Category: Theology

Many but not all of our readers are familiar with a movement called The Word of Faith Movement. Teachers in this movement have become famous for their presentations on material prosperity and physical healing. Some have gone too far and teach that believers have the right to opulent living (See my book, Prosperity, what the Bible Really Teaches). The basic idea is that if we meditate and confess the Word of God and especially its promises, we will build faith and will walk in God’s abundant material provision, physical healing and family wholeness. Indeed, there should also be no tragic accidents for any family members since Psalm 91 says that no evil or plague will come near us. Mark 11:24 says that the person with a grain of mustard seed faith will, “Have whatever they say.” There is much truth in this. It is the Word of God enlivened by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, who brings us into faith to believe and walk in all God’s promises. As I note in my Prosperity book, meditating on, confessing and standing on the promises of the Bible is the way to strong faith.

So when does it become problematic? A couple from upstate New York met us in their congregation. They lost three children in a tragic car accident when they were carpooling with others going to a Christian school. They were asked to leave their Word of Faith congregation where they were elders. The pastor explained that their tragedy was undercutting the faith of the congregation. Wow!

The problem in this teaching is that these promise statements in the Bible are said to be absolute according to a very strict interpretation. According to that interpretation, “… heals all your diseases,” in Psalm 103 allows no exceptions. God is seen as always giving fully according to these promises. So if promises are not attained, then it is asked, “Is the problem with the giver or the receiver?” The answer we hear is, “It is always a problem on the receiving end.” So there is no way out of their conclusion. If you have financial loss, if you are sick or die prematurely, or have tragedy in the family, they say it is your fault. Any other view is seen as diminishing the absolute nature of the promises and undercutting the maximum potential for faith. The weakness in this view is that it does not recognize that faith is something that has to be given by God. The faith that moves mountains in Mark 11:24 cannot be worked up or drummed up no matter what we do. The Word of Faith view on this is a rugged individualism where it is all up to me. I don’t think that is what Yeshua meant. It is God who gives faith, and a mustard seed level of it can do anything. It is what the faith people call the “God kind of faith.” Our part is to worship God, confess his promises, and meditate on the Word, but ultimately these promises for human prosperity and healing are under the sovereignty of God. His promises are real. We are healed in the course of our lives thousands of times from all kinds of things. But if we die of some disease, it does not mean that we were at fault. We would like the promises and our ability to receive them to be air tight, but the promises are generalizations, and they are the usual reality. After having done all – and we should do everything that we can, including meditation/speaking on the Word and listening to the Spirit on the matter – it is still up to the sovereignty of God. Too many are now in a situation of depression and have abandoned walking with God because, after tragedy, they were told it was their fault. This is the primary error of the Word of Faith teaching.

The three heros who disobeyed King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to worship the golden image, had a slightly less rigid “take” on the outcome of their “rubber meets the road” faith situation:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us…But even if He does not… we will not serve your gods…” (Daniel 3:16-18 NIV).

DANIEL C. JUSTER, Th. D. Restoration from Zion of Tikkun International

Often I reflect on the life of Paul and wonder what motivated him to keep on going with such zeal, even after being beaten, stoned or whipped.  What really was behind the statement from Acts 20:24, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”  As I have pondered this in my heart I have come to the conclusion that the Apostle Paul was obsessed with bearing fruit for God.  After all, this was God’s agenda in creating us to begin with.  John 15:16 states, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last.”  In the beginning God commanded man to be fruitful and multiply.  Romans 7:4 gives the reason why Yeshua died, and why it is necessary to recon ourselves dead to the law.  “So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of the Messiah that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.”  In the dialogue that Paul has with himself about whether he prefers dying and going home to be with Yeshua, or remaining he concludes that to go on living in the body would mean fruitful labor for him. Paul saw that he staying alive was better for his friends and therefore he was convinced that it was not his time to go. His only concern was that Yeshua would be glorified in his body, whether by life or by death.

It seems then that fruit is important to God and that most of His actions can be examined in terms of increasing future fruit bearing (see the whole of John 15).  We are even commanded to rejoice in our suffering because of the fruit that will be borne in our lives as a result of perseverance (Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4).  Think of the suffering Joseph underwent and look at the answer he gave his remorseful brothers.  He told them that it was not they who sent him to Egypt, but God so that many lives may be spared (fruit).  The Apostle Paul looked at his imprisonment as a means for the gospel being spread and for boldness being inspired in the saints when they hear of his courage in the face of suffering (Phil. 1:12-14).  I think if one were to carefully ponder over the events in his or her life they would find that God is working towards more and more fruitfulness.  Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies it remains alone.

Fruitfulness is given to Moses as a blessing of the covenant but, as we will find, fruitfulness comes with some conditions. 

Lev 26:3-4  “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,  I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit.

Lev 26:9-10  “‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.  You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.

Perhaps it would be helpful to define what God means by fruit.  I believe that all fruit is somehow an expansion of God’s kingdom rule as His character takes over more and more of His creation.  This fruit manifests in us first as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and self-control, second, it manifest when we extend his rule in the building up of the members of the body of believers into the fullness of the Messiah, and finally it manifests in the spreading of the gospel, i.e. more and more come under the rule of Yeshua and take on more and more of His character.  God’s Kingdom expands as more and more people come out of the kingdom of darkness, Satan, and into the Kingdom of His son, Yeshua.  This happens as we come to understand and appropriate more of God’s abundant grace in our life and then proclaim this grace to others.  Colossians 1:6  “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.”

Yeshua said that abiding in the vine is necessary for fruit bearing and fruit bearing releases joy.  He said that if one does not abide in the vine it is impossible to bear fruit.  Then he states that one continues to abide in the vine through loving him and obeying his commandments (John 15). Bearing fruit is inevitable if one is abiding in the vine—it is a given.  Hence, when we stop abiding, fruitfulness ceases.  Communion or intimacy is necessary for fruit bearing in the natural as well as in the spirit.  If we fall into sin and do not repent of it, death sets in, for the wages of sin is death.  Death ultimately is the inability to commune.  The end result of covenant breaking is broken fellowship and barrenness.  We must be zealous to repent so fellowship with God and one another will not be broken.  God hates sin as it breaks off communion, intimacy and fruit bearing.  When one comes to understand that relationships are the most important value in life then one comes to understand why God hates divorce or breaking faith with one another.  If we can really hear God’s heart in this matter we would be diligent to confront sin in our own life first, and then to confront sin when we see it in others.  If it is our desire to see another obtain the blessing of fruitfulness, we will be motivated to love enough to confront and will overcome the fear of man.  We confront sin in another person not because they have somehow put a wrench in our agenda but because we truly care about the other person fulfilling his or her destiny in God.  Sin separates friends, family members and congregants and this grieves the heart of God.  By faith we obey.  To fear the Lord is to hate that which is evil and breaking faith with one another is evil.  We all sin against one another but acts of sin do not fall into the category of covenant breaking unless we fail to confront sin and/or repent of sin, especially the sin of rebellion.

How can we walk this out practically?  When Yeshua said that if we loved him we could keep his commandments, this includes his commands to submit to and/or obey his delegated authorities.  Satan tempts us to break faith towards God through deceptive thoughts accusing the character of God.  “How can a loving God allow such evil and suffering?  God is really not for you; look at how he is restricting you.  The law was given to keep you back from having fun.  God is really out to control you.”   He is very subtle in that he often doesn’t direct these thought towards God head on but has you focus on human authority, his representatives on earth.  He blinds us to the fact that if God has placed a person in authority over us (parents, government officials, bosses, husbands, pastors, or apostles) then to disobey them would be to disobey God.  Now of course, obedience is conditional (upon scripture and conscience) but a heart of submission and intent to obey is always appropriate and commanded.  Many of us wonder why we are not being fruitful and we will find that often we have broken faith with another, usually an authority. 

Ephesians 5:22-32 – Wives with husbands

Ephesians 6:1-4 – Children with parents

Ephesians 6:5-9 – Slaves with their masters (employee with employer)

Romans 13:1-7 – Citizen with civil authorities

Hebrews 13:17 – Congregant with elder or pastor

In these headship/submission spheres it is easy to harden one’s heart and not submit or obey.  Often we do not like to obey unless we agree with what is being required of us.  We second guess the authority and are often slow to respond, feeling justified in our noncompliance.  Often the authority is judged as being not good or loving and therefore cannot be trusted.  We want to be the one in control.  If Satan can deceive us with the secret power of lawlessness (getting us to focus on the man, his weaknesses or sin, instead of on the person’s position as a delegated authority under God) tempting us to rebel, he has won.  We cannot tolerate the sin of lawlessness in our own hearts and must have courage to confront it in others out of a love for God and His Kingdom fruitfulness.  Ephesians 4:12-15 says that as we give ourselves to being equipped by the 5-fold ministry we will come to unity in the faith and become mature.  Out of this maturity we will speak the truth in love and thereby grow up into Him who is the head.  We will abide in Him and not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine or temptation.  The apostolic heart is focused on fruitfulness and becomes the power of the spirit of Elijah where the hearts of the fathers are turned toward the children and the hearts of the rebellious towards the hearts of the fathers.  God is breaking off barrenness in his people before He returns.  Let us be diligent to repent of any lawlessness in our own heart and no longer shrink back from lovingly confronting it when we see it others.  We can no longer tolerate this sickness in the body of the Messiah.  God wants fruit!  We are happier and more satisfied when we are bearing fruit for God and so is He!

Apostolic order has two meanings; first we seek to order congregational life according to the teaching of the original Apostles in the first century as can be reasonably applied in our current day. Second we order our congregations under apostolic leaders who are chosen by God today and supernaturally confirmed as the servant-overseers of congregations. This is an issue of God’s government.

Biblically, elders in plurality are to govern congregations. This is seen clearly in the book of Acts where it says that elders were appointed by Paul. It is amazing how little emphasis there is on a senior pastor. I do believe in a leader of the group of elders, but elder plurality government for local congregations is the emphasis of the New Testament.

Accountability Structures

According to New Covenant Scriptures, local congregations are not to be independent. As the congregations multiplied, they were connected to one eldership of the city with many thousands of members. The congregations were also overseen by apostles, figures that either planted or established the primary foundations either directly or by those they sent as in the case of Timothy. Again and again, Paul brings his corrections to whole congregations. What if a congregation rejected Paul’s correction? He could only trust supernatural power to enforce his authority. The elders were the local authority and were to enforce God’s order or standards of righteousness and good government.

In this structure, the apostle himself should be accountable to other senior leaders. A team of senior fivefold ministers should hold the senior apostle of a network to accountability. He can be confronted if in sin– and can be removed.

Members are also part of the accountability structure of the congregation. According to Matthew 18:15, every member can be part of the process of correction for those in sin. Galatians 6:1-2 speaks of members correcting one another. In addition, an elder can be corrected by the testimony of two or three members. Members can appeal to the apostle and his council when leaders are in sin and do not repent.

Good leadership involves the members of the community in processes of input and confirmation for major decisions, as well as moral accountability of the leaders. The authority is in the elders, but wise elders build unity with the members.

Called to Equip

Equipping is an equally important emphasis. In Ephesians 4, we read that God gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry. A congregation needs training from all five.

While we do not believe that anyone can write Scripture today, the function of apostles in government and in fostering growth and Kingdom extension beyond the local congregation is crucial. The congregations therefore participate in his training programs, conferences and mission opportunities. His vision brings forth direction to multiple congregations linked together

Daniel C. Juster, Th. D., Restoration from Zion of Tikkun International

We are dealing with a significant problem in theology.  Much of the theology is being given to believers by preaching media stars and church leaders who I would call low information preachers.  They may have charisma and can hold a crowd well, but they say outlandish and heretical things.  One of the most glaring examples of this are the statements by some claiming that the “Old Testament” no longer applies to us or is irrelevant for New Covenant Christians.   One preacher even said that he put a sword through the Old Testament to be free from it.  The error is even more glaring in the light of the numerous statements in the New Testament on the authority and value of the Hebrew Bible.  One has to ask if these preachers ever had one course helping them to understand the Hebrew Bible and its application to the New Covenant era.  I doubt it.  Of course, understanding a national constitution in the Torah and the ritual system of the Tabernacle is much more challenging than the love chapter, I Cor. 13.  Yet these writings can be understood and applied.   It is important to do so.

From Matthew 5 :17, 18 we read, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.  I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter or the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear form the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Then Yeshua goes on in the rest of the chapter to show how the Torah is applied in the New Covenant.   

Paul in speaking of the Hebrew Scriptures tell us in II Tim. 3:16, 17 that it is all “God breathed,” and is profitable for doctrine, reproof and for training in righteousness.” 

In Romans he tells in 15:4 that the Hebrew Bible was written to “teach us so that through endurance and  encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”   In 16:26 we read that what has been revealed to us now has been “made known by the prophetic writings by the eternal command of God so that all nations might believe in him.” 

Peter echoes this and says that the Scriptures came not by the will of mean, but men spoke as they were carried along by the Spirit. (II Peter 1:20) 

And we can go on and on.  We really can not understand the New Testaement without the Hebrew Scriptures.  Indeed, so much of the New Testament is interpretation and re-application of the Hebrew Bible. So much of God’s plan for world redemption and peace is in the Hebrew Bible.   And when the Apostles were teaching, there was no New Testament. They relied on the Hebrew Bible.

The false teachings called Marcionism, were condemned in the early centuries of Church History.  It is time to call out these false teachers and restore the authority of the Hebrew Bible. 

Daniel Juster, Restoration from Zion, of Tikkun International

A few months I was in dialogue with a famous New Testament Theologian form England.  Much of our discussion was on the issue of Israel and the Church.  He was basically “replacement theology” oriented.   This is the theology that says that the Church is now the ongoing meaning of Israel, the true Israel of God, and that ethnic Israel no longer has claim to the status of God’s elect people.  We spent much time on many passages, but he would not be convinced. 

Toward the end of our dialogue, I spoke about the fact that my hope is that when Israel as a nation turns to Yeshua, it will lead to the conversion of the nations of the World.  Indeed, it will lead to his return and world redemption.  He was astonished that I thought that there would be a mass conversion of the nations after the tribulation and the judgments of the wrath of God (Rev. 16).  I was astonished that this was not obvious to him, though I was raised with church teachers that never taught this but had a pessimistic view of the end of this age.  However, text after text shows us that the biblical hope is for world redemption.  I could fill pages and pages with texts form the Prophets and Psalms to show this.   There is no way out of the conclusion.  I will only refer to a few such texts.

The Isaiah 2 text is most amazing.  It predicts that all nations will come up to Jerusalem and that the Law would go forth from Zion.  The nations beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.  Nations will no longer learn war?  The implications of this are enormous.  Isaiah 11 repeats that same hope with the idea that the Messiah is the banner for the nations.  Even nature, the animal kingdom, will be elevated to a new level of peace.

Isaiah 45 is sometimes looked at as teaching only that the unconverted are forced to bow the knee to Yeshua.  However, the context makes this pessimistic view impossible.  The text states, “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth . .  By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity, a word that will not be revoked.  Before me, every knee will bow , by me every tongue will swear.  They will say of me, ‘In the Lord along are righteousness and strength”  Philippians 2 repeates the promise and applies it to Yeshua.

This is a positive confession of faith!   Isaiah 60:3 says, “Nations will come to your light.”  Isaiah 65, Amos 9, Mica 4 and multiple Pslams repeat the hope that the nations as corporate people, will come to the knowledge of God.   

Yes, it will be rough sledding before that happens.  However, let us keep in mind that the extension of the Kingdom in Yeshua to Israel and the nations will eventually reach this world redemptive goal.

The Good News answered the great Jewish question of the day, where is the Kingdom of God promised by the prophets? The hope of the prophets was that Israel and the nations would be one under the rule of the Messiah, the Son of David. As we read in Isaiah 2, the word of the Lord will go forth from Zion and nations will no longer go to war. Even nature will be transformed; the wolf will lie down with the lamb (Isaiah 11). The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.

When Yeshua began His ministry his announcement astonished our people.   “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the Good News.” (Mark 1:14).   In Yeshua the Kingdom had come in such a way that it could be embraced and entered into. Yeshua demonstrated that the Kingdom really had appeared and was available even though the final fullness of this Kingdom established over all the Earth would still await a future intervention.

Where is the Kingdom of God? Anywhere the rule of God is established. To the extent that His rule is established in any sphere of human life, we can say there is the Kingdom. Yeshua comes with the power to establish His rule, beginning in our hearts. The power of the Kingdom delivers from disease and demonic oppression and enables us to live according to the teaching of Yeshua. This teaching brings Torah to its highest application. Hatred is removed from our hearts. Murder becomes impossible. We love our enemies. We not only avoid literal adultery, but have freedom from lust in our hearts. We are honest in our words and true to our promises.

The parables of Yeshua show the nature of the Kingdom He offers. It spreads by the seed of the Word of God and finds reception in willing soils (hearts). It grows from a small beginning, a mustard seed, into the largest plant in the garden. It is the treasure that supersedes all else (Matthew 13).

Therefore the message of the Good News is that the Kingdom of God is available. If we come to the Father on the basis of the death and resurrection of Yeshua, our sins are forgiven and we enter the Kingdom of God. God promises to put all things in our lives into His right order, Kingdom order, Torah in the New Covenant, through the power of the Spirit.

In past ages the Kingdom of God was identified with the rule of the Church. In more recent times, the Kingdom has been understood as the Millennial Age, something that has been postponed to the future. Both of these views contain Biblical truth, but do not describe the full picture of the Kingdom of God.

First of all, the Kingdom has really come to us through Yeshua the Messiah. It is now possible to enter the Kingdom, live from the Kingdom and to manifest His Kingdom rule. However, though it is a present reality, it is not yet here in fullness. This fullness of the Kingdom awaits the second coming of Yeshua. So where is the Kingdom seen? It is seen in manifestations of Kingdom power.

It is also seen wherever there is submission to the will of God:

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done”
– Matthew 6:10.

The Holy Spirit now dwells in each individual disciple. The Kingdom is seen in the one who lives according to the teaching of Yeshua. The Kingdom is seen in marriages and families that are ordered through his presence and power (Ephesians 5-6).

The Kingdom is seen in the life of a congregation that is in correct biblical order. We might even say that congregational life is the fullest manifestation of the Kingdom in this lifetime; as Yeshua taught:

“I will establish My congregation (kehilah) and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it”
– Matthew 16:18.

Yet the Kingdom is always in partial manifestation to the extent that individuals and spheres of human life are in submission to God’s order. Perfect submission to God’s order in any sphere will not occur in this age.

The Kingdom is in manifestation when civil governors rule according to biblical principles.

Businessmen should run their businesses according to Kingdom values, producing products and services that benefit people, and using profits to bless employees, shareholders, and consumers. In this way, the business leader can create wealth for the benefit of all. His stewardship of wealth should be directed primarily for the extension of the Kingdom of God, not selfish or opulent living. Godly employees through prayer and faithfulness also have power to bring transformation to the business world around them.

Our involvement in the arts, science and education should all reflect Kingdom values as well

Seeking God’s Kingdom and its righteousness (Matthew 6:33) means to bring all areas of life into line with His Kingdom order, or “Torah.” No one knows how much the Kingdom can be manifested in all spheres before Yeshua’s return. In the fullness of the Kingdom after Yeshua’s return, Israel and the nations will be in right relationship toward one another, thus producing God’s international order and peace among nations. Until that day, let us seek to see the Kingdom in manifestation in every sphere to the fullest extent possible.

As far as the gospel is concerned; they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable – Rom 11:28-29.

The Jewish people, the nation of Israel, has an irrevocable calling. I have written about this calling in my book, The Irrevocable Calling. Israel’s preservation and return to the Land of Israel is a great testimony to the faithfulness of God and His ultimate Lordship over history.

Israel’s testimony memorializes God’s action in the history of the nation and points to the end days and the Age to come. For example, the Sabbath is a testimony to the fact that God created the heavens and the earth in six daysand rested on the seventh. It is a foreshadowing of the Age to Come, when all will enter into a total Sabbath rest in Him.

Passover leads to the Exodus from Egypt, and foreshadows all nations coming into their destiny in the Age to Come.

Shavuot (Pentecost), the first large harvest, was the time of the outpouring of the Spirit in the first century. It foreshadows all the earth being filled with the Spirit; the knowledge of God will cover the earth (Isaiah 11:9).

Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets (Shofarot), announces the judgments of God and the coming of the Messiah to rule and reign. It includes the re-gathering of Israel (Isaiah 27) and the resurrection of the dead (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the High Priest made atonement for the people. Yeshua, our High Priest, entered into the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Tabernacle with His own blood of (Hebrews 9). This atonement is yet to be applied nationally to Israel and the nations, (Zechariah 12:10, Rev. 22:2).

The great Feast of Harvest, of Tabernacles, looks forward to that Day of the Kingdom of God in which Israel and all the nations will be one under the Messiah. (Zech. 14:9)

Jewish followers of Yeshua are part of their people; Paul showed that he was obedient to Torah and demonstrated his continued part in the nation of Israel (Acts 21). Messianic Jewish congregations are a key way for Jewish followers of Yeshua to maintain their part both in Israel and the “church”. These congregations include Gentiles who enjoy identifying with the Jewish people and worshipping in a Jewish rooted context. Jewish life is communal and is hard to maintain individually. We affirm Jewish culture where it is good and beautiful, and we seek to live within this cultural context. Jewish disciples of Yeshua are both the saved remnant of Israel and the Jewish members of the Body of the Messiah, the Jewish part of the One New Man. They join Israel and the Church together in an unseen corporate connection. Someday all Israel will be part of the Body of the Messiah, grafted back into their own Olive Tree leading to life from the dead. (Romans 11:15)

All believers are to affirm that Israel is still chosen, has not been replaced, and that Jewish believers are still a part of this important calling. God’s goal is that Israel and the nations will be one under the rule of the Messiah.