AN OPEN LETTER FROM LEW WHITE TO:

James McDonald  Christian pastor;

 James McDonald              Lew White

James is pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, & Walk In The Word radio broadcast, and his radio slogan is:  “Igniting passion in the people of God through the proclamation of Truth.”   He does not teach the observance of Passover, but stated that it is useless "religion" on his radio program, broadcasted across the planet.  This is a letter intended to correct that false teaching.

(JAMES' RESPONSE, IF ANY, WILL BE POSTED BELOW THIS LETTER)  POSTED 9-17-2007  -  ONE RESPONSE BELOW (DAVID JONES)

I enjoy listening to several radio programs, especially the ones where Yahuah’s Word is taught.  Recently, I heard you begin teaching on the letter to the Hebrews, and some of your comments ignited passion in me to defend the Word we are constantly being told not to walk in.  To be sure, I have HUGE differences in my walk than every one of the Christian teachers I listen to, but when I heard you state that the author of the letter to the Hebrews taught the believing Yisharal (Israel)ites at Rome they needed to leave behind observing “old” things like “Passover” and all that “religious” stuff, I had to write you this open letter.  We all make mistakes, but when a teacher is openly misleading the people of Yahusha, someone must stand for Truth and correct the error.   (Yahusha is Yisharal (Israel)’s Mashiak, the Maker of all things seen and unseen, and holds the universe together by His will.  He is the Redeemer, Savior, Mighty Alahim, El Shaddai, and Husband of Yisharal (Israel)  -  His “will” is Torah, and He demands obedience  -  Torah is not a suggestion).

At the time I’m writing this, you have not even begun the letter, so when you get to the 4th chapter and how there “remains a Sabbath for the people of Alahim”, I’m sure there will be a great deal of “allegorizing” going on, learned from the church fathers (especially Augustine).  But for now, your statement that the author of Hebrews would have us neglect the observance of Passover is not going to slip by without a word.  If we are to walk in the Word, yet “repent” of obeying the Word, we are indeed double-minded.  We must reason and give attention to the foundation of the true faith, the worship (obedience) toward the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Yahuah.   We know Him as Yahusha, our Savior, the Mashiak of YYisharal (Israel), and we know that we know Him because we obey His Torah, the Commandments:

1Jn 2:3  And2532 hereby1722, 5129 we know1097 that3754 we know1097 Him,846 if1437 we keep5083 His848 Commandments.1785

1Jn 2:4  He that says,3004 ‘I know1097 Him,846 and2532 keeps5083 not3361 His848 Commandments,1785 is2076 a liar,5583 and2532 the3588 truth225 is2076 not3756 in1722 him.5129

Currently it’s true that most “Gentiles” (those not in a Covenant with Yahuah) would prefer to ignore the Ten Commandments, and the 7 appointed festivals which reflect the redemption plan for Yisharal (Israel), because they have been taught to disregard them.  This attitude will change when people receive a love for the Truth, Yahuah’s Word, and begin to walk in it as He calls them to repentance.  It begins with the teachers, like yourself.  Notice that the first-fruits are people who do two important things:

Rev 12:17   "And2532 the3588 dragon1404 was wroth3710 with1909 the3588 woman,1135 and2532 went565 to make4160 war4171 with3326 the3588 remnant3062 of her848 seed,4690 which keep5083 the3588 Commandments1785 of (Alahim),2316 and2532 have2192 the3588 testimony3141 of (Yahusha)2424 (Mashiak)5547"

These first-fruits are "obeying" the Commandments as well as holding to the words and belief in Yahusha.  Obeying Torah means they are in the Covenant.  If a person will not obey the Covenant, they are not in a covenant relationship with Yahusha.  Satan is a believer, but will not OBEY.  To get straight to the point, the observance of Passover was still being promoted by the elders of the Natsarim long after Yahusha ascended, contrary to what you stated on the air as millions of deceived people listened.  Yahusha Himself enjoined us to remember Him through the symbols of matsah and wine whenever we observe Pesach, central to the theme of the Renewed Covenant with Yisharal (Israel), in this observance of His death each year in the spring.  What Christians do on Sun-day mornings is derived from the Catholic Church, not the Passover Seder Yahusha observed with His disciples.  Shaul (Paul) instructed us to keep the feast, so your statement is a departure from the clear admonition of this apostle. 

The correction to your teaching comes from 1 Cor. 5:7,8:

“Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast-as you really are.  For Mashiak, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.”   1 Cor 5:7-8

The “festival” mentioned here is the “MO’ED” or appointed time/festival of Yahuah known as “PESACH”, and usually included the actual Passover observance and the following 7 days when we eat no leavened bread.  This is the first of 7 festivals that are the “shadows” (as reflections or shapes that outline) the redemption plan of Yisharal (Israel) by the workmanship of Yahusha Himself.  He is in each of these 7 appointments, but Catholicism rejected them all, and replaced them with “7 sacraments” from the old Mithraic religion of the Romans.  We simply cannot add to Yahuah’s Word by making things up as we go along:

“See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.”  Deut 12:32

The deception used in the garden of Eden has continued to be employed by doctrines of demons, to lead mankind away from Yahuah’s Word.  Men continue to propagate the devil’s lie, saying “you don’t have to obey that, that’s not for you, it’s Judaizing if you obey”.  When we hear this kind of teaching, we are hearing doctrines of demons!  Passover was replaced by “EASTER”, a formerly Pagan practice, named after ISHTAR, or EOSTRE, the spring fertility “goddess”.  The KJV even replaced the word “PASSOVER” with this Pagan name, EASTER, at Acts 12:4.  But, all other translations corrected this error:

“After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”  Acts 12:4

Defenders of the KJV claim that Herod was observing “EASTER”, the Pagan festival of impregnation;  but the word was not EASTER, but Pascha, used 28 other times, and rendered as “Passover” in every case.  It wasn’t Herod that wrote the word, but brother Luke, and Luke did not write EASTER;  he wrote PESACH (subsequently transliterated as PASCHA in the Greek texts).

Brother Luke wrote this book we call “ACTS” about 31 years after Yahusha ascended into the heavens. 

Please do not ignore this letter, but answer from Scripture.  Surely Scripture would not argue with itself, but men bend and twist it to suit their beliefs.  Imagine for a moment, the two of us pleading with one another to come over to the other’s thinking, and then project forward to the day we both stand before Yahusha in His esteemed radiance.  One of us would be an elder in error, and the other correct.  I don’t wish to “win” for myself, but rather I only wish that Yahuah’s Word be taught in its entirety, without excuse.  There is nothing to fear in observing Passover, which Yahusha Himself told us to do in remembrance of Him, whenever we do it. 

The time we observe Yahusha’s death is once each year, at Pesach (Passover).

“For I received from the Master what I also passed on to you: The Master Yahusha, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’  In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Master’s death until He comes.”

1 Cor 11:23-26

This was turned into a weekly “death cookie” ritual every “Sun-day” morning, and called a “celebration” of the Mass.  It is hardly a celebration, but rather it is a solemn reflection we Natsarim observe every year, remembering Yahusha’s body and blood (His death) as He instructed us to do.  He clearly said that He was observing Passover the night before He suffered, and that we should remember His death (in the appointed time), whenever we “do this” (Passover observance).  James, please open your eyes, get mad, but awaken.  The maddening wine (teachings) of the whore of Babylon (Jezebel, Catholicism, Rev. 2:20) has the entire world “drunk”.  The Passover is about death, and redemption to life.   How much trouble would people get into for observing Passover, or resting on the real Sabbath day each week, instead of “SUN-day”, the day Constantine established for Christians to rest?.  Many people await your response.  Here are a few quiz questions based on the teachings of the Scriptures to consider before you respond:  

Choose the correct answer:

Question 1:   At Acts 2, the 120 Natsarim were gathered for which commanded festival of Yahuah?

*Easter    *Christmas Day    *Lent    *Shabuoth     *St. Patrick’s Day     *Earth Day

 

Question 2:   At Acts 21:20, many thousands of believing Yahudim were zealous for:

*Torah   *Changing their religion    *Eating swineflesh      *The Mass & sacraments

 

Question 3:   At 1Cor 5:8, Paul told us to observe what feast?

*Mardi Gras    *Passover   *Saturnalia   *Halloween & All Saints Day

 

Question 4:   At Rev 12:17, the Dragon is enraged at those who hold to the Testimony of Yahusha, and:

*Observe Valentine’s Day      *Obey Yahuah’s Commandments     *Obey 9 Commandments

*Work on Sunday   *Trust in the sacraments     *Baptize babies      *Erect Christmas trees

We await your reply,

Lew White

REPLY FROM DAVID JONES, WALK IN THE WORD:

Dear Lew,

Thanks for your email dated Oct 10.

It is obvious both from your email, and from the "open letter" for which you provided a link, that this issue of Passover observance is important to you.  Frankly, it is not a hot button issue for us.  The Jerusalem Council made it clear that Gentile followers of Christ are not to be burdened with the rituals from the Old Covenant (Acts 15:19-20).  While circumcision was the primary focus there, the decision had broader implications for the rest of the law, including the observances of the feasts.  That is why Paul later wrote: "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Col 2:16-17)**(see comments following).

Elsewhere, Paul rebuked Peter for trying to make Gentiles act like Jews (Gal 2:14).  He later added that all of those who rely on the works of the law are under a curse (3:10).  He asked, "how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?  You observe days and months and seasons and years!  I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain" (Gal 4:9-11). ** (see comments below).

While it is true that Paul kept the Passover, along with other early believers, it must be noted that they were Jews.  The Gentiles were not obligated to keep those customs.  There is no New Testament command for Gentiles to keep the Jewish feasts (you have misread 1 Cor 5:7-8, which is figurative; the context deals with sexual immorality).

Lew, I am concerned for you, lest you violate what Paul said to Timothy: "Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions" (1 Tim 1:6-7).

I know that this is a big issue for you, and you might want to engage us in a debate.  But from our standpoint, the matter is closed.  May the Lord bless you richly and lead you into truth as you continue to study his Word.

Sincerely,

David Jones
Walk in the Word

P.S.  By the way, the supposed connection between the origins of Easter and Ishtar worship have been debunked by biblical scholars, although the myth continues to be perpetuated. 

 

Lew's reply:

Thank you David.  The feasts of Yahuah are the redemption plan for Yisharal (Israel), and Gentiles need to engraft into the Covenant with Yisharal (Israel) (Mediated by Yahusha).  In Messiah, there is no distinction between a native-born Yisharal (Israel)ite and a foreigner, yet false teachings maintain this wall of division.  Accepting Yahusha without accepting the Covenant has been the primary problem with the religion of Christianity, taught by the "church fathers" of Christianity.  Amazingly, the text which you use at 1 Tim. 1:6-7 is speaking of the goal of the Torah, and the "swerving" away from the Torah produces "teachers of Torah without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions."   If we have anything to be confident in, it should be the Torah of Yahuah, which guides us, and is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path.  Yahusha is the "living Torah".  The future holds shocking adjustments for those who rail against the Torah, as we see the "nations" who do not observe the festival of Sukkoth will receive no rain (Zech. 14).  Someone who is not in the Covenant would naturally be listening to other voices, and searching the Scriptures with "an eye of darkness", looking for any way to interpret them in order to NOT obey the Covenant.  Having an "eye of light", we pant with our love for obeying Commandments!  Saying "I know Him", yet not obeying the Commandments, is evidence that a person is a liar.  The Truth has fallen in the streets, and the Truth is the Word (Torah) of Yahuah.   Now you have been told, and it is up to Yahusha whether or not He will call you to His Covenant.  It is better to trust in Yahuah than to trust in man.

**Now, consider the following correction of the translation you used above:

 

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come for the body of (Mashiak)." Col 2:16-17

 

Normally we see the word but in the last phrase.  However, these "shadows" are intended to be for the body of Mashiak, not ignored as Christianity has done.  If something is a "shadow", don't you imagine when the substance casting that shadow is made evident, that the wise man would pay heed to the shadow?

The word commonly translated as but instead of for is the Greek word “de”, #1161, and can mean a variety of things in English.

It is a primary particle that can mean:  but, and, or, also, yet, however, then, so, or FOR.

(In the last phrase, the word is does not exist in any of the received Greek texts; it is in italics in the KJV because is was added, and not in the Greek Received Text).

I had always wondered why this verse seemed to end so strangely - it never made any sense when it was rendered "but the body (is) of Christ". (KJV contains this mistranslation)

These festivals are shadows of things to come, and certainly are for the body of (Mashiak). 

The body of Mashiak is Yisharal (Israel).

Note:  To say that Acts 15:19,20 endorses a different "walk" for Gentiles is clearly not true.  The context explains that the Gentiles should "begin" with the four essentials to get started, then Ya'aqob (James) compels them to listen to "Mosheh" (TORAH) read in the synagogues every SABBATH:

Acts 15:19“Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to Alahim, but that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled, and from blood.  For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him, being read in the congregations every Sabbath."

Clearly, Gentiles departed from hearing "Mosheh" read, and not only rejected what Mosheh had to teach (Torah), but abandoned the Sabbath also, which Ya'aqob clearly mentioned (the Sabbath) in his statement.  Sun-day is NOT the Sabbath, and Christians NEVER teach the Torah (Covenant), but decry it to be "legalism" to obey the 10 Commandments.  Instead, they say "no one can keep them".  Certainly no one can if they are never taught to obey them, and instead are told "THIS IS NOT THE WAY, DON'T WALK IN IT!"  The false teachings and smooth words "sear" their consciences like a branding iron, so their consciences don't not warn them when they are sinning!  The "famine" of the Word (Covenant) remains for them, but for us who obey, we drink deeply in the living waters provided by Yahusha  --  the deep waters of Scripture provide us with nourishing drink.  A man who lives according to the Torah is like a tree planted by the rivers of waters:

 

Psa 1:1-6   "Blessed is the man who shall not walk in the counsel of the wrong, And shall not stand in the path of sinners, And shall not sit in the seat of scoffers,

But his delight is in the Torah of Yahuah, And he meditates in His Torah day and night.

For he shall be as a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That yields its fruit in its season, And whose leaf does not wither, And whatever he does prospers.

The wrong are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind blows away.

Therefore the wrong shall not rise in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For Yahuah knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wrong comes to naught."

With a ministry named "WALK IN THE WORD", it is fantastic that the teachers involved in it would teach people to NOT walk in the Word.  Faith, plus obedience, is absolutely required.  The Commandments are not suggestions, but guide us to know Yahuah, have fellowship with Him through His Son Yahusha, Who writes His Covenant upon our hearts (Jer./YermeYahu 31, Heb. 8).  This Covenant is also the means by which we have fellowship with one another.  Peter (Kepha) tells us that Paul (Shaul) is misunderstood by those "untaught" (Torah), and warns us to beware of such teachers who might cause us to fall from our lawful walk  -  lawlessness is the problem, not lawfulness.  You cannot "repent" of sin and ignore the Torah. (see 2 Pet. 3):

2Pe 3:14-18  "So then, beloved ones, looking forward to this, do your utmost to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,  and reckon the patience of our Master as deliverance, as also our beloved brother Sha'ul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him,

as also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these matters, in which some are hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.  You, then, beloved ones, being forewarned, watch, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the delusion of the lawless, but grow in the favor and knowledge our our Master and Savior Yahusha Messiah.   To Him be the esteem both now and to a day that abides.  Amein."  To Kepha (Peter), the "Scriptures" were the TaNaKh.  These men did not consider their own writings to be equal to the Torah, Prophets, and Writings, although we do today.  Their letters either help EXPLAIN the Torah, or are used to corrupt the understanding of them by false teachers.  Would the enemy of our lives (ha shatan) want you to obey the Torah, or disobey it?  Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?  The Word can become a stumbling block to those not given understanding, just as the same sun that melts wax will harden clay.  Do not harden your heart against Yahuah's Torah, allow Him to melt your heart with a love for His teachings, so that you may obey Him. 
The "special days" you spoke of above from Galatians 4:9-11 are the former habits kept by those at Galatia;  they were formerly Pagans, who had converted to worship Yahuah.  Shaul saw that some of them were being weak and were back-sliding into their old customs.  Surely Shaul would not teach against the Sabbath, the "sign" of the Eternal Covenant!

For the "lawless", there are so many Scriptures not to like, aren't there?  I cannot imagine abandoning the true faith to walk in the ways of the Pagans.  Christmas, Sun-day, and Easter are all formerly Pagan observances, and not commanded in Scripture.  Passover is how we remember our Messiah's death.  A walk without a Passover is a walk of doom.  Remember, I didn't bless the Sabbath day (7th day), Yahuah did.  At Lev. 23 (and Dt. 16), Yahuah declares "These are MY SABBATHS".  The weekly Sabbath and the festivals are not anyone's but His, and we have fellowship with Him through these Sabbaths.  The Sabbath does not belong to the "Yahudim", but all men who enter the Covenant  -  they then become "Yisharal (Israel)" because they entered into a Covenant with the Maker of heaven and earth.  It's safer to obey Yahuah and reject the traditions of men, no matter how much persecution may result.  The reward for obeying Yahuah only goes to those who actually obey Him.  Abraham kept the charges of Yahuah, and so became the father of the faithful.  Abraham didn't ignore Sabbath, but he ignored things like Sun-day, Christmas and Easter.   For what it's worth, the word "EASTER" comes from Ishtar;  and the word "SUN-day" comes from the Pagan's "day of the sun".  If every scholar in the world wants to "debunk" that fact, I'm still sticking to the real Sabbath day.  That's what being "steadfast" means.   All Yisharal (Israel) will be saved.  What of those not in the Covenant with Yahuah?    It is His Covenant of LOVE   --  why reject it?  

I LOVE THE COMMANDMENTS  ~  don't you want that also?   The Torah is the unshakable ROCK, and our Messiah comes to give it to us by writing a love for it upon our hearts.   This is what the Renewed Covenant is.   ~Lew brazilian hair


THE BESORAH  -  CLICK HERE TO VIEW 10 COMMANDMENTS TO PRINT OUT

  

 

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