The full biblical – not Jewish or Christian – criteria for recognizing the Melchizedekian successors to Moses are:
- “whom the LORD knew face to face”, i.e. had a unique close association with YHVH demonstrated by
- “all the signs and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt” – hyper dimensional power made possible only through
- commitment to YHVH’s existing covenant at that time, demonstrated by godly lifestyle and proven by
- “all that mighty hand, – undertaking battle in the power and glory of God unto death
- and in all the great terror” – i.e. miraculous victory in battle against the adversary, thereby being granted
- “the blessing…The LORD came from Sinai…with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words”, i.e. a new covenant producing a higher union with YHVH than the previous covenant. (Deuteronomy 33:1-3, 34:10-12)
1. Unique Close Association with YHVH
Moses
“Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh…And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness…And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” (Exodus 24)
Yeshua 1
“And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites…Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan…And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap…(for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)…And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan… On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.”(Joshua 3, 4:14)
Yeshua 2
“Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias / Elijah talking with him [recognizable by their translation into the higher dimension]…behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them.” (Matthew 17:1-5)
Yeshua 3
“Saul…journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?…I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks….Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do…And there was a certain disciple at Damascus…to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias…Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold,…he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:1-16)
2. Signs and Wonders
Moses
“And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet…And I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 7:1-2)
“all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:12)
Yeshua 1
“And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem…and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people [thus saith the LORD]…
- your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt…
- the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan…fought with you: and…I destroyed them from before you…
- the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. (Joshua 24)
Yeshua 2
“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
- The blind receive their sight,
- the lame walk,
- the lepers are cleansed,
- the deaf hear,
- THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP [in a taste of the ultimate victory],
- the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matthew 11:1-6)
Did you catch that last one? The poor having the gospel preached in their neighborhood is as much a wonder as raising the dead! Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. These neighborhoods are strongholds of the devil with crime, drugs, oppression and high death rates. It takes great spiritual power to resist the devil to do any work there, which explains as much as the profit motive why tepid churches can’t maintain a foothold.
Yeshua 3
“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12)
3. Commitment to God’s Existing Covenants
At the time that Moses led the people of out Egypt the operational covenant was the granting of a specific territory surrounding Mount Zion to the chosen Seed of Abraham. The token of this covenant was circumcision.
“the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee….
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee…all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession…every man child in your generations…must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant…
Moses
“And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him…I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob…established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan…and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD…And I will [accomplish in the future the past terms of the covenant]
- take you to me for a people,
- be to you a God:
- bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob;
- give it you for an heritage:
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, [Are you kidding me?!] Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened / responded unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear / respond to me?...And the LORD said unto Moses…Thou shalt speak all that I command thee…And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.” (Exodus 6:2-7:6)
Yeshua 1
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them…And they returned from searching of the land after forty days…and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel…the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great…We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we…we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!…
And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying…rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?…Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me. Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua the son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim.” (Numbers 13-15)
Yeshua 2
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets…For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.’ (Matthew 5:17-18)
Yeshua 3
“when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they…said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that…all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple,” (Acts 21:17-26)
4. The Power and The Glory of God To Death
Moses
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” (Exodus 9:13-16)
Yeshua 1
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour…So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city…So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.” (Joshua 6
Yeshua 2
“The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour…for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again….Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” (John 12:23-33)
And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And they crucified him…And sitting down they watched him there…Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said…If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God….Jesus, when he had…yielded up the ghost…behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27)
Yeshua 3
“Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also...Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
- Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
- Thrice was I beaten with rods,
- once was I stoned,
- thrice I suffered shipwreck,
- a night and a day I have been in the deep;
- In journeyings often,
- in perils of waters,
- in perils of robbers,
- in perils by mine own countrymen,
- in perils by the heathen,
- in perils in the city,
- in perils in the wilderness,
- in perils in the sea,
- in perils among false brethren;
- In weariness and painfulness,
- in watchings often,
- in hunger and thirst,
- in fastings often,
- in cold and nakedness.” (II Cor 11:23-27)
5. Victory in Battle Against the Adversary
Moses
“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD…The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God…The LORD is a man of war…Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy…Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?…Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” (Exodus 15)
Yeshua 1
“And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel..I [the LORD] brought you into the land of the Amorites…and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.” (Joshua 24)
Yeshua 2
“When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men…For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:7-13)
Yeshua 3
“now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept…But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death…So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory…thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15)
6. Blessing of a New Covenant
Moses
“And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore,
- if ye will…keep my covenant,
- then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
- And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” (Exodus 19:3-6)
Notice how this new covenant given through Moses, AKA the Mosaic Covenant, does not do away with any of the terms of the pre-existing Melchizedekian Covenant.
“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through YHVH’s Anointed Seed of the Woman Human Savior / Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith…Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto…to Abraham and his seed were the [Melchizedekian] promises made…And this I say, that
- the covenant [with Abraham to be a God to his seed], that was confirmed before of God in Christ / the Promised Seed of the Woman Savior carried at that time through Isaac,
- the law [given through Moses], which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect…(Galatians 3:14-17)
Yeshua 1
“And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God...If ye forsake the LORD…then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him…
Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.” (Joshua 24)
And what was the covenant of service to the LORD? The same one given through Moses as they prepared to enter the land. It was just newly covenanted with a new generation. Each individual is responsible for a personal decision to accept YHVH’s authority and power over their life.
However, some leaders, not YHVHists, took actions contrary to the Mosaic Covenant.
“Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest” (Exodus 34) And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they [made covenants that] put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.” (Judges 1:28)
And that required yet another covenant revision by YHVH. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the “old Mosaic” covenant was tossed out. The text clearly states that YHVH’s law is kept in the next covenant. It is revised for the purpose of making it possible for his people to keep the law!
Yeshua 2
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more…saying, Know / acknowledge the LORD: for they shall all know / be intimately united with me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31)
As you read the next lines, lay them in the context of the scriptures and ancient ceremonies they echo, like the first readers did. How much more sense they make!
“And he / Jesus took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”(Matthew 26:28)
Yeshua 3
“Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee…touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But…for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him…That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:5-10)
Do the New Covenant instructions take on a depth of meaning for followers of Jesus Christ?
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Hebrews 12:1-8)
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:12)
The easy belief system that promises miraculous healing from the consequences of sin in this life and rescue from hell in the afterlife without requiring any action from the sinner or changes in that person’s lifestyle – does that even make sense? Psychology calls that enabling someone to keep engaging in self destruction. It is not hard for “soul-winners” whose sense of success depends on high numbers of converts to become co-dependent enablers. “Repeat after me these words…
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk [obviously doesn’t mean ambulate, is a euphemism for ‘lifestyle’] in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield [previous to identification with Christ we didn’t have the option, we were servants of sin, now we have the option – we are supposed to take it!] ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Romans 6:3-13)
Believing and obeying God’s word is not easy. It means death to self – relinquishing a self-centered way of life and replacing it with God’ concern and care for humanity.
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him…keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him [in a direct hit to the lie the young man has been telling himself and just told Jesus about loving his neighbor], If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:16-23)
For everyone, believing and obeying God’s word means submitting to Yaweh’s Consecrated Savior as the highest authority, which will inevitably result in conflicts with family, social, and political authorities who want us to submit to them.
“If any man come to me, and hate [reject identity with] not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters [renounce family ties if contrary to YHVH] yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross [accept religious and political persecution] and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)
This is the only spiritual belief system that has ever saved anyone.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?…But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death;” (Romans 6:14-23)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death…That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be…But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, IF so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his…
- For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
- but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:1-14)
To claim salvation simply by asking Jesus to save us from the consequences of sin after we die while rejecting his power to save us from the consequences while alive is not only illogical, it is false, it is not substantiated by God’s word, it is deception, loving and making a lie, with all its consequences of separation from God – now and forever.
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth…And…the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven…And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie…And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it...And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:” (Revelation 22)
The unique ability of the “[hu]man Christ Jesus” alone to save our souls from eternal damnation is a struggle for many people to accept, as it appears to leave the majority of humanity without a chance of salvation.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions…be made for all men…For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the [hu]man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all.” (I Timothy 2:4-6)
But consider if Judaism and even Christianity are putting the wrong emphasis on “one God and one mediator between God and men.”
Judaism says it is Ezra for Jews and converts.
Christianity says it is the Europeanized Jesus for Gentiles and converts.
But if we maintain consistency, reliability, validity with the entire written word of God going back to Moses’ book of Genesis, we can recognize that the “one mediator” is YHVH’s Chosen Savior / Melchizedek whose message of salvation by faith preceded and succeeded the death and resurrection of the man from Nazareth in 33 AD.
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
- Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…
- Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when [did this happen]? saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
- And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
- Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matthew 25:31-46)
According to this passage, people who don’t know “Christ Jesus” by name or in the Christian religious system can still be declared righteous.
This totally makes sense when we take into consideration that the God-man promised to redeem mankind was not known by the English translation “Christ Jesus” to the vast majority of humanity. As has been explained in previous postings, “name” defines accomplishments. “Christ Jesus” is the inadequate translation of “The Transcendant I Am / Creator’s Promised Savior”.
This reasoning carries forward to include Islam’s Muhammed as a Melchizedek for Arabs and converts.
Kingdom Come 