In Torah Government, in Acts 15 Order, and in many other works we have explained how the Renewed Covenant calls for order and organization. Nevertheless, it seems the majority of Messianics and Ephraimites turn blind eyes and deaf ears to the great many passages in the Renewed Covenant that call for organization, order, and corporate discipline. They ignore these verses, as if they are not there, and don’t need to be obeyed.
Titus 1:5
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you —
The majority of Ephraim also rejects the need for a set-apart or separated (i.e., dedicated) priesthood, although Scripture clearly calls for it. Yet many passages make it clear that there was a separated, organized Melchizedekian order in the first century.
Ma’asei (Acts) 6:1-4
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of Elohim and serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Set-apart Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Prophecy tells us that only a minority of Ephraim will want to do what Scripture says to do, and yet because there will be a tiny faithful remnant, Nazarene Israel is committed to re-establishing this order. We pray it will provide structure, organization, and order for the few who want to sit down and count the cost and do what Yeshua’s word tells us to do.
The situation, however, is very different today than it was in the first century. In the first century, the disciples were mainly congregated together in Jerusalem, whereas today we are all scattered, and are attempting to re-establish the original commanded order while still in the dispersion, and while persecution looms ahead. The Internet is a very valuable tool (at least while we are able to use it), but it must be employed in such a way as to bring about the original order, rather than serving to scatter the flock further (as most ministers employ it).
Most ministers use the internet to spread information. This is good as far as it goes, but it does not bring about the necessary order, and we know that he who does not gather the flock together in the order Yeshua commands effectively scatters the flock.
Mattityahu (Matthew) 12:30
30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”
To bring a resolution we propose to rebuild the existing Nazarene Israel website, repurposing it from being a teaching-oriented website, to a true discipleship website. There are many requirements, but the hardest part is to balance two main requirements that seem to be at odds with each other, but which we believe can be effectively resolved.
TWO MAIN REQUIREMENTS.
One requirement is to keep all the teachings free. This is just, as Yeshua did not charge for any of His teachings or healings, and also commanded His disciples not to charge for their work.
Mattityahu (Matthew) 10:8
8 “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
However, a second requirement is to spend far more time, energy, and attention on those disciples who are giving of their time, money, and energy to help Yeshua build His kingdom. This is also just, as Yeshua spent far more of His time with his disciples and contributors and spent comparatively limited time with the limited with the 4,000, the 5,000, the myriads, and the multitudes.
Marqaus (Mark) 6:44-45
44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.
45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.
When we use the Internet only to broadcast information there is no distinction made between the relatively small number of disciples (who seek to help build an organized kingdom for Yeshua) and the majority (who are more oriented toward consuming, rather than helping). So, what is needed is to use the appropriate technology to establish differing levels of set-apartness. This can be done by repurposing the existing website.
OUTSIDE AND INSIDE
In the below graphic, the blue sky represents the world outside of the body. The green and brown of the tree represents those who are inside the body.
Only disciples belong inside of the body. There are many different levels of discipleship, but at this level we are using the widest (loosest) definition, which refers to those who are contributing or giving back in any sense. (There needs to be a distinction made between those who are giving back something, versus those who are making a full tithe, or a deep sacrifice, but we will discuss this in another place.)
EVANGELICAL BROADCASTS
Contrary to what they may believe, those who are only consuming (i.e., who are merely receiving the messages but who are not giving back) do not truly qualify as disciples, and they are truly not part of the body. In other words, they are outside. They are represented by the blue sky. The evangelical broadcasts will be oriented at them.
While we want to keep the works free, when people are not giving back to Yeshua’s body, we must limit the amount of time that we spend on them. It is also morally wrong to tell them that they are disciples, because it gives them a false sense of hope, that they are already pleasing to Yeshua (when they are not). If they are not giving back to Yeshua, the truth is that they are not truly doing what Yeshua commands, which means He will not take delight in them, or defend them in the day of Judgment.
Mattityahu (Matthew) 7:24-27
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
So, because we do not want to mislead anyone, the evangelical broadcasts must emphasize the need to be in a two-way saving relationship with Yeshua, and with His body. While all the evangelical works will be offered free (or at our cost), their purpose is to help the people sit down and count the cost of connecting with the body, so they can be inside (and therefore protected in the day of Judgment). These evangelical broadcasts also need to explain the cost of being in Yeshua’s favor, in contrast with the cost of not being in His favor (i.e., perpetual torture in the lake of fire).
SERVANT’S ENTRANCE / INTERVIEW PROCESS
Below is a working diagram that depicts the flow of the new website. It is a technical diagram that relates to the tree we saw above, with Yeshua as the Root.
The blue sky at top is the evangelical mission field, where we reach out to those who are not in connection with the body and try to help them understand the vital necessity of being in connection, so they are in Yeshua’s favor. The way they get to be inside is to get into connection with His body. This requires a two-way giving relationship.
No matter whether we are talking about a human body, or a tree, or a vine, for the organism to be healthy there must be a life-giving two-way flow. This is just as any limb or organ in the body receives nutrients, but also does some work for the body. Any leaf of a tree or a vine does some photosynthesis work. If all the parts of the body or tree give, then the organism is healthy, but if they do not all contribute, then the organism will become sick, and die. That is why unproductive members of the body must be cut out, so that the rest might be healthy.
Yochanan (John) 15:1-8
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
LEADERSHIP BASED ON SERVICE
I get emails all the time from people who don’t contribute, but who want to be disciples, or teachers, or part of the priesthood. This does not work, as Yeshua’s kingdom is built on sacrifice, and service.
In the Roman-Christian model, ministers get a degree in a seminary or college, and then they are considered as ministers, because of their level of knowledge. Or some of them don’t have any degree, but they have a Bible, and a camera, and a computer, and now they are in ministry, even though they are not building the kind of body Yeshua says He wants. Again, this kind of thing may fool 99%+ of the sheep, but because it does not build the kind of body Yeshua prescribes, it scatters.
Mattityahu (Matthew) 12:30
30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”
In the Torah, Moshe was told to build the tabernacle exactly according to the vision that was shown on the mountain.
Shemote (Exodus) 25:40
40 “And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”
This means that everything must be done in keeping with Elohim’s instructions, or we are not in His will. We explain these instructions in detail in Torah Government and in Acts 15 Order. Anyone who wants to serve in the priesthood in any capacity (deacon, elder, or priest) needs to study these two works, and begin to do what they say. In a sentence, this calls for setting the example in service, in obedience to all that is written in Scripture.
Yeshua’s kingdom differs from Babylon’s kingdom in that Yeshua’s kingdom is based on service, and self-sacrifice. Therefore, before anyone can join the global body, first he must feel led to give back. And then he must give back, or else he is not setting an example for others to follow. Anything else shows me that they don’t understand.
Before one can even be a disciple, one must be in a two-way life-giving relationship with Yeshua’s body. That means they need to already be giving back to His body. And if they are not, then they are a withered limb, and need to be cut out of the body. This is always a very awkward conversation, so to avoid this conversation, we hope to build an interview process into the website itself. Thus, in order to become a disciple and gain access to the inside of the website, one establishes this two-way life-giving relationship. Everyone is unique, and everyone’s situation is unique, but for this to work, and for Yeshua’s intent to be followed, there must be some kind of regular giving arrangement established, whether is it weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Or any arrangement, as long as it represents a real contribution and a sacrifice on their parts. It may not sound nice, but what we do not want (and cannot afford) is for people to play games with Yeshua’s kingdom, treating it as a thing of the world, trying to see “how much can they get for how little” (and a lot of people want to play that kind of worldly game with the kingdom). So, for this reason, we are forced to require a giving arrangement in the application interview process. And this interview needs to be subject to our approval, and their continuing sacrifice, so that games are not played within Yeshua’s kingdom. Again, this is as any limb of the body needs to continually contribute, or it becomes gangrenous (and needs to be cut out, for the health of the rest of the body).
SERVANTS’ SERVANT’S (DEACON’S) ENTRANCE
I hate to use the Catholic Church as an example for anything (for obvious reasons). However, the Catholic Church has maintained a type of Melchizedekian order for some 1,700 years. They have certain standards for those who desire to serve in leadership, and since they have such a working model, I believe we would be wise to begin with these standards, and they can be modified later, if the need arises.
In the Catholic model, one must be a faithful contributor (i.e., tithing, and serving honorably) for at least three years before one can even apply for deacon training and testing. For this reason, the application to become a deacon will be inside the website.
In the Catholic model, one must be a faithful contributor (i.e., tithing and serving honorably) for at least five years before one can apply for priesthood training and testing.
To clarify, the Catholics have two kinds of priests. First, they have what they call a diocesan or “lay” priest (which we would call a “congregational elder”). Then they also have what they call dedicated or “ordained” priests (which we would call separated (or set-apart) priests.
As we explain in Torah Government and Acts 15 Order, deacons, elders, and priests can have any combination of the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers. This is because the gifts are different than the service positions. However, most priests will have the gifting of an apostle (which includes all of the other gifts).
(There are also volunteer positions, and anyone who wants to apply for a paid position is well-advised to give time in service as a volunteer.)
YESHIVA (SEMINARY)
Inside the website (i.e., inside the body) will be those audio, video, and written teachings that benefit the flock in more than an evangelical sense. There will also be forums with appropriate categories for men, women, children, husbands, wives, mothers, support groups, and more. There will also be pastoral teachings, to help tend and guide the flock. These need to be limited to those who are already inside, because pastoring takes enormous amounts of time, energy, and effort, to do it right. Pastoral counseling needs to be available only to those who are giving a full tithe (or who are otherwise making a real sacrifice), and only as resources allow, lest the body become overwhelmed (by those who are seeking to see how much they can get, rather than how much they can give back to Yeshua).
In addition to the pastoral teachings there will also be a newsletter (for disciples). There will also be a yeshiva (seminary) teaching and training section, for those who wish to serve as deacons. It will be free but will also be on the inside of the website, because until one is already in relationship with the body, the priority needs to be to get in a life-giving two-way relationship with the body. This is just, as it is also how both Yeshua and Shaul operated, spending most of their time with those who were helping to build Yeshua a real kingdom.
SHAMMESH (DEACON) SECTION
Inside the deacon section there will be an additional newsletter for deacons, as well as written, audio, video, and other teaching resources for deacons. There will also be forum and other support resources.
There will also be an interview process for those who want to apply for the priesthood, either in a lay capacity (as congregational elders), or as separated priests.
TWO PRIESTHOOD SECTIONS
Technically, separated priests (i.e., apostles) are more set-apart than the congregational elders, just as the Levitical priests were thought to be more separated than the Levites. However, the two work together, to serve the same body.
Ma’asei (Acts) 15:6
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
Congregational elders must be family men. Together with their wives and families, they serve as examples for the flock (most of whom are married and have families). In contrast, separated priests serve the needs of the body globally. They can be married or celibate, and can serve in teaching positions, administration, or any other capacity that Elohim directs. Because the requirements of these two positions are so different, they need two different application, selection, and training processes. Once inside each section there will again be separate newsletters, forums, and training materials.
Obviously, this will take years to build, and even that assumes that we do not get shut down by the New World Order, and the persecution that is coming. However, it seems vital that we plan the structure correctly from the start, so that those of us who want to help build Yeshua’s kingdom in truth can all work together toward the same goal. If we all share the same goals, and if those goals are the same as what Yeshua’s word says, then all can be done keeping with Yeshua’s intent. This means that we will be building in stone and precious stones, rather than building in wood, hay, and stubble.
Qorintim Aleph (1 Corinthians) 3:9-15
9 For we are Elohim’s fellow workers; you are Elohim’s field, you are Elohim’s building.
10 According to the grace of Elohim which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Yeshua Messiah.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
And while we don’t know exactly what Elohim will have for us following Armageddon and the Ingathering, there will be a continuing need for discipleship and training after Yeshua’s return at Armageddon. In fact, it may be that the Melchizedekian infrastructure could end up serving as part of the global governmental structure which will continue to exist among the nations, post-Armageddon (however Elohim leads).
And at the very least, if we do what Yeshua says to do in His word, then we will be found faithful, in that day.