Displaying items by tag: unity

23 August 2013

How to Forgive

The Biblical principles regarding offense and forgiveness are essential to community life.  If we desire to remain in fellowship with one another then we should commit to follow the Bible's pattern for handling offense and granting forgiveness every time an offense occurs... even a minor one.

Consider the words of Paul in his letter to the believers in Colossae:

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. "
(Colossians 3:12-14)

 

Learn more about the steps outlined in Scripture for dealing with those who offend us and granting forgiveness.

 

 

Otherwise entitled, "Why Do We Seem to Exchange One Idol for Another?"

Update:The weekend of Jan 10-13, Tim Hegg visited our group in San Antonio. While he was here, he addressed some of the concerns we initially aired in this article. We revised the article and reposted after some clarifications were made.

 

In the Fall 2012 issue of Messiah Journal from First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ), Boaz Michael makes an impassioned plea to his readers that they reconsider and reject One-Law and Two-House teachings as particularly insidious forms of anti-Semitic replacement theology.

He is right.

Some "One-Law" groups disregard the fact that the Torah itself makes distinctions between different groups.  This is a form of idolatry in which Torah observance becomes the object of desire regardless of what the Torah and the apostles actually say.

"Two-House" theology ignores the fact that that the apostles rejoice at Gentiles (rather than "lost tribe members") coming to salvation.  This is a form of idolatry in which biological heritage in Israel becomes the object of desire regardless of what the Apostolic Writings actually say.

BUT... 

08 August 2009

Shema

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!"  Deuteronomy 6:4

The Lord is one.  One what?

The Hebrew word for "one" in this verse is ekhad.  It is Strong's #259 and means "one".  This word is used 712 times in the Tanakh.  Sometimes it is translated as "one" and other times it is translated (in the NASB) as "first".  The first time it is used is in Genesis 1:5-

God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

Yom echad: one day.  Here we see what is being counted: days.

Torah Portion

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or view this week's triennial cycle reading.

Today is

Yom Sh'lishi, 9 Adar II, 5784

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

 

Learn more about this date in history.