Submitted by: Elder D. Acoff
Related Scriptures: Leviticus 19:1-20:27, Ezekiel 20:2-20, & Psalms 15
This passage gives us a glimpse of a battlefield where the conformation of the world is attempting to come up against the Transformation of G-D: our hearts and minds.
Every day we must actively choose whom we will believe: The One Whose Word Is Truth or the ones whose words are vain. In the hour that he was faced with the decision to conform or be transformed, Pilate asked The Savior this question: What is truth? (Jn 18.38) and in this hour we need to have the answer:
Truth – Strong’s H571; G225 – is unchangeable, cannot be manipulated, faithful, sure, reliable and permanent; The Truth is security, justice and, sincerity; The Truth supports, upholds, nourishes, establishes, and carries us; making us certain and rendering us firm. Truth is consistent in any matter under consideration. It is absolute, objective, real, factual, certain and timeless; The Truth is every eternal word that has proceeded from the mouth of G-D.
The Word of G-D Is Truth; by it we are sanctified and through it we learn of the love of The Father(Jn 17.14-26). There is no other fount of Truth. No other source can be regarded so highly. Anything that man attempts to equate with or use to supersede the Living Word (Heb 4.12) is vain.
When something is Vain – Strong’s H7723 – it is empty, false, useless, worthless; destructive; full of guile, subtle, treacherous and insidious cunning to attain a goal; idolatry, subjective; intentionally misleading or concealing.
According to the scriptures the traditions of men are vain. What The L-RD would have us to hear and understand is this: When we begin to believe that we know what is pure and what is defiled and our “knowledge” differs in any way from what the scriptures reveal then our hearts are erroneously lifted up, we have opened the gates wide to idolatry and we have turned aside from G-D.
When we have our own ideas of Who G-D is we are unclean and we will do nothing to rid ourselves of our uncleanness because we are blind and cannot see where our heart state is leading us.
When our hearts are elevated in haughtiness, because we meet our own standards and develop our own exemptions while simultaneously making a diligent search for the tiniest blemish to disqualify our brother, we are far away from Truth (there is only one standard and it is G-D’s and His is the same for all and without exemptions).
IT IS THE HIGH PRIEST THAT DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN CLEAN AND UNCLEAN. Since the high priests of the temple were representing the Authority of Yeshua HaMaschiach, we must surrender ourselves to Him for His scrutiny or risk being found wanting (Mt 7.15-27, 1Chr 28.9).
Loving The L-RD begins not when we think we are doing everything right, but when we acknowledge that He is right in all of His ways (Deut 32.4, Prov 3.5, Ps 25, Ps 86.11). The instructions of G-D wash us and prepare us for an eternity in His Presence amongst the brethren. 1 Cor 2.14 reveals that in our own minds we can never grasp the purpose or value of G-D’s perfect precepts.
In order that we no longer hinder the living and active Word of G-D, we must flee from idolatrous traditions, dissembling fault finding missions and subjectivism. Let us return to The L-RD, obey Him and trust that He will complete His perfect work in our hearts (Heb 12.2, Jn 15.3, 1Cor 6.11).
Three Summary Points
*Truth is with G-D alone; all else is vanity Rom 3:4
*Idolatry opens the door to defilement and haughtiness to separation from G-D Ps 106.39, 138.6.
*Only YAH can cleanse us from within, we contribute nothing Heb 9.14.
Glossary:
Treacherous: Guilty of or characterized by betrayal of confidence or trust, unforeseen or hidden hazards, instability and or danger; perfidious – deliberately faithless, deceitful, tending to betray
Subjective: Dependent on or taking place in a person’s mind rather than the external world; Based on a given person’s experience, understanding, prejudices, and feelings (emotions); believing that a subject exists only as perceived; placing excessive emphasis on one’s own moods, attitudes, opinions, etc.; relating to or of the nature of an object as it is known in one’s mind (“my god”; idol); taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias; of a mental act performed entirely within the mind
Subjectivism: The doctrine that all knowledge is restricted to the conscious self and its sensory states; holding that the only valid standard of judgment is that of the individual. In other words it is the belief that individual conscience is the only appropriate standard for moral judgment.
Objective: undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on evidence; proven; Existing independent of or external to the mind; actual or real; Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices; existing independently of perception or an individual’s conceptions
Haughty H1363,61: exaltation, pride, arrogance, elevation; to lift up the heart
Tradition G3862,60: verbal or written opinions that are believed to illustrate and expand the written law and thus were to be obey with equal reverence; to deliver up treacherously by betrayal to cause one to be taken; to deliver one to be taught, molded.
Tradition is any “law” or “standard” or “rule” or “code” that we live by that is given equal or more honor and reverence (i.e. held with higher regard, clung to with greater fervency, believed above) than The Word of G-D while simultaneously separating the observer from the truth of The Word.
Dismantling tradition – that which has been exalted above the Word of G-D – is never accomplished without warfare; the kind that hurls personal attacks (propaganda that distracts from the real issue at hand – truth & G-D’s will)
Fault G3201; H3972, 71: to blame; a speck or point; blemish, spot, defect; moral stain Mt 11.6, Mt 13.57, Jn 16.1
Dissembler (-ing): To disguise or conceal one’s real nature, motives, or feelings behind a false appearance; person who is inwardly evil but outwardly professes to be virtuous; hypocrite
Hypocrite H2611, 10; G5273, 71: godless, profane, irreligious, impious, soiled with sin, polluted, corrupt, unclean, a gentile, one who has turned aside from the true religion AS WELL AS ONE WHO TURNS OTHERS ASIDE BY POLLUTING AND CORRUPTING THEM (Is 24.5); one who answers, an interpreter; an actor or stage player under an assumed character; a dissembler, pretender
G-D’S LAW IS ETERNAL AND SPIRIT. IT CAN NOT BE GRABBED UP AND PUT AWAY ANY MORE THAN ONE CAN TAKE HOLD OF THE WIND. Jn 1.5, 3.8, Job 38-41, Ex 20, 1Cor 6.9-11