> Why does a minister have to wear a robe with tassles and that goofy sash thing? It's like the garments described above.

In the passage above, He isn't coming againt the tassles themselves, only against them being *long* to where they're dragging the ground, as a false show of piety rather thamn simple obedience to a command.

> But when you look at the context of the passage, it should be perfectly clear that Jesus has instructed us not to call our ministers "Rabbi," "Teacher," or "Father." The first two I don't hear very often, but the third I do. It's a distinctly Catholic title, and one of my biggest gripes about Catholicism. Sure, it's not going to send anyone to hell, but it seems to be a rather blatant disobediance of this instruction from Jesus.

Now the first, I've heard more frequently. Not of our own, as ours is called "shammash", or "servant". (Certainly a different usage than in traditional Jewish synagogues.)

> Earlier TOM raised the question of what I meant by living without rules. I do agree that we must have rules, and the Ten Commandments are certainly no exception. But as we read further in Colossians 3 (verses 13-15), we get to the point I was trying to make... "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

If, indeed, the document in question is the Torah (better translated "teaching", although it has lawlike aspects which is probably why numon was used in the Greek), then doesn't it seem odd that Yeshua (a.k.a Jesus) said that that's not what he came to do, that not even the smallest part of the smallest letter would pass away (Matt. 5:17-19) until heaven and earth do first? (Luke 16:17) And if earth has passed away, would somebody please tell me what planet this is? 'Cause the new heaven and new earth don't get here until about the end of Revelation (21:1), and I'd like to know that this ground here isn't a figment of my imagination. The idea is that our "rap sheet" has been deleted. "And the record's clear today, all my sins are washed away," as an old hymn goes.

> Jesus fulfilled the Law!

Fulfil - Greek 4137 pleroo

To make replete, cram (a net), level up (a hollow), to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction, accomplish, after, be complete, end, expire, fill (up), be full, make full, fully preach, perfect, supply.

Context: Matt. 5:17-19

after - Makes no sense in context

end, expire - Contradicts His assertion that He didn't come to do that, and that it wouldn't happen

finish a period - Perhaps, if the period meant is the period during which animal sacrifices are accepted for sin.

verify, coincide with a prediction - Both Torah and Prophets are verified, and certain of the prophecies are "coincided" with, with the rest to be fulfilled upon His return.

satisfy, execute an office, finish a task, accomplish - He did what He set out to do.

to make replete, cram, furnish, fill up, make full, perfect, supply - We see this in the rest of ch. 5 -- He goes about "kicking it up a notch! BAM!" (Note that the "hate your enemy" part (Matt. 5:43) was "said", not "written".)

be complete - He was complete.

> I'm going to jump down now, but don't think I'm reading out of context. Feel free to read the whole chapter if you think I'm skipping around too much. I'm just trying to save space. Verses 20-23: "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!'? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." The word "sensual" here, of course, not meaning strictly SEX, but anything that would appeal to the senses. Basically, the fleshly desires of our sinful nature. At any rate, this is what I meant by not needing rules.

The "of this world" and "human commands and teachings" should be a clue here. Was Torah made up by men, or by God?

> Therefore, we are made righteous in God's eyes through our faith. This has nothing to do with obeying rules, not even the Ten Commandments.
>
> Galatians 3:10-13... "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, 'The righteous will live by faith.' The las is not based on faith; on the contrary, 'The man who does these things will live by them.' Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'"

Correct. Attempting salvation via Torah is not going to work. Showing you love and trust for Him via Torah does.

> To wrap up this point, let's look at 1 Corinthians 10:23. "'Everything is permissible' -- but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible' -- but not everything is constructive." And as 1 Thessalonians 4 says, we live our lives to please God. In other words, we avoid sin. By doing this, we end up following the law. But from this perspective, the law isn't just a written list of regulations for us to be bound by. Instead, it's a list of things we happen to be doing anyway. Our main focus, the thing driving us to act the way we do, is not the law. It's God! We want to please Him, and choose not to sin. When our lifestyle is bound by regulations, we fall into legalism, which is very much the opposite of grace.

Yeah, we do it because He's writing it on our hearts, as is the nature of part of the new covenant, the other one being that everyone who calls on the name of YHWH will be saved.

> Again, this has nothing to do with anyone's salvation. I'm just ranting about theology. I can hardly believe how long this message is, but I had a lot to say and I hope I've made myself clear. If not, please let me know. And I just want to reiterate that I hold everyone in the highest respect. My struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. If none of those describes you, you're not my enemy. :-)

Good. I don't consider you or anyone here to be my enemy. And I'd be under His teaching to love y'all anyway. :)

> -useless"Um, it's 2:00 in the morning. Maybe I should go to bed now..."ness

Nyper"It's 1:16 PM... I'd better have lunch"old