1 Peter 2:12
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
With literacy almost universal, the Word of Torah is made available almost to all. Even though originally recorded in a Semitic language, through Hebrew Jews have been able to preserve its text. They have also developed easy ways to learn Hebrew so that many of us can actually study the Words of God in their original language. In a way, this should save us from the divisive curse of so many translations. Jews and Muslims do not have this problem because they study their Holy Texts in their original languages, and the language of the Bible is not Elizabethan English nor even Greek, but Hebrew.
Reading the Bible in the culture of its original tongue is a first step in properly comprehending it, but the litmus test of whether we properly understand, live and apply the Words of our Father accurately is in this exhortation given by Moses to the Israelite generation ready to enter and conquer Canaan at God’s command. He said, Keep them (the Words of Torah) and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today (Deuteronomy 4:6-8)?
There is s popular saying among secular folks these days, ‘Lord, deliver me from Your children!’ I would like to think that people who say these things are incorrigible atheists, but the truth is that this saying is popular even among believers. It is the feeling often uttered by people who have been burned and abused by some of the ungodly ways some of God’s people represent Abba’s Words through their societal manners.
It is true that at times the Word will cause persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but opposition to our obnoxious ways is not persecution for righteousness’ sake, it is rather the just reward of our lack of wisdom. In the mean time though, the Word is negated and people do not know God as He would be portrayed, would we walk out Torah knowledge the way Yeshua taught us to. I am always amazed at the fact that whereas Yeshua, the Ultimate Righteous One on earth who came down from His heavenly station to walk our dirty roads, was so sociable that people sought and followed His uncertain ways for miles.
Yeshua sent His disciples in the same manner He was sent (John 20:21). Their life in Israel and even in the nations which is well documented in the Book of Acts and other historical accounts had the desired effect of creating a hunger for God in the people they came in contact with. The question we now need to ask ourselves is, “When people come in contact with me, do they see God’s wisdom as the Torah say they should (Deuteronomy 4:6-8)?”
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
With literacy almost universal, the Word of Torah is made available almost to all. Even though originally recorded in a Semitic language, through Hebrew Jews have been able to preserve its text. They have also developed easy ways to learn Hebrew so that many of us can actually study the Words of God in their original language. In a way, this should save us from the divisive curse of so many translations. Jews and Muslims do not have this problem because they study their Holy Texts in their original languages, and the language of the Bible is not Elizabethan English nor even Greek, but Hebrew.
Reading the Bible in the culture of its original tongue is a first step in properly comprehending it, but the litmus test of whether we properly understand, live and apply the Words of our Father accurately is in this exhortation given by Moses to the Israelite generation ready to enter and conquer Canaan at God’s command. He said, Keep them (the Words of Torah) and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today (Deuteronomy 4:6-8)?
There is s popular saying among secular folks these days, ‘Lord, deliver me from Your children!’ I would like to think that people who say these things are incorrigible atheists, but the truth is that this saying is popular even among believers. It is the feeling often uttered by people who have been burned and abused by some of the ungodly ways some of God’s people represent Abba’s Words through their societal manners.
It is true that at times the Word will cause persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but opposition to our obnoxious ways is not persecution for righteousness’ sake, it is rather the just reward of our lack of wisdom. In the mean time though, the Word is negated and people do not know God as He would be portrayed, would we walk out Torah knowledge the way Yeshua taught us to. I am always amazed at the fact that whereas Yeshua, the Ultimate Righteous One on earth who came down from His heavenly station to walk our dirty roads, was so sociable that people sought and followed His uncertain ways for miles.
Yeshua sent His disciples in the same manner He was sent (John 20:21). Their life in Israel and even in the nations which is well documented in the Book of Acts and other historical accounts had the desired effect of creating a hunger for God in the people they came in contact with. The question we now need to ask ourselves is, “When people come in contact with me, do they see God’s wisdom as the Torah say they should (Deuteronomy 4:6-8)?”
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