When to Unite, When to Divide

Thank you for having me again...

The Premise: Covenant Believers in YHWH and in Messiah MUST be serious about making healthy and Holy Separations. At the same time, we must make every effort not to be so overzealous in trying to separate from uncleanness, that we end up causing harm to legitimate members of the body of believers, in our necessary efforts to be holy. It truly is a NARROW path that leads to life.

Matthew 7:13–14 NASB95

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:1

The reason that I bring this up is because, I'm seeing a lot of believers; both traditional Christian believers and Hebrew roots believers that tend to be very extreme in their fellowships and in their relationships. That is to say, they tend to go to extremes when they decide what they will and will not tolerate in their relationships with fellow believers. It's becoming epidemic. Once again people's default position seems to be to the extreme left or to the extreme right, and there isn't much healthy balance to be seen in general among believers.

I would like to issue a challenge to those of us who are now being established in the Hebrew Roots/Whole Testament Theology.

Today, YHWH has graciously opened our eyes, and we see the love and the benefits of Torah observance, but we didn’t always perceive observing Torah as the true blessing that it is. Many of us were once brought up to believe that observing Torah was supposedly bondage, but now we know that it is indeed a true blessing of freedom. The point is, we didn’t always know this truth.

On the one side you have some people who are so extreme about showing grace and mercy and fellowships, that they will open the gates wide with a come one and come all attitude. The idea of being aware of YHWH's wrathful judgment and the need to repent is barely mentioned if at all, because all we're interested in is showing Abba's love and grace. If we just show them enough love and enough grace, and were absolutely tolerant of anything they bring, they will eventually repent and come around. Most often congregations that take this approach are very popular, but extremely ineffective when it comes to building thriving and overcoming disciples.

On the one side you have some people who are so extreme about showing grace and mercy within fellowships, that they will open the gates wide with a come one and come all attitude. The idea of being aware of YHWH's wrathful judgment and the need to repent is barely mentioned if at all, because all we're interested in is showing Abba's love and grace. They mistakenly believe that If we just show them enough love and enough grace, and we’re absolutely tolerant of anything they bring, they will eventually repent and come around. Most often congregations that take this approach are very popular, but extremely ineffective when it comes to building thriving and overcoming disciples; because YHWH’s True Standards, and the penalties for missing His Standards are never discussed, because that does not FEEL or SOUND very Gracious.

There are many of us in this movement who at one time or another had been brought up to believe that the Sabbath had somehow been changed from the Seventh day of the week, to the First day of the week. Many of us were brought up to believe that supposedly, so long as you love Yahweh and Messiah in your heart, then you could celebrate God and Jesus anyway you wanted to, and supposedly YHWH Almighty would bless that approach.

Today, by YHWH’s Grace, many of us have come to understand that laying aside the Commandments of YHWH, in order to maintain a tradition established by human religious leaders is VAIN Worship, and we should never do such things, (; ; ), but in the beginning of our walk many of us did not fully understand these things, as we do today.

On the other hand, the other extreme is also evidenced. There are some people that are so aware of YHWH's wrathful judgment over sin. They are so concerned about not wanting to be defiled that they almost have a knee-jerk reaction to anything that is remotely suspicious, and they will attack and quickly separate anything that they are not personally comfortable with at the time. These people are trying very hard to avoid having any tares with their in their congregations. They aggressively try to root out everything and anything that looks suspicious. In the process though, they end up damaging genuine brothers and sisters. A lot of fellowships and congregations and up dividing over illegitimate reasons, and believers end up getting hurt and damaged in the process. Messiah himself addressed this issue in this way:

On the other hand, the other extreme is also evidenced. There are some people that are so aware of YHWH's wrathful judgment over sin. They are so concerned about not wanting to be defiled that they almost have a knee-jerk reaction to anything that is remotely suspicious, and they will attack and quickly separate anything that they are not personally comfortable with at the time. These people are trying very hard to avoid having any tares within their congregations. They aggressively try to root out everything and anything that looks suspicious. In the process though, they end up damaging genuine brothers and sisters. A lot of fellowships and congregations and up dividing over illegitimate reasons, and believers end up getting hurt and damaged in the process.

In the last formal congregation that I was working a conflict actually broke out among the leaders. Some did not want to use the word discipleship, because it had the connotation of being disciplined, and for some people that is just too negative.

Based on everything that I have seen and heard and read, in another congregation, the leadership was bragging about its youth crew wearing Harry Potter T-shirts to attract more youth into the church. Suddenly it didn't matter that they were praising something which YHWH called an ABOMINATION, and which will NOT inherit the Eternal Kingdom, didn't seem to matter, because the end goal was to get them into the church so they could hear the gospel and hopefully get saved. Suddenly, making YHWH and Messiah appear cool and popular among youth became so important, that YHWH's Legitimate Standards suddenly took a backseat. It didn't seem to matter to people that if you make yourself a friend to the world, you actually end up making yourself an enemy to YHWH. As it is written:

James 4:4 NASB95

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:4

Let us be absolutely clear. Failing to uphold YHWH's Standards is a SIN. Let us not miss that key point. As it is Written:

Ezekiel 22:26 NASB95

“Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel

At the same time, being so overzealous about separating from uncleanness that you do harm to legitimate members of the body who are trying to walk with YHWH faithfully; that is also a sin, and its DANGEROUS:

Matthew 18:3–7 NASB95

and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

As I look at various blogs and social media such as Facebook, and as I witness some of the relentless arguments, vicious comments, debates and broken relationships that come up in fellowships because of disagreement over issues such as flat earth versus round earth? Do you pronounce YHWH’s Sacred Name in this way, or in that other way? Do we honor birthdays or not? Do you start the biblical months on the sliver, the full moon, or the conjunction? I’ve even heard of a brother who walked out of fellowship because someone used the word, “Talmudeem,” (which in Hebrew means taught one), or disciple, but all that this poor soul heard was the word, “Talmud," so he got it in his head based on misunderstanding that single word that the group he was with must be teaching Talmudic tradition of men, so he stormed out and broke fellowship on that basis.

In another instance, I heard of a brother who got angry during the feast of Tabernacles because one of the camps had gourds and pumpkins, (not carved) as table decorations, he thought it was too pagan, he got angry, and broke fellowship, and complained to others of his household about it. Never mind that the Scriptures tell us to decorate with the fruit of the land, and in our land pumpkins and gourds are basic fall decorations.

In another instance, someone got upset because one of the PowerPoint slides during the song service portrayed a star of David, (or seal of Solomon). They walked out of fellowship on that basis.

The point is that some of the vicious comments, the name-calling, the belittling of others, the breaking of fellowships, and the hurting of fellow believers with nastiness against other believers, who are legitimately trying to OBEY the Scriptures, but may not be exactly on the same page when it comes to one topic or another is getting RIDICULOUS. I honestly fear that we are becoming a reproach to outsiders, based on the way that we treat one another, and especially in public forums.

Messiah Himself addressed this issue in this way:

Today many of us understand that it is IMPOSSIBLE to truly love YHWH with all of our hearts; it is IMPOSSIBLE to truly love our neighbor as ourselves, (as YHWH defines the term), unless you progressively learn, and KEEP the Heavenly Father’s Commandments; but we didn’t always know that in the same way that we do now. Many of us were brought up to think that if you have warm fuzzy feelings toward God and Jesus, and that you are not overtly working in hostile opposition to Him, then that must be what it means to love Him. By His Grace, YHWH our Heavenly Father opened our eyes, and today we understand that there are 18 times in the Whole Testament of Scripture where YHWH directly connects the Idea of Loving Him, with KEEPING His commandments. Today we see this, but there was a time for many of us where we were blind and we did not see this incredible truth.

Matthew 24:

Matthew 13:24–30 NASB95

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ “And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ “But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

For me, there was a time when I passionately believed and thought of myself as a, “New Testament Christian,” and I thought that was enough. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was a passionate believer in becoming a DOER of the New Testament which I thought was valid. The parts I thought were valid, I did passionately believe that Christians should OBEY. However, at one time I was thoroughly deceived. I generally believed that the obligation to learn and obey the first five books, (the foundation of the whole Bible), was supposedly done away with at the cross of Messiah. I was WRONG, but that is what I believed.

What strikes me though is that I still believed that the 10 Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, the Commandments of Messiah, and the instructions of the apostles were still completely valid for believers, and that we should DO them, and I would strive hard for it as a Christian. But I believed that the rest of the Bible supposedly didn’t really matter quite as much, because we were under grace, and all the rest of those obligations were allegedly nailed to the cross. I was clearly misunderstanding the Scriptures, but I didn’t realize that. I was blind.

Here’s the thing. Even though I was clearly blind, and I did not understand; YHWH and Messiah still loved me. The Father still took care of me. He still met my needs. He still answered many of my prayers. He still worked with me and gradually taught me more and more of the Scriptures. He still forgave my sins when I confessed them (), and Abba YHWH continued working with me, and working through me, even in the midst of my monumental ignorance. In those few areas where I was willing and able to obey Scripture correctly, Abba YHWH still thoroughly blessed me, and He continued working with me as I continued to grow in Grace and Knowledge, despite my many shortcomings then, and He continues to work with me, despite the many shortcomings that I still need to overcome, even today. Here is my challenge to Hebrew Roots/Whole Testament believers:

Do not forget the ignorance from which you came, and do not forget the tender Fatherly love that Abba YHWH showed you, even though you have not always known and understood the crucial truths which you know now.

; , ; , , ; -If you look at these references in the Original languages, they all urge us to be “sober minded” i.e. moderate, temperate, balanced, and self-controlled. In other words, we are clearly instructed by Scripture, NOT to be extremists in our thinking and in our actions. We are to be moderate, balanced and temperate. So important is this idea that in the original languages it's considered the same as being in one’s right mind or sound judgment. Let’s face it. Is it easier to walk on two legs or hop on one foot? Most people get off when they over focus on one Scripture, doctrine or discipline, and neglect other important ones. Some people are all about obeying. This can get us to be legalistic and self-righteous. Some people get extremely off-balanced on grace. They forget that even though God is very gracious He is also absolutely righteous and just as well. Some are all about praying, but it’s hard to get them actually doing anything. You get the idea. Extremism in almost all cases is dangerous. It gives the devil an opportunity to sabotage our lives. A wise person guards against any form of excess (; ).

One of the key reasons for this is because the lack of sober mindedness opens the door to the devil.

depending on the translation, clearly tells us to be vigilant about remaining sober or clear minded. That's because anywhere in our thinking and behavior where we are given to excess, that is the place that the enemy can take advantage of us. It's YHWH’s desire that we would not be controlled by anything in our lives except for God ().

The Key Points: We are required to seek and to pursue genuine biblical holiness. tells us that the goal is for us to be as holy and set apart as YHWH Himself is Holy and Set Apart. So, we have to learn to separate things in the SAME WAY or the SAME MANNER that YHWH separates things out. That's what it means to be Holy AS He is Holy

We are required to progressively separate ourselves from what YHWH considers to be unclean, (). Progressively separating ourselves from what YHWH considers to be unclean is one of the requirements that YHWH has established to be considered His Child. So learning to make holy separations is critical. We must not try to make ourselves overly friendly with the sinful world, because if we do, we will end up making ourselves an enemy to YHWH, (). That's extremely dangerous.

Failing to make clear-cut Godly distinctions about what YHWH and Messiah considers to be Holy versus unholy, or clean versus unclean, or light versus darkness, or Set Apart as belonging to YHWH versus everyday common things; failing to make those separations clear and distinctive is in fact a SIN, (). Making holy separations matters to YHWH. Refusing to do so is a SIN. It causes people to profane the name of YHWH. That is serious!

At the same time, if we become so overzealous about protecting ourselves from uncleanness that we actually hurt some of YHWH's little children who are honestly trying to walk with YHWH, and we bowled those over them in the name of holiness; () that is also a SIN, and it will bring severe punishment upon us, if we do not turn away from that, (). We can't be so overzealous about getting the tares out of our fellowships that we end up causing some of YHWH's little children who are trying to grow to fall. That is also a sin. So, it truly is a narrow path that leads to life.

At the same time, if we become so overzealous about protecting ourselves from uncleanness that we actually hurt some of YHWH's little children who are honestly trying to walk with YHWH, and we bowled those over them in the name of holiness; that is also a SIN, and it will bring severe punishment upon us, if we do not turn away from that, (). We can't be so overzealous about getting the tears out of our fellowships that we end up causing some of YHWH's little children who are trying to grow to fall. That is also a sin. So, it truly is a narrow path that leads to life.

At the same time, if we become so overzealous about protecting ourselves from uncleanness that we actually hurt some of YHWH's little children who are honestly trying to walk with YHWH, and we bowled those over them in the name of holiness; () that is also a SIN, and it will bring severe punishment upon us, if we do not turn away from that, (). We can't be so overzealous about getting the tares out of our fellowships that we end up causing some of YHWH's little children who are trying to grow to fall. That is also a sin. So, it truly is a narrow path that leads to life.

So, we must pursue holiness. We must make clear distinctions about YHWH Standards of Holiness versus worldly uncleanness. Failing to make this clear distinctions is sin. At the same time we cannot be so overzealous or extreme on either side of the issue so that we indulge sin in the name of grace, nor can we be so overzealous about weeding out the tares of unholiness, that we end up tearing up legitimate members of the body in an effort to root out uncleanness. So, avoiding extremes and maintaining balance and temperance is key, (; , ; , , ).

On the one hand it should go without saying, but on the other hand because we are like little children, constant repetition becomes necessary. We can solve many of life's problems by simply making up our minds to pay attention to the Biblical Instructions. When I search the Scriptures I found that YHWH is EXTREMELY clear and SPECIFIC about the things and people which we should actively SEPARATE ourselves from and avoid them. In other words, Scripture is not ambiguous at all on this issue. Solving this problem is a simple as paying attention, and following YHWH's Instructions. There are certain instances where Scripture clearly tells us to SEPARATE ourselves from certain people and things. Failure to do what Scripture tells us to do will harm our fellowships.

According to the Weight of Biblical Evidence, we must reject and turn away from people who reject Yahweh’s clear understandable and undeniable Laws, Commandments and Instructions. (You will see in a moment why I put those specifications and qualifiers in place). Remember, we are not talking about things that are ambiguous or widely open to differing interpretations. We are talking about making sure that people don't reject the clear, understandable and undeniable Commandments in Scripture. We all must agree that YHWH's clear Instructions should be obeyed. We may not all agree on exactly how to obey, but whether we should obey the must never be in doubt among us.

According to the Weight of Biblical Evidence, we must reject and turn away from people, who reject or refuse the clear and undeniable examples and teachings of the Messiah.

· According to the Weight of Biblical Evidence, we must reject and turn away from people, who reject or refuse the clear and undeniable examples and teachings of the apostles.

According to the Weight of Biblical Evidence, we must reject and turn away from people, who reject or refuse the clear and undeniable examples and teachings of the apostles.

· We are clearly commanded not to associate, or even eat with people who claim to be brethren, but who openly walk in immorality without repenting.

We are clearly commanded not to associate, or even eat with people who claim to be brethren, but who openly walk in immorality without repenting.

· According to the Weight of Biblical Evidence, we must reject and turn away from people, who refuse to repent from ungodly or unruly behavior after repeated warnings.

According to the Weight of Biblical Evidence, we must reject and turn away from people, who refuse to repent from ungodly or unruly behavior after repeated warnings.

· Remember, if we do not separate from people who violate these standards, then in the eyes of Elohim, we become participants in their sin just as if we agreed with and participated in that sin ourselves, (; ; ). In these cases, separating from such people is NOT optional. It’s REQUIRED so that we do not come under judgment.

Remember, if we do not separate from people who violate these standards, then in the eyes of Elohim, we become participants in their sin just as if we agreed with and participated in that sin ourselves, (; ; ). In these cases, separating from such people is NOT optional. It’s REQUIRED so that we do not come under judgment.

Example: We must separate ourselves from people, attitudes and deeds who practice such things as will NOT inherit the Everlasting Kingdom. We must NOT participate with them in their wicked deeds, ().

Example: There are certain people who exhibit attitudes desires and behaviors which Scripture explicitly warns us to AVOID. We need to take careful heed to avoid people which exhibit these types of lifestyles, because Scripture warns us to avoid these types of people for a reason: Lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” (, NASB95)

First it’s important to make sure that we are cooperating with YHWH as our Father and that we are not becoming one of these people ourselves.

Second we need to make sure that we don’t keep company with people who have such attitudes and behaviors as a lifestyle, because bad company corrupts even good morals, ().

Example: Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.” (, NASB95)

Example: We are to mark and avoid those who cause unnecessary divisions and conflict within congregations. As it is written: “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (, NASB95)

Example: We are to turn away from lazy busybodies so that they will be put to shame and hopefully repent, ().

Example: We are to reject the fractious and divisive person after the first or second warning ().

Example: We are not to associate or even to eat with a person who claims to be a brother in YHWH and in Messiah, but yet is walking openly in immorality: As it is written:

But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” ().

Example: We are to reject people who reject the explicit Commandments of Yahweh or the teachings of Messiah. We are not to allow such people in our homes or even to give them blessed greeting, or we would be considered guilty of participating in their sins, (). Remember if we come into agreement with anyone that shows contempt for the clear Word, and (I believe that this refers to either Torah, the teachings of Christ or explicit instructions of the New Testament), then if we agree with them, then we become partakers of their sins. That’s not good.

Don’t uproot the wheat with the tares: Failing to make holy separations is WRONG, but being OVERZEALOUS in making separations can do serious damage to the body of believers, and this is also WRONG, (). Sometimes being overzealous in making separations can cause you to separate from unclean things, (you can uproot the tares, but you can also accidentally uproot the good wheat at the same time), and do serious damage to the body of believers.

· Make certain that you have a right spirit when making separations: Remember, even Messiah who was perfect rebuked Peter for wanting to call down fire upon those who did not receive Messiah’s message in Samaria. Messiah said that wanting to call down fire on these people, was of the WRONG spirit, ().

Make certain that you have a right spirit when making separations: Remember, even Messiah who was perfect rebuked Peter for wanting to call down fire upon those who did not receive Messiah’s message in Samaria. Messiah said that wanting to call down fire on these people, was of the WRONG spirit, ().

· Accept the repenting believers: We have one occasion where Paul actually wrote to the Corinthian church that they should restore a repentant brother into good standing within the Fellowship, so that he would not be exceedingly troubled with grief and sorrow, ().

Accept the repenting believers: We have one occasion where Paul actually wrote to the Corinthian church that they should restore a repentant brother into good standing within the Fellowship, so that he would not be exceedingly troubled with grief and sorrow, ().

· Don’t separate over Non-Biblical Requirements: Romans chapter 14 demonstrates that there were certain sects of Hebrew messianic believers who were accustomed to fasting from food during different days of the week, probably based on their past religious backgrounds. Since people were accustomed to treating rabbinical or religious traditions as if they were religious law, the group which was accustomed to fasting on Tuesdays for example would assume that others who did not fast on Tuesdays was unrighteous or unholy if they happened to fast on another day. Since there is NO Biblical Command REQUIRING people to fast on a specific day of the week, then brethren should not separate over any supposed violations, which are not truly biblical.

Don’t separate over Non-Biblical Requirements: Romans chapter 14 demonstrates that there were certain sects of Hebrew messianic believers who were accustomed to fasting from food during different days of the week, probably based on their past religious backgrounds. Since people were accustomed to treating rabbinical or religious traditions as if they were religious law, the group which was accustomed to fasting on Tuesdays for example would assume that others who did not fast on Tuesdays was unrighteous or unholy if they happened to fast on another day. Since there is NO Biblical Command REQUIRING people to fast on a specific day of the week, then brethren should not separate over any supposed violations, which are not truly biblical.

Don’t Separate over DEBATABLE Matters in Torah: When people are earnestly trying to obey the written Scriptures, but some things can be held open to interpretation, there can be honest disagreements. Things such as, by which calendar you judge the new moon? How does one pronounce the Sacred Name of YHWH? Specifically what types of things are or are not permissible to do on the Sabbath? These and other issues can be troubling to people who are just beginning to have their eyes opened to the idea that the Torah is still valid for modern believers. As long as people agree and are putting in effort toward obeying the written Scriptures, it is CRITICAL that we do not divide over DEBATABLE matters, ().

·Don’t separate from growing believers. Do these people believe in Yahweh? Do these people believe in Messiah? Do they take the written Scriptures seriously? Do they have an attitude where they are trying to honor Written Scriptural Commandments and imperatives? Are they trying to forsake the un-biblical traditions of men? Are they earnestly trying to separate themselves from the same things from which Yahweh separates Himself? When they realize from Scripture that they are doing wrong are they serious about repenting and correcting their faults and misbehaviors? If all these things are often true, then one should NOT separate from such a believer

Don’t separate from growing believers. Do these people believe in Yahweh? Do these people believe in Messiah? Do they take the written Scriptures seriously? Do they have an attitude where they are trying to honor Written Scriptural Commandments and imperatives? Are they trying to forsake the un-biblical traditions of men? Are they earnestly trying to separate themselves from the same things from which Yahweh separates Himself? When they realize from Scripture that they are doing wrong are they serious about repenting and correcting their faults and misbehaviors? If all these things are often true, then one should NOT separate from such a believer

So, the key point is that if a person is repenting and trying to do right, then refusing to fellowship with that person is not good. When you judge and condemn such a growing brother or sister, then you risk coming under judgment yourself, because if you show no mercy, then no mercy shall be shown to you on the day of judgment, (; ).

I am gravely concerned because it seems that many Hebrew Roots/Whole Testament believers have conveniently forgotten how merciful Abba YAH has been to us, even when we have been ignorant and stupid.

As I look at various blogs and social media such as Facebook, and as I witness some of the relentless arguments, vicious comments, debates and broken relationships that come up in fellowships because of disagreement over issues such as flat earth versus round earth? Do you pronounce YHWH’s Sacred Name in this way, or in that other way? Do we honor birthdays or not? Do you start the biblical months on the sliver, the full moon, or the conjunction? I’ve even heard of a brother who walked out of fellowship because someone used the word, “Talmudeem,” (which in Hebrew means taught one), or disciple, but all that this poor soul heard was the word, “Talmud," so he got it in his head based on misunderstanding that single word that the group he was with must be teaching Talmudic tradition of men, so he stormed out and broke fellowship in anger on that basis.

In another instance, I heard of a brother who got angry during the feast of Tabernacles because one of the camps had gourds and pumpkins, (not carved) as table decorations, he thought it was too pagan, he got angry, and broke fellowship, and complained to others of his household about it. Never mind that the Scriptures tell us to decorate with the fruit of the land, and in our land pumpkins and gourds are basic fall decorations.

In another instance, someone got upset because one of the PowerPoint slides during the song service portrayed a star of David, (or seal of Solomon). They walked out of fellowship on that basis.

The point is that some of the vicious comments, the name-calling, the belittling of others, the breaking of fellowships, and the hurting of fellow believers with nastiness against other believers, who are legitimately trying to OBEY the Scriptures, but may not be exactly on the same page when it comes to one topic or another is getting RIDICULOUS. I honestly fear that we are becoming a reproach to outsiders, based on the way that we treat one another, and especially in public forums.

Let’s say for the sake of argument that YHWH Almighty was just beginning to open my eyes to the fact that the Torah is valid for believers today, but I was still thoroughly steeped in the Babylonian Christian traditions in which I had been raised, but I was questioning my traditional upbringing because of things I was seeing in Scripture. I might go looking around at various blogs and Facebook pages to see if other people were thinking along the same lines that I was, (because I might be concerned, am I the only one who feels this way)? Based on some of the nastiness in the blogs and Facebook comments and some midrashes that I have seen; if that was my first impression, I might not give this movement a second look. I might assume that the Hebrew Roots/Whole Testament Theology movements were WRONG, simply by looking at the way that these fellow believers treat each other in public forums. After all, I might think to myself, if these believers are so spiritually and biblically advanced, then should not their spiritual maturity be evident?

Yes!! The doctrine is true. I’ve done the research. I know it’s true. At the same time, Messiah did NOT say that the world of outsiders will know that you are my disciples, by the fact that your doctrine is PERFECT and UNASSAILABLE, but Messiah DID say, they will know that you are My disciples, by your LOVE for one another. Too often, we are forgetting to love one another, ). While we are passionately discussing the finite points of one topic or another within Torah, we are often neglecting the weightier matters of the Torah.

As it is written:

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (, NASB95)

No matter what Revelation we have received from the Scriptures, (regardless of how true it is), then our newly found knowledge makes us into NOTHING, if we forget how to walk in love.

When to Unite, When to Divide

It’s Critical to Get this Right

Uniting and Separating

Some examples of Overzealous Tolerance

Failing to Uphold YHWH’s Standards is a SIN.

Some Examples of Overzealous Separating

Scripture Warns Believers to Avoid Extremism on All Sides

Scripture Warns Believers to Avoid Extremism on All Sides

Pay Attention: The Instructions are Pretty Clear

When Should We NOT Separate

When Should We NOT Separate