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Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
From, The Lords Coming, CH Mackintosh, 1898
"God cannot fully and publicly own those who are unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for, were he to do so, it would be an acknowledgment of the unequal yoke. he cannot acknowledge "darkness," "unrighteousness," "Belial," "idol," and "an infidel." How could he? Hence, if I yoke myself with any of these, I am morally and publicly identified with them, and not with God at all. I have put myself into a position which God cannot own, and as consequence, He cannot own me; but if I withdraw myself from that position - if I "come out and be separate" - if I take my neck out of the unequal yoke - then, but not until then, can I be publicly and fully received and owned as a "son or daughter of the Lord Almighty. This is a solemn and searching principle for all who feel that they have unhappily gotten themselves into such a yoke. They are not walking as disciples, nor are they publically or morally on the ground as sons. God cannot own them."
This brings me to what the Holy Spirit's been dealing with me on recently, that is, Nov. - Dec. 2023; that is 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. It deals specifically with the unequal yoke, then goes into the remedy for that condition, and finally, this key verse 7:1, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
The promises are what's written in vs 16-18, that the Father will receive us, and we shall be His sons and daughters - but ONLY IF we come out, be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Reminds me of Achan's sin in Joshua 7, of taking the 'accursed thing' which caused Israel to be defeated before her enemies. Same thing, accursed thing - unclean thing: touch it, dabble in it, and your enemy the devil will smite you, and you will fall.
Where it says "all filthiness," All is "pas" παϛ = all, every, the whole, everything. Does it say "most" filthiness or defilement? Some? Do what you can, but you're gonna make mistakes? It's called SIN, not mistakes. And even if we might be prone to sin, let us not encourage it! Stop making people comfortable in their sins with an easy grace gospel. Those who do so will be held accountable, as it causes brothers to stumble.
Scripture tells us to crucify the flesh, the sin nature, and cleanse ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit. That's the spirit, heart, and mind. Take those thoughts captive, cast down those imaginations!
And εν φοβω Θεου is "in fear (of) God." Phobo = fear, terror, afraid - they add "reverence and respect" but that's really downplaying the real meaning of the word in order to make the LORD Yahweh El Shaddai - God Almighty, more acceptable and approachable to modern sinners!
The Biblical "reverence, respect" goes beyond the modern definition. The #1 meaning is "fear, terror, fright, fearfully, apprehensive, anxious, alarmed, astonishment, amazement," Phobo and phobos are where we get our word "phobia" from. Websters defines Phobia as "an exaggerated, usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation." Oxfords is "an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something."
Jesus tells us, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.." (Matt.10:28) Well, if someones got an axe about to behead you, you probably have fear, not "reverence." And we are told NOT to fear those who can kill the body, so really we shouldn't fear the axe! We ARE told to fear God, for it's only He who has power to cast into hell.
Phobeo, same root word there, same fear, and even the so called "reverence" aspect is "awe" as in startled by, to be shaken. And in Luke 12:5 it says, "But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." The way Luke words it should leave no doubt as to what he means by fear! Amen.
Likewise, why would Hebrews 10:31 say, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God?" Besides, Hebrews 12:28 says, "Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." There the two are separated - Reverence, "aidos" αιδωϛ = decency, modesty, shamefacedness; and "fear" here is eulabeia ευλαβεια = reverent submission: fear, related to holy fear. And the next verse of course is "For our God is a consuming fire."
Mackintosh's Notes on Leviticus 1880
Man is, in very deed, capable of perpetrating each and every one of the shameful crimes referred to in this most faithful section of the book of Leviticus. If he were not, why should he be told not to do so. Such a code would be wholly unsuitable for angels, inasmuch as they are incapable of committing the sins referred to; but it suits man, because he has gotten the seeds of those sins in his nature. This is deeply humbling. It is a fresh declaration of the truth that man is a total wreck. From the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, there is not so much as a single speck of moral soundness, as looked at in the light of the divine presence. The being for whom Jehovah thought it needful to write Leviticus xviii.-xx. must be a vile sinner; but that being is man—the writer and reader of these lines. How plain it is, therefore, that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom. viii.) Thank God, the believer is "not in the flesh, but in the Spirit." He has been taken completely out of his old-creation standing, and introduced into the new creation, in which the moral evils aimed at in this our section can have no existence. True, he has gotten the old nature; but it is his happy privilege to "reckon" it as a dead thing, and to walk in the abiding power of the new creation, wherein "all things are of God." This is Christian liberty, even liberty to walk up and down in that fair creation where no trace of evil can ever be found,—hallowed liberty to walk in holiness and purity before God and man,—liberty to tread those lofty walks of personal sanctity whereon the beams of the divine countenance ever pour themselves in living lustre. Reader, this is Christian liberty. It is liberty, not to commit sin, but to taste the celestial sweets of a life of true holiness and moral elevation. May we prize more highly than we have ever done this precious boon of heaven—Christian liberty.
From, The Lords Coming, CH Mackintosh, 1898
"God cannot fully and publicly own those who are unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for, were he to do so, it would be an acknowledgment of the unequal yoke. he cannot acknowledge "darkness," "unrighteousness," "Belial," "idol," and "an infidel." How could he? Hence, if I yoke myself with any of these, I am morally and publicly identified with them, and not with God at all. I have put myself into a position which God cannot own, and as consequence, He cannot own me; but if I withdraw myself from that position - if I "come out and be separate" - if I take my neck out of the unequal yoke - then, but not until then, can I be publicly and fully received and owned as a "son or daughter of the Lord Almighty. This is a solemn and searching principle for all who feel that they have unhappily gotten themselves into such a yoke. They are not walking as disciples, nor are they publically or morally on the ground as sons. God cannot own them."
This brings me to what the Holy Spirit's been dealing with me on recently, that is, Nov. - Dec. 2023; that is 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. It deals specifically with the unequal yoke, then goes into the remedy for that condition, and finally, this key verse 7:1, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
The promises are what's written in vs 16-18, that the Father will receive us, and we shall be His sons and daughters - but ONLY IF we come out, be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Reminds me of Achan's sin in Joshua 7, of taking the 'accursed thing' which caused Israel to be defeated before her enemies. Same thing, accursed thing - unclean thing: touch it, dabble in it, and your enemy the devil will smite you, and you will fall.
Where it says "all filthiness," All is "pas" παϛ = all, every, the whole, everything. Does it say "most" filthiness or defilement? Some? Do what you can, but you're gonna make mistakes? It's called SIN, not mistakes. And even if we might be prone to sin, let us not encourage it! Stop making people comfortable in their sins with an easy grace gospel. Those who do so will be held accountable, as it causes brothers to stumble.
Scripture tells us to crucify the flesh, the sin nature, and cleanse ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit. That's the spirit, heart, and mind. Take those thoughts captive, cast down those imaginations!
And εν φοβω Θεου is "in fear (of) God." Phobo = fear, terror, afraid - they add "reverence and respect" but that's really downplaying the real meaning of the word in order to make the LORD Yahweh El Shaddai - God Almighty, more acceptable and approachable to modern sinners!
The Biblical "reverence, respect" goes beyond the modern definition. The #1 meaning is "fear, terror, fright, fearfully, apprehensive, anxious, alarmed, astonishment, amazement," Phobo and phobos are where we get our word "phobia" from. Websters defines Phobia as "an exaggerated, usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation." Oxfords is "an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something."
Jesus tells us, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.." (Matt.10:28) Well, if someones got an axe about to behead you, you probably have fear, not "reverence." And we are told NOT to fear those who can kill the body, so really we shouldn't fear the axe! We ARE told to fear God, for it's only He who has power to cast into hell.
Phobeo, same root word there, same fear, and even the so called "reverence" aspect is "awe" as in startled by, to be shaken. And in Luke 12:5 it says, "But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." The way Luke words it should leave no doubt as to what he means by fear! Amen.
Likewise, why would Hebrews 10:31 say, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God?" Besides, Hebrews 12:28 says, "Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." There the two are separated - Reverence, "aidos" αιδωϛ = decency, modesty, shamefacedness; and "fear" here is eulabeia ευλαβεια = reverent submission: fear, related to holy fear. And the next verse of course is "For our God is a consuming fire."
Mackintosh's Notes on Leviticus 1880
Man is, in very deed, capable of perpetrating each and every one of the shameful crimes referred to in this most faithful section of the book of Leviticus. If he were not, why should he be told not to do so. Such a code would be wholly unsuitable for angels, inasmuch as they are incapable of committing the sins referred to; but it suits man, because he has gotten the seeds of those sins in his nature. This is deeply humbling. It is a fresh declaration of the truth that man is a total wreck. From the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, there is not so much as a single speck of moral soundness, as looked at in the light of the divine presence. The being for whom Jehovah thought it needful to write Leviticus xviii.-xx. must be a vile sinner; but that being is man—the writer and reader of these lines. How plain it is, therefore, that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom. viii.) Thank God, the believer is "not in the flesh, but in the Spirit." He has been taken completely out of his old-creation standing, and introduced into the new creation, in which the moral evils aimed at in this our section can have no existence. True, he has gotten the old nature; but it is his happy privilege to "reckon" it as a dead thing, and to walk in the abiding power of the new creation, wherein "all things are of God." This is Christian liberty, even liberty to walk up and down in that fair creation where no trace of evil can ever be found,—hallowed liberty to walk in holiness and purity before God and man,—liberty to tread those lofty walks of personal sanctity whereon the beams of the divine countenance ever pour themselves in living lustre. Reader, this is Christian liberty. It is liberty, not to commit sin, but to taste the celestial sweets of a life of true holiness and moral elevation. May we prize more highly than we have ever done this precious boon of heaven—Christian liberty.
