 12 And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God. 13 Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment [2919] on one another, but rather decide and endeavor [2919]never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother. AMP

NT:968 bema (bay'-ma); from the base of NT:939; a step, i.e. foot-breath; by implication, a rostrum, i.e. a tribunal: KJV - judgment-seat, set [foot] on, throne. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

When does this take place? Almost halfway through the tribulation in heaven. The redeemed are rewarded at this time when it is announced that the kingdoms of this world are now in the possession of and become the Kingdom of our Lord Christ, the Messiah, and that Jesus will now reign forever.

Rev 11:15-19 The seventh angel then blew [his] trumpet, and there were mighty voices in heaven, shouting, The dominion (kingdom, sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (the Messiah), and He shall reign forever and ever (for the eternities of the eternities)! [Ps 22:28; Dan 7:13,14,27.] 16 Then the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin], who sit on their thrones before God, prostrated themselves before Him and worshiped, 17 Exclaiming, To You we give thanks, Lord God Omnipotent, [the One] Who is and [ever] was, for assuming the high sovereignty and the great power that are Yours and for beginning to reign. 18 And the heathen (the nations) raged, but Your wrath (retribution, indignation) came, the time when the dead will be judged [2919] and Your servants the prophets and saints rewarded — and those who revere (fear) Your name, both low and high and small and great — and [the time] for destroying the corrupters of the earth. [Ps 2:1.] 19 Then the sanctuary of God in heaven was thrown open, and the ark of His covenant was seen standing inside in His sanctuary; and there were flashes of lightning, loud rumblings (blasts, mutterings), peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a terrific hailstorm. [1 Kings 8:1-6.] AMP

At the end of the tribulation, all those who did not receive Jesus as Messiah will be judged as to their works. This is not for those who confess Jesus as Lord and Messiah, not even for those who confess Jesus as Lord during the tribulation. This Great White Throne Judgement is for the Jesus rejecters. That is different than judgment for rewards, and different than judgment as to salvation. Remember we are already acquitted by Jesus’ blood so this is not for the believer. We can clear up so many misunderstandings by reading the Bible for details. Paul tells us the same thing a second time in Corinthians.

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat [968] of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing]. AMP

Let’s picture what the Christian lifestyle would look like if we made the decision to live by the things the Holy Spirit documented for us. Christians would walk in the liberty and freedom, walk in love, and behave kindly to all other humans. Christians would declare to a lost and dying world that Jesus came to save, not condemn, the world. Christians would not criticize, condemn, or critique other Christians. Christians would love one another, and not compare themselves to others in the Body of Christ. Christians would not have opinions about behaviors or conduct among the righteous. Christians would not use the Bible as a book of rules to manipulate people within the Body of Christ, and Christians would get rid of the Jewish thought process of Jesus judging humans since he is not doing that, at least not until the Millennial Kingdom. Christians would look different than we see on social media and probably inspire the non-believers to want to know what Christians know. Can we handle the truth? Can we change from the grotesque overlords we have become? Can we stop posing as judges? Can we stop posing as watchmen who are looking within the city walls and instead become the tenderhearted lovers of all humans we were called to be? 

Rejecting Yahweh, Rejecting Jesus; the Rise of Religious Legalism, Self-Condemned

Often when we think of the Israelites we have a cloudy view of their history. We fail to recognize that what modern Jews want us to believe varies from the factual history. As we know from studying the Old Testament, Israelites rejected Yahweh. They rejected a personal relationship with Yahweh and fell into unbelievable sins such as male prostitution in the Temple. Those extreme sins are disguised by those attempting to rewrite history. As we know, by the time the kingdom split, people were not observing Passover and eventually both the northern and southern kingdoms were dispersed and put into bondage. While in Babylon, Daniel remembers Jeremiah’s words and starts to pray for Israelites to return to Jerusalem. When Cyrus sent some Israelites back, the city and a new temple were built but stayed under Assyrian rule. Eventually the entire region was taken over by the Greeks, then the Romans. So while some of the Israelites came back to Jerusalem, they were not free to govern Jerusalem. Hebrew was nearly a lost language and people read Greek and spoke Aramaic. A couple of sects rose up from among the people, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. The desire for Israel to govern her own land caused each group to develop legalistic ways to become right with Yahweh. Legalism caused such distortions among the people that when Jesus came, he was rejected because he did not fit their mold. In fact, the Essenes were the only ones who believed Jesus was the Messiah. Paul tells us clearly what overcomes the law but people still don’t understand or practice it. At the time of Jesus what people wanted to see was a Messiah who would restore the government to Israelis, and break Roman rule. Jesus didn’t do that at that time but will in the future.  

We have to understand that Yahweh was first rejected, then Jesus was rejected. Legalism was favored at the time of the first century which created the struggle that Jesus and the Apostle’s all faced and from that time forward, legalism continues to pervade. Legalism and laws cannot replace a personal relationship with Yahweh, and as we will see, people condemn themselves by not believing Jesus is the Messiah. Isaiah’s words are very damning to Israel. Yahweh speaks, yet many forsook Yahweh and became estranged.

Isa 1:2-5 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: I have nourished and brought up sons and have made them great and exalted, but they have rebelled against Me and broken away from Me. 3 The ox [instinctively] knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib, but Israel does not know or recognize Me [as Lord], My people do not consider or understand. 4 Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised and shown contempt and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they have become utterly estranged (alienated). 5 Why should you be stricken and punished any more [since it brings no correction]? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint (feeble, sick, and nauseated). AMP

This alienation affected their entire being, their heads and hearts became sick. They had no soundness. This tells us that their minds were no longer coherent. Once they practiced a life apart from Yahweh their minds became unsound.

Isa 1:6-10 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness or health in [the nation's body] — but wounds and bruises and fresh and bleeding stripes; they have not been pressed out and closed up or bound up or softened with oil. [No one has troubled to seek a remedy.] 7 [Because of your detestable disobedience] your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; your land — strangers devour it in your very presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens. 8 And the Daughter of Zion [Jerusalem] is left like a [deserted] booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, like a besieged city [spared, but in the midst of desolation]. 9 Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very small remnant [of survivors], we should have been like Sodom, and we should have been like Gomorrah. [Gen 19:24,25; Rom 9:29.] 10 Hear [O Jerusalem] the word of the Lord, you rulers or judges of [another] Sodom! Give ear to the law and the teaching of our God, you people of [another] Gomorrah! AMP

No one even cares to look for remedies for their sickness, and due to their condition, they were overthrown. They could have been utterly destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah but a small remnant was left. This is the Christ line. Yahweh says that it makes no difference what they do to atone for sin because their hands are full of blood.

Isa 1:11-15 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me [unless they are the offering of the heart]? says the Lord. I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts [without obedience]; and I do not delight in the blood of bulls or of lambs or of he-goats [without righteousness].12 When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you that your [unholy feet] trample My courts? 13 Bring no more offerings of vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility); [your hollow offering of] incense is an abomination to Me; the New Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure — [it is] iniquity and profanation, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your New Moon festivals and your [hypocritical] appointed feasts My soul hates. They are an oppressive burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 And when you spread forth your hands [in prayer, imploring help], I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood! AMP

Yahweh encourages them through Isaiah to be willing to be obedient. They did not change and they were devoured and dispersed.

Isa 1:16-22 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes! Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. 21 How the faithful city has become an [idolatrous] harlot, she who was full of justice! Uprightness and right standing with God [once] lodged in her — but now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water. AMP

Not only were the people corrupt, the leaders were corrupt as well. Isaiah prophecies that Zion shall be redeemed with justice. But notice, her converts will be righteous. This has not happened yet. There are no converts and Zion has not been redeemed.

Isa 1:23-27 Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after compensation and rewards. They judge not for the fatherless nor defend them, neither does the cause of the widow come to them [for they delay or turn a deaf ear]. 24 Therefore says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will appease Myself on My adversaries and avenge Myself on My enemies. 25 And I will bring My hand again upon you and thoroughly purge away your dross [as with lye] and take away all your tin or alloy. 26 And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; afterward you shall be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City. 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her [returned] converts with righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God). AMP

Today legalism encroaches on our relationship with Yahweh. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all had a personal relationship with Yahweh. We recently saw that when Moses was going to lead Jacob’s heirs out of Egypt Yahweh was going to make His name known to them. The descendants of Jacob did not have a personal relationship with Yahweh, and since Yahweh is the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he was going to have Moses tell them His name. Keep in mind Jesus said God is not the God of the dead but of the living. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have not ceased to be in relationship to Yahweh just because they are without physical bodies. The covenant, the law, was not made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as Deuteronomy 5:3 tells us, but the law was to the children of Jacob, to get them into a relationship with Yahweh. Once the Temple was finally destroyed in 70 A.D. there could be no way to keep the law. That is why the day of Pentecost established a new administration. There is no more legalism for all who believe on Jesus as Messiah. Yahweh opened the doors, so to speak, to the whole world so that everyone can know him by name. However there are those who insist the law is still an active dispensation that is to be kept, when it is simply impossible to do so. On the Day of the Lord, the day Jesus comes to redeem Israel with his armies, Zion will then be called the City of Righteousness.

Isa 1:28-31 But the crushing and destruction of rebels and sinners shall be together, and they who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 29 For you will be ashamed [of the folly and degradation] of the oak or terebinth trees in which you found [idolatrous] pleasure, and you will blush with shame for the [idolatrous worship which you practice in the passion-inflaming] gardens which you have chosen. 30 For you shall be like an oak or terebinth whose leaf withers, and like a garden that has no water. 31 And the strong shall become like tow and become tinder, and his work like a spark, and they shall both burn together, with none to quench them AMP

Until the Day of the Lord is finished, Jerusalem, Zion, will not be a place of righteous habitation. When Jesus came as their Messiah, he wasn’t embraced by the religious leaders, the legalists who continually nullified the law with their own laws. We have the misconception that these very people through today, actually worship Yahweh, but the reality is they do not, the worship the law. If we understand dispensations, we now see that these religious leaders are in an old administration, the one made just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. They attempt to legally bind themselves to that covenant, but they cannot live it. The legalists reject Jesus thereby condemning themselves.

John 3:17-21 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation — he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] 19 The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. [Isa 5:20.] 20 For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. 21 But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are — wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him]. AMP

Isaiah reproved the nation of Israel and their deeds, but the people did not change. Let’s make this clear, there were some people who did do their best to live for Yahweh, but the majority of people did not. The people Yahweh rescued from Egypt were to make Yahweh known to the nations, but since they did not, Yahweh had to make himself known to the world. When a sharp majority rejects Jesus, the devil has free reign in that nation. However today we are not judged and condemned by Yahweh as nations but as individuals. The individual humans in the nations and tribes of the world all have access to a personal relationship with Jesus. The devil, however has legal rights to harm any and all individuals in the nations who reject Yahweh/Jesus. This is the administration, or time period we live in, to the dismay of the legalists. Grace. And just as we recently saw with Jonah, Yahweh is concerned for all individuals in all the nations, not just the Jews. This idea shows up again with Jesus going to Samaria and all the Samarians believing on Jesus as Messiah. While the legalists were condemning the Samarians for who they were and what they practiced, Jesus was revealing himself to them.

John 4:39-42 Now numerous Samaritans from that town believed in and trusted in Him because of what the woman said when she declared and testified, He told me everything that I ever did. 40 So when the Samaritans arrived, they asked Him to remain with them, and He did stay there two days. 41 Then many more believed in and adhered to and relied on Him because of His personal message [what He Himself said]. 42 And they told the woman, Now we no longer believe (trust, have faith) just because of what you said; for we have heard Him ourselves [personally], and we know that He truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ. AMP

They didn’t simply think Jesus was a nice guy or had a nice set of religious rules, they believed and knew that Jesus was and is the Savior of the world, the Messiah. So the people who did not practice Judaism in the proper way ended up saved, but the religious legalists did not receive salvation and still have not received salvation. Jesus holds them responsible for not knowing the time of his visitation. Why? Because the angel prophesied exactly to Daniel the very day the Messiah would come into Jerusalem on a colt and be hailed as Messiah. The angel was exact and precise and yet the religious legalists rejected Jesus.  

Luke 19:41-44 And as He approached, He saw the city, and He wept [audibly] over it, 42 Exclaiming, Would that you had known personally, even at least in this your day, the things that make for peace (for freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and upon which your peace — your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness — depends)! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For a time is coming upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank [with pointed stakes] about you and surround you and shut you in on every side. [Isa 29:3; Jer 6:6; Ezek 4:2.] 44 And they will dash you down to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, [all] because you did not come progressively to recognize and know and understand [from observation and experience] the time of your visitation [that is, when God was visiting you, the time in which God showed Himself gracious toward you and offered you salvation through Christ]. AMP

Jesus tells them that Jerusalem will be destroyed, not one stone would be left in its place. Today we see the Wailing Wall, but that is not original to the first century temple mount. Archeology proves that. And as we have noted, the original Temple was not on the Temple Mount but at the Gihon Springs. Legalism seems to prevent the breaking of traditions and false knowledge, as today there is no reason the Jews cannot build the Temple in its original location which is not controlled by the Palestinians.

After Jesus was crucified, the apostles and disciples worked very hard to explain what had just happened and why people should believe Jesus is the Messiah. They did not spare their own lives, but willingly gave their lives to share this knowledge. As we have seen, since the time of the first century, there have been many textual distortions to disprove Jesus as Messiah, and many textual alterations to confuse and keep people from receiving Jesus as their personal Messiah. Paul fought this head on, and we are indebted to his tenacity and boldness to push this further with written letters to the churches. We observed from Isaiah that Jerusalem would one day become a city of righteousness, but not until after the Day of the Lord. Yet today we personally can be righteous. Christ is the end of the Law. Again, we are to have a personal relationship with Him rather than be religious legalists in lieu of personal relationship with the Messiah. 

Rom 10:3-12 For being ignorant of the righteousness that God ascribes [which makes one acceptable to Him in word, thought, and deed] and seeking to establish a righteousness (a means of salvation) of their own, they did not obey or submit themselves to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him. 5 For Moses writes that the man who [can] practice the righteousness (perfect conformity to God's will) which is based on the Law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it. [Lev 18:5.] 6 But the righteousness based on faith [imputed by God and bringing right relationship with Him] says, Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into Heaven? that is, to bring Christ down; 7 Or who will descend into the abyss? that is, to bring Christ up from the dead [as if we could be saved by our own efforts]. [Deut 30:12,13.] 8 But what does it say? The Word (God's message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, [Deut 30:14.] 9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation. 11 The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed. [Ps 34:22; Isa 28:16; 49:23; Jer 17:7.] 12 [No one] for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. The same Lord is Lord over all [of us] and He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith]. AMP

Yahweh is not condemning, punishing, or harming people, which is what the devil does. Yahweh is instead making a way for you to come into a relationship with him, now, today. What Paul was quoting here in Romans, from the Old Testament really tells us the same things.

Ps 34:22 The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty. AMP

Ps 34:22G3084The lord shall ransom G2962 G5590the souls G1401of his servants; G1473 G2532and G3766.2in no wayG4131.2shall [⁶offendG3956¹allG3588²theG1679³ones hopingG1909⁴uponG1473⁵him].

Yahweh redeems the souls of his servants. When was this written? Did it apply to those people at that time? Does it apply to people today? If Jesus came to save and redeem us, and he did not come to condemn us, then we cannot redeem ourselves. Therefore we either condemn ourselves, or another being, other than Yahweh/Jesus, condemns us. Yahweh was redeeming his servants before Jesus came to earth.

Isa 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away [in sudden panic]. [Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11; Rom 9:33; Eph 2:20; 1 Peter 2:4-6.] AMP

Isaiah 28: 16G1223On account of G3778this, G3779thus G3004says G2962the lord, G2400Behold, G1473IG1685shall put G1519for G3588theG2310foundationsG*of ZionG3037[⁴stoneG4185¹a very costlyG1588²chosenG204³cornering]G1784of valueG1519forG3588 G2310its foundations; G1473 G2532and G3588the one G4100trustingG1909uponG1473itG3766.2in no wayG2617should be disgraced.

If Zion is to become a city of righteousness, then its very foundation has to change. Yahweh Elohim says its foundation stone is a very costly cornering. The foretelling of the ministry of Jesus helps us understand the cost associated with this new foundation. Remember Jesus said that there would not be one stone left upon another because they missed His coming, and rejected Him. Soon a new stone will be laid in Zion, when the city becomes a city of righteousness and Jesus rules as King of kings and Lord of lords. Those who were kings will become servants to people who waited and expected Yahweh.

Isa 49:23 And kings shall be your foster fathers and guardians, and their queens your nursing mothers. They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know [with an acquaintance and understanding based on and grounded in personal experience] that I am the Lord; for they shall not be put to shame who wait for, look for, hope for, and expect Me. AMP

Isaiah 49:23G2532AndG1510.8.6[²shall beG935¹kings]G5087.2your wet-nurses; G1473  G3588  G1161 and G756their ruling women G1473 G5162your nurses. G1473 G1909[³upon G4383⁴ the face G3588⁵of the G1093⁶earthG4352¹They shall do obeisanceG1473²to you], G2532and G3588the G5522dust G3588 G4228of your feetG1473 G3011.2they shall lick. G2532And G1097you shall know G3754that G1473I amG2962the lord,G2532andG3756[⁴shall notG153⁵be ashamed G3588¹the ones G5278²waitingG1473³for me]

We can see what Paul was alluding to here when he makes the case for not being ashamed or disappointed. Paul tells us the scripture says those expecting, waiting, and then believing on Yahweh/Jesus will not be disappointed. And those who rejected and ignored Jesus will be disappointed; they will be ashamed, and they will be condemned. Remember what Isaiah said about corrupt leaders? Many rulers and leaders believe in themselves rather than Yahweh and the flipping of servant hood from common people serving kings to kings serving common people makes a bold statement. If one is a leader one would be advised to submit to Yahweh now, so as not to spend the millennial reign of Christ licking the dust off the feet of the common people.

Jer 17:7 [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. AMP

Jere 17:7G2532AndG2127being blessed G3588is the G444man G3739who G3982relies G1909upon G3588the G2962lord,G2532andG1510.8.3the lord will beG2962 G1680his hope.

People who rely on Yahweh/Jesus as Paul and Jeremiah state, will be blessed. This is why there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, the personal relationship that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had with Yahweh is available to everyone today. Legalism crowds out that personal relationship and pushes people away from Yahweh with the very harsh, strange, and unpredictable elohim that legalism creates.

This is what is so confusing to all people today. Many people see the God of legalism and not Yahweh. People cannot figure out why a loving God harms people. Legalism blinds people to the true Yahweh. As we have seen in past weeks the true Elohim, Yahweh Aleph Tav, is very different than the elohim preached in synagogues and churches today. No one wants to preach about the elohim of evil who can be turned away by repentance as we saw in Jonah. Now this is an unthinkable injustice that has been done and is still perpetuated to the world. There will be shame on all of us for not speaking about Yahweh/Jesus correctly. We saw how bad it is to misrepresent Yahweh when Moses was not allowed to go into the Promised Land, and we have certainly misrepresented Him in this age.

Legalism is a religion, a false religion that bases some precepts on scripture but condemns and judges others. Legalism is a tree in one’s eye that tries to pick at the sawdust in another’s eye. Now legalism is not just following the Mosaic laws but all religious laws. I typically run into hyper religious people who spew venom at all those who do not live in the manner they themselves live. There is legalism among Christians and Jews, and it should be clear by now that neither is from Yahweh but instead the elohim of this world. Paul helps us understand this better and I like the way the Message personalizes this for us.

Gal 5:22-24 But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard — things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, 23 not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. 24 Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good — crucified. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

The reason legalism is helpless in bringing about the fruit of the spirit is because it is a false idol, a religion not based on Yahweh’s desire to redeem all people. It is a religion based on being judged by other people as to whether or not one lives up to the standard those judgmental ones set. Paul sums this up and deflates the god of legalism by this statement.

Rom 13:10 Love does no wrong to one's neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law. AMP

Love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the law. Love. Isn’t that what Jesus gave us as a new commandment? Love. If we have to follow the law then we do not have love. If we become legalistic and judgmental, condemning others we are not walking in love. If we have to distort scripture to erase Jesus from the Bible, we are not loving anyone. If we have to misrepresent Yahweh as bringing punishment now, when clearly there is an elohim of evil, we are not walking in love or fulfilling the commandment of love. If we have to socially engineer history to pretend that Jews love Yahweh but reject Jesus, we are as far from love as we can possibly be. I hate to sound cynical but most all good intentions regarding religious rules and practices end up saturated in a love for money. Religions of legalism are a monetary enterprise and someone is living comfortably from its prophets and profits while not fulfilling the law with love. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-new-commandment-disciples-and-friends.html

Rejecting Yahweh and rejecting Jesus is part of Jewish history that some try to manipulate. The made up religion of legalism is the substitute for love and trusting in the Messiah. Jesus didn’t come to condemn but because he is light, he was condemned. One day a new stone will be laid in Zion, those who believe on and trust in Jesus will not be ashamed. Those who trust in legalism and those who rule apart from Jesus will be licking dust off the feet of others. It is not up to man to make up a religious practice and present it to Yahweh as a proposal for what we humans are willing to do to gain redemption. It is up to man to receive salvation by trust in the Messiah and then to fulfill the law by love.