Falling Away
My, my, my won’t He do it? Yes He will! Our Father in the Shamayim is so faithful and I pray that He continues to give me the guidance, strength and desire to be just as faithful to Him as He is to me. I went fishing this past 1st day of the week, pretty exciting fishing in a lake. I still miss those ocean waters, but I will get my chance at that again, next month. However as for now, anytime out on the water with my pole is a great day whether I catch anything or not. By the way, I did catch a “biggun” as my mom used to say. 😁 It was a catfish which had to be between 8-12 pounds. It was a blessed day for him because him being caught by a covenant keeper, we do not eat catfish; and honestly I didn’t like catfish anyway back when I was still living for the world. As much as I did enjoy this day, none of it means anything without my Father YAHWEH and His Son YESHUA. Out of all the ups and downs in our lives it is the downs that cause me to know this.
This devotional topic has been on my heart for the last month as I have come to realize that following along this narrow path and walking in covenant with YAHWEH, I meet other people following along this same path; and given the opportunity to talk to any one of these people, I find that with some we may be on the same page regarding our understanding of scripture, while with others there may be a subtle difference in what we understand pertaining to scripture. When this happens I have to ask the question “who's right?” Whose interpretation of scripture is correct because I and this other person both believe we have the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1 says: The Spirit expressly states that in the acharit-hayamim (end of days) some people will apostatize (to backslide, or turn away ) from the faith by paying attention to deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (CJB) 2 Thessalonians 2:3 says: Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy (turn or fall away, backslide) has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. (CJB). Reading these scriptures, I have always believed that it’s talking about people who were once believers but then completely turned away from YAHWEH to go back to their old ways of living in the world. So I wonder, do these scriptures apply as well to those who have not turned from YAHWEH and are still walking in covenant with Him; but they are interpreting scripture in a way that causes them to transgress His laws? But here’s the catch, they don’t believe they are transgressing, they believe they are upholding His laws; kind of reminds me of Paul..
When I study scripture, I don't use my personal opinion. I review the etymology of words, I consider the culture at that time, the context of the verses, who wrote the scripture or book and sometimes I even focus on what time of day that scripture took place. However still, I run into people who do this same type of study, have the same strongly held beliefs in the scriptures that I do; but if we are both reading the same book, then the divide seems to come down to strongly held beliefs of our interpretation of a verse or book. At the end of the day, and in the midst of all of this, there is only one Who is right, and it is YAHWEH. So, what do we do when two parties both believe they are being led by YAHWEH, believing they are both being led by His RUACH, yet coming up with different interpretations of scripture? This does actually happen, but I believe it’s worse if it happens with people you once used to stand on one accord with. When two believers divide or agree to disagree; even when their findings are based on scripture, the problem is if one’s interpretation, new belief, or doctrine leads them to transgress the Commandments of YAHWEH. It’s just not cut and dry because I believe they are being led to transgress, but so do they believe this of me. In cases like these both of us wants the other to come to the light and to the truth; so what can be done in a situation like this?
I am honest in saying I don’t know. I haven’t a clue what to do when this arises except realize that I have to firmly hold on to the prayers that I send up before my Father YAHWEH’S heavenly throne and check my life to make sure there's no breaches for demons to come in and lead me astray. In cases like these I pray for the RUACH to guide me and to give me understanding in my studies because I don't know everything; I am a student of the scriptures, and I am teachable, so I pray earnestly for discernment. I do believe that I should study every point of the beliefs of the other side as well as my own, and I believe it is important to remain open to understand the other’s interpretation according to scripture. If the RUACH is in them, giving them the truth then I want them to be able to show me where I have erred in my studies; because I want that same truth. On the other hand, if the RUACH in me is giving me the truth, they should as well be open to hear the results of how He has led me in my studies. Regardless of the countless conversations, rebuttals, and disagreements I have with people over scripture; thus far, I have not been swayed away from the things I have been taught by the RUACH HA’KODESH. While it may seem that my studies have yet to be refuted, it is more like they have been ignored. For anyone who’s experienced the situation of once being on one accord with someone, but now they have deviated from the truth, it’s a difficult place to be in to observe someone you love, speak so boldly on a topic you both once firmly believe to be the unadulterated truth; then to suddenly find them one day not only believing heresy, but spreading it. Once I have a good grasp and understanding of what the RUACH HA’KODESH taught me I defend it, even at the risk of being shown that I’m wrong because that is how we learn, grow and strengthen the foundation of the faith we claim to believe in. This walk is about obedience, faith in YAHWEH and His Son YESHUA, worshiping them in spirit and truth and telling others about them. If we are going to differ in interpretation about scripture, let’s boldly face these differences and hammer them out together in the name of YESHUA.
Shalom & Berekah!
Just a few supporting verses:
The Spirit expressly states that in the acharit-hayamim (end of days) some people will apostatize (to backslide, or turn away ) from the faith by paying attention to deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
-1 Timothy 4:1 (CJB)
Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy (turn or fall away, backslide) has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom.
-2 Thessalonians 2:3 (CJB)
They went out from us, but they weren’t part of us; for had they been part of us, they would have remained with us.
-1 John 2:19 (CJB)
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
-Hebrews 3:12 (CJB)
For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, 5: and tasted the goodness of God’s Word and the powers of the ‘olam haba — 6: and then have fallen away — it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt.
-Hebrews 6:4-6 (CJB)
He will die from lack of discipline; the magnitude of his folly will make him totter and fall.
-Proverbs 5:23 (CJB)
A backslider is filled up with his own ways, but a good person gets satisfaction from himself.
-Proverbs 14:14 (CJB)
He is relying on ashes! A deceived heart has led him astray; so that now he won’t save himself, just won’t say, “This thing in my hand is a fraud!”
-Isaiah 44:20 (CJB)
But they neither listened nor paid attention, but lived according to their own plans, in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, thus going backward and not forward.
-Jeremiah 7:24 (CJB)
But you, dear friends, since you know this in advance, guard yourselves; so that you will not be led away by the errors of the wicked and fall from your own secure position.
-2 Peter 3:17 (CJB)