Is Exclusivity The Unpardonable Sin, Part 2

Is Exclusivity “An Unpardonable Sin”?

Part 2, Spiritual Leavening

Chapter 24 Preview: Here is continuing unmistakable Biblical proof that simply belonging to a “sect” is quite literally “heresy”! Yeshua’s (Jesus’*) harshest words were undeniably those directed toward the most obsessive religious ideology of His generation—exclusivist sects. Why does sectarian “doctrine” so often make people arrogant? Why are there so many sectarian “ministries”? And what is more important—stroking the egos of a hierarchy or the acquisition of their wealth and power? Yeshua charged that these “hypocrites” greatly love public praise but have absolutely no concern for the spiritual well being of anyone!

Yeshua “defined” “the leaven of the Pharisees” as hypocrisy and sectarian (heretical) doctrine. Of course Paul later made a symbolic distinction between “old leaven” and other leaven representing “wickedness”. Still, we should not overlook the fact that Yeshua only singled out the two sins having to do with what a person says as being particularly noteworthy.

Luke 12:1 Meanwhile, large crowds had gathered, by the tens of thousands, they were trampling on each other. Yeshua told His Disciples, “First of all, watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees, that is their HYPOCRISY. GV

Beware “the doctrine of the” popular sects!

Matthew 16:6 ... 12 He told them, “Become acquainted with and be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees”! 7 They began to discuss this among themselves, concluding that He had said this, because they hadnt brought any bread. ... 11 How is it that you dont understand that I wasnt talking about bread? But to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. 12 Then they understood that He wasnt warning them to be aware of the leaven in the bread, but to be aware of the DOCTRINE of the Pharisees and Sadducees. GV

Yeshua told these puffed up airheads that it was their “fruits”—that is, their interpersonal behavior that mattered to God, rather than their heredity or race.

Matthew 3:7-9 But when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who came to be immersed, He told them, “Offspring of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath”? 8 Produce fruit worthy of a changed mind. 9 Dont think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor’ [meaning “We are a superior race”!]; because I tell you that Yehovah is able to raise up descendants of Abraham from these stones. GV

Purge out malicious wicked theology and replace it with “purity and sanctity”!

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Your boasting isnt good. Dont you know that a little leaven leavens the whole mix of dough? 7 Clean out your old leaven so that you can be a new mix of dough, as you are unleavened. The Messiah, our Passover, was sacrificed in our place. 8 So let’s celebrate the Feast, not with the old leaven, or with the leaven of wickedness and bitterness, but with the unleavened bread of purity and sanctity. GV

(It should not go unnoticed that Paul said to celebrate “the feast” of Unleavened Bread.)

Colossians 2:18–23 Dont let anyone’s desire to degrade your mind bring you under bondage, so that you subject yourselves to the religious practices of “angels” [a then current sectarian fad]; while they elaborate about gods that they havent really seen, being arrogantly inflated in their carnal thoughts, 19 rather than keeping their hold on the Head, the One who frames and constructs the whole body, with joints and ligaments, and grows with the growth given by Yehovah. 20 If you have died with the Messiah, and have escaped from the predominant false teachings of the world, then why are you laying down ordinances as if you were still living in the world? 21 “Dont handle this! Dont taste or touch that”! 22 All of these abusive notions will perish. They are the commandments and doctrines of men. 23 These bogus notions appear to reflect humility, and deep respect for Yehovah, but it is ascetic severity; and is nothing of any real value against the carnal indulgences of humanity. GV

Yeshua said that righteousness is a prerequisite for entering the Kingdom of God! Righteousness is the positive sum of our words and deeds and thoughts.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yehovah require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to live your life humbly with your Elohim? —The Word of Elohim, Gabriel Version (WE)

Most ministers convince people that they need the blessings of “the true church” to enter God’s Kingdom. People are led to believe that they cannot attain salvation without theocratic assistance. Yet the Bible says:

Philippians 2:12 So Friends, as you have always listened, not only when I was near you, but now that I am far from you, work out your own eternal Life, with fear and with trembling. GV

People believe that they must be dependent on supposed “ministers” to make their life decisions rather than to learn Yehovahs principles so that they can mature. If a parent to child relationship is expected by a “minister” then realize that you really have a “master”. You should expect to be in charge of your own life. A true “minister” is your servant—not the other way around!

Matthew 20:25-27 Yeshua called them, and told them, “You know that the rulers of other ethnicities hold them in subjection, and their ranking men exercise authority over them. 26 IT WONT BE THAT WAY WITH YOU, because whoever wants to become “great” among you will be your servant [diakonos]; 27 and whoever wants to be first among you should serve you; GV

If you have a master other than Yeshua ...

Many church groups try to complicate the simplicity of Yeshua’s salvation so that people put their trust in a “minister” rather than in God himself. I know of a fine young man who at 23 years of age was “commanded” not to date a very gracious young woman because they both came from broken families! In essence the sins of the fathers were being blamed on the children. Both families attend the same corporate church. There are many far worse examples that could be cited but this one was “close to home”. The young man quite remorsefully broke off the relationship for several months before someone whom he respected greatly in the congregation mustered up the courage to explain to him that that “minister” had greatly overstepped his bounds and had become his master, rather than a “servant” or “slave”.

Symptoms of “ministers” trying to become your “masters” usually present themselves in the very names that they would have you call them!

They want to be called “Reverend”; yet that is what God is!

Psalms 111:9 He has sent redemption to His people. He has established His covenant forever. His name is sacred and reverend. WE

Or they want to be called by a title that God reserved for Himself and your true parent.

Matthew 23:9 Dont call yourselves ‘Father’ on earth; because there is only One Father—the Heavenly One. GV

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which [Yehovah] your God gives you. WEB

Or they insist that you use the very word from which “master” is deriver: “Mister” so and so.

Why not forget about revering men and simply become a “Saint” or a Disciple, by keeping God’s Ten Commandments?

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patient endurance of the SAINTS, WHO PRESERVE THE COMMANDMENTS OF YEHOVAH, and are fully convinced about Yeshua. GV

Yes, you can learn from others, but be certain that that person is not trying to replace God!

Fools in Hell?

If you indicate to someone, directly or otherwise, that they would be a fool (or any equivalent term) not to join your “church”—arentyou “in danger of hell fire”?

Matthew 5:20–22 I assure you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses the Torah teachers and the Pharisees, you wont enter the Kingdom of the Heavens. 21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, “Dont murder, and anyone who murders is subject to the tribunal”. 22 But I tell you, “Anyone who is angry with his brother rashly, is subject to the tribunal; and everyone who says to his brother, ‘raka’ is subject to the tribunal; and everyone who says, you ‘fool’ is subject to Gehenna fire”! GV

The Church of Your Choice

By “simply” joining “the Church of your choice” you are essentially agreeing to be exclusivist! You are asserting that the Assembly of the Saints (if indeed they are) that you have chosen to fellowship with are distinctly better than other Saints whether by differences in teachings or form of church government or some other criteria. Why should we formalize and venerate divisiveness?

However, let me say right now that I am not opposed to someone fellowshipping with people in a sectarian group, so long as they dont pretend that they believe that that group is all there is of “the true church” or “the best church”, or the “Philadelphian church” etc. A friend said: “True Philadelphians dont go around calling themselves Philadelphians”!

You might be the best medicine for some few of them. Chances are tho, that they will eventually exclude you, at least to an extent, for not being exclusivist yourself!

Yeshua only built one Assembly! It is not incorporated or patented or found in exclusivist clusters.

Matthew 16:18 Also, I tell you that you are Cephas; and upon this rock I will REbuild My Assembly; and the gates of sheol wont triumph over it. GV

So when the Bible mentions “the Church of God”, is it in reference to any existing humanly run organization? Actually, the Greek word translated as “church” is “ecclesia”, and it simply means any group of people—even a mob is an “ecclesia”. Only when ecclesia is associated or the words “of God” make “church” have any significance! So the “group of people of God” simply refers to anyone, anywhere, and at any time who is among those whom God has given His Sacred Spirit. To deny true workings of the Sacred Spirit in another commandment keeper who doesnt happen to fellowship with you is BLASPHEMY against the Sacred Spirit!

Many do reluctantly “acknowledge” that there are some “second class” Saints in some of the “other groups”. To deny that would greatly discourage their “sheep” (i.e. maybe affecting their income) who have relatives in those groups. So when someone says, in essence, “My Sacred Spirit is better than your Sacred Spirit”, that person’s attitude is of Satan. Even Simon the Sorcerer acknowledged that he did not have that kind of Spirit!

Acts 8:18-20 When Simon saw that by the laying on of hands of the envoys, the sacred spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 and asked, “Give me this power, so that whoever I lay hands on will receive the sacred spirit”. 20 Simon Cephas told him, “You and your money will be eternally destroyed, because you thought that the gift of Yehovah could be purchased with money”! GV

Divisions and Factions

The following verse has been used as a club by corporate groups to force their members to believe only what they teach. We were informed, while Paul still walked the earth, to anticipate “divisions” among “the brethren” so that those who are “approved” by God could be recognized as different. The only way that we could possibly “all speak the same thing” is if we speak the things that Yeshua spoke!

1 Corinthians 1:10Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. KJV

All speaking the same thing is a sign of brainwashing. The Aramaic that I have rendered of the Word (miltha) is far more complex, and much more meaningful and different than the Greek translation, but it isnt about speaking anything.

1 Corinthians 1:10 I implore you Friends, in the name of our Master Yeshua the Messiah, that you all be of the Word; and that there will be no ‘divisions’ [literally: schisms] among you; but that you will become perfectly of one mind, and of one way of thinking. GV

Rather than view religious disagreements as a curse, we must learn to realize that they are a part of our spiritual boot camp, and that the end result can be quite good. If our faith wont stand up to testing among people who are at least pretending to be Commandment keepers, how will it survive confrontations with those who openly despise God and righteousness? Unless someone is blatantly breaking the Commandments of God, there is no Biblical instruction to try to ostracize that person for having differing viewpoints.

James 1:3 You know that the trial of your faith produces patience. GV

Romans 8:28 We know that everything is in synergy [sunergeo], resulting in good, for those who love Yehovah; those who were predestined to be called. GV

Paul cautioned us not to choose personal champions as “intercessors” between Yeshua and ourselves. He specifically told us not to “choose up sides”. That is what “no divisions” means in this context.

Men “weed out” of “their” congregations people who try to challenge the thinking on even the smallest of details passed down to the peons from the spiritually “elect”. This type of exclusivity is what Yeshua was describing in the following parable.

Matthew 13:24–30 He related another analogy to them, “The Kingdom of the Heavens can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and then left. 26 When the plants shot up and ripened, the tares also appeared. 27 The servants of the householder came, and asked him, ‘Master, didnt you sow good seed in your field? Why are there tares with it’. 28 He told them, ‘An enemy has done this’. The servants asked him, ‘Would you like us to go and pull them out”? 29 He replied, ‘No, because while you sort out the tares, you’ll also uproot the wheat with them. 30 They must both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time, I will tell the harvesters to gather the tares out first, and bind them in bundles to be burned; but to bring the wheat into my granary’”. GV

This parable indicates that the good and the wicked are all mixed together—side by side, as is explained in the next few verses:

Matthew 13:37-40 He told them, “The One who sows the good seed, is Yehovahs Son. 38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the Kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is Satan. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the spirit Messengers”. 40 As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. GV

Who are we to decide on who can or should be the members of the Assembly that Yeshua built? Should you allow your name to be registered as a member of some “denomination” (literally “to name”), religious persuasion, faith, affiliation, faction, party, persuasion, cult or schism—or should your name simply be registered in heaven?

Hebrews 12:22-23 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living Aloha, the Jerusalem in the Heavenly regions; and to the Assembly of one hundred million spirit Messengers; 23 and to the festival assembly of the firstborn ones, whose names are recorded in Heaven, and to Yehovah the Judge of everyone; and to the spirits of the righteous, who are perfected; GV

Casting out Demons

When a religious leader casts out demons or heals the sick, is that necessarily an indication that God is backing that individual, or might God be blessing a poor person despite their not seeing the hypocrisy of “their guy”? Notice in the next quote that Yeshua did not deny that unconverted men had actually performed miracles in His name, which would have been an issue had it not been true!

Matthew 7:21–23 Not everyone who merely calls to Me, “Master, Master”, will enter into the Kingdom of the Heavens; but only those who are obedient to My Father in the Heavens. 22 Many will ask Me in that Day, “Master, Master, havent we prophesied in Your name and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name done many wonders”? 23 Then I will tell them publicly, [see root words], “I never knew you. Get away from Me you Lawbreakers”. GV

Were not even Pharisees successful in casting out demons at times?

Matthew 12:27 And if I, by Beelzebub, cast out demons, then by who do your young men cast them out? So they will be your judges. GV

A question that naturally arises is: Do these exclusivist organizations merely attract conceited people or do they cultivate Satanic attitudes? While we cant rule out that some begin their religious experience with a full complement of hypocrisy; we have Yeshua’s proclamation that these groups are capable of making their “proselytes” into hellions!

Matthew 23:13–15 I pity you, Torah teachers, Pharisees and hypocrites, because you block the entrance to the Kingdom of the Heavens right in front of people. You arent coming in yourselves, and you prevent those who are beginning to come in from doing so. 14 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and hypocrites, because you devour widows houses, and then feign righteousness by your long prayers. So you’ll receive greater condemnation. 15 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and hypocrites; because you traverse land and sea to make one convert to Judaism; and when he is won, you make him twice the son of Sheol as yourselves. GV

Of all of the bad motivations that drove the Pharisees—their loyalty to the “corporation”—is one of the most revealing. They actually taught doing the things of God. I’d recommend reading all of Matthew 23 thru with today in mind, otherwise it will be of little value.

Paul also condemned the hypocrisy of the religious people of his generation. The fact that these people had not recognized that Yeshua had been among them was nearly irrelevant because their hypocrisy had already condemned them:

Romans 2:17-24 Indeed you are called Jews, and trust the Torah, and boast about Yehovah, 18 claiming to understand His good inclinations, and recognize as genuine His distinctions between good and evil, because you have heard the instructions of the Torah; 19 and you are convinced that you can guide the blind, and be a light for those who are in spiritual darkness, 20 and teach the ignorant, and teach the young; and appear knowledgeable and objective regarding the Torah. 21 You teach others, but shouldnt you teach yourselves? You who herald that people must not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “People must not commit adultery”, do you commit adultery? And you who abhor the stench of idols, do you plunder their churches? 23 You who are exuberant about the Torah, are you by violating the Torah insulting Yehovah Himself? 24 Yehovahs name is blasphemed by all ethnicities, because of you, just as it is written! GV

Any sin that gets you thrown into the lake of fire would be an unpardonable sin. Of the “seven deadly sins” how many of them could be applied to the heresy of exclusivity? “Haughty eyes” [arrogant facial expressions] would certainly apply to exclusivity. If you attend a feast and people become quite aloof once they discover that you are “independent” then the “haughty eyes” seems to be a direct application. The middle seven can apply but the seventh deadly sin is a bulls eye: “he who sows discord among brothers”. Who is really sowing discord when a Commandment keeping Saint is shunned by a church?

Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things which [Yehovah] hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood; 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, 19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers. WEB

[Note that the Hebrew word translated as “discord” above means “strife” or “contention”, the first step toward sectarianism, division or hatred.]

Blasphemy against the spirit is when the works of God are condemned as evil. Whenever a Godly person is condemned solely for righteousness sake—how could that not be blasphemy?

Matthew 12:31-32 This is why I can say that it is possible for any sin and blasphemy [blasphemia] of humanity to be removed; except for blasphemy against the spirit. People cant have that removed. 32 Whoever says anything against the Son of Man can have that removed, but whoever says anything against the sacred spirit, cant have that removed, either in this world, or in the coming world. 33 Either produce a good tree, with good fruit, or produce a poor quality tree, with poor quality fruit; because a tree becomes known by its fruit. GV

Some scriptures are from the “New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.” “Bible text from the New King James Version® is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.”