Walking like the Messiah

Walking like the Messiah: Introduction by Donnie Young

1 John 2:4-6
'Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.'

Hello and welcome to Foundation Messiah. I am going to begin a series of articles that will cover what I believe is how the Messiah walked. Because I do not want to waste your time I will go ahead and clear the air. I prefer not to prime or beat around the bush. I like to get the idea out there then expound upon it. I see this method used by God and by Christ many times. So, taking a page out of their own ways of teaching us, I am going to go ahead and articulate what I believe is the way the Messiah walked then expound upon that.

The statement: The way the Messiah walked can be simply stated as “Obedient to God”. This literally means that the Messiah obeyed God in every aspect of his life. If God said it then not only did he do it but he did it correctly. So when the Messiah corrects the leaders of his day on how they said to keep a commandment he was not changing the commandment he was keeping it the way it was always meant to be kept. Many might be willing to make this type of statement. However, when faced with something God says that they do not do, many times, they argue that is not for them. I point out many instances in scripture where the Messiah did this or that these instructions are for all people and this falls on deaf ears.

Let us begin to expound on the statement. God gives His instructions on how to live to His people. In the book of Genesis we learn that God has chosen Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants to be His people. In the book of Exodus we see God redeem Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, out of Egypt and give them His instructions. These instructions are called a few things in scripture. Torah, book of the law, book of the covenant, laws of Moses, laws, commandments and so forth. Inside of one of Yeshua's parables (Yeshua being his name rendered in English) he says:

Luke 16:27-31
'And he (rich man) said, ‘Then I beg you, father (Abraham), to send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'

This is a very important parable because the point of this parable is not to teach on hell, as many assume, but to teach that the law and the prophets are what will decide a person's eternal fate. Not because they are from Moses and the Prophets but because that is how God chose give His instructions. This parable is just as much about people today as it was people back then. Another aspect of this parable that gets mostly ignored is that the person from the dead would not be saying anything different than Moses and the Prophets. Let us say that another way. Yeshua is saying that if people do not believe Moses and the Prophets then they will also not believe him once he raises from the dead and says the same thing.

Matthew 28:18-20
'And Yeshua came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'

Yeshua tells his disciples to make other disciples and to teach them all that he himself taught. This would include the parable I have already mentioned. It would also include the following statements.

Matthew 5:17-20
'Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to bring them to fruition. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an stroke of the pen or a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. '

Matthew 15:3,7-9
'He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

Matthew 22:37-40
'And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'

Matthew 23:1-3
'Then Yeshua said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.'

These are but to name a few from the Messiah. Here are a few recorded from others.

Acts 15:19-21
'Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.'

Acts 24:14
'But this I (Paul) confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets'

Ephesians 2:8-10
'For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. '

Revelation 12:17a
'Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Yeshua.'

Revelation 14:12
' Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua. '

Of course this is only a few examples. There are many more recorded words that confirm that the words of God will stand the test of time. I think this last passage sums up what I am saying very well.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
'The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.'

In conclusion of my opening statement and end to this introduction to this series of articles, walking like the Messiah is to obey God in all aspects of our lives. Yeshua followed God's ways and pointed to God as the only one who is good. We are called to walk in the same manner that Yeshua walked. Yeshua walked in obedience to God's commandments. Therefor, we should walk in obedience to God's commandments.