The universe waited with bated breath. It was a catastrophe none had ever imagined. The potential for loss was limitless. Never before had a crisis of this magnitude existed. What would Yahuwah do?
When Satan led Adam and Eve to sin, it was a carefully crafted, well-plotted attack against the very foundation of the divine government. At stake was the holy law on which the happiness of all created beings rests. The divine law is a transcript of the divine character. Sin called into question then the true character of Yahuwah, which has ever been LOVE: “Love is of Yah; and every one that loveth is born of Yah, . . . for Yah is love.” (See 1 John 4:7-8.)
Satan believed he had trapped Yahuwah in an impossible situation. The divine law decreed death as the punishment for all transgression. If Adam and Eve sinned and ate the fruit of the Tree of Life, Satan would win by having immortal sinners, proving Yahuwah a liar. On the other hand, if Yahuwah punished the guilty pair with death, Satan could then portray Him as vengeful and unforgiving. But, if Yahuwah forgave the couple without punishment, Satan could still claim Yahuwah was a liar – for changing His law to forgive the sinner.
In this time of grave peril, Yahuwah displayed His wisdom and surprised Satan with a previously unknown attribute of the divine character. Yahuwah extended grace to Adam and Eve. This took Satan by surprise. He did not understand grace.
Grace is “the free unmerited [undeserved] love and favor of God . . . .” (Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828) No human had ever sinned, so no one had ever needed grace before. It was an unknown quality.
When confronted with the terrible emergency of sin, Yahuwah extended unmerited, undeserved forgiveness to the fallen human race. At the same time, He did not change the perfect, divine law. He pledged the life of His Son to die in place of guilty man. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Yahuwah is eternal life in the Anointed Yahushua, our Master.” (Romans 6:23, Restored Names Scripture)
When recording the encounter of Nicodemus with Yahushua, John commented: “For Yahuwah so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For Yahuwah did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (See John 3:16-17.)
By sacrificing the life of His Son, Yahuwah could “declare . . . His righteousness, that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Yahushua.” (See Romans 3:26.) The law, which could not be changed because it “is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12), would stand, but sinners were given a second chance to choose obedience and life, or rebellion and death. They were allowed a second chance to choose because the law's requirement was met in the death of Yahushua.
Paul grasped the far-reaching significance of this divine act of grace when he wrote:
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth – in Him. (Ephesians 1:7-10, NKJV)
Indeed, all would agree that Yahuwah loved when He forgave sinners and that He was kind when He forgave sinners. But Paul is saying He was wise and prudent! It almost sounds presumptuous to say that Yahuwah was wise and prudent when He chose to forgive.
Prudence implies caution in deliberating and consulting on the most suitable means to accomplish valuable purposes, and the exercise of sagacity [wisdom] in discerning and selecting them. Prudence differs from wisdom in this, that prudence implies more caution and reserve than wisdom, or is exercised more in foreseeing and avoiding evil, than in devising and executing that which is good. (Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828)
Paul could say Yahuwah was wise and prudent because he grasped that the plan of salvation established the divine law forever as holy and unchanging while still redeeming and salvaging the lost race. This detailed but all-encompassing plan called for the Saviour of Mankind to be both Redeemer and Older Brother to every son and daughter of Adam. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29, KJV)
Yahushua is the Redeemer because His death allowed Yahuwah to be just and yet still justify sinners. These truths are preached wherever Christianity is heard. Less understood is that the Captain of our Salvation is also our Older Brother.
As our Older Brother, Yahushua, gave us an example of how to live a victorious life. This is a powerful truth that Satan has tried to hide through various lies.
Yahushua, as the Second Adam, was born with Adam's nature before the fall. He experienced everything any child of Adam can suffer. Paul urged this fact as the main reason to have faith in Him as our Saviour!
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yahushua the Son of Yahuwah, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (See Hebrews 4:14-16.)
The fact that Yahushua was tempted “in all points like as we are, yet without sin” gives everyone encouragement that we may fully trust in the redemptive work he did as our perfect substitute. His righteousness is what the Father accepts and imputes to all who trust and accept Yahushua's vicarious death. The secret to Yahushua’s consistent triumph in the battle over sin and Satan was found in His equally constant reliance upon His Father’s strength. He clearly stated: “I can of mine own self do nothing.” (John 5:30, KJV)
Scripture presents that Yahuwah is both merciful and just.
Thus says Yahuwah:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am Yahuwah, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says Yahuwah. (See Jeremiah 9:23, 24.)
Many Christians today believe they can willfully keep sinning [by ignoring Yahuwah's Torah] until the Second Coming, at no cost whatsoever. Such 'Christians' allege that willful sinning will not deny them the privilege of being covered with Yahushua's righteousness. Satan's big lie claims that willfully sinning does not deprive us of Yahushua's righteousness. They are deceived into believing they can still be covered with Yahushua's perfect righteousness while willfully breaking Yahuwah's Torah. The very last book of the Bible contains a solemn warning all should heed: “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12, KJV) There will be no second chances given at the Second Coming. When He comes, Yahushua brings His reward with Him. Now is the time to get your life in order. While mercy still lingers, is the time to surrender to Yahuwah and accept His help in overcoming all known forms of willful sinning. His loving invitation is still extended: “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” (Isaiah 27:5, NKJV)
Yahuwah is fully aware of every single thing about you: your hopes, your dreams, your struggles, your weaknesses, your secret sins no one else knows about – and He loves you anyway. “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13, NKJV)
Yahuwah is love; Yahuwah is just. As a just and merciful Heavenly Father, He does not expect the impossible of His earth-bound children. He knows that you have no strength in yourself to overcome willful sinning. This is where many fail. When they first became Christians, they accepted by faith Yahuwah’s forgiveness for sins in the past. But they fail to overcome their besetting sins [the sins that they keep willfully committing]. They fail to realize that when they accept to be covered by Yahushua's perfect righteousness, they also receive the needed power to overcome all forms of willful sinning.
The secret of overcoming willful sinning is revealed in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Yahushua who strengthens me.” Yahushua not only wants us to be covered with his perfect righteousness but wants us to receive the power to overcome willful sinning.
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, . . .
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. . . . Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to [Eloah], to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:10, 11, 14-18, NKJV)
Take Yahuwah at His word; choose to accept the power that comes to you when you decide to wrap yourself with Yahushua's righteousness. This power will enable you to overcome all forms of willful sinning. “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23, NKJV). Last but not least: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Yahushua Christ;" (1 Peter 1:13)
