Sermon Video: The Mystery of Christ - Ephesians 3:1-13

Paul interrupts his own thought about being a prisoner of Christ Jesus to reflect upon the journey that brought him to the place of being the Apostle to the Gentiles.  That act of God's grace was part of the revelation of the mystery of Christ: God's plan to include the Gentiles in his covenant people by calling all men equally to repent and  believe in Jesus.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #35 Romans 8:20-23

 

Romans 8:20-23  New International Version

20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

One of the reasons why the aims and hopes of 'Christian' Nationalism will always disappoint is because any success that may be achieved in this world with respect to the Kingdoms of This World will always turn out to be Fool's Gold.  The true gold of a pure and righteous kingdom is impossible in this age.  The entirety of Creation, Paul tells us in Romans has been "subjected to frustration," a status that it will continue to suffer under until that day when Christ returns and establishes his kingdom, the Kingdom of God.  

Because of this foundational truth, power in this world will always be tainted, it will always come with warning signs and caveats.  Don't get me wrong, this world needs righteous people in its leadership, we have had more than enough of evil men wielding power, but ultimately all such efforts at human self-improvement will come to naught.  There is value in nonetheless striving to build and maintain more ethical governments, but such efforts need to be recognized as at most a stewardship until the final triumph of Jesus Christ.

'Christian' Nationalism unfortunately, and dangerously, sells its followers on the idea that if "we" were to wield power things would be different.  The false hope is that a panacea on earth is right around the corner, if only "we" had more power.  "They" are not to be trusted with it, but "we" could be.  In reality, disciples of Jesus Christ ought to know better.  We are sojourners in this world, our citizenship is in heaven, and our service is that of self-sacrifice on behalf of the Kingdom of God that is coming.  

Sermon Video: We are God's Dwelling Place - Ephesians 2:19-22

Leave it to God's grace to go far beyond our expectations.  The Apostle Paul begins by telling the Gentile followers of Jesus at Ephesus that because of Jesus they are no longer foreigners and strangers, but instead citizens of God's kingdom, AND members of God's own household.  This would seem blessing enough, it is a tremendous boon to all who come to Jesus by faith.  And yet, Paul goes further, telling us that not only has God made us citizens of his kingdom, and members of his household, God has gone much further by choosing to dwell within us.  

In the Ancient World, having God dwell among us would be a big deal.  The tabernacle and Temple reflected this blessing.  Having God literally take upon himself humanity, in the Incarnation, was an shocking step forward.  This is more.  God isn't just WITH us (amazing as that is), God is WITHIN us.  The implications are many and varied, all wondrous to consider.

Sermon Video: One Humanity United in Christ - Ephesians 2:15-18

Having made peace with God through his own sacrifice, how does Jesus envision his followers moving forward?  Jesus sees us as one humanity.  All divisions, distinctions, barriers, and whatever else the human heart may attempt, are made null and void.  In Christ we are one.

In Paul's day the focus was upon unity between his Jewish brethren and the gentile believers who had come to God through Jesus.  The Covenant of Moses at Sinai stood between the two groups, which is why God as its original author chose to set it aside in the New Covenant.

Beginning of Wisdom (Torah Club) lesson #37: More Gnostic Dualism, pre-existence of the soul, and extra-biblical reliance

 

“The sages said that the Messianic Era might have commenced at that point, but the children of Israel lost the opportunity.  Likewise, in the days of the apostles, the kingdom was again at hand.  If the generation had heeded the message of Yeshua and the twelve disciples, they could have entered the Messianic Era.  They failed to do so.  They lost the opportunity.” – p. 4

So, unnamed “sages” think that had Israel while journeying out of Egypt been more obedient God would have sent the Messiah right then and there.  That’s a bold theory, it certainly isn’t derived from Scripture.  Likewise, FFOZ is teaching that the Jewish community to whom Jesus came had the power to usher in the Messianic Era immediately after the death of Jesus?  How is this supposed to work?  If they had accepted him fully, the Kingdom would have been founded without his death?  But if he was rejected, as the prophets foretold, how exactly was there ever a chance of the Kingdom being founded right away?  I have no idea why they want to teach this, but they’re not getting it from the Word of God.  

“Then they gathered around him and asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?” – Acts 1:6

“The soul descends into this world on a mission.  Why does it leave a place of comfort and repose to enter a world of hardship and struggle?  Only to take advantage of this world’s opportunities to serve God, seek His presence, and love others…the soul knows there are no guarantees of success.  The soul enters the world at great personal risk.” – p. 5

Once again, we have theology being built upon the heretical teaching of the pre-existence of the human soul.  For whatever reason, FFOZ/Lancaster believe so much in this idea that it comes up over and over again in lesson after lesson.  The whole idea doesn’t make any sense.  God and our souls were dwelling together “in comfort and repose” but decided to risk eternal separation from God by becoming ignorant of that past and living here on the chance that they would find their way back to God??  Do the people who were raised in the Church and now sit in Torah Club meetings really buy this nonsense?

“How many opportunities to experience the Messiah and contribute to the redemption do we forfeit every day?  He stands at the door and knocks, but the slumbering soul, comfortably tucked inside the physical body, does not want to get out of bed.” – p. 7

You are a whole person: body, soul, and spirit.  You do NOT have a spirit “tucked inside” your body.  You are every part of you, indivisible.  The irony of these ideas borrowed from medieval Jewish mysticism is that they have far more in common with Greek Gnostic Dualism than with 1st Century Judaism.  Also, we say “no” to Jesus because our soul is too lazy and comfortable??  That’s no version of the sin nature that I’ve ever read in scripture.  Hold that thought…

“Whenever you have a difficult choice to make, choose the harder thing.  The harder thing usually turns out to be the better choice.  The more lenient path should always be viewed with suspicion.” – p. 11

This fits right in with someone trying to replace Grace with Law, Faith with Works.  You need to work harder to please God is what they're selling to you.  Don’t get me wrong, Christian discipleship is very hard work, but that’s because we’re trying to purge our hearts and minds of the sinful nature we were born with, not because we’re supposed to default to the “harder thing.”  FYI, this is not how a moral compass works.  We are supposed to do the right thing, the righteous thing, whether or not it is easy or hard.

“For example, suppose you were thinking about hosting Sabbath guests on a Friday night…This isn’t a good week for that?  I have a busy schedule this week, and the house is a mess.  I would have to spend extra on groceries.  And who knows what their dietary standard might be?  My kitchen’s surely not kosher enough for them.  It’s exhausting to even thing about cooking in this heat, Shabbat starts so late at this time of year…” – p. 12

And here we have a casually inserted example of the thing that so many Torah Club members insist FFOZ isn’t doing: Convincing Gentiles to live like Jews.   Why this particular example of something that is hard that we may be too lazy to do?  Why is the context kosher eating and Sabbath keeping?  If you are lazy, that is, a bad disciple, you won’t put in the effort to obey the Law of Moses, but if you’re really dedicated like Boaz, Daniel, Aaron, Jacob and the rest, you will gladly take upon yourself the yolk of the Law.  The proof of their goal is right on the page!

“If his bodily movements are sluggish, the movements of his spirit also become dull and lifeless.  This is verified by experience.” – Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzatto, The Path of the Upright  “The sages teach, ‘One sin leads to another sin’…The sages teach, ‘One mitzvah leads to another mitzvah.’ Soon both the spirit and the flesh are strong.” – p. 14

In an effort to equate physical activity with spiritual health, this lesson goes so far as to quote Benjamin Franklin.  But that’s not the reason to note this section.  This may sound like a broken record, but once again we have a Torah Club lesson that quotes “the sages” without ever saying which one, when, or where.  That’s just sloppy scholarship and the kind of thing one can’t ask in follow-up, “Do they really teach that?”  It is also another lesson where not a single Christian theologian of any century is quoted, rather Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzatto’s book is quoted twice at length.  Was this Rabbi a follower of Jesus?  Actually, he was an 18th century mystic who claimed to have received direct divine revelation.  Is this someone whose ideas the followers of Jesus ought to study uncritically?  Should we be taking advice on Christian discipleship from this source?  Significant danger signs that FFOZ doesn't even acknowledge.

“Group Discussion: Read Romans 8:5-14 out loud and discuss.  Keep in mind that the term ‘flesh’ is short for the Hebrew idiom ‘flesh and blood,’ an idiom that refers to the physical human body.” – p. 15

{For comparison, what Romans 8:5-14 actually says is below}

Romans 8:5-14  New International Version   Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.  9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[a] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.  12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.  14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

No, no, no, a thousand times no.  The Apostle Paul is NOT warning the church at Rome about the physical human body.  This is a bastardized interpretation of Paul that has no basis in the context of Romans nor the argumentation of Paul in any of his writings.  You are a whole human being, not a spirit at war with your physical body.  These are heresies that the Early Church soundly rejected when they took the form of Gnosticism.  FFOZ is repackaging that ancient heresy, evidently assuming its followers will be unaware that the Church long ago rejected a spiritual vs. physical dualism, or that they won’t care.  Either way, this is NOT what Paul is teaching.

“The physical body, which seeks comfort in this world, does not understand the gravity of the loss, but the soul will later lament every lost opportunity…When the soul leaves the body and returns to the place from whence it came…During that accounting, the soul grieves more over the many lost opportunities to do good and carry out its mission on earth than it does over the transgressions and sins it committed.” – P. 20

Where to begin.  We have in full force the Gnostic dualism and pre-existence of the human soul that the Early Church rejected as heresy.  Here in FFOZ’s Torah Club materials they are taught as facts without any biblical support, one should instead simply trust the extra-biblical sources from which this ideas were taken.   Lastly, will we (not just our souls apart from our body as depicted here) regret more the things we failed to do than the sins we committed?  That probably depends a lot upon the life a person lived, what they did and did not do.  If you’re wondering if this assertion is supported by a text of scripture properly quoted in context, you haven’t gotten the hang of how these Torah Club lessons work yet.

* This material originally appeared as a YouTube video on 1/22/25: The Beginning of Wisdom, lesson #:37 Cataloging the unorthodox teachings of the Torah Club materials