THE CONFLICT

 

CONT., page 11

 

BREAD AND WINE

Before closing this writing, it is only fitting that we now return to this matter of law and mercy. We have seen the place of law and mercy not only expressed through the testimony of Adam and Eve, but also through the Law at the first Pentecost and the giving of mercy at the first Pentecost in the restored kingdom of God. Furthermore we have seen that this conflict of law and mercy is not limited to these examples, but is an ongoing conflict in every person, in the family, in the church, in politics, in society, and in nations. This conflict is something that must be worked out in all areas of life; that is, when to follow law and when to add mercy?

Additionally, we have seen that law and mercy are pictured in other ways as well. We have already mentioned that it is seen in Adam and Eve, and in the male and female, the two uniting to bring forth offspring. Likewise this union is seen in the coming together of righteousness and peace, of truth and lovingkindness, as found in Psalm 85:10. And most importantly we have seen these two in Yahshua as the embodiment of truth and grace. But there remains one comparison mentioned at the outset of this writing that has not been addressed, which we will do so at this time.

Another comparison of law and mercy is witnessed in the contrast of bread and wine. Bread is law, while wine is mercy. Bread is the more substantive, the more nourishing, while wine brings refreshment and joy. Both are essential, but once again there is the requirement of uniting the two without the exclusion of the other. One can eat bread and find nourishment and strength, but after a while thirst requires that wine be added.

The law, or structure, or government, however ones wants to qualify it, is the bread. Bread is essential, even as law is essential. But bread alone gets dry, and though the stomach may be full, the absence of the wine makes one long for something to go with it. Both, once again, are essential.

Again the application of this characterization is relative in every level, from personal to national to the kingdom. Briefly, let us consider this per the family. Any family heavy on the bread will soon want for a little wine to remedy the dryness of bread alone. Any man who serves a lot of bread/law in his home will at some time have to add some wine, joy, or mercy. However, any home where there is nothing but wine served will soon find the home growing weak and perishing from lack of nourishment. Both are essential, but it is necessary that there be more bread served than wine.

This would be true in nations as well. Any nation that grows drunk on wine will in time fail. If the Democrats of ease and wine prevailed without the bread of the Republicans, our nation would be in great trouble and fail. This is true in any nation. There must be both the discipline of the bread of law, along with the wine of mercy.

But most striking to this writer is the conflict of law and mercy in the church. Christianity, like the Democrats, is very heavy on the mercy; so much so that they are drunk on it. If you listen to the preaching of most churches, it is very heavy mercy, mercy, mercy, with little to no law - Mark lawlessness! Christians do not follow the ways of Yahweh - the bread - but instead are motivated by and cry out for mercy - the wine. If you talk to anyone in Christianity at large about the government of head coverings - the bread - they will decry the bread and wish only for more intoxicating wine - mercy. If you tell Christianity that Yahweh is not pleased with them, instead of addressing their problems, more often they simply respond that they are under the blood of Christ, thus numbing themselves to the reality of their true state by even more intoxicating wine of mercy.

The Remnant truth is frank, even exacting; it is much bread in its characterization of the lacking need within the kingdom of God. And many Christians are not used to the bread of truth, but have been served so much wine of mercy that they lack interest in bread. If you offer someone who is drunk on wine some bread, they are not interested in it. Instead, they only want more wine. This is often the case in Christianity. They are drunk on the wine of mercy and do not want the bread of truth.

At the hope of Yahshua's return, the Remnant Bride desires to be appropriately covered so as to be prepared as the Rebekah who covered herself upon seeing Isaac meditating in the field. The bread of law requires governmental structure and responsibility, necessitating that the Bride cover herself for now with the covering of the tithe. But what is the response of some? They are so accustomed to the wine of mercy that they reject anything that is associated with law. It is far easier to simply say that one casts oneself on the mercy of Christ, than to be responsible with one's earthly mammon. It is far easier to rely simply on hearing and believing, without adding to true faith the required and essential element of acting. It is far easier to simply sip the wine of mercy, than to eat the bread of law. But it escapes them that law must precede mercy, that obedience is required in order to receive Yahweh's favor.

Yahshua did not come to remove us from the requirement of obedience, but to open the way so that through obedience we might enter into all that He has made possible. Anyone who rejects obedience for the hope of mercy will be sorely disappointed and is sorrowfully deceived in their drunkenness on that intoxicating wine. They reject the bread of law for the wine of mercy, not realizing that mercy must come through law and obedience.

Some will hear this and think that the Remnant Bride is too heavy on law, too much on the bread. But let us point out the one of who is our example, the one who was under the spirit of Elijah - John the Baptist. While today one might decry the coverings of tithing or holding all things in common as legalistic, keep in mind that the message of him who had the spirit of Elijah was repeatedly that of responsibility with one's finances:

John was heavy on law. In fact, even throughout his life, John literally never partook of wine (Luke 1:15)! Like the 144,000 in regard to their relations with women, in John's relations with wine he was a virgin. Likewise, neither did he who had the spirit of Elijah teach a message of wine/mercy, but rather he addressed the people as being serpents and invoked them to "bring forth fruit consistent with repentance." No, John was not at all mercy, but he too cried out for the third part of faith - actions and obedience. He knew that what was needed was mercy, but mercy is not brought by mercy. Mercy is always brought by law and obedience. Law and obedience prepare the way for mercy.

You may think that this writer is too hard or ridged in his instruction, but Yahshua asked the multitude - "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces." (Matthew 11:7-8 and Luke 7:24-25, but not in Christianity Mark). The fact is, right is right, and truth is truth, and neither the winds of Christianity nor the winds of opinion can alter what is required of the Bride. John was not a man moved by the opinions or blindness of others. He stood firm and spoke what was true, calling others to bring forth deeds consistent with repentance.

When Yahshua asked this question concerning John, and it was recorded in the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit and preserved for our reading today, was this done simply to preserve a snippet of history? Clearly not, especially when the spirit of Elijah is coming upon a people who will fulfill that which John expressed in the same way as did Mary - being a natural example of a spiritual truth that was to be fulfilled at a higher level by a company of people. That spoken and performed by John and recorded for us today was done so in order to reveal prophetic purposes that are to instruct and guide Yahweh's last days Elijah.

So are we the Bride to be blown about by every wind of doctrine that comes forth from the scorching wilderness of Christianity? Absolutely not! Is our message dressed in soft clothing so as to make it acceptable and pleasing to all, to the rich who live in palaces? No! The second Remnant, upon whom rests the spirit of Elijah, will be fulfilled in character and mission in the same way as that evidenced or set forth by John the Baptist in Matthew and Luke - not easy and compromising, not soft and pleasing, but standing firm and speaking truth.

Can we then reject the coverings of tithing or holding all things in common as nothing more than Old Testament Law that has been put away by Yahshua, and falsely rely on the mercy of His sacrifice? No, for we must instead eat the bread of law, and through obedience take hope that He who is mercy will come to this earth to restore what we as fleshly men have failed to perform. Law prepares the way for mercy. Law pays the price for mercy. Law and obedience make it possible for mercy to come forth, even evidenced by the obedience of Yahshua and the resulting outpouring of His Spirit. No, it is not the wine of Christianity's mercy of which we must partake at this time, but it is the bread of the law of the Remnant. We are not to be reeds shaken about by the wind, but must and will stand firm in what is right and true and necessary.

Uniting the law of the covering of holding all things in common, with mercy that leads to obedience, will in fact bring forth the desired offspring - the return of Yahshua. However, rejecting the law of the covering tithe and relying upon mercy only will be as fruitless as a woman who is alone without a husband. Do we need mercy to do the will of Yahweh? Indeed we do, but that mercy must be the kind that unites with law for the benefit of producing godly offspring.

 

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