In most people’s minds, “church” is a physical structure, and “going to church” means travelling to that special building, at a special time, in order to attend and participate in congregational worship services. But is this really how the Scriptures define the true nature of “church”?
Our generation of Messiah-followers is in crisis. Plagued by division, bizarre beliefs, and the overall watering-down of the Bible, we simply cannot afford to take the fundamentals of our faith for granted. So in order to determine if we can walk together as brothers and sisters in Messiah, here are six areas of non-negotiable belief that identify whether we share an essential, biblical faith.
Messianic believers in Yeshua rely on the Scriptures for guidance on things such as Torah-keeping, celebrating the Feasts, and so forth. Yet some say that in addition to the instructions of God’s word, we should also be keeping the traditions of Judaism—that this is a clear teaching of Paul. But is this what Paul really teaches? What should our attitude be toward Jewish tradition? Read more
As those created in God’s very own image, it is our duty and pleasure to serve and obey our Master—to voluntarily enslave our minds (see Ro. 7:25) and bend our wills to His Word. To be true, no amount of the sincerest admiration, respect, veneration, passion or even self-denial is acceptable to God unless it proceeds from our unconditional conformity and unrivaled obedience. In the words of Samuel, “to obey is better than sacrifice.” Indeed, our commitment to the Creator must far exceed all adoration and devotion we have for Him. Instead, as the Master Yeshua demonstrated by laying down His life in place of ours, the only adequate expression of love and submission must be displayed through action. Whatever the price—no matter the cost—we must heed the admonition of obedience: “When God speaks, man must bow.” Read more
The fundamental attack on God’s authority is the belief that we need more than His word to guide us through life. Such an assertion utterly degrades the Scriptures. When we look to and lift up standards that originate outside the Bible, we are saying that the word of God is insufficient to teach us what we need to know. This is why followers of God often fall prey to what may be considered hostile influences—forces that draw our focus away from Scripture. There are three such influences that not only compromise our submission to God’s Word, but also weaken our ability to bear the standard of Scripture. Read more
With barely six months remaining in their desert exile, the people of Israel could still speak the unthinkable, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness?” (Numbers 21:5). God was invisible and unreal to Israel. After forty long years, they simply did not believe.
With Israel blinded to their ever-present salvation, God then unleashed upon the people a danger of the desert—reminding them just Who had the power to hold it back. In answer to the defining, forty-year-old lesson which Israel had failed to learn, God gave His condemning response. Read more
Praise God! We’re celebrating 20 years of ministry! Join Kevin as he commemorates this major milestone, while also reflecting on the important work and message of Perfect Word. Plus, you don’t want to miss his special SURPRISE GUESTS! Come join us!
Most believers in Yeshua today have either never truly learned how to properly handle the Scriptures, or they fail to apply what they know—either consistently, or at all. So whether you’re listening to a sermon, having a Bible study, or discussing the Scriptures with a friend or online, here are five simple strategies that will help you stand up for the truth of God’s word and answer any unbiblical beliefs you might hear from your fellow believers. Read more
Pride and stubbornness may drive division between believers in Messiah, but the root of our disagreement is often nothing more than just bad, inconsistent Bible interpretation. Too many of us impose our own ideas and frames of reference on the Bible, rather than letting the Scriptures speak for themselves. Sadly, there are are an abundance of commonly used methods of interpreting the Bible that are guaranteed to yield an incorrect understanding. Here are just six of them. Read more
As unique individuals, we each see the Bible through the lens of our own experiences and dispositions. So, for example, if we’re prone to be more cerebral and academic in our thinking, then we might tend to force our understanding of the Bible to fit within the confines of our own intellect and reasoning. On the other hand, if we’re inclined to be more spiritual in our perspective, we might tend to set our understanding of the Bible free from any constraints of rational thought. Yet neither extreme produces an accurate view of the Bible. On the contrary, the Bible’s very own patterns and principles teach us that in order to correctly understand Scripture, we need both our minds and our spirits. Read more
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