Dd-56. ARE CHRISTIANS GRAFTED INTO ISRAEL? DOWNLOAD to SAVE as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE. Dd-60. ARE CHRISTIANS GRAFTED INTO ISRAEL? What does Romans chapter 11 mean by the Gentiles being the WILD OLIVE branches GRAFTED INTO the NATURAL OLIVE tree that represents Israel? Some Christians in the Hebrew Roots Movement use Romans 11:24 to try and prove that Christians are grafted into ISRAEL because the natural Olive tree is symbolic for the people of Israel. And, therefore, according to their interpretation of Romans 11:24, Christians must become like the Hebrew Jews and KEEP all of the Law of Moses which is their “ROOT”. Thus, the name Hebrew ROOTS Movement which teaches Christians to be restored to the Hebraic ROOTS of keeping TORAH. They sincerely believe that Christians BECOME Israel and, therefore, to THEM since the children of Israel keep the Law of Moses, then that means Christians must also keep the Law of Moses except for the animal sacrifices and a few other things like stoning to death the Christians who break the FOURTH commandment. Well, let us see if they have CORRECTLY INTERPRETED Romans 11:24 in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. We will begin this study in God’s word by reading Romans 11:24. “For if YOU (Speaking of a sinning Gentile who is now saved) were cut OUT of the olive tree which is WILD by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a GOOD olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their OWN olive tree?” The FIRST question you need to ask is “Was the NATURAL olive tree GOOD?” Keep in mind that ALL the BRANCHES of the NATURAL Olive tree were CUT OFF because the natural olive tree had become a BAD Olive tree and no longer was accepted by God because of their PRIDE and BOASTING. The Old Covenant was ready to vanish away. The New Covenant had just been established in the shed blood of Jesus. This was the time of transitioning from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. God CONCLUDED all of Israel to be under sin. And thus, the ONLY way for any Jew to be saved is to be grated into the ROOT of the olive tree that every branch had been CUT OFF. And that ROOT of the GOOD olive tree is Jesus the ROOT of David. So, Christians are NOT grafted into Israel, but rather, we are NEW CREATURE grafted into the ROOT, Jesus Christ, the HOLY ROOT of the GOOD olive tree. Also, keep in mind that NO Gentile is cut out of the wild olive tree to become grafted into the GOOD Olive tree UNTIL they BELIEVE in Jesus as the atonement for their sins. For you see, the Gentiles were always dead in their sins. The Gentiles never had a COVENANT relationship with God. Using the two olive trees is simply an illustration to explain how BOTH the Jews and the Gentiles are to come into a NEW COVENANT relationship with God that is pleasing to God. They are BOTH cut out or cut off from their OLD relationship and or a non-relationship with God and then they are grafted INTO a new relationship with God which was prophesied to come before the foundation of the world. Then and ONLY then are they grafted into the GOOD olive tree that God has created by FAITH in the NEW COVENANT. Again, NONE of the children of ISRAEL are GRAFTED BACK into the ROOT of the GOOD Olive tree UNTIL THEY believe in Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Then and ONLY then are any Jews GRAFTED into the GOOD Olive tree. Think of the GOOD olive tree as a THIRD Olive tree of God's NEW CREATION who are created in Jesus Christ which are his chosen people RECONCILED back to Almighty God. And by “CHOSEN” people I am speaking of BOTH the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. Many are called but few are chosen. In other words, God is doing a NEW thing on the earth which is called the NEW COVENANT, because Israel kept breaking the Old Covenant. Even the very Apostles of Jesus teach us in Acts 15:10 that they nor their fathers were NOT able to bear the YOKE of the Law of Moses. So then, by God CONCLUDING all of mankind to be under sin and fallen short of his glory the natural Olive tree essentially became a BAD olive tree that is no longer accepted by God. And God did that to show His grace and mercy to save both Israel and the Gentiles. And, therefore, all the children of Israel ALSO must be RECONCILED to God by their FAITH in God’s NEW COVENANT. Please allow me the grace to explain this in another way. Why was Israel no longer accepted by God? Because her ROOT became filled with PRIDE and BOASTING as being the CHOSEN people of God. To say this yet another way, God cut OFF ALL her branches and placed a NEW ROOT in the old natural Olive tree to make it HIS new Olive tree, a GOOD Olive tree, wherein there is NO boasting. Then God began GRAFTING in some of the NATURAL olive branches into his NEW CREATION which is created IN Jesus Christ. And by doing this God is making their ROOT good and the tree good in order to bear good fruit. BUT after a time of preaching the gospel of God’s New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ, no more natural branches wanted to be GRAFTED into this GOOD Olive tree, that God was creating. So God turned to the GENTILES in order to provoke the children of Israel to jealousy. Now, any Jew can still be grafted into the GOOD Olive tree but time is running out. This present age is quickly coming to an end for both Jews and Gentiles to be grafted into God’s GOOD Olive tree. What I mean by this is that ONLY Christians will be given eternal life to rule and reign with Jesus over the mortals who repent during the wrath of God. Jesus is returning a SECOND time to deliver a REMNANT of Israel and a remnant of the Gentile nations that will call upon the name of the Lord to be saved alive AT the coming of Jesus. So trust me when I say that you will want to be found IN Jesus Christ as a new creature created in Jesus BEFORE Jesus comes again. For you see, only a small REMNANT of people will remain alive after the WRATH of God. So then, this GOOD Olive tree with Yahweh’s GOOD ROOT, speaking of His Son Jesus Christ as being God’s good root, is NEITHER Israel nor the heathen Gentiles. But rather the GOOD Olive tree is Christianity being ROOTED and grounded in the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. The ROOT of a tree is its FOUNDATION and NATURAL Israel is NOT built on the FOUNDATION of Jesus Christ. Therefore, TRUE believers in Jesus, as the Christ, the Son of the living God, are NOT grafted into ISRAEL. But rather BOTH the Jews AND the Gentile who BELIEVE in Jesus are rather grafted into God's NEW creation that is created as NEW CREATURES, created in Jesus Christ, the Holy ROOT of God’s GOOD Olive tree. Jesus is the FOUNDATION or the ROOT of God’s new creation. Jesus is the ROOT of David AND also the offspring of David. In other words, God made Jesus of the seed or offspring of David to BECOME the ROOT of David. The source of life comes from the ROOT. Now I want you to prove what I just taught to you by your reading the whole context of Romans 11:24. Please read Romans 11:1-32. “I say then, Has God cast away his people? (In other words, had God cast away the children of Israel by CONCLUDING them ALL to be under sin so that he could establish his New Covenant?) God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2. God has not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot you not (Or do you not understand) what the Scripture says in Isaiah? how he makes intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3. Lord, they have killed your prophets, and destroyed your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4. But what said the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (This means that God has CONCLUDED ALL to be UNDER SIN. And God did this so that both Israel and the Gentiles who BELIEVE in Jesus may become HIS workmanship and not our OWN workmanship. For you see, there is always boasting and pride looking down on others being inferior when a person is made righteous by their OWN works. Please read Galatians 3:21-29. “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. Gal 3:22 But the Scripture has concluded ALL under sin, that the promise by FAITH of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Gal 3:25 But after that faith has come we are no longer under a schoolmaster. [Or the Jewish Christians are no longer under the Law of God CONTAINED in ORDINANCES. Please read the study called Dd-5. What Does Contained in ORDINANCES Mean?] Gal 3:26 For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:29 And if you are Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” In other words, if you are GRAFTED into the GOOD Olive tree that God is creating, then you are NO LONGER a JEW nor are you a Gentile. But rather you are now a NEW CREATION created in Jesus Christ. In fact, you are no longer a male or female in the eyes of God. And thus, the custom of covering a woman’s head is NOT a commandment in the New Testament under the NEW Covenant. Please read the study L-6. MUST A WOMAN’S HEAD BE COVERED?) 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7. What then? Israel has NOT obtained that which he seeks for; (Now, seeing the ISRAEL has NOT obtained grace, then why would anyone seek to be grafted into ISRAEL) BUT the election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded (This means that the Gospel was preached to the JEWS FIRST and all those who received the call of God’s grace to be grafted back into God's favor which is God's NEW CREATION created in His Son Jesus Christ into the GOOD Olive tree obtained salvation under the NEW COVENANT and the REST of Israel was blinded in part. It is NOt the NATURAL olive tree of Israel that we are grafted into, but rather, it is the GOOD Olive tree of God’s NEW CREATION of new creatures created in Jesus Christ that we are gifted into the ROOT of that GOOD Olive tree) 8. (According as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9. And David said, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them: 10. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always. 11. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their FALL salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. (This means that ALL the JEWS or ALL of Israel who REMAIN under the OLD COVENANT have NOT obtained the salvation of God under God’s NEW and BETTER Covenant that is NOT burdensome to bear. And because God CUT OFF ALL the old natural olive branches, then that means that the children of Israel MUST be grafted INTO the NEW COVENANT in order to be accepted by God. And only SOME of the old natural olive branches that were cut off BELIEVED in God’s NEW COVENANT in order to be GRAFTED back into the good ROOT of the natural Olive at the first coming of Jesus during the early church before God turned to the Gentiles. This NEW CREATION of God has become HIS WORKMANSHIP to eliminate ALL boasting and pride. God turned to the Gentiles so he could PROVOKE the JEWS to jealousy, at the end of days, when the church is glorified and Israel is not given eternal life at the second coming of Jesus) 12. Now if the FALL of THEM (Speaking of the Jews who rejected and who are still rejecting Jesus as their Messiah) be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? (Speaking of the fullness of the Gentiles at the end of this age when the fullness of the Gentiles have come in the latter day harvest during the latter day rain of the Holy Spirit) 13. For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14. If by any means I may provoke them to emulation, (Or jealousy) which are my flesh, and might save SOME of them. (Paul is saying that while Jesus appointed him to the Gentiles he still has a desire for the people of his own nationality to be saved) 15. For if the casting away of them (Speaking of the UNBELIEVING Jews that have been CUT OFF unless they BELIEVE in God’s New Covenant) be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (In other words, ALL of natural Israel is DEAD in their SINS. Also, Paul is speaking of the end of days when the Jews recognize Jesus whom their fathers pierced as their Messiah, but it will be too late for them to receive eternal life at that point in time but God saves them from death to go into the Millennium in their MORTAL bodies) 16. For IF the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: (In other words, IF the firstfruits remain in Jesus Christ who is the FIRSTFRUIT unto God and we remain in HIS holiness, then the whole lump will be holy. The problem is that the firstfruits were NOT remaining in Jesus Christ and SOME were going back to the LAW to establish their OWN holiness by keeping the Law of Moses) and IF the ROOT be holy, so are the branches. (Or so are the branches holy because of the Holy ROOT, Jesus Christ our RIGHTEOUSNESS. In a moment you will see TWO ROOTS. The root that God himself made HOLY and the root of PRIDE and boasting which God has cut out of his GOOD OLIVE TREE that he is GRAFTING in HIS chosen branches. Israel's ROOT is NOT Holy because they are not in Jesus, the ROOT of David) 17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, (Speaking of the Gentiles who were concluded under sin and cut off by their coming to understand that they were dead in their sins and they needed a Savior to being grafted into the GOOD Olive tree with God’s Holy ROOT Jesus Christ) and with them (Speaking of the Jews who were grafted back into the olive tree to) partake of the ROOT and fatness of the olive tree; (The whole symbolism of the olive tree is being a chosen PEOPLE of God. The Hebrew people were God’s FIRST chosen people. God has not rejected them, BUT God has CHOSEN a NEW PEOPLE which is His NEW CREATION created in His Son Jesus Christ as the ONLY means to be made Holy) 18. Boast not against the branches. (Remember that the ONLY branches on the tree were GRAFTED back in after ALL the old branches had been cut OFF by God CONCLUDING ALL to be under SIN. In other words, we as Christians should NOT boast against the natural branches of Israel that God CUT OFF and are no longer a part of ANY olive tree by not being grafted into GOD’S GOOD Olive tree. So then, BEFORE God turned to the Gentiles, the only branches on his GOOD Olive tree were Jews who received and believed in the NEW COVENANT by believing that Jesus is their Messiah the Son of the living God. So, Paul is WARNING the Gentile Christians and the Jewish Christians to NOT be like the OLD branches and the OLD ROOT having PRIDE and BOASTING) But if YOU boast, you bear NOT the ROOT, (Speaking of the new Holy ROOT, Jesus Christ) but the root you. (Speaking of the OLD root that was rooted out which is that ROOT of PRIDE and BOASTING which God hates. Another way to explain this is that we must always remember that the ROOT, speaking of Jesus, is the reason we are saved. And knowing this we have NO room to boast. For you see, boasting was of the OLD root of obeying all the Law of Moses contained in ordinances. So rather than BOASTING) 19. You will say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. (In other words, do NOT look DOWN upon the JEWS as inferior to you now that you have become a NEW CREATION of God created in Jesus Christ, but rather be THANKFUL that God chose to turn to the Gentiles. Likewise, the Jewish Christians are not to look down upon their own people as being inferior to them being deceived by unbelief.) 20. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by FAITH. Be NOT high minded, but fear: (In other words, do NOT boast that God has now chosen you to be His NEW Holy People, BY FAITH in his Son Jesus Christ, and has cut off all who do NOT believe in his Son Jesus as the atonement for their sins. For you see, IF you do BOAST, then you do not have the truth abiding in you and it is that OLD ROOT of PRIDE who is controlling you causing you to fall from your faith, as if YOU saved yourself by your own works of righteousness) 21. For if God spared NOT the natural branches, (Because of their PRIDE and BOASTING in their OWN works of righteousness) take heed lest he also spare not YOU. (When YOU boast in your OWN works of righteousness of trying to keep the Law of Moses saying things like ‘Why do not all Christians keep the Sabbath day as WE do?’) 22. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which FELL, severity; (Speaking of God’s chosen people Israel who did NOT receive God’s NEW COVENANT as being those who FELL and have been CUT OFF until a Jew BELIEVES that Jesus is their Messiah) but toward you (Speaking of those of us who BELIEVE in Jesus as our Sabbath REST), goodness, IF you CONTINUE in HIS goodness: OTHERWISE you ALSO shall be cut off. (In other words, do NOT desire to be under the Law of Moses which was only the SCHOOLMASTER to lead the Jews to Jesus and the NEW Covenant) 23. And they also, IF they abide NOT STILL in UNBELIEF, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. (Meaning that God cut them OUT of their OWN olive tree so that he could graft them into HIS GOOD Olive tree with a good ROOT, Jesus Christ) 24. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature (NOT knowing the TRUE God at all), and were grafted contrary to nature into a GOOD olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches (Who HAVE known the TRUE God), be GRAFTED into their own olive tree? (Which they were cut off from because they broke the Old Covenant. This GOOD Olive tree is NOT Israel under the OLD COVENANT but rather it is God’s GOOD Olive tree that is keeping his NEW COVENANT.) 25. For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. (Speaking of the end of this present age right before Jesus returns to deal with Israel a SECOND TIME in the world to come. In other words, there will be yet another church age DURING the Millennium in which a SECOND harvest will be gathered together at the END of the 1000 year reign of Jesus) 26. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (Please understand that this does NOT mean that every single natural-born child of Israel will be saved. This simply means that there will be TWO HARVESTS. There will be one harvest BEFORE the Millennium and then a second harvest at the end of the Millennium. And ONLY those who BELIEVE will be saved) 27. For this is my covenant unto them, (Speaking of God’s NEW COVENANT given at BOTH the first coming of Jesus AND again a SECOND time at the second coming of Jesus) when I shall take away their sins. 28. As concerning the GOSPEL, they (Speaking of the JUDAIZING Jews) are ENEMIES for your sakes: BUT as touching the election (Speaking of those Jews who BELIEVE in the NEW COVENANT), they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. (Or the Jews who have received God’s NEW COVENANT, to CONTINUE in the Holy ROOT Jesus Christ keeping the NEW Covenant, are beloved of Almighty God the Father) 29. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Meaning that there is no turning back to the old Gentile ways of paganism. And in the case of natural Israel there is no turning back to the OLD COVENANT) 30. For as you in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31. Even so have these also now not believed, (Speaking of natural Israel that has NOT believed in the New Covenant) that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. (In other words, just as God showed YOU mercy now you show the Jews mercy, giving them the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ) 32. For God has concluded them ALL in unbelief, that he might have MERCY upon all.” All unbelief is SIN according to Revelation 21:7,8. “He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” And the TRUTH of the whole matter for WHY there is even a Hebrew Roots Movement at all is because of the spirit of FEAR and UNBELIEF to REST fully in God’s NEW COVENANT established in the shed blood of Jesus, our TRUE Sabbath REST. Please read the study called Dd-13. Is JESUS OUR TRUE SABBATH REST? The Jews who became Christians in the early church were subverted by the Jews and they began to DOUBT that they were saved. They began FEARING that they must keep all the Law of Moses to be saved. Now, those in the Hebrew Roots Movement will CLAIM that they are NOT keeping the Law of Moses to be SAVED. They will argue that they are only keeping the Law of Moses to be more pleasing to God. And to that argument, I say, HOGWASH! Just ask them that if they break any one of the MORAL commandments of God such and stealing, adultery, or murder if that would be a SIN. Ask them if they MUST OBEY all the MORAL commandments of God in order to NOT sin and obtain eternal life in the world to come. Ask them if they do sin by disobeying any moral commandment if they must ask for forgiveness and repent of their sinning in order to be forgiven. In other words, every true believer in Jesus MUST overcome sin by obeying all the MORAL commandments in order to receive eternal life in the world to come. And if we SIN by breaking any MORAL commandment we MUST confess and repent of those sins in order to receive eternal life in the world to come. So to say this another way, we OBEY all the MORAL commandments of God because God REQUIRES us to do so lest we SIN. And the wages of SIN is DEATH. And thus, our keeping of the MORAL commandments of God is NOT an OPTION. We do not obey the moral commandment of God just to more pleasing to God. We keep the moral commandments of God in order to overcome and be granted the right to eat of the tree of eternal life in the world to come. And anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear knows full well that all the seventh day of the week Sabbath keeping Christians keep the weekly Sabbath and the Law of Moses to RECEIVE eternal life in the world to come. They live in FEAR that if they do NOT keep the Law of Moses, then they will NOT receive eternal life in the world to come. But yet they LOVE making the LIE that they are not keeping the Law of Moses to be saved. Please read Revelation 22:14,15. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, (Speaking of Christians who are obeying the commandments of Jesus under the NEW COVENANT written in the New Testament, the MORAL commandments of God repeated throughout the New Testament) that they (Speaking of only the faithful obedient Christians to the NEW COVENANT) may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.” Now, those in the Hebrew Roots Movement will LIE to their unsuspecting converts by telling them that they do NOT keep the Law of Moses to be saved. But after they are converted or Judaized by the Hebrew Roots Movement then they are dogmatically told that if they do NOT keep all the Law of Moses then they will NOT be granted the right to receive ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come. And they LOVE making this lie over and over to SUBVERT Christians to keep the Law of Moses. So be forewarned that no liar will inherit eternal life. The COMMANDMENTS here in Revelation 22:14 are speaking of the commandments in the NEW COVENANT written in the New Testament. For you see, the great apostle PETER and the whole early church gave no such commandment to keep the Law of Moses. Please read Acts 15:5,10,24. “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses… …10. Now therefore, why TEMPT you God, to put a YOKE upon the neck of the disciples, which NEITHER our fathers NOR WE were able to bear?... ...24. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, AND keep the law: to whom WE gave no such commandment:” Please notice that it was only the CERTAIN of the sect of Pharisees the ROSE UP using their OWN interpretation of the Scriptures to compel and SUNVERT other Christians to keep the Law of Moses. Also notice that they were NOT given any such commandment or teaching by the Apostles at Jerusalem. It was only that SECT that lived in FEAR that if they did not keep all of the Law of Moses, then they would not receive eternal life in the world to come. And it is that SAME FEAR that motivated the first Hebrew roots movement pioneer, FEARING that he or she was NOT keeping the FOURTH commandment that he or she was SINNING being ignorant of the TRUTH that under the NEW COVENANT Jesus was his or her Sabbath REST. And from that ONE thought, planted in the first Hebrew roots movement pioneer, he or she spread that seed of DOUBT and FEAR to begin to leaven the whole lump to keep ALL the Law of Moses. They are REMOVING themselves from the ROOT of the good olive tree by their WRONG thinking that Christians are grafted into ISRAEL. The TRUTH of the whole matter is that the New Testament church did NOT teach believers in Jesus Christ to keep ANY DAY of the week above any other day of the week. Please read all of Romans chapter 14 but I will only quote Romans 14:4-6. Romans 14:4-6. “Who are you to judge another man's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be held up: for God is able to make him stand. 5. One man esteems ONE day ABOVE another: another esteems EVERY day ALIKE. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6. He that regards the day, (Or he that esteems ONE day of the week above every other day of the week) regards it unto the Lord; and he that regards not the day, (And he who does NOT esteem ANY day above any other day) to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks.” Now, IF SO BE that Paul was teaching in Romans chapter 11 that to be grafted in the natural olive tree means that we as Christians are to keep the OLD Covenant that was given ONLY to the Children of ISRAEL during the Old Testament times, then God's word is contradicting itself. You can NOT have it BOTH ways. Paul can NOT be saying that being grafted into Israel means that we must live like a Jew and obey the Old Covenant Law of Moses, and then say that we are NOT to esteem any day above any other day. Paul would be contradicting himself. For you see, Israel does indeed esteem the SEVENTH DAY above every other day of the week. And thus, IF SO BE that we WRONGLY INTERPRET Paul’s word of being grafted into the Olive tree to mean that we MUST esteem the weekly Sabbath day above the other days of the week as the Jews do, then Paul is contradiction his own words in Romans chapter 14. And we know that God’s word does not contradict itself. And, therefore, either the Hebrew Roots INTERPRETATION of being grafted into the ISRAEL, the NATURAL olive tree, is in error, or the NON seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping interpretation of Romans chapter 14 is in error by teaching that we are grafted into the GOOD Olive tree having the Holy ROOT, Jesus Christ. Can you not see that NATURAL Israel is LOST because ALL of the branches have been cut OFF by God for the purpose of being grafted into God’s GOOD Olive tree with His Son, Jesus as being the Holy ROOT. In Romans chapter 14, Paul is ALLOWING those who are WEAK in their FAITH in the NEW COVENANT to keep the Seventh day Sabbath in hopes of provoking them to jealousy. But at the same time, Paul is teaching us who do NOT esteem any day above and other days of the week, months, or year to NOT allow them to JUDGE us, who are STRONG in our faith in the NEW COVENANT. Paul wants them to ALSO see that Jesus is our TRUE Sabbath REST, and that we are NOT to keep ANY day of the week in order to be more pleasing to God. In other words, Paul is saying that we are to work out our own salvation between us and God with fear and trembling. If you look at the end of Paul’s ministry you can see that he grew tired of or frustrated with the contending with the Judaizing Jews and the Judaizing Jewish Christians who were subverting other Christians to keep the Law of Moses. Can you not see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ that it was the UNBELIEVING JEWS who were stirring up all the trouble in the church by subverting the faith of the Jewish Christians to return to keeping all the Law of Moses. And then, a CERTAIN SECT of the Pharisees ROSE UP who then subverted the SOULS of some of the Gentile Christians to be circumcised and to keep ALL of the Law of Moses? At first, the unbelieving Jews TROUBLED the new Gentile believers that they MUST be circumcised AND keep the Law of Moses to be saved. Please read Acts 14:1-4. “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great multitude BOTH of the Jews and also of the Greeks BELIEVED. 2. BUT the UNBELIEVING Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 3. Therefore, they abode there for a long time speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.” Now I do not know about YOU, but as for me and my house, we are going to serve the Lord in the NEWNESS of the SPIRIT by siding with the APOSTLES of Jesus Christ. I will never side with the JEWS who keep the old covenant law in the oldness of the letter of the law. In other words, when Paul said in Colossians 2:5-17, that the Sabbath days were SHADOWS pointing to the TRUE, then I am going to believe the Apostles of Jesus Christ over the JUDAIZING Hebrew Roots Movement. REMEMBER that those who do NOT CONTINUE in the TRUTH of the faith shall be CUT OFF. They are FALLEN for GRACE. Their faith in Jesus is in VAIN. Their faith is WEAK in the NEW COVENANT to be enough to save them if they continue to fear that they must keep the Law of Moses. They THINK that they are being more pleasing to God, but in truth, they are DISPLEASING God by not FULLY trusting in His Son Jesus. Romans 11:22. “Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, IF you CONTINUE in HIS goodness: OTHERWISE you ALSO shall be cut off.” Paul is saying that God concluded ALL of ISRAEL to be in unbelief to be cut off from the Olive tree which is symbolic to be in a covenant relationship with God. Paul is saying that BY FAITH in the NEW COVENANT any Jew and any Gentile can be GRAFTED into a covenant relationship by their FAITH IN Jesus. Paul is saying that towards those of us who BELIEVE is the GOODNESS of God IF we CONTINUE unto the end in God’s goodness of his NEW COVENANT. OTHERWISE, we also who began in FAITH will be cut off if we try and keep both the old and the new covenants. Galatians 2:5. “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; (In other words, NO! Not even for a single moment did we give place to believe those Judaizing Jews and Judaizing Christians to keep the Law of Moses) that the TRUTH of the gospel might CONTINUE with you.” Galatians 2:14. “But when I saw that they walked NOT uprightly according to the TRUTH of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, live after the manner of Gentiles, and NOT as do the Jews, why compel you the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Ephesians 1:13. “In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of TRUTH, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” Colossians 1:5. “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof you heard before in the word of the TRUTH of the gospel;” 2 Corinthians 11:12.
“But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; (Meaning that if Paul could somehow shield believers from those who desire to lord over the flock. In other words, Paul was saying that if he could keep believers from hearing false teaching he would) that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.” Read 2 Corinthians chapter 11, to see for yourself if Paul, who was a Hebrew of Hebrews and an Israelite, obeyed the OLD COVENANT or if he warned Christians about keeping the Old Covenant? Galatians 5:12. “I wish that they were even cut off, which trouble you.” Please read Galatians chapter 5 and see WHO was troubling the church. In fact, read ALL of the book of Galatians to know and understand once and for all time that it was the JUDAIZING JEWS who were subverting true-born again Christians to be brought under the BONGAGE of keeping TORAH and that they are the ENEMY of the church, as we read in Romans 11:28. And this is exactly what Satan is doing again through his followers in the Hebrew Roots Movement. Please read Galatians 5:6-14. “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but FAITH which works by love. 7. You did run well; who did HINDER you that you should NOT obey the TRUTH? 8. This PERSUASION (Or this JUDAIZING Hebrew Roots Movement PERSUASION) comes NOT OF Him that calls you. 9 A little leaven will leaven the whole lump. (Leaven equals or symbolizes FALSE teaching and it only takes a little false teaching to begin making the whole lump false and cut off unless they repent and come back to the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ) 10. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: but he that trouble you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he is. 11. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross is ceased. (In other words, if Paul TRULY teaches Christians to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses, then he would not have been PERSECUTED for preaching the cross of Jesus Christ, which OFFENDED the Jews) 12. I wish they were even cut off which trouble you. (Or I would that I could keep them which trouble you away from you so that they cannot preach to you their false gospel) 13. For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (In other words, do not boast of your freedom in Jesus Christ or you are no better than them who BOAST in keeping the law under the Old Covenant written in the Old Testament) 14. For all the law is FULFILLED in one word, even in this; You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself.” In this SAME letter to the church at Galatia, Paul writes that he is AFRAID of them because they have desired to be brought UNDER the LAW of Moses. Please read Galatians 4:3-11. “Even so WE, when WE were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: (Paul is INCLUDING himself in the pronoun WE here calling the BONDAGE of the elements of the world the LAW of Moses) 4. BUT when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the LAW, 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because YOU are sons, (YOU have been REDEEMED from being UNDER the LAW that was BONDAGE under the elements and rudiments of the world, speaking of the ceremonial services to God using material things such as the Temple in Jerusalem) God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7. Wherefore, YOU are NO MORE a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (You are NO MORE a servant of the Law of Moses even though you have never been under the law) 8. Howbeit then, when you knew NOT God, you did service unto them which by nature are no gods. (However, BEFORE you were saved you were still UNDER BONDAGE of sin by serving false idol gods which is just another type of weak and beggarly elements of the world, as in, a worldly ceremonial service to a deity, a false god or the only true God. For you see, BOTH paganism AND the Law of Moses have worldly ceremonial services to their respective god and true God. BOTH Paganism AND the Law of Moses have days that they esteem above other days. And, therefore, it is a matter of INTERPRETATION to dogmatically demand that Paul is speaking ONLY about the elements of Paganism. The CONTEXT, on the other hand, has much to say about the LAW of Moses. So my interpretation is based upon the CONTEXT of all of Paul’s teaching along with the teachings of Peter and the other Apostles who gave no such commandment to keep the LAW of Moses to be more pleasing to God or to receive eternal life in the world) 9. But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you AGAIN to the weak and beggarly elements, where unto you desire AGAIN to be in bondage? 10. You observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11. I am AFRAID of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.” Now one can argue till Jesus comes about whether these Gentile Christians RETURNED to their ceremonial service to idols OR if they turned AGAIN to a NEW to them weak and beggarly elements of keeping the Sabbath DAYS under the LAW of Moses. For ME, with the ENTIRE CONTEXT of this entire letter to the Galatians, I must conclude that they came out of the bondage of serving idols to be set FREE IN Jesus Christ for a while only to be SEDUCED by Judaizing Christians and the Jews to be drawn back into ANOTHER bondage of keeping the Sabbath DAYS, the WEEKLY Sabbath DAYS, the monthly new moon festivals and the YEARLY feasts. But no matter WHAT you decide that the beggarly elements were, the FACT remains that Paul was AFRAID for them for OBSERVING DAYS above other days. And keeping ANY day of the week as an OBLIGATION or a REQUIRED SERVICE TO God is NOT taught anywhere in the New Testament under the NEW COVENANT. However, on the other hand, there are MANY places in the New Testament teaching us and even WARNING Christians to NOT let anyone judge us for NOT keeping the Sabbaths days. So then, in conclusion, when either a Jew or a Gentile becomes a Christian they become a NEW CREATURE created IN Jesus Christ and they are NO LONGER a JEW or a Gentile but now we have become ONE new man in Jesus Christ. Please read Ephesians 2:10-16. “For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, (And NOT unto the keeping of TORAH, but rather unto good DEEDS to others walking in LOVE and thereby fulfilling all the MORAL laws) which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. 11. Wherefore, remember that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12. That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of PROMISE, (Speaking of the covenant of Abraham by promise and the NEW COVENANT by promise) having no hope, and without God in the world: 13. But now in Christ Jesus (And not in ISRAEL under the OLD Covenant but rather in Jesus Christ under the NEW COVENANT written in the New Testament) you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (We are NOT drawn closer to God by keeping the CEREMONIAL laws, commandments, and ordinances written in the Old Testament under the OLD Covenant. In fact, by trying to keep the OLD Covenant, you are proving that you do NOT TRUST fully in God’s NEW COVENANT. Your faith is WEAK in the NEW Covenant. Those deceived by the Hebrew Roots Movement are NOT truly RESTING in Jesus and the promises in the New Testament to CEASE from their OWN works of keeping the law contained in ORDINANCES) 14. For HE is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (That pride and arrogance of being high minded thinking that they are better than the others) 15. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one NEW man, so making peace; 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:” Jesus slew the LAW of commandments contained in ordinances. The handwriting of ordinances were the INSTRUCTIONS on HOW TO keep the commandments. So then, the HOW TO keep the law of circumcision under the Old Covenant written in the Old Testament was the cutting of the FLESH made with human hands. But NOW the HOW TO keep the law of circumcision has CHANGED under the NEW COVENANT to be made WITHOUT hands of the FLESH whereby Jesus has become our circumcision and the OLD way to keep that law of circumcision was NAILED to the cross and taken out of the way. And the same is true of the feast of Passover and all the feast days which were a SHADOW pointing to Jesus. And the SAME is true of the WEEKLY Sabbath which was given ONLY to the CHILDREN of Israel for THEM to keep throughout THEIR generations as a SIGN to THEM to REMEMBER WHO is their DELIVERER out of the BONDAGE of Egypt. So, that they would see the SIGN of their MESSIAH, Jesus, who delivered them out of the BONDAGE of SIN. Please read the study Dd-15. THE SABBATH REST WAS A SIGN! But we as Christians who KNOW that all the ceremonial ordinances, including the weekly Sabbath, were SHADOWS pointing to the TRUE, then we do not keep the SHADOWS but WE keep the TRUE by RESTING in Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sins. We obey the laws that Jesus gave to us under the NEW COVENANT written in the New Testament. Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to read ALL the studies that I gave links to throughout this study concerning this subject on Sabbath TRUTH. My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
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If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com. Some Sabbath-keeping Christians CLAIM that the early church kept the Sabbath as the Jews, but I assure you that the early first-century church was accustomed to gathering together BEFORE the light of daybreak on the FIRST day of the week that THEY called the Lord's day. Please read all the studies linked within this study and all the studies linked below. This study was just the TIP of the iceberg of exposing the ERRORS of interpretation made by the Saturday seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping churches, and the Sunday first day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians. All of the studies listed under the subject heading >>>Dd-0. What is the TRUE Sabbath?<<< And also read Dd-20. Did The Early Church KEEP the Sabbath day to learn the truth of what the early church believed. Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God. Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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