These words spoken by the Savior of the world are packed with truth. Follow along as I unpack them for you.

“I am the way”

A ‘way” is a path or road that one follows. To be a disciple of Messiah Yahshua is to follow his way; to walk as he walked (in obedience to his Father’s commandments), to believe the doctrines he believed, to trust in him as the way Yahweh provided for the salvation of mankind.

For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For [Yahweh] sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17 

Mankind is like a man lost in a forest who is trying to find his way out. Once he stumbles upon a path (Yahshua), he can follow it until it leads him to safety and eventually home (to his Creator, Almighty Yahweh).

The prophet Isaiah spoke of this path/highway that will lead to everlasting joy.

Strengthen you the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your Elohim will come with vengeance, even Elohim with a recompense; He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
And the ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35:3-10

When Yahshua came to make a way for mankind to be saved, he opened blind eyes and deaf ears, he healed the lame, gave voice to the dumb, and even raised the dead. The “way of holiness” is through Yahshua who is also our “redeemer”.

For the grace of [Elohim] that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying wickedness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and piously, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great mighty one and our Savior Yahshua Messiah;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-14

Have you lost your way in this world? Are you aimlessly walking in circles with no meaning to your life? Your Creator has provided a way for you to have your fellowship with Him restored. That way is through His only begotten Son Yahshua.
“I am . . . the truth”

Yahshua said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”  John 17:17 

The word of Yahweh (the Holy Scriptures) are truth as are all the words Yahweh speaks, even those that have not been written down for our benefit.

The Apostle John wrote the following about Yahshua:

And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14 

Yahweh spoke His Son into existence. His “word” became a flesh and blood man named Yahshua. Since the “word is truth” and the “word became flesh”, truth became flesh. The truth became embodied in a flesh and blood man. All Yahshua ever said and did was truth because he was full of grace and truth. In him was no lie.

Yahweh inspired the prophet Isaiah to write the following about Yahshua;

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:8-9 

The Apostle Peter wrote of Yahshua as well;

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 1 Peter 2:22

The truth (Yahshua) sets people free from their bondage to sin.

Then said Yahshua to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You shall be made free?
Yahshua answered them, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.  John 8:31- 36  

Not only is Yahshua truth, but he came to bear witness of the truth.

Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Yahshua answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. John 18:37 

Do you hear the Savior’s voice? Do you hear him calling you to salvation through his death and resurrection? He loved you enough to die for your sins that you may be given the gift of eternal life in his Kingdom. All you need to do is believe in him and receive him into your heart as your Master and Savior.

“I am … the life”

“Life”,  in this verse, refers to everlasting life which becomes the possession of  everyone that believes in Yahshua the Messiah as their Master and Savior.

When comforting a woman named Martha who was grieving the loss of her brother, Yahshua said;

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? John 11:25-26 

Elsewhere, Yahshua said;

For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For [Elohim] sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of [Elohim]. John 3:16-18

While praying to his Father in heaven (Yahweh) Yahshua said;

And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true [Elohim], and Yahshua Messiah, whom you have sent. John 17:3 

The way to truly know Yahweh is to know the means/way that Yahweh has chosen to save the world and embrace it, that is, through believing in His only begotten Son Yahshua.

John the Baptist said of Yahshua;

He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of [Elohim] abides on him. John 3:36 

Refusing to believe in Messiah Yahshua had dire consequences for certain Jews living in Apostolic days.

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of [Elohim] should first have been spoken to you (Jews): but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Acts 13:46

The Apostle John, a man filled with the Holy Spirit, wrote;

And this is the record, that [Elohim] has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of [Elohim]; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of [Elohim]. 1 John 5:11-13 

What about you friend? Do you believe in Yahshua the Messiah as your Master and Savior? Do you believe his shed blood on your behalf cleanses you of all your sins? Do you believe that he will resurrect you from the dead at his second coming? Do you believe you will live eternally with him in his Kingdom on earth? If not, I implore you to consider the Good News that the New Testament has recorded concerning Yahshua.

He truly is the way, the truth and the life and no man can stand before his Creator, Almighty Yahweh, except through Yahshua.

I apologize for not writing much for my blog lately. My mother had been ill for weeks and passed away recently. Her death has prompted me to write a short blog on the afterlife. She put her faith in the Savior of the world to someday raise her body from the dead and give her eternal life in his Kingdom. Her hope in a resurrection from the grave is founded on the teachings of the Bible. If you do not have such a hope, I encourage you to consider what the Bible says on the subject.

Is There Life After Death?

King David wrote the following words in Psalm 16:9-10.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
For you will not leave my soul in hell (the grave); neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.

This was an obscure passage to many until it’s true fulfillment came through the resurrection of Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ). The Apostle Peter gave it’s true meaning in the Book of Acts.

You men of Israel, hear these words; Yahshua of Nazareth, a man approved of [Elohim/God] among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which [Elohim] did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know:
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of [Elohim], you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Whom [Elohim] has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be held of it.
For David speaks concerning him, I foresaw Yahweh always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Because you will not leave my soul in hell (the grave), neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life; you shall make me full of joy with your countenance.
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day.
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that [Elohim] had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Messiah to sit on his throne;
He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Messiah, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
This Yahshua has [Elohim] raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. (Acts 2:22-32)

Yahshua was the first man to be resurrected from the dead unto eternal life. There are other references to people being raised from the dead in Scripture, but none who were raised unto eternal life as Yahshua was.

That Messiah should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Acts 26:23)

But now is Messiah risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Messiah the firstfruits; afterward they that are Messiah’s at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)

Messiah Yahshua was only the first person to be resurrected from the dead unto eternal life. When he returns from heaven many more people (those who belong to Yahshua through faith in him) will resurrect from the dead.

Here is what the prophet Daniel wrote concerning this resurrection.

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  (Daniel 12:1-2)

Yahshua spoke of this resurrection as well.

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26)

Truly, truly, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of [Elohim]: and they that hear shall live.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:25; 28-29)

Everyone that ever lived will be resurrected from the dead. You will either be resurrected unto everlasting life or everlasting shame, contempt and damnation. Which group will you be in?

Here is how the Eternal Judge will decide which group to place you in.

The resurrection to everlasting life –

For [Elohim] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16) 

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.  (John 6:40)

And this is the record, that [Elohim] has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; (1 John 5:11-12a)

The resurrection to damnation –

He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of [Elohim].
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:18-19)

He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of [Elohim] has not life. (1 John 5:12)

The way to eternal life is very simple. It is through believing in Yahshua the Messiah for salvation.

Yahshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.  (John 14:6)

Sadly, some people do not believe in a resurrection. The Sadducees, a religious sect in the time of Yahshua were among those who did not believe.

The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
And last of all the woman died also.
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
Yahshua answered and said unto them, You do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of [Elohim]. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of [Elohim] in heaven. 
But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken unto you by [Elohim], saying,
I am the [Elohim] of Abraham, and the [Elohim] of Isaac, and the [Elohim] of Jacob? [Elohim] is not the [Elohim] of the dead, but of the living.
And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.  (Matthew 22:23-33)

Are you among those who err, not knowing the Scriptures? Now you know at least the Scriptures given above. How will you choose? Will you believe on the Master Yahshua the Messiah so he can resurrect your dead body unto everlasting life or will you choose to not believe and face everlasting shame, contempt and condemnation?

Here are some closing Scriptures to help you in your decision.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Yahshua, and for the word of [Elohim], and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of [Elohim] and of Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  (Revelation 20:4-6)

Only those who are Messiah’s will be resurrected in the first resurrection unto everlasting life. The fate of those resurrected after the thousand years is uncertain.

But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Yahshua from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Messiah from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

After a person believes in Messiah Yahshua as Master and Savior, he is given the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Without it there can be no resurrection unto everlasting life.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the remission (forgiveness) of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as Yahweh our [Elohim] shall call. (Acts 2:38-39)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of [Elohim] is eternal life through Yahshua Messiah our Master. (Romans 6:23)

Believe on Yahshua, dear friend, and you shall experience the joy of eternal life after death.
 

1) The following verses show when a person is forgiven and their sins blotted out.

Acts 3:19 Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Master;

Yahshua bore our sins, but they are not blotted out until after repentance and conversion (belief). This was written after Yahshua’s death when all sins were supposedly blotted out.

Acts 26:15-18 And I said, Who are you, Master? And he said, I am Yahshua whom you persecute.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto you;
Delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Yahshua himself said the Gentiles who Paul was being sent to had not yet received forgiveness of sins. This was written/said after all sins were supposedly forgiven.

Yahshua’s death made a way for the sins of men to be forgiven. Yahweh then offers sinful men that gift. Those who receive the gift through faith/belief receive forgiveness. Those who reject the gift by rejecting Yahshua’s shed blood on their behalf do not receive the gift.

Acts 26:17-18 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto [Elohim], that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

They obviously have not received forgiveness of sins, even though Yahshua had already died, because they had not yet believed.

Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.

Belief must come first followed by remission/forgiveness of sins.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

No repentance, no remission. No remission, no salvation. Such a person will remain dead in his sins.

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified [Elohim], saying, Then has [Elohim] also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Repentance is a gift from Yahweh. Without it there is no life (and no salvation).

Colossians 2:13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions…

This verse does not provide a time element of when forgiveness takes place. The Colossians were spiritually dead in sin, yet they were physically alive. After the physically living person heard the gospel and believed, Yahweh blotted out and forgave their sins as all the above references show by providing the missing time element. That forgiveness paved the way for spiritual life with Yahshua.

2) The following verses show when a person is saved.

1Thessalonians 2:14-16 For you, brethren, became followers of the churches of [Elohim] which in Judaea are in Messiah Yahshua: for you also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Who both killed the Master Yahshua, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not [Elohim], and are contrary to all men:
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, …”

The Jews forbid Paul to speak to the Gentiles so they could hear the gospel for the first time and be saved for the first time.

Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Master Yahshua Messiah, and thou shall be saved, and thy house.

This Gentile unbelieving guard was not yet saved. Paul and Silas did not say, “You have already been saved by Yahshua’s death. Now you can be saved again by believing.” The unbelieving guard needed to first believe in order to be saved for the first time in his life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Elohim: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of [Elohim].

Salvation is a gift of Yahweh that only comes “through faith”. It cannot come to an unbelieving, unrepentant, unconverted Gentile who does not even know Yahshua, or even Yahweh for that matter, exists so he can have faith.

Romans 8:9  But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of [Elohim] dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of his.

The entire passage, including verses 6-17, are instructive, but this one verse shows that a man cannot be Messiah’s if he does not have his Spirit living within. The fact that unbelieving Gentiles do not have the Spirit can be seen in Cornelius’ conversion.

Act 10:43-45  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.

While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word.

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.

That is when the Spirit of Messiah came to live within these Gentiles. He was not in them from the moment he died, but from the moment the Spirit was poured out on them.

The following verse is used in opposition to my view:

1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of [Elohim] our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

This was written after Yahshua died and supposedly saved all men. This verse does not say, “Who saved all men”, but “Who will have all men to be saved.” It is Yahweh’s will that all men be saved, but not all men will be saved. Some were ordained to condemnation such as those spoken of in Jude.

3) The following verses show when a person is given spiritual life.

John 3:36  He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of [Elohim] abides on him.

Belief in Yahshua precedes life.

John 11:25 Yahshua said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Belief in Yahshua precedes life.

Acts 11:18  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified [Elohim], saying, Then has [Elohim] also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Repentance precedes life. This was written concerning the Holy Spirit coming upon Cornelius and his household. Prior to then, they were not granted repentance and were yet dead in their sins.

1 John 5:11-12  And this is the record, that [Elohim] has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of [Elohim] has not life.

It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Unrepentant, unbelieving, unconverted Gentiles do not have the Son and therefore cannot have life.

Do you have life through Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ)? Have your sins been forgiven? Have you been given salvation through belief in the only begotten Son of Yahweh? Your physical life is like a flower that will soon fade away with age or be terminated through some tragedy that can befall you at any moment. Do not delay your belief in Yahshua. Turn to him for forgiveness, salvation and spiritual and eternal life.

Please do not leave this blog until you have thoughtfully read this page. I know many of you just come to spam my blog, others arrive “accidently”, and still others come to learn something new. I wrote this particular blog to clearly outline for you the two avenues which your life can take, for there are only two. Either you receive the gift of eternal life that your Creator, Almighty Yahweh (God), offers you or you receive the payment you deserve for your unbelief.

For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For [Yahweh] sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of [Yahweh].  John 3:16-18 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of [Yahweh] is eternal life through Yahshua (Jesus) Messiah our Master.  Romans 6:23 

Your Creator not only made you, but He loves you dearly. However, your sins have separated you from Him.

But your iniquities (sins) have separated between you and your Mighty One, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness. None calls for justice, nor pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.  . . .

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goes therein shall not know peace. Isa 59:2-4;7-8

Whenever a person breaks Yahweh’s holy law, it is sin or iniquity. The “wages” or payment for sin is death. Yahweh takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Say unto them, As I live, says the Sovereign Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11 

Yahweh implores the house of Israel to turn from their evil ways and He implores you as well. Why will you choose to continue in your own ways contrary to your Creator’s laws? He has provided a way for you to receive forgiveness for every sin you have ever committed. That “way” is through Yahweh’s only begotten Son Yahshua.

Yahshua said unto him,  “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”  John 14:6 

It is through the death of Yahshua that you can live forever. Since the wages of sin is death and you have sinned, you will receive full payment for your actions; eternal death. Yahshua, however, took your sins and the sins of the whole world upon himself and died for you. His life was exchanged for yours so that you may live forever. He died that you might live.

But we see Yahshua, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of [Yahweh] should taste death for every man …
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  Hebrews 2:9; 14-15

For Messiah also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to [Yahweh], being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 Peter 3:18 

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Yahshua Messiah the righteous: And he is the propitiation (atonement) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  1 John 2:1-2 

The high priest of Israel, Caiaphas, prophesied of Yahshua’s death on behalf of the nation of Israel.

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spoke he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of [Yahweh] that were scattered abroad.  John 11:49-52 

Yahweh commanded the nation of Israel to offer animal sacrifices to atone for their sins. The animals life was taken so that human life could be saved. However, the blood of animals was only a temporary covering for sin until the ultimate sacrifice of Yahweh’s Son Yahshua.

The next day John saw Yahshua coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of [Yahweh], which takes away the sin of the world.  John 1:29 

In whom we have redemption through his (Yahshua’s) blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Colossians 1:14 

But this man (Yahshua), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of [Yahweh];  Heb 10:12 

Dear reader, please do not deceive yourself into thinking you have not sinned or that you are a good person who does not deserve eternal death.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of [Yahweh]; Romans 3:23 

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that [Yahweh] is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yahshua Messiah his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  1 John 1:5-10 

If you choose to reject this message of love from your Creator, He has no choice but to pay you for your works of sin. Your payment will be eternal death.

And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his Mighty One and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  Revelation 21:6-8  

Choose wisely dear reader by receiving Yahshua the Messiah as your Savior. Allow his shed blood to cleanse you of your sins. Allow him to pay the price for your death. Receive the gift of eternal life that your Creator is offering you and do not delay your decision. Your life can end at any moment. Place it in the hands of Yahshua that he may preserve you eternally.
 

There is, indeed, a Divine Being who created the heavens and the earth and who brought you into existence. Contrary to popular belief, mankind did not evolve from monkeys (and before that; fish, one celled creatures, and “chemical soup”).

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. . . For thus says Yahweh that created the heavens; The Mighty One himself that formed the earth and made it; He has established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am Yahweh; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:12, 18)

This fact of the existence of a Divine Creator is evident in creation itself.

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Deity; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)

Do not be deceived by men who profess to be wise and come up with all sorts of unscientific theories about how creation and life came to be. They are merely guessing, having not been eyewitnesses to creation. Actually, it is more like wishful thinking. They do not want to admit to the existence of a Divine Creator because then they would need to be subject to Him and His commandments. Their willful ignorance allows them to continue in their sinful ways without fear of judgment. However, a judgment day is coming.

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of [Yahweh]; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with [Yahweh]. (Romans 2:5-11)

The question for you is, “How are you going to fare come judgment day? Will you receive a favorable judgment and be granted eternal life or an unfavorable judgment and be granted eternal death?

For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For [Yahweh] sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of [Yahweh]. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in [Yahweh]. (John 3:16-21)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of [Yahweh]: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself; and has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:24-29)

You may ask, “On what grounds would I be condemned to eternal death? I am a good person and help others whenever I can.”

Your Creator, Almighty Yahweh, has a holy law that you and all men have broken. When that law is broken it is called “sin”.

Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4)

All men have sinned (broken Yahweh’s law).

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of [Yahweh]; (Romans 3:23)

The payment or consequence for sin is death.

For the wages of sin is death; (Romans 6:23a)

Now ask yourself, “Have I sinned by breaking Yahweh’s law?” If you ever stole anything, lied, worked on Yahweh’s Sabbath Day (Saturday), committed adultery, desired something you could not lawfully have, etc., then you have sinned and are under the death penalty. That penalty will be carried out come judgment day. Are you ready to face your judge? Do you have a defense ready that will free you from death?

There is only one way to be freed from sin and from the death penalty imposed upon you. His name is Yahshua (also known as Jesus).

Yahshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Yahshua said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26)

Do you believe this? If not, you will die an eternal death. If so, you will live forever.

“How can that be” you ask? “How can believing in a man have such an effect on my eternal destiny?”

Since the payment for sin is death, someone had to take your place and die for you. Someone had to take your sin and punishment upon himself. That someone was Yahshua, the only begotten Son of your Creator, Yahweh.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; He has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:5-12)

For even hereunto were you called: because Messiah also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:25)

The Bible teaches that sin and death entered the world through one man, Adam.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)

The Bible also teaches that through one man’s obedience, righteousness and life were made available again to all mankind.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Yahshua Messiah.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:17-19)

Yahshua the Messiah is that one man, the only man that lived a sinless life by obeying all of Yahweh’s laws.

For He has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of [Yahweh] in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Because he was sinless, Yahweh was able to use him to bear the sins of the world.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

Let’s recap your situation.

You sinned by breaking Yahweh’s holy law.

You placed yourself under the death penalty for sin.

You have no hope of escaping eternal death.

You are reading this article and now have hope.

You found out that Yahshua took the sins of the world upon himself so they would not have to die an eternal death, but live forever.

Now ask yourself, “How can I receive this incredible forgiveness of my own sins and live forever?”

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Master Yahshua Messiah, and you shall be saved, and your house. (Act 16:31)

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Act 2:38)

To “repent” involves confessing your sins to Yahweh, asking Him to forgive you and turning away from them by not committing those sins again.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of [Yahweh], even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)

To “receive” the Master Yahshua is to accept him as your Master and Savior and allowing him to lead you through life. It includes choosing to obey his commandments.

That if you shall confess with thy mouth the Master Yahshua, and shall believe in your heart that [Yahweh] has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

You make a public confession that Yahshua has become your Master and Savior when you get baptized (totally immersed under water to wash away your sins and symbolizing putting to death your old sinful self in the watery grave and rising up out of the grave a new man).

Once you have made such a commitment and received this precious salvation as a free gift from your Creator, you should begin walking in obedience to not only His commandments, but Yahshua’s as well. Obedience to the commandments is a fruit of your salvation and is brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit within you.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them. (Ezekiel 36:27)

It is that same Holy Spirit that lives within a true believer that will bring about your resurrection from the dead.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against [Yahweh]: for it is not subject to the law of [Yahweh], neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please [Yahweh]. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of [Yahweh] dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of his. And if Messiah be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Yahshua from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Messiah from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

There are many promises made by Yahweh that the believer will receive from Him. The gift of the Holy Spirit and eternal life are only two of them. If Yahweh permits, I will lay out those promises in a future article.

So dear friend, you have reached a crossroads in your life. A decision must be made to either receive Yahshua as your Master and Savior and all the blessings that that entails or reject him and continue in your present ways until judgment day and then suffer the consequences.

“What are the consequences of rejecting Yahshua” you may ask?

He that believes on him (Yahshua) is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of [Yahweh]. (John 3:18)

Who is a liar but he that denies that Yahshua is the Messiah? He is anti-Messiah, that denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father: (but) he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also. ( 1 John 2:22-23)

He that believes on the Son of [Yahweh] has the witness in himself: he that believes not [Yahweh] has made Him a liar; because he believes not the record that [Yahweh] gave of His Son. And this is the record, that [Yahweh] has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of [Yahweh] has not life. (1 John 5:10-12)

He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his [Yahweh], and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7-8)

Choose wisely dear reader.

The RSV uses the word “drift” instead of “let them slip.” We can neglect so great salvation by doing absolutely nothing.

Here is an analogy to help understand the situation we are in and what is required of us.

When we are born we enter into the river of life. The river goes upstream towards the source (Yahweh) or downstream towards the deadly waterfall and the rocks below. Because we have sinned, all are heading uncontrollably downstream to destruction.

When we accept Yahshua as our Savior, he saves us from certain destruction and empowers us to reverse direction and head upstream towards the rivers source. Yahshua becomes our ark or our boat and the “hope set before us” is our anchor (Heb.6:19).

What would happen if this situation was literal and we stopped rowing upstream?

The current we fight against represents our trials, tribulations and temptations. We must continually fight against the current. One never drifts towards Yahweh, but always away from Him.

If we simply do nothing we will drift away from Yahweh. Yahshua said,

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:24).

If we stop striving, stop doing what is required of us and, instead, rest before our labors are finished, we will most certainly drift backwards. Revelation 14:12,13 read,

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of the Mighty One, and the faith of Yahshua. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Master from henceforth: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”

We are to labor for the Kingdom’s sake until the day we die.

Yahweh warned Israel about drifting

Deuteronomy 4:9 - “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest you forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;”

Here, Yahweh speaks of drifting from what He had taught Israel. However, we can also drift from Him.

Deuteronomy 6:10-12 - “And it shall be, when Yahweh thy Elohim shall have brought thee into the land which He swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you great and goodly cities, which you built not, and houses full of all good things, which you filled not, and wells digged, which you digged not, vineyards and olive trees, which you planted not; when you shall have eaten and are full; Then beware lest you forget Yahweh, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

Forgetting Yahweh occurs slowly over time. It starts with simple neglect and ends in destruction. Notice when Yahweh tells Israel to be on high alert against drifting; during times of prosperity and blessing. During hardship we draw closer. We are constantly seeking Yahweh’s face for deliverance from our trials and tribulations. During prosperity, our spiritual senses are dulled by worldliness making it much easier to drift.

Signs of drifting

1) Lack of zeal

2) Lack of prayer

3) Lack of tears

4) Slipping in obedience

5) Flesh wins over Spirit

6) Failure to witness

7) Neglect Bible study

8) Diminished desire to be with brethren

9) Increased thrill with things of the world

10) Neglecting daily devotions

It is hard to outright reject Yahweh or Yahshua., but we will easily neglect them.

Results of drifting

Deuteronomy 32:15, 18-20 - “But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: you are waxen fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he forsook Elohim which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. . . . Of the Rock that begat thee you are unmindful, and have forgotten Elohim that formed you. And when Yahweh saw it, He abhorred them, because of the provoking of His sons, and of His daughters. And He said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.”

Again, the drift and ensuing forsaking of Yahweh took place during the prosperity of Israel.

Jeremiah 18:15-17 - “Because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passes thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.”

Drifting causes us to walk contrary to Yahweh’s ways.

Ezekiel 23:35 - “Therefore thus says Adonai Yahweh; Because you have forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore bear you also your lewdness and your whoredoms.”

We may end up bearing our own sins if we drift so far as to reject Messiah.

Ephesians 4:14 - “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

We begin to lose our spiritual discernment and become susceptible to accepting false doctrine.

Revelation 3:15-17 - “I know thy works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

Prosperity strikes again and results in lukewarmness and rejection.

Remedy for drifting

Philippians 3:12-15 - “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Messiah Yahshua. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of the Mighty One in Messiah Yahshua. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, the Mighty One shall reveal even this unto you.”

In other words, keep rowing keep striving, keep on pressing toward the mark.

2 Corinthians 4:16 - “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Rowing upstream is hard work, but we are admonished to faint not. When we grow weary and weak, that’s when Messiah is strong on our behalf. 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 says;

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Messiah’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

2 Peter 1:5-10 - “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience piety; And to piety brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yahshua Messiah. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall:”

We need to continue growing spiritually by continually adding spiritual character traits to our faith. The more fruitful we become in this, the less risk there is in drifting.

1 Peter 2:11 - “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

We need to examine ourselves in this area. Many believers fail to realize that their seemingly innocent activities are, in fact, fleshly lusts; especially in the area of T.V. The more we walk in the Spirit and not yield to the lust of the flesh, the stronger we will be. And we will certainly need to be strong because fleshly lusts are like the rapids in the river of life.

Colossians 2:6-7 - “As you have therefore received Messiah Yahshua the Master, so walk you in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

We need to walk in Yahshua by imitating him or being conformed to his image. That will result in us being “built up.”

Hebrews 6:18-19 - “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for the Mighty One to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil;”

An anchor comes in real handy when your drifting dangerously towards a waterfall. If we stay focused on the hope before us, we are certain not to drift because that anchor is “sure and steadfast.”

Revelation 2:5 - “Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of his place, except you repent.”

This was the remedy for the Ephesians’ drift. It is interesting that, even though the Ephesians were working and laboring hard without fainting, they still drifted from their first love. Any thoughts on who or what their first love was and what their first works were? (Yahshua & the imitation of him)?

Revelation 3:19 - “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

This was the remedy for the Laodecians. Their prosperity led to their downstream drift from zealousness. Repentance would head them again in the right direction.

Spiritual drifting is often unnoticed and happens over time and in times of prosperity. Therefore . . .

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 

What a glorious promise Yahweh, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, has made to sinners. Would you like to be the recipient of such a promise? Who wouldn’t? 

Some may say, “I am not a sinner and do not need forgiveness of sin.” Such a statement reveals the power of sin to deceive people. The Almighty Creator, Yahweh, says otherwise. Yahweh inspired King David to write:

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no Elohim (God/Yahweh). They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. Yahweh looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek Elohim. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:1-3

Yahweh inspired the Apostle Paul to write:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim.” Romans 3:23 

Yahweh also inspired the Apostle John to write:

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

Yes friend, we are all sinners, but what is sin? The Bible gives us two definitions by which we can know what sin is.

“Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1John 3:4 

“All unrighteousness is sin: . . .” 1John 5:17a 

Our Creator has given us good laws by which we can live peaceful lives with Him and with our fellow man. When we break those laws, we sin against our Creator. That sin does not come without a heavy price.

“The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” Ezekiel 18:20 

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through Yahshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) our Master.” Romans 6:23 

The Bible teaches us that death befalls all the living because all have sinned. 

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12 

However, as we read in Romans 6:23, there is a remedy for sin, Yahshua Messiah. 

“For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 

Dear friend, you are part of the world and your Creator (Yahweh) loves you so much that He has given you His only begotten Son (Yahshua) to save you from your sins and give you the gift of eternal life in His kingdom. 

The angel of Yahweh, speaking the words of Yahweh, said: 

“And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Yahshua: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 

Almighty Yahweh brought His Son Yahshua into the world so that all mankind would be saved from their sins. How did Yahshua save his people from their sins? He saved them through his death that was prophesied of by the prophet Isaiah. 

“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; He has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53:8-10

These words of Isaiah were written hundreds of years before Messiah Yahshua was born. They speak of his death as a sin offering. Throughout the Old Testament we read about animal sacrifices/offerings that the Israelites were to offer when they sinned. Leviticus 17:11 tells us why those sacrifices were necessary. 

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.” 

The New Testament explains it similarly. 

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22 

In other words, if a person wants remission (forgiveness of sins), he must have blood shed on his behalf.

However, Hebrews 10:1-4 states: 

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” 

Animal sacrifices were a temporary covering for sin until Yahweh sent His only begotten Son to be the promised sin offering of Isaiah 53:10. He has given us a better, more effective and permanent way to remove sin; that is, through the shed blood of Messiah Yahshua. 

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yahshua Messiah his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:7-9 

This forgiveness of sins is not only for Israel, but for the entire world including Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, etc. It is a one-time, universal sacrifice for all mankind. If one sins again after being cleansed by the blood of Messiah Yahshua, he/she needs only to confess the sin to be cleansed again. 

When Messiah Yahshua called and commissioned Saul of Tarsus to be an Apostle, he said to him: 

“But rise, and stand upon your feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto Elohim, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:16-18. 

The Apostle Peter taught us that remission (forgiveness) of sins comes through repentance and baptism and that it is for all of the world. 

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as [Yahweh] our Elohim shall call.” Acts 2:38-39 

If you desire to have your sins forgiven and washed clean by the blood of Messiah Yahshua; if you desire to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide you through life; if you desire to receive the gift of eternal life in the Kingdom of Yahweh, then I invite you to receive Yahshua the Messiah as your Master and Savior.

There is no other way to live forever with your Creator than through His Son. As His Son has said, 

“Yahshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 

Yahshua’s “Father” is Almighty Yahweh, your Creator. Seek the forgiveness of your sins Yahweh’s way, not man’s way, not your own way. 

“There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25 

This world is full of various religions that offer assorted ways to have the crimson stain of sin removed, but only the shed blood of a sinless man would suffice in Yahweh’s eyes. That sinless man was Yahshua the Messiah. 

“So Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28 

It is only by the cleansing of sin that one receives through embracing Yahshua as Savior that true peace comes to the soul of man. His blood not only washes the sins away, but it cleanses the conscience, thus allowing the one forgiven to be at total peace within himself and with his Creator. 

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh:

How much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to Elohim, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?” Hebrews 9:13-14 

Such a clear conscience resulting in peace with our Creator is priceless.

Consider the writings of the great Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi, who for all his devotion to his religion, stated in his autobiography, “It is a constant torture to me that I am still so far from Him whom I know to be my very life and being. I know it is my own wretchedness and wickedness that keeps me from Him.”

Sadly, Gandhi never became one with his Creator and therefore had no peace with Him. That does not need to be your fate as well. 

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with Elohim through our Master Yahshua Messiah:” Romans 5:1

“Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Messiah, hath not Elohim. He that abides in the doctrine of Messiah, he has both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 9

To abide in the doctrine (teaching) of Messiah requires one to become his disciple through receiving him as Master and Savior. Once we are united with Messiah Yahshua, we also become united with his Father Yahweh (God). 

It is sin that separates one from Yahweh: 

“Behold, Yahweh’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

But your iniquities have separated between you and your Elohim, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eats of their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.

Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goes therein shall not know peace.

Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

In transgressing and lying against Yahweh, and departing away from our Elohim, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and Yahweh saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment.

And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained him.

For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; to the islands He will repay recompense.

So shall they fear the name of Yahweh from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of Yahweh shall lift up a standard against him.

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion . . .” Isaiah 59:1-20a 

The “Redeemer” is Yahshua the Messiah who Yahweh has sent to save the world from their sins. 

Dear friend, think long and hard about the condition of your soul. Have you had a total cleansing of your sin? Is your conscience clear of offense toward Yahweh? Do you have peace with your Creator or is your soul tortured as Gandhi’s was? If not, I invite you to receive these precious promises of forgiveness that can only come through the cleansing blood of Yahshua. 

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.” 1Peter 2:24 

Invite Messiah Yahshua into your heart. Ask him to heal you of your sins through his shed blood. Receive the peace that transcends all understanding and begin to live your life united with the one who gave you life. 

Blessed be the name of Yahweh!

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body of Messiah.

Paul, writing many years after Yahweh’s Holy Days were supposedly fulfilled and done away with, said those days still existed as shadows of things that would come in his future. These shadows portray the reality of Yahweh’s plan of salvation for mankind. In other words, each appointed time or Holy Day depicts an aspect of Yahweh’s plan that will be fulfilled in our future. An example of a shadow / reality would be animal sacrifices which were a shadow of the true sacrifice of Yahshua the Messiah. Once the reality, Yahshua’s death, was accomplished or fulfilled the shadow ceased to continue. Since Paul spoke of the Holy Days as unfulfilled shadows, they will not be totally fulfilled and cease until the reality has come.

Yahweh’s three primary holy times (Passover / Feast of Unleavened, Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles) revolve around the agricultural harvest of Israel. We see this in Ex.23:14-16;

“Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened: (thou shalt eat unleavened seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest [Pentecost], the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering [Tabernacles], which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.”

They begin in the spring when new life springs from the ground (in particular, the barley crop of Israel) and they end when the final crops of Israel are harvested.

Yahshua gave us a parable that helps us to understand the spiritual aspects of the harvest. The Parable of the Tares in Mt.13:24-30, 36-43 reads;

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

“Then Yahshua sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

 

We see, by this parable, that the agricultural life of Israel has a spiritual parallel. Keep that in mind as you learn what the reality of each Holy Day shadow is.

Passover - Redemption / Protection

Ex.12:3,6,7,12,13 – “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: . . .And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it . . . For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am Yahweh. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

It was through the shed blood of a lamb being applied to their doorposts that the Israelites received Yahweh’s divine protection from the final plague to befall Egypt. It was through this same sacrifice that Israel was redeemed from Egyptian bondage.

The New Testament writings of Paul to the Corinthians teach us that Yahshua the Messiah is our true Passover lamb. 1 Cor.5:7 says;

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us:”

He has totally fulfilled the shadow of that original sacrifice, dying at the exact moment the Passover lambs were being sacrificed by the Jews. Now it is his blood that redeems us from our bondage to sin (a type of Egypt). It is also his blood upon the door posts of our hearts that provides us divine protection from Yahweh’s wrath to come. We see this in 1 Th.1:10 and Ro.5:8,9;

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Yahshua, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

“But Elohim commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Feast of Unleavened - Sanctification

Ex.12:17 says, “And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.”

Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage came on the first day of this Feast (Abib 15). It is a type of how believers are delivered from this world. Once a person accepts Yahshua as their Savior and receives divine redemption and protection through his shed blood, he must begin his journey to the promised land. He begins his exodus out of this worldly system (sanctification or being set apart) and starts to walk in the newness of life that comes only through a relationship with Yahshua, the Son of Yahweh.

As a requirement for observing this Feast, Ex.12:15 reads;

“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leaven from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.”

Leaven represents sin, false doctrine, and hypocrisy. We are not only to rid our homes of leaven during this appointed time, but we are to rid our hearts of these things as we grow in grace and truth. It is part of our sanctification process or the process of coming out of this world. Since this is an ongoing process that will continue until Messiah returns, we cannot do away with the shadow of the Feast of Unleavened.

Wavesheaf - Firstfruits of the barley harvest

The firstfruits of the barley harvest were offered on Abib 16.

Lev.23:10,11 says, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

The fulfillment of this wavesheaf offering is found in the person of Yahshua who was the firstfruit of the spiritual harvest of souls mentioned earlier in this study. We see this in 1 Cor.15:20;

“But now is Messiah risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

Yahshua’s resurrection occurred on the exact date and at the exact time the wavesheaf was offered, the early morning of Abib 16. Every believer in Messiah has a hope of a resurrection from the dead, but only at the appointed time. First, the firstfruits of the harvest had to take place (Yahshua’s resurrection). Eventually the entire crop of souls will be harvested.

Feast of Weeks - Firstfruits of the wheat harvest

Fifty days after the wave offering brings us to the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. This was the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples in Acts 2. To understand the shadow of this day we must go back to Lev.23:15-17;

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto Yahweh.”

As we saw in Lev.23:10,11, Yahshua represented the firstfruits of the barley harvest. Here, however, we have the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. The Parable of the Tares taught us that wheat is symbolic of true believers and that all believers, the entire harvest, would be reaped or resurrected after the tares or wicked are destroyed. However, before the main harvest is reaped the firstfruits of the harvest must be offered. In Lev.23:17 we see the firstfruits being represented by two loaves of wheat bread. In Rev.14:1-5 we learn the 144,000 are the “firstfruits unto [Yahweh] and to the Lamb.”

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his name and his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto [Yahweh] and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of [Yahweh].”

Just as the reaping and waving of the sheaf in Lev.23:10,11 represented the resurrection and ascension of Yahshua, the wave loaves of Lev.23:17 represent the ascension of the firstfruits of Rev.14. Each loaf represents one group of 144,000. The total number of firstfruits of the wheat harvest is 288,000. To understand why this is click here.

In Acts 2, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the “former rain” that allowed the wheat harvest to grow. The “latter rain” is yet to come. The Holy Spirit will be poured out once again to fulfill the two important rains of the agricultural cycle of Israel.

Day of Trumpets - Warning of the coming judgment

Lev.23:24 reads, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”

On this day “trumpets” (plural) are blown, not just one trumpet. When Yahshua returns only one trumpet will be blown. Therefore, he will not return on the Day of Trumpets. This day is a shadow of a future time in Yahweh’s plan of salvation when He will command the angels to begin blowing the seven trumpets of Revelation 8. These trumpet judgments begin the “Day of Yahweh” or the day of His wrath upon this world.

Day of Atonement - Yahshua’s return

The atonement has been totally fulfilled by Yahshua’s one time sacrifice for sins, however, there remains one aspect of this day that has not been fulfilled. It was on this day (the tenth day of the seventh month) that the “trumpet of the Jubilee” was blown as we read in Lev.235:8,9;

“And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.”

I believe Yahshua will return at the sound of the seventh trumpet of Rev.11:15, the same trumpet as in 1 Thess.4:16 and 1 Cor.15:52, the trumpet of Jubilee. The Jubilee signaled the time when liberty was proclaimed throughout the land and every man returned to his own family (Lev.25:10). When Yahshua returns at the sound of the Jubilee trumpet on the Day of Atonement, he will set the captives of death free. They will be granted liberty and they will return to their own family. Since Yahweh is their Father, they will return to His family in heaven.

Feast of Tabernacles - Millennium

Lev.23:39 – “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto Yahweh seven days:”

After the harvest of souls is complete or after the final agricultural harvest is complete and the fruit of the land (true believers) is gathered or resurrected, the millennium will begin which is the reality of the shadow of this Feast.

“Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto Yahweh thy Elohim in the place which Yahweh shall choose: because Yahweh thy Elohim shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.” (Deut.16:13-15).

It is a time of rejoicing for those in Messiah as they see the fruit of their labors over the course of their walk with Yahshua. All the seeds they ever planted, all the toil and hardships they underwent to further the Kingdom of Yahweh is now reaped and brought into Yahweh’s barn. They will now live forever in Yahweh’s Kingdom.

Last Great Day - The New Earth

We finally come to the culmination of Yahweh’s great plan of salvation. The Millennium has ended. The Great White Throne Judgment has been completed. Death and the grave have been thrown into the lake of fire. We come to a time spoken of by Yahshua on the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles in which he said;

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Yahshua was not yet glorified.)” (Jn.7:37-39)

This happened in part in Acts 2, but it will happen to all when Yahweh’s Last Great Day is literally fulfilled after the Millennium when rivers of living water will flow out to the nations and the earth is restored to its former glory.

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of [Yahweh] and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of [Yahweh] and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for [Yahweh] Elohim giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev.22:1-5)

Here is a summation up this great plan of salvation Almighty Yahweh offers to everyone through His Son Yahshua the Messiah:

Passover - Redemption and lifelong protection for the new believer.

Unleavened - The sanctification process begins as the new believer comes out of the world and puts away sin, false doctrine, hypocrisy, malice and wickedness.

Wavesheaf - Yahshua’s resurrection paves the way for true believers to follow.

Feast of Weeks - The resurrection of the 288,000 firstfruits unto Yahweh.

Day of Trumpets - Warning trumpets. A wake-up call of the impending judgment upon the wicked.

Day of Atonement - Yahshua returns to set the captives of death free at Jubilee.

Feast of Tabernacles - The Millennial rest and rejoicing over the harvest of souls. The Kingdom has come!

Last Great Day - The new earth restored in all its glory.

I hope you will take part in this great plan of salvation by believing on the Master Yahshua the Messiah, being baptized for the remission of your sins, and walking in the newness of life that can only come through the only begotten Son of Yahweh.

The prophet Isaiah wrote;

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your Mighty One, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (Is.59:2).

Sin has caused a separation between our Creator, Almighty Yahweh, and ourselves. And what is sin?

“Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1Jn.3:4).

When a person breaks Yahweh’s laws he sins and subjects himself to the death penalty;

“For the wages (payment) for sin is death” (Rom.6:23a).

Our loving Creator has provided a way of escape from this death penalty if we will accept it. That way is through His only begotten Son, Yahshua the Messiah.

“For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn.3:16).

“He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of [Yahweh] abides on him” (Jn.3:36).

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Master Yahshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that [Yahweh] hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom.10:9).

A person must believe that Yahshua is the Son of Yahweh and that he is the only means through which we can be saved from the death penalty. This is made clear reading the full text of Rom.6:23;

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of [Yahweh] is eternal life through Yahshua the Messiah our Master.”
How can we receive this gift of eternal life instead of eternal death?

“If we confess our sins, He [Yahweh] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn.1:9).

To “confess our sins” means to pray to Almighty Yahweh, our Creator, expressing sorrow at transgressing His laws (doing things that displease Him), and having the assurance that He will forgive our sins. The Bible calls this process, “repentance.” The Apostle Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). If one sincerely repents, he will no longer continue to commit the same sins that he did prior to repentance. A thief should steal no more; a liar will no longer lie, etc.

As we continue to grow in the knowledge of the truth and learn what our Creator’s will is and what His laws are, we will naturally show the result of our repentance and Yahweh’s forgiveness by doing good works.

“. . .that they should repent and turn to [Yahweh], and do works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:20).

As Peter said, there is one more thing to do after repenting of our sins. We must be “baptized” or totally immersed under water, in the name of Yahshua, as a symbolic picture of our participation in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior.

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Yahshua Messiah were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom.6:3,4).

Through baptism, we symbolically illustrate the death of who we use to be (our “old man”) by burying it under water. We then rise up from the watery grave symbolizing our resurrection from the dead and a new life in accordance with our Heavenly Father’s will.

This freedom from the death penalty that our Creator is giving us is a free gift and is possible for all men.

“[Yahweh] is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2Pe.3:9).

Repentance and baptism will result in a vibrant faith in Yahweh and in what Yahshua has accomplished for us by his death. Without such faith, it is impossible to please Yahweh as we read in Heb.11:6;

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to Yahweh must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

Take hold of the free gift of salvation and eternal life that your Creator is offering to you while it is on your heart and mind. The cares of this world with all its distractions and lures will easily prevent you from making such a decision in the future. Now is the time to decide between life or death.

Let’s begin with the first mention of being born again in the New Testament, John 3:3.

“Yahshua answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim.”

Yahshua spoke these words to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews. By Nicodemus’ reply it is obvious that he misunderstood Yahshua in that he was thinking an adult could somehow enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born a second time.

Yahshua then clarifies further in verse 5;

“Yahshua answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim.”

Yahshua is explaining only one aspect of being born again, the literal meaning. There is a second aspect, the spiritual meaning, which will be dealt with later. To be “born of water” refers to one’s physical birth. The unborn child is encased in “water” for the majority of his life in the womb. Once that encasement breaks and the “water” is released the birth begins. Yahshua was responding to Nicodemus’ question about entering his mother’s womb a second time. So, in essence, Yahshua was saying, “Except a man be born of the womb and of the Spirit . . .”

Many have concluded that Yahshua was referring to baptism in water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Based on the context that follows, that is not true. Verse 6 reads,

“That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Yahshua is drawing a parallel to what he just said in verse 5. To be “born of the flesh” equals to be “born of water.” To be “born . . . of the Spirit” equals to be “born of the Spirit.” When a person is born of water he is born a flesh and blood being. However, when a person is born of the Spirit he is spirit. He becomes a spirit being. This can only happen to a person upon his resurrection from the dead. That is what happened to our Savior Yahshua upon his resurrection from the dead. Ps. 2:7 reads,

“I will declare the decree: Yahweh hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

Its fulfillment is found is found in Acts 13:33;

“Elohim has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has raised up Yahshua again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”

Yahshua’s resurrection from the dead was the point in time that he was “begotten” or “born again.” He was “born of the flesh” or “born of water” when his mother Miriam gave birth to him. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. . .” (Jn 1:14)

Yahshua is said to be the “firstborn from the dead” (Col 1:18). He was the first person to be resurrected unto eternal life or the first to be “born” via resurrection. Rom 8:29 says,

“For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Therefore, all those that believe in the Son (his brethren) will also be resurrected or literally born again as he was.

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body” (1 Cor 15:44).

The “natural body” means our flesh and blood body that was born of water or of the flesh. The “spiritual body” means the new body that is reserved in heaven for each saint that will be resurrected. In 2 Cor 5:1-4, Paul speaks of this spiritual body as our future “house.”

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of Elohim, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.”

Notice, also, in 1 Cor 15:44, that Paul says the natural body is “sown.” Just as a seed is sown in the ground and gives birth to a new plant, so must we be sown in death before we are literally born again at our resurrection as spirit beings. We will literally experience a new birth into a different kind of being, one that is not subject to sickness or death or hindered by the physical barriers of life in the flesh such as walls. This latter ability of a spirit being is very important in understanding what Yahshua meant in Jn 3:8.

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Yahshua is saying, if you are a person who is born of the Spirit, you will be able to come and go without detection because spirit beings are invisible. We all know that angels, who are spirit beings, are invisible until made manifest to human eyes for some reason as was the case with Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:17. The same is true of Yahshua now that he has been resurrected or born again, born of the Spirit. In Luke 24:31, Yahshua vanished out of the sight of Cleopas and his traveling companion. Later, in Luke 24:36, Yahshua suddenly appeared in the midst of his disciples as they spoke to one another. His appearance was so sudden and unexpected that they thought they were seeing a spirit. Jn 20:19 tells on that occasion the disciples were hiding in a room in fear with the door shut. It is not too great an assumption to believe the door was locked as well, yet Yahshua, as a spirit being, was not hindered by the physical world. He passed through the door or wall, undetected as the wind, to speak to his disciples.

All this simply confirms what Paul said in 1 Cor 15:50;

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”

This is another way of saying, ” Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim” and “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim.” The kingdom of Yahweh is closed to all that are flesh and blood. Its doors will open when the flesh is made spirit at a persons resurrection. When the earth gives birth to a dead saint their entrance into the kingdom is permitted. (For an explanation of the erroneous belief that Enoch and Eliyah went to heaven in their earthly bodies, click here).

What about this concept of the earth giving birth? Is it Scriptural? Most certainly. Consider Is 26:19;

“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

It is the earth that is going to “cast out” the dead via resurrection when dead bodies shall arise. “Cast out” is #5307 in Strong’s Concordance. A root of it is #5309 which means an “untimely birth.” Consider, also, Is 66:8;

“Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children.”

Zion will give birth to her “children,” but it is the earth that is actually made to “bring forth” or give birth to these children. This refers to the resurrection of believers. The resurrection of Yahshua is referred to in verse 7. For a deeper understanding of this passage click here.

In Jn 3:9, Nicodemus says, “How can these things be?” Yahshua replies, “Art thou a master [teacher] of Israel and knowest not these things?” In other words, Nicodemus should have known from the Old Testament what Yahshua was talking about. Nowhere in the Old Testament, that I am aware of, is the concept of being born again while in the flesh taught. However, the resurrection of the dead is taught and that is what Yahshua was referring to by being “born again” and “born of the Spirit.”

What Yahshua taught in Jn 3:3-12 is the literal act of being born again. Now it is time to study the spiritual aspect of being born again which is far more important. Without being born again spiritually we cannot expect to be born again literally at our resurrection.

We begin in 1 Pe 1:23 which reads,

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of Elohim, which liveth and abideth forever.”

When the incorruptible seed of the Word of Yahweh is planted in the fertile heart of an unbeliever (Mt 13:18-23) via the preaching of the good news (1 Pe 1:25) it begins a transformation process that eventually leads to repentance of sin and acceptance of Yahshua as one’s Savior. It is culminated in baptism, total immersion under water, which symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Yahshua. When we submit to baptism we agree to die to self and live for Yahweh. We determine in our hearts to put to death our “old man” or old nature and walk in newness of life through the Holy Spirit that will be given us.

When we are submerged under water it symbolizes the burial of our old self. Finally, we emerge out of the water symbolizing our resurrection from the dead, for before Yahshua came we were dead in our sins (Eph 2:1,5; Col 2:13). It is at that point (emerging from the water of baptism) that we are spiritually born again. We are spiritually born of water (Rom 6:3-11).

At this point you are probably saying I contradicted myself since I said being “born of water” in Jn 3:5 did not refer to water baptism. It is, however, not a contradiction. The phrase “born of water” in Jn 3:5 cannot refer to baptism since “born of spirit” refers to one’s resurrection into spirit. Jn 3:5 deals with the literal aspect, not the spiritual aspect. In either case, if we are not born again, we will not see or enter the kingdom of Elohim. It is this fact that places major emphasis on this doctrine. Therefore, it is important for us to explore fully what it means to be “born again.”

James 1:18 also speaks of the Word in relation to the process of being born again. It reads,

“Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

The word “begat” means “to be pregnant.” When the word of truth is preached to an unbeliever with a fertile heart, the seed is planted, a spiritual conception takes place, and a new birth is imminent. But this conception and birth cannot occur if the word of truth is not preached. If we are taught error it will not lead to a new birth. Millions of people embrace false religions and false teachings throughout the world. There is no life in these religions because they are not founded on the preaching of Yahshua as Messiah. He is “the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).

John 1:12,13 also speaks of the new birth;

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of Elohim, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Elohim.”

Those that receive Yahshua as their Savior become sons of Elohim. They are spoken of as being “born.” This birth, however, is not the result of a man and woman uniting, but is the direct result of Yahweh’s intervention and power.

The Apostle John speaks of believers as being “born of Elohim” seven times throughout his first epistle. For brevity, I will list them all with a brief comment or two.

• 1 Jn 2:29 – Those that do righteousness are born again.
• 1 Jn 3:9 – Those that are born of Elohim, born again, do not practice sin.
• 1 Jn 4:7 – Those that are born of Elohim truly love the brethren.
• 1 Jn 5:1 – Those that are born of Elohim believe Yahshua is the Messiah.
• 1 Jn 5:4 – Those that are born of Elohim overcome the world through their faith.
• 1 Jn 5:18 – Those that are born of Elohim do not practice sin and are untouched by the wicked one.

When this new spiritual birth takes place the believer is spoken of as being a “babe” in Messiah (1 Cor 3:1; Heb 5:13; 1 Pe 2:2). Eventually the “babe” matures as he feeds first upon the milk of the Word (the elementary teachings of Scripture) and then upon “strong meat” (the deeper truths of Scripture) (Heb 5:12-14).

The most important aspect of this new birth is a change in one’s thinking and in one’s very nature. Eph 2:2,3 read;

“Wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

Before a person is born again in a spiritual sense he walks in a way that is contrary to his Creator’s will because his very nature is corrupt. As a result of Adam’s sin, “death passed upon all men for that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). Sin caused man to have a fallen, corrupt nature which Paul calls “the old man.”

In Eph 4:22-24, he admonishes the new believer in Messiah to

“. . . put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after Elohim is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Without this taking place a person is still corrupt, still partaking of the old nature rather than partaking of the divine nature as 2 Pe 1:4 teaches;

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding and great promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Paul says this conflict or war between the old man or old nature and the new man or the new nature will continue to take place until the new believer yields his mind and will to the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than to the flesh.

For brevity’s sake I will not go into detail concerning this battle and how to win it, but will recommend a thorough reading of the following verses; Rom 7:14-8:17; Gal 5:16-25; Eph 4:17-5:33; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pe 4:1-6.

The Scriptures presented in this study are not ambiguous or difficult to understand. They are quite clear that a new birth must take place while we are yet alive in our flesh and blood bodies. This is what I call being “spiritually born again.” They are also quite clear that another new birth occurs upon the resurrection of someone whose faith is in Yahshua the Messiah for salvation. This is what I call being “literally born again.” Without first being born in a spiritual sense a literal new birth cannot occur. And without being born again in a literal sense at one’s resurrection we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. It would, therefore, behoove us all to examine ourselves carefully to determine whether or not we are born again in a spiritual sense. Has our old man or old nature died? Are we now walking in the Spirit as partakers of the divine nature? Have we experienced a change in behavior from doing the works of the flesh as described in the previous Scriptures to bearing the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5?

Finally, there are many professing believers who claim to be born again, but are yet in their sins because they have sought salvation the wrong way. They believe they are saved because they obey a set of rules; because they keep the Sabbath; because they have been baptized a certain way; because they are members of a certain denomination, etc.

There is only one way to become born again or saved and that is through accepting Yahshua the Messiah as our personal Savior. He is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father (Yahweh) except through Yahshua and his righteousness. It does not matter how many laws we keep, etc. Salvation (and, by extension, the born again experience) are by grace through faith and not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8,9).