Dear Believer, Do you truly love Yahushua?
How does Yahushua measure our love for Him?
Of the many words Yahushua spoke to His disciples, the following words continue to shout out a message for us today:
If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
Here we are told that ‘if’ we would be among those who truly love Him, we will keep His commandments. Yahushua reveals that His measuring-stick or ‘test’ of our love for Him is clearly seen in how we keep His commandments.
But then Yahushua tells those living in the last days that they have a problem:
And because iniquity<458> shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)
Here Yahushua says that in the last days, the love of many shall grow cold. That is, many of Yahushua’s own people will cease to ‘love’ Him according to His measuring-stick. Yahushua’s own people will become infected, as it were, with the sickness of lack of love.
The Sickness
When a patient shows symptoms of a sickness or disease, an accurate diagnosis is required in order that a remedy might be given. Likewise Yahushua, in telling us of our sickness, identifies in Matthew 24:12 above, both the cause, and the remedy, or cure.
The sickness is that many of His own people will grow cold in their love for Yahushua.
The symptom (His test or measuring-stick) is that His people will cease to keep His commandments.
Let’s now look at the cause, in order to find the cure, or remedy.
The Cause
We have seen above that the symptom of the Believers’ own lack of love for Yahushua is that they have grown cold in keeping His commandments.
Now the cause and the remedy can now be seen, and identified.
“…because iniquity<458> shall abound…”
Notice in the phrase, “because iniquity shall abound,” Yahushua confirms not only the symptom, but confirms that both the cause, and the cure, are related to keeping His commandments. To shine some light on the matter, let’s look at the Greek words used here.
The word translated ‘iniquity’ is the Greek word anomia, Strong’s number <458>, meaning “without law; transgression of the law, or lawlessness” (See Notes below). This word, and its companion word anomos <459>, are used 25 times in the New Testament writings.
Together, these two words describe New Testament people, Believers and Non-Believers alike, who are destitute of the practice of the Mosaic law (Torah), the Prophets and the Writings, and are thus considered lawless, violators of the Law, and are called ‘wicked’ by Scripture, because of their practices (Ps 119:53; Prov 18:4; 1Co 5:13; 2Pet 3:17).
Many have come to Yahushua and have been redeemed by His Blood. Many of these Redeemed ones have then heard from their leaders that the Commandments, and the Law, have been done away with. This notion is not found anywhere in the New Testament, but is a Last-Days Doctrine of Men, concocted by the enemy—designed to cause the love of the Believers to grow cold, so that the commandments are not kept.
Jude warned us of these spiritual Leaders in Jude 4, as he explains that even in his day, men had crept in unawares, corrupting the Grace of Yahuweh by false teachings. This false teaching is none other than the Doctrine of Balaam, which is simply the denial of the earlier word of Yahuweh, while holding to the later word of Yahuweh.
The Doctrine of Balaam then results in the practice of the Error of Balaam in the lives of the Believers, for we see that Jude goes on to tell us that this error of distorting of Biblical Grace (in verse 4) can be seen in ones walk in the Way of Cain (verse 11), and in the practice of the Error of Balaam (verse 11), which results in lack of fruit (righteous actions, deeds, and practice) (verses 12 and 15).
But let’s notice the remedy!
The Remedy
Yahushua continues to call out to His disciples today,
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
Those who truly know Him have noticed these verses:
Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual<05769> (“everlasting”) covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:16-18)
But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. (Luke 11:20)
Dear Believer, whose Finger wrote the Commandments on the tablets, and then gave them to Moses?
Whose hand holds the Finger of God?
Yahushua is asking us today, “Whom do you say that I am?”
Those Who Know Him
Those who truly know Him, are those who love Him, and who keep His commandments, including those He gave to Moses. They also love the children of Yahweh, for they love Yahuweh, and keep His Commandments (1Jo 5:2-3). They also participate in His Sabbaths, and in doing so, display the sign (token, ensign, or banner) that they are partakers of the Everlasting Covenant in Yahushua’s Blood (Ex 31:16; Heb 13:20).
Those who truly know Him, are likewise those who desire to be grafted-in to Yahuweh’s people called Israel. These embrace all the Everlasting Covenant provisions of Israel, and so likewise become partakers in the promises made to Israel. These are those today, who are the Wise Virgins. They will be among the Bride-Company.
Those Who Do Not Know Him
Those who do not truly know Him, are those whose love for Him has grown cold, because through iniquity they ignore “MY Commandments” written with the Finger of God. They also can not love the children of Yahuweh, for they do not love Yahuweh, and do not keep His Commandments (1Jo 5:2-3).
There are many today who are Born-Again, but do not yet truly know Him. These continue to hope for the promises made to those grafted-in to Yahuweh’s people called Israel. While desiring to become partakers in the New Covenant promises made to Israel, these continue to refuse to walk in all the Everlasting Covenant provisions given to Israel.
They have not yet realised that the New Covenant has been made, not with a Gentile body, but only with Israel and Judah (Jer 31:31-33), and any Gentiles desiring participation must become grafted-in to Israel (Romans 11:13-24).
These will not be among the Bride-Company, the Early (Barley) Firstfruits Harvest. Instead, they will be among the leavened (full of sin) Latter Firstfruits “Pentecost” Wheat Harvest.
These are seen in the wave offering of the two leavened loaves of Shavuot, whereby the wheat must first go under the tribulum of separation, then ground into fine flour, and made into loaves, only to be put into the oven—the furnace of tribulation necessary to coax them to become fully baked, finally persuaded to walk in obedience.
These are the multitudes of Believers today, who seek for the Bridegroom’s return, but have not made themselves ready, by walking in all His Commandments. These are the Foolish Virgins.
Dear Believer, let us examine ourselves.
Do we truly love Yahushua?
Notes
Strong’s Numbers-Greek
458 anomia {an-om-ee’-ah}
from 459; TDNT – 4:1085,646; n f
AV – iniquity 12, unrighteousness 1, transgress the law + 4160 1, transgression of the law 1; 15
1) the condition of without law
1a) because ignorant of it
1b) because of violating it
2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness
459 anomos {an’-om-os}
from 1 (as a negative particle) and 3551; TDNT – 4:1086,646; adj
AV – without law 4, transgressor 2, wicked 2, lawless 1, unlawful 1; 10
1) destitute of (the Mosaic) law
1a) of the Gentiles
2) departing from the law, a violator of the law, lawless, wicked
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Related Content: Testing & Warnings
For further details of the Wilderness Testing of the Believers, and of the Warnings given to the Bride concerning her Testing that must occur before entering in with the Bridegroom, see the following articles:
Entering the Kingdom: The Wilderness Testing of the Believers – An Overview of the testing
Entering the Kingdom: The Wise Virgins’ Checklist – An Overview of the testing, and a Scripture Checklist
Entering the Kingdom: The Two Love Tests - Further details of Father’s testing of the Believers
The Love of Many Grows Cold - the measuring-stick used to test the Believers
The Doctrine of Balaam: A Warning to the Bride – The Root cause of failing the test
Eating Things Sacrificed to Idols: A Warning to the Bride – a major cause of failing the test
What Your Pastor Never Told You About The 2nd Commandment – Warning – a major cause of failing the test
Removing the Abominations: A Warning to the Bride – a major cause of failing the test
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