Tag: Lutheran

Messianic Pharisees. Paradigm breakers!

As we discussed yesterday, Christendom is generally not taught to have a high regard for the Pharisees.  Yet, ironically, we hold several Pharisees up as models of faith!!  How can pharisee-2that be?

If you say, ‘because they stopped being a Pharisees,’ you would be wrong!!

Walk with me as we consider a couple Messianic Pharisees!

John 3:1-21 recounts the story of a Pharisees, Nicodemus, who sought out Yeshua by night to ask a few questions.  Nicodemus obviously understood something worthy of investigation was going on, he just did not understand it. It didn’t quite fit his box.  Instead of discounting it, he investigated!  The result is that he became a follower. Continue reading “Messianic Pharisees. Paradigm breakers!”

No Running!!!

Pool rules 8975As a child, I LOVED visiting the pool.  Maybe a neighbor’s pool or summer camp, etc.  Hot and humid South Carolina weather made the cool clear waters a wonderful respite.

Most pools we visited had some form of posted rules.

  • No running!
  • No diving!
  • No rough-housing, etc…

Often, breaking these rules led to the dreaded ‘time-out.’  All my friends playing and me sitting by mom or the life-guard watching… mournfully.

Had I been a more rebellious sort, I might have found that continued rule-breaking would lead to greater and greater penalties.  Possibly, even, not being invited back.

In my immaturity, my view of the rules, or ‘law of the pool,’ was that it was restrictive.  It seemed to needlessly curtail all the ‘fun!’  Pushing someone into the pool or chasing someone with a ‘rat-tail’ towel was a game!

As I grew older Continue reading “No Running!!!”

By what standard?? Pray tell!

… I can tell you what is NOT the standard!!

The Westminster Confession of Faith is NOT the standard!!
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith is NOT the standard!!
The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church are NOT the standard!!
The Confessions of the Lutheran Church are NOT the standard!! ….

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.         Hebrews 4:15

The author of the book of Hebrews tells us that Messiah Y’shua was without sin.  By what standard was this determination made?

the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.    I John 2:3-6

The Apostle John tells us that if we abide in the Messiah, then we will ‘walk as He walked.’  We will ‘do as He did.’  By what standard did He walk/do?

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.  I Cor. 11:1

If we are to imitate Rav Shaul who is imitating Messiah Y’shua, by what standard do we imitate? Continue reading “By what standard?? Pray tell!”