1
Lev-Tsiyon, a servant of the Master Yah'shua the Messiah, to all the colonies of the Assembly of Yahweh, sends greetings: may His peace and love be upon you.
2Dear brothers and sisters, let us rejoice greatly at the grace which has been so freely bestowed upon us and remember the promises which He has made to us. 3For He is faithful and His mercy never fails.
4Let us hold fast to the freedom that He has given us, not wavering in our faith because of the slanders of the ungodly. They have their reward. 5The freedom of Elohim is the freedom to choose, whether it be for righteousness or for evil. 6The freedom of the world and of the evil has two hands: 7With the left hand it sets a man free, but with the right it draws the victim back again. 8The freedom of the world has two faces: 9With one it shows peace, but with the other it shows anger. 10The freedom of the word has two voices: 11With one it blesses, but with the other it curses. 12Take hold of the freedom of Messiah, beloved, for it has but one hand, one face, and one voice.
13A man who says to his son, 'Go, son, and choose the way you shall go', and then says: 'You are unable to discern -- you must stay here until you have chosen aright' 14is setting his son free with one hand and then forcing him back with the other. 15Such a man is not of Elohim but the devil; 16for the devil promises freedom to the sons of Elohim with honeyed words. 17He sets men free from the commandments of Elohim, 18but when they have run so far, he pulls in the leash and draws them back to their new master.
19Beloved friends, do not be deceived by the flattering words of the adversary who would tell you: 'We are not bound by the law of written commandments but only by what is written in our hearts'; 20For the devil has always hated the Law of Messiah, for the Law leads a soul to the refreshing waters of freedom and peace. 21Remember the words of the blessed apostle James who said: 'If anyone keeps looking steadily into Elohim's Law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and Elohim will greatly bless him in everything he does'Jas.1:25.
22We are free men because we look to the law of free men, which is in Messiah, not because we look to the freedom of the Torahless (lawless) one, who flatters the weak by saying: 23'The Law is written on your heart, even as the prophet Jeremiah has said. Therefore you need only obey what is in your heart!' 24But the devil, who was a liar from the beginning, would delude the very elect, even as he caused our first mother to fall, by saying: 25'Look at this doctrine, for it is beautiful to look at. 26Come taste it, for you will not die; indeed, you will become like Elohim Himself, knowing all things!'
27He who believes he has received the fullness and in his vanity declares it to the world, when he is dead in sin because of vanity and pride, is a prisoner of the evil one. 28For the Law of Messiah is written on the hearts of the believing a little at a time, as he is willing to obey it. 29The fullness comes only after the carnal man has been put to death in Messiah, when, in the agony of his soul, he cries out: 30'Lord, I am a sinner, save me from all my transgressions! 31Bury my pride and vanity in the waters of death that I may arise as a new-born infant, ready to partake of the milk of every new truth I learn from you, until the whole truth is written on my heart!'
32Until that brighter and better day, the new born infant must drink from the breast of Scripture and drink the milk of those who have gone before him. 33But the baby who cries out, saying: 'I am born! I need no further nourishment from the sons of Elohim' will surely perish. 34For Elohim has set in His Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers that the infant may grow into the man of Elohim seen by the prophet JeremiahJer.31:31-34, 35coming to a unity of faith with his brethren, becoming mature and filled with knowledgeEph.4:11-13. 36Only when that day has come will the Lord declare to him: 'I will remember his sins no more'Jer.31:35.
37Let no one lead you astray by vain philosophy for we must all begin our life as infants in Messiah, growing degree by degree, until we have reached perfection. 38The perfection, to which we have been calledMt.5:48 does not come in a day. 39Were it to be so, we would be without sin. 40Yet our conscience condemns us for all walk in sin, all have fallen short of the glory of Elohim. 41If we say otherwise we deceive ourselves, and the truth is far from us1 Jn.1:8.
2
Elohim, in these last days, has revealed the Saviour to us once more, and commanded us to do all things in set-apartness (holiness) in emet (truth). 2Therefore He has sent apostles to you, as in days of old, not that you might glory in apostles, but that you might glory in emet (truth). 3For we, who have ourselves been called out of darkness and into His wonderful light, have also struggles against the flesh, and against authorities, and against unseen powersEph.6:12 that we might bring this word of emet (truth) to you. 4We are men, weak like yourselves, struggling with problems like your own. 5Nevertheless we have been called, and we have received our calls with fear and trembling, for we know that the judgment of Elohim is heavy upon those who are called to lead the household of faith. 6Therefore we ask you to pray for us always, as we pray for you, that we might come of conquerors through Him who loved us and who triumphed over evil on the crossCol.2:15.
7If you follow the Master Yah'shua with all your hearts, and all your minds, and all your strength, He will bless you, and reward you with grace, shalom (peace), ahavah (love) and seyt-apartness (holiness). 8If you are true, you will receive trouble in the world, because the world hates all emet (truth). 9Guard your freedom tenaciously, resist the devil and all his evil works, and temptation will flee from you. 10Remember the sufferings of Messiah, and of the blood so freely spilled for you; 11For in the blood you have hope for everlasting life in a world that has no end. 12And whether it be in heaven, or in the millennial Tsiyon (Zion) on earth, then will the Torah (Law) be perfectly written in our hearts, 13so that you will not have need of teachers, or apostles, or evangelists, for all will know Elohim even as He is Himself known. 14Therefore remain free as slaves of Messiah, for we have been purchased by Him with very precious blood.
3
My brothers and sisters, this Assembly of Yahweh was born in weakness and has passed through many fires. 2Many times the enemies of Elohim have declared it to be dead. 3And were it not because of the grace of Elohim, and because He owns this Assembly, in both its weaknesses and strengths, it would have passed away and disappeared from human memory.
4But now Elohim the Father has declared to His people: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Ruach,' says Yahweh of Hosts -- 'you will succeed because of My Ruach, though you are few and weak.' 5And He has further said: 'Therefore no mountain, however high, can stand before My servant. For it will flatten out before him! 6And My servant will finish building this Temple -- this Assembly of Yahweh -- with mighty shouts of thanksgiving for Elohim's mercy, declaring that all was done by grace alone. 7My servant laid the foundation of this Temple -- this Assembly -- and he will complete it. 8Then you will know that these messages are from Elohim, Yahweh of Hosts. 9Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of Yahweh rejoice to see the plumbline in the hand of My servant'Zec.4:6-10.
10From tiny seeds, great trees grow. 11Though a seed is often not beautiful to look at, it grows into a magnificent tree in whose branches the birds of the air come to rest. 12So it has been, and will be, with us. 13Elohim has taken the weak things of this world and by His Ruach and grace made them great, that His glory and honour might be made known amongst all men.
14Those who try to cut down the tree planted by Elohim shall themselves be cut down, and those who nourish it shall themselves be nourished. 15For though this Assembly of Yahweh has been built by human agencies, it is the Ruach Elohim that fills it and owns it, and therefore builds it. 16And what is the Assembly of Yahweh? It is His people, united with Him by faith and holy obedience to His Torah (Law). 17And what is the true Assembly of Yahweh? It is every principle and truth written on the hearts of the set-apart ones (saints) by the pen of the Set-Apart Ruach (Holy Spirit). 18It is the Body, perfectly united in mind, heart, and Ruach, joined by emunah (faith), ahavah (love) and obedience to the Master of masters, and King of Kings. 19It is the Body, of many parts yet one, consisting of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, deacons, and all the set-apart ones (saints). 20And though we have many callings, yet our inheritance is the same, if we walk truthfully and faithfully in those callings. 21Therefore who is the greatest in the Assembly of Yahweh? It is Messiah, for all the others are His servants.
22Therefore, united in common purpose in His love as a Holy Deaconate or servant ministry, let us go on, each man and woman walking in his call, joined together in the love of Messiah with a common purpose, 23to bring the glad message of salvation to a lost world of sinners. 24And may we, by the grace of Elohim, be found worthy to do so.
24All the set-apart ones (saints) in the east send greetings to the set-apart ones (saints) in the west. 25We long to be together with you again. May Elohim grant the desire of our hearts that we may gaze upon your faces again soon, 26and embrace you even as we are embraced by He who loves us with a perfect ahavah (love).
27Hold fast to the freedom which you have so deservedly won, and let no-one rob you of the prize of eternal life. Amen.
