heresy – 11:3 Restoration

Modern inquisitions and being burned at the stake…

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a volume every believer should read. It is at once sad, amazing and instructive to read the accounts of those who stood in the face of the religious establishment, even going to the flame. Convinced of Scripture over the religious traditions and self appointed authorities of their day, men and women refused to back down from the crush of an all-powerful establishment preferring death to compromise.

Protestantism reveres the many martyrs who paved the way not only for the Reformation, but the spread of the ideas of the Reformation that broke the choke hold a few religious elites had on the Word of God. Ironically, those self-same elites would burn others at the stake who do not agree with their narrow understanding of Scripture, even when clearly shown Scripture that contradicts their assertions. More in a minute.

The Torah awakening that has been and continues to sweep the globe is not without many warriors who have paid a serious price to face off against the establishment. Anyone who has been on this walk for any period of time will receive serious confrontation by religious elites who don’t like their little boats rocked. This movement that began nearly thirty years ago, and now numbers in the millions, has battle hardened – and weary – leaders who have the wounds and scars of persecution from the establishment.

At the BYNA Summit several months ago I had the rare opportunity to enjoy dinner with Continue reading “Modern inquisitions and being burned at the stake…”

Evangelism, Heresy and the Eighth Article

I have a friend, Tom, who just returned from his 15th or 20th trip to Israel. He is a believer in Yeshua who looks very much like an Orthodox brother of Judah. For the last five or six years he has journeyed to Jerusalem for all of the pilgrim feasts, this time taking his 17 year old son for Pesach.

Each trip he prays for and is blessed with Divine appointments wherein he can share why he walks Torah and why he believes Yeshua is the Moshiach. The stories are interesting and varied. He does not have to initiate conversations and never pushes for some preconceived response. Rather, he simply tells his story.

On this trip, a mutual friend invited he and his son to join her for Erev Shabbat with an Orthodox couple. Upon arriving at the home, they found out the man of the house had not yet arrived, so the lady of the house and the lady who brought them began having a conversation. Tom and his son were shown to the patio and, to Tom’s curiosity, the patio door slowly slid shut Continue reading “Evangelism, Heresy and the Eighth Article”

Heresy Hunting, or Truth Telling?

I love James Pyles, my friend who hosts and writes My Morning Meditations. I pretty much knew that when I posted my ‘rather provocative challenge‘ that he would show up… I just didn’t expect to be described, albeit tongue in cheek, as a heresy hunter. Honestly, I’ve read his blog long enough to know the shoe fits his foot. But, it is funny, anyway.

His post, however, made me consider several thought trails…

My first thought was, “What would Rav Shaul/Paul have done if he had access to the internet? Would he have contended for truth on a blog among other medium? Would all of his blog posts have been cookies and cream, hugs and ‘get along,’ or would he have occasionally brought the hammer? Isn’t he provocative at points?”

That led to my immediate second thought, “Don’t we have more than just one tool in the tool bag? Continue reading “Heresy Hunting, or Truth Telling?”

The Apostle Paul was NOT a Christian!

Paul never converted to anything.

Christian mythos teaches that Saul, a rabbi, converted to Christianity. In fact, that is utter fallacy to support false doctrine/theology.

Here is what my New American Standard Bible says,

“Acts 9:1-3 (NASB)

The Conversion of Saul

9 Now ^[a]Saul, still breathing ^[b]threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, ²and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;… ”

First, that big ‘The Conversion of Saul,’ is inserted by the editors. It is not inspired Scripture, and the only thing it does is set the reader up with a FALSE premise! Continue reading “The Apostle Paul was NOT a Christian!”