Installment #3 of summarizing what I’ve learned by writing these blog posts over the last 21 months…

Not everyone who claims to know Jesus actually knows the Messiah described in the scriptures.

What?????????
Ok, this is another very tough subject to deal with.
I’ve learned that saying this out loud instantly makes you the bad guy…

OK, granted, if someone thinks they know Jesus and thinks they are saved, they might get a little hostile if you try to tell them otherwise.

The thoughts and ideas of men are fickle and are prone to error.
So instead, let’s look at what scripture says about it.

Ok, where to start??
First of all, let’s go to this quote from Yeshua Messiah (Jesus):
John 10:24
²⁴ Then the Judean leaders surrounded Him, saying, “How long will You hold us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us outright!”
²⁵ Yeshua answered them, “I told you, but you don’t believe! The works I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me. ²⁶ But you don’t believe, because you are not My sheep. ²⁷ My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

What do we have going on here?
The educated religious leaders of Messiah’s day are asking Him to claim that He is the Messiah.
What can we learn from this?
They don’t recognize Him as the Messiah.
They don’t know Him.
These men are the leaders in their community; they are the teachers of the scriptures.
And they do not recognize their Savior.
Is this common today?
That is what I’m trying to explain to people.
Yes, it is common today.
Our educated religious leaders do not recognize who Messiah is, even though they claim to teach about Him.

Moving on, what else do we learn in John 10?
Messiah says He did tell them, except they do not believe.
We see this today in our churches.
The scriptures tell us all about Messiah.
The scriptures describe His purpose, His character, and His teachings.
The scriptures record His direct quotes.
And yet, our mainstream Christian church doctrine teaches the opposite of what Messiah taught.

Messiah goes on to tell them, “But you don’t believe, because you are not My sheep.”
If this was the case 2000 years ago, then it is the case today.
If people claim to know Jesus, but show they don’t really know Him through their actions, then they are not His sheep.

Messiah then says this, “ ²⁷ My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.”
His sheep listen to Him.
His sheep know Him.
His sheep follow Him.

Backing up, we see this in verse 14 of John 10
¹⁴ “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me…”

If someone says they know Jesus, how can anyone possible say they actually don’t?
Well, we can figure this out by looking at other direct quotes of Yeshua Messiah.

John 14:15
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 14:21
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.”
John 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

If someone does not keep the commandments, then they do not love Jesus the way He says to love Him.
What commandments are we talking about?
Revelation 14:12 tells us who the saints are:
¹² Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

This defines which commands we are to keep.
The commandments of God.
The Torah.
The Law.

Should we really have to go to Revelation to figure this out?
Does Jesus just tell us point blank anywhere what is expected of us?
Mainstream doctrine teaches that Jesus fulfilled the law, and that it is done away with.
But what does scripture say?
Matthew 5:17
¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.”
OK, so He did not come to abolish or destroy the Law.
G2647  katalyō
-to dissolve, disunite (what has been joined together), to destroy, demolish
-metaph. to overthrow i.e. render vain, deprive of success, bring to naught
-to subvert, overthrow; of institutions, forms of government, laws, etc., to deprive of force, annul, abrogate, discard

and the rest of verse 17
 “…I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
We see in this phrase that Messiah did fulfill the Law.
But is this a good translation?
G4137  plēroō
to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full
to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally
I abound, I am liberally supplied
to render full, i.e. to complete
to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
to consummate: a number
to make complete in every particular, to render perfect
to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
to carry into effect, bring to realization, realize
of matters of duty: to perform, execute
of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish
to fulfill, i.e. to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfillment

The English translations of the bible state in Matthew 5:17 that Jesus fulfilled the Law.
But if we study the original language, we see this word actually means to fill completely. It can be said that Jesus came to fully teach the Law.
Another meaning for G4137  plēroō is to accomplish or carry out.
If this is the intended meaning, then it is still true that Jesus accomplished the Law (lived without sin), but still, He did not abolish or destroy it. He did not make it void, or render it not applicable.
Paul said this in Romans 3:31
³¹ Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Another definition of G4137  plēroō  is  to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfillment
Based on the topic and the context, this seems to be the most applicable definition for plēroō in this case.
If so, the verse would read as this:
 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be.”

Wow, that isn’t what we’ve been taught about Matthew 5:17, is it?
Just in case we end up confused, Messiah goes on to say this in Matthew 5:18
¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
What is He saying?
He is telling us that until heaven and earth pass away, not a single pen stroke of the Law will pass away.
(reiterating His statement that He did not come to destroy or abolish).
We see the word fulfilled used again at the end of verse 18.
Is it G4137  plēroō again?
No, it sure isn’t.
It is the correct word for fulfill, as we are accustomed to using the word.
G1096  ginomai
to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen
of events:
to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage
of men appearing in public
to be made, finished
of miracles, to be performed, wrought
to become, be made
In speak of the passing of the heavens and the earth, this word G1096  ginomai is used.
In looking at the definitions, this appears to be the correct word in this context.

Even if we are still confused, Messiah goes on to be even more clear in verse 19 of Matthew 5
¹⁹ Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Yeshua Messiah, Jesus, goes on to tell us that it is weak-sauce to break the commands, and it is highly esteemed to keep the commands.
I’ve had people tell me that if they break the commands and do not follow Torah, they will still be least in the kingdom of heaven.
They are willing to do the least possible and still get in.
First of all, is this how we want to present ourselves to the Creator of all that there is?
“Oh hello, all mighty and powerful God, the Creator of life and all that has ever been.  I didn’t feel like doing the things you said, but at least I’m still here. Do you have some menial tasks I can do here?”
If you go back and read this verse carefully, you will see it does not say the least are in the kingdom. We see that those who break the commands will be referred to as “the least” by those who are in the kingdom.
Big difference!!
“This just depends on how you interpret verse 19, right?”
That would be true, if it were the only information we have available to us, but it isn’t.
Here is another direct quote of Yeshua Messiah.
Matthew 7:21-23
²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

This gives us more clarity.
This passage is not speaking about atheists, or Satanists, or Hindus, or whatever…
It is speaking about people who believe they served Messiah.
They call Him “Lord” or “Master” depending on which translation you use.
What does Jesus say about these people who are quite sure they belong to Him?
He says they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

What!!
Now we are back to torches and pitchforks again.
Except these are the words of Messiah, not my words.
Are you going to chase Messiah around with fire and sharp objects, wishing to do Him harm?
I doubt it.
How do we avoid this fate, to be excluded from the kingdom of heaven?
He tells us at the end of verse 21
“…he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Just follow the instructions of Yehova, the Father.
Easy enough, right?
But these people protest, and say they did great works in His name.
Of course they can change His mind, right?
How does Messiah respond?
‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
He rejects them.
He does not know them.
He sends them away.

Does Messiah tell us who does get to be in the kingdom of heaven?
Yes, He sure does.
Revelation 22:14
¹⁴ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Going back earlier in this lesson, we heard this from Messiah:
John 10
²⁷ My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life!

Do the people in Matthew 7 (who claim to be His) match the description of His people in John 10?
Nope.
They are not His.
Depart from Me.
I don’t know you.
Why not?
Because they are workers of lawlessness.

We can claim to know Jesus, but that does not give us entry into the kingdom of heaven.
We have to hear His voice.
We have to listen to the things He says.

If we don’t then we do not know Him.
Even if we think we know Him.
Do you know Him?
Scripture gives us a simple test to see if we know Jesus, Yeshua Messiah.

1John 2:3-6
³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God ^[a]is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Do you know Him?
Or do you just claim to know Him?