RENDER UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S
Unity of the Spirit or The Bond of Peace?
In my last lesson, I quoted a passage of Scripture from Ephesians that says, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:4) This passage of Scripture has been taken to excuse all sorts of doctrinal errors all because the emphasis is placed on the wrong part of the passage. The Bond of Peace is the part that is held up as the most important part of this passage and it is the part that can not broken.
In the modern Churches, the bond of peace is stressed so that when one disagrees with something that is being taught, any mention of that disagreement is endangering the peace. The Bond of Peace is the glue that holds ecumenicalism in place, where we are to overlook the differences in doctrine because we are all calling upon the same god. This bond is what makes all of us brethren, or so we are taught.
So we weaken the Unity of the Spirit so that we may strengthen the bond of peace. Brothers and sisters, we should never do that. The Spirit is the one that brings us into all truth, and will testify to us whether someone is teaching an error or not. If we compromise the Spirit all so that we may keep the peace, then what we have is not the Ruach from YHVH, but the spirit from HaSatan.
We are to guard the Doctrines handed down in Scripture with our very life. “I therefore, the prisoner of Yeshua, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Adonai, one faith, one baptism, one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6) One is a very exclusive number. This is the Greek word hice (GSN 1520) and is the cardinal number one. With the numb er one, there is no room nor place for another number.
When someone teaches another doctrine that what Scripture has given to us, we are to stand up for the Unity of the Spirit. If we can do it peacefully, we should, but if it becomes impossible to maintain both peace and the Unity of the Spirit, then we are obligated to choose the Unity of the Spirit over the Bond of Peace. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9)
Accursed is the Greek word anathema (GSN 331) and means banned or excommunicated. In plain English, it means to have nothing to do with that person. The Apostle John delves into this very topic when he wrote, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of the Messiah, hath not YHVH. He that abideth in the doctrine of the Messiah, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2 John 9-11)
I looked up this word Godspeed to see exactly what it means. Now days, you very seldom ever hear anyone say this. So I wanted to know what the Greek meaning of the word is. Godspeed is the Greek word chairo (GSN 5463) and Strong’s definition of the word is this: to be "cheer"ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well. So it is a statement wishing one something good. In other words, it would be like placing a blessing on them or even rejoicing with them.
In fact, in the King James Version, this word appears 42 times. It is found in passages like, “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:12 with Rejoice being chairo), “And forthwith he came to Yeshua, and said, ‘Hail, master; and kissed him’” (Mt 26:49 with hail being chairo), “And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him” (Mark 14:11 with glad being chairo), “And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia” (Acts 15:23 with greeting being chairo), “Rejoice in Adonai always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4 with both Rejoice being chairo), “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in the Messiah” (Colossians 2:5 with joy being chairo), “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 with rejoice being chairo), and “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7 with glad being chairo).
It can be a greeting, or a salutation in parting, or it can be being glad, cheerful, rejoicing, or happy. We are not to extend a blessing towards them when we see them nor when they leave our company. We are not to rejoice with them, or be glad over them. Rather, we are to have nothing to do with people to teach anything other than Scripture. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17) Mark is skopeo (GSN 4648) and means to take aim at and avoid is ekklino (GSN 1578) and means to deviate, to shun, to decline. We are not to call them brothers or sisters, but are to completely shun and have nothing to do with them.
Now there are those who are earnestly seeking the truth, and have been told falsehoods, but who will, when shown the error of their beliefs, change. The example of this is Apollos found in Acts 18:24-28. Each and everyone of us, while learning and growing, have believed things that were not according to Scripture, and had to be corrected. These are not the ones that Scripture tells us to kick out of our midst and shun.
It is those that come in with their fancy titles and speak great swelling words that contain Scripture but are using Scripture falsely. They use Scripture to tell us that we can do things that Scripture says we are not allowed to do, or to ban us from things that Scripture allows us to do, or both. These people use the teachings, doctrines, and wisdom of men to justify their beliefs, and lead away people that are just itching to hear someone tell them that they can still do what is sin and make it to heaven. These are people who have rejected the truth because they prefer the lie, and have called YHVH a liar, refusing to obey His commandments. They substitute false versions of Scripture because Scripture actually condemns them and their damnable doctrines, so they must pervert Scripture so as to get It to say what they want it to say. These are people that stress that just because we have doctrinal differences, we are all still brothers and sisters. They do this because the Unity of the Spirit is not what they are striving for, but the Bond of Peace which will allow them to spread their damnable doctrines to even more people. They are a cancer to the Body of the Messiah, and gobble up more and more people every day.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of YHVH; having a form of reverence, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.” (2 Timothy 3:1-9)
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Yeshua the Messiah. All scripture is given by inspiration of YHVH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of YHVH may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before YHVH, and the Adonai Yeshua the Messiah, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2 Timothy 3:13-4:5)
If we are to take up arms to fight those who wish to destroy the Gospel of Yeshua, and overturn the faith of many, then we shall do so. We must remember that this is not a time of peace, and if anyone tells you so, then they are not of YHVH. We are at spiritual war, and shall be until we put off this mortal body. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in YHVH, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of YHVH: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
So let us remember that the Spirit is what we must uphold above everything else. We are not to sit around wrapping our arms around everyone singing Kum By Yah with those who teach different doctrines than what Scripture has already given us. These are the tares among the wheat, the false teachers, and false prophets, and false pastors, and false apostles. These are the ones that come in and lead others astray. We are to lay down our lives for the flock just as the Good Shepard did for us. This means we will not be well liked, and that our enemies will far out number our friends, but this is what Yeshua has called us to do. We are not to be of the world, but are to be of YHVH. Right is right and wrong is wrong, and there is no in between. There are absolutes, and you are either 100% on YHVH’s side or you are automatically on HaSatan’s side. Will you stand up and fight for Scripture? Who is on YHVH’s side?
In the modern Churches, the bond of peace is stressed so that when one disagrees with something that is being taught, any mention of that disagreement is endangering the peace. The Bond of Peace is the glue that holds ecumenicalism in place, where we are to overlook the differences in doctrine because we are all calling upon the same god. This bond is what makes all of us brethren, or so we are taught.
So we weaken the Unity of the Spirit so that we may strengthen the bond of peace. Brothers and sisters, we should never do that. The Spirit is the one that brings us into all truth, and will testify to us whether someone is teaching an error or not. If we compromise the Spirit all so that we may keep the peace, then what we have is not the Ruach from YHVH, but the spirit from HaSatan.
We are to guard the Doctrines handed down in Scripture with our very life. “I therefore, the prisoner of Yeshua, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Adonai, one faith, one baptism, one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6) One is a very exclusive number. This is the Greek word hice (GSN 1520) and is the cardinal number one. With the numb er one, there is no room nor place for another number.
When someone teaches another doctrine that what Scripture has given to us, we are to stand up for the Unity of the Spirit. If we can do it peacefully, we should, but if it becomes impossible to maintain both peace and the Unity of the Spirit, then we are obligated to choose the Unity of the Spirit over the Bond of Peace. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9)
Accursed is the Greek word anathema (GSN 331) and means banned or excommunicated. In plain English, it means to have nothing to do with that person. The Apostle John delves into this very topic when he wrote, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of the Messiah, hath not YHVH. He that abideth in the doctrine of the Messiah, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2 John 9-11)
I looked up this word Godspeed to see exactly what it means. Now days, you very seldom ever hear anyone say this. So I wanted to know what the Greek meaning of the word is. Godspeed is the Greek word chairo (GSN 5463) and Strong’s definition of the word is this: to be "cheer"ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well. So it is a statement wishing one something good. In other words, it would be like placing a blessing on them or even rejoicing with them.
In fact, in the King James Version, this word appears 42 times. It is found in passages like, “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:12 with Rejoice being chairo), “And forthwith he came to Yeshua, and said, ‘Hail, master; and kissed him’” (Mt 26:49 with hail being chairo), “And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him” (Mark 14:11 with glad being chairo), “And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia” (Acts 15:23 with greeting being chairo), “Rejoice in Adonai always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4 with both Rejoice being chairo), “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in the Messiah” (Colossians 2:5 with joy being chairo), “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 with rejoice being chairo), and “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7 with glad being chairo).
It can be a greeting, or a salutation in parting, or it can be being glad, cheerful, rejoicing, or happy. We are not to extend a blessing towards them when we see them nor when they leave our company. We are not to rejoice with them, or be glad over them. Rather, we are to have nothing to do with people to teach anything other than Scripture. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17) Mark is skopeo (GSN 4648) and means to take aim at and avoid is ekklino (GSN 1578) and means to deviate, to shun, to decline. We are not to call them brothers or sisters, but are to completely shun and have nothing to do with them.
Now there are those who are earnestly seeking the truth, and have been told falsehoods, but who will, when shown the error of their beliefs, change. The example of this is Apollos found in Acts 18:24-28. Each and everyone of us, while learning and growing, have believed things that were not according to Scripture, and had to be corrected. These are not the ones that Scripture tells us to kick out of our midst and shun.
It is those that come in with their fancy titles and speak great swelling words that contain Scripture but are using Scripture falsely. They use Scripture to tell us that we can do things that Scripture says we are not allowed to do, or to ban us from things that Scripture allows us to do, or both. These people use the teachings, doctrines, and wisdom of men to justify their beliefs, and lead away people that are just itching to hear someone tell them that they can still do what is sin and make it to heaven. These are people who have rejected the truth because they prefer the lie, and have called YHVH a liar, refusing to obey His commandments. They substitute false versions of Scripture because Scripture actually condemns them and their damnable doctrines, so they must pervert Scripture so as to get It to say what they want it to say. These are people that stress that just because we have doctrinal differences, we are all still brothers and sisters. They do this because the Unity of the Spirit is not what they are striving for, but the Bond of Peace which will allow them to spread their damnable doctrines to even more people. They are a cancer to the Body of the Messiah, and gobble up more and more people every day.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of YHVH; having a form of reverence, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.” (2 Timothy 3:1-9)
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Yeshua the Messiah. All scripture is given by inspiration of YHVH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of YHVH may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before YHVH, and the Adonai Yeshua the Messiah, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2 Timothy 3:13-4:5)
If we are to take up arms to fight those who wish to destroy the Gospel of Yeshua, and overturn the faith of many, then we shall do so. We must remember that this is not a time of peace, and if anyone tells you so, then they are not of YHVH. We are at spiritual war, and shall be until we put off this mortal body. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in YHVH, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of YHVH: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
So let us remember that the Spirit is what we must uphold above everything else. We are not to sit around wrapping our arms around everyone singing Kum By Yah with those who teach different doctrines than what Scripture has already given us. These are the tares among the wheat, the false teachers, and false prophets, and false pastors, and false apostles. These are the ones that come in and lead others astray. We are to lay down our lives for the flock just as the Good Shepard did for us. This means we will not be well liked, and that our enemies will far out number our friends, but this is what Yeshua has called us to do. We are not to be of the world, but are to be of YHVH. Right is right and wrong is wrong, and there is no in between. There are absolutes, and you are either 100% on YHVH’s side or you are automatically on HaSatan’s side. Will you stand up and fight for Scripture? Who is on YHVH’s side?
Add a Comment
About
© 2009 Created by Bro Jake on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
You need to be a member of FULL BIBLE TRUTH to add comments!
Join this social network