Christ Covenant Church

Humanity has long viewed being resilient (to remain the same through adversity) as the virtue most vital to a person or thing’s success. Serious consideration of the evidence however tells a very different story. Resilience – though effective in the short term, fails in its ability to achieve success over the long haul. This due to the fact that God’s design was never resilience, but antifragility...

(1 Co 13:9-12) FORECAST OF EVENTS THAT COULD TAKE PLACE IN THE NEXT 220-272 WEEKS (probability scale of 1-10) 1. (9/10) Christ will return to Jerusalem [Mt. of Olives] from the sky above in apocalyptic fashion on an unknown day and time in 2030 with His angels to gather and glorify all of history’s saints. 2. (9/10) Christ’s return will also mean the immediate and fiery destruction of Satan and hi...

(1 Co 13:9-12) (9 w/12) For we know in part and we prophesy in part…for now we see in a mirror dimly” = What God provides to His people with respect to prophecy is not only incomplete (“in part”) but often a poor reflection of its reality making any consistency in accuracy when forecasting the future almost impossible (e.g., Act 21:11 w/31-33). As a result, the church functions like capricious chi...

1. Jesus wants the faithful who love God to show it through shepherding the lost who also love God. 1.1. (Mat 9:9-13 w/36) 1.2. (13) “sinners” = Lost people who love God - versus lost people who love self/their sin. Jesus made the former a priority in His ministry (versus the latter who were a waste of time – TBD). “I desire compassion and not sacrifice” (Hos 6:6 “in the knowledge [understanding]...

Truths about the NHNE you may have forgot (or never known): 1. It will be a place without sin, a place of unending love. 1.1. There will never be any sin in the NHNE (no sin = no lawlessness [1 Jo 3:4]; a place of perfect lawfulness or equity [the purpose of God’s Law]). Hence the reason there will no human death/curse (existence of human death/curse = existence of sin; Isa 65:25; 1Co 15:26 w/55-5...

(1Ti 4:4-5)   Psalm 104 credits God – at least indirectly, with the creation of alcohol – which means according to Paul (1Ti 4), it (like other “foods” created by God – v3) “is good” (Gen 1:31) and not to be “rejected (condemned or forbidden) – but rather “received with gratitude.” However (as Paul also makes clear), its place as good is dependent on it being “sanctified by means of the word of Go...

I (Rabbi Scott) have been saved and following Christ for 30 years. Here are some things I would tell myself if I could go back in time to the beginning.   1. Send thank you cards to those who persecute you. 1.1. Though 2Ti 3:12 makes clear that persecution is promised to those who attempt to preach and practice faithfulness to Christ, we nonetheless seem to be caught off guard when it happens. 1.2...

1. Baptism 1.1. What happens in baptism? 1) We take the sign which represents our life-long marital vow of faith/faithfulness to Christ as our Head/Husband necessary to establishing a saving covenant w/Him and becoming a part of His Bride, the church, - i.e., God’s family (Mar 16:16; 1Pe 3:21 “appeal” = A vow/pledge; “good conscience thru the resurrection” = God receives our vow of faith and appli...

  The danger of unrealistic expectations is that it can lead to: 1) failure, anger, depression and being deceived (Pro 19:3; Gen 4:3-5; 1Th 3:1-4 “disturbed” = deceived). 2) apostasy and hell (Gen 4:6-14 “from your face I will be hidden” = No longer able to bring sacrifice for forgiveness; Pro 11:7).   1. If we have the truth/true gospel, then it will not cause problems with blood family. 1.1. (Ma...

The destruction of Solomon’s Temple in 586 BC, caused the Levitical priesthood to be displaced by synagogues (congregations or assemblies) and rabbis, men who because of their devotion to righteous behavior and deep study of the Old Testament were ordained by their congregations to function as their anointed shepherds, teachers and judges. The authority of these old covenant communities and their...

As part of His messianic mission, Jesus came to see that the principles established by the Old Testament Scriptures (the laws governing Old Covenant Judaism) are faithfully obeyed (Isa 2:1-3; Mic 4:1-3; Mat 5:17-20) according to their transformation by His ministry (i.e., their application in New Covenant Judaism) For example (1Co 5:1-5 [Lev 18:8 w/20:10] w/Heb 9:13-14) = Unlike the former sin off...

As part of His messianic mission, Jesus came to see that the principles established by the Old Testament Scriptures (the laws governing Old Covenant Judaism) are faithfully obeyed (Isa 2:1-3; Mic 4:1-3; Mat 5:17-20) according to their transformation as a result of His ministry (i.e., their application in New Covenant Judaism; e.g., Isa 66:21 [Exo 28:1,40-43; Num 3:1-3] w/Heb 7:11-22, 28). This inc...

As part of His messianic mission, Jesus came to see that the principles established by the Old Testament Scriptures (the laws governing Old Covenant Judaism) are faithfully obeyed according to their application for New Covenant Judaism (Isa 2:1-3; Mic 4:1-3; Mat 5:17-20). This includes those principles established by the various Sabbath day commands.   That being said…   1. There are four principl...

How did we arrive at NCJ? What paradigm shifts in our understanding of God’s Word did He use to reveal to me (pastor Scott) that what Jesus and His New Testament authors are teaching is not a new religion (Christianity), but a restoration of ancient Judaism according to its New Covenant expression? 1. (2006) Lord Before Savior Fully submitting/dedicating ourselves to Jesus’ Lordship by repenting –...

How did we arrive at NCJ? What paradigm shifts in our understanding of God’s Word did He use to reveal to me (pastor Scott) that what Jesus and His New Testament authors are teaching is not a new religion (Christianity), but a restoration of ancient Judaism according to its New Covenant expression?   1. (2006) Lord Before Savior Fully submitting/dedicating ourselves to Jesus’ Lordship by repenting...

Christ Covenant Church and her members will no longer identify themselves as Christians or their religion as Christianity. We are instead New Covenant Jews – and our religion, New Covenant Judaism.[1] The following represent the reasons for this change: 1. Jesus did not come to create a new religion (e.g., Christianity) but a new covenant for the already existing and ancient religion of Judaism fi...

Worldview (def.,) = What humans express through their religion (loyalty/truth), ethics (values/justice) and culture (identity/beauty) as the answer to the question, “why do we exist?” 1. People should reject all forms of Christianity not only because its doctrines are unethical but also its worldview. 1.1. There are three main branches of Christianity: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Prot...

Worldview (def.,) = What humans express through their religion (loyalty/truth), ethics (values/justice) and culture (identity/beauty) as the answer to the question, “why do we exist?”   1. People should reject all forms of Christianity not only because its doctrines are unethical but also its worldview. 1.1. There are three main branches of Christianity: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Pr...

1. Anyone having children for personal pleasure is treating them like pets and priming them for apostasy. 1.1. One of the most popular reasons people have kids today is because they want to experience heart-warming moments and memories w/them, live vicariously through them and feel some sense of validation or acceptance because of them. Or, if you are too weird and controlling to have real friends...

Preliminary Considerations: 1) What markes understanding the WHY (on this topic) so important? 2) Though apostasy is a loss, we need to be very careful to understand that it is not the loss of a lvoed one. It is a loss of betrayal. Why People Go Apostate 1 They REFUSE to make God their greatest love. (Lk 14; 1 Pe 1:8; Joh 5:42; Rom 5:1-5) 1.1 Three things that lead to apostasy: 1.1.1 The things of...

Equity = Those principles which establish fair treatment for all free will beings (e.g., Exo 20:1-11; 1Co 6:3; Deu 4:5-8, 6:24) 1) One moral lawgiver and law for all (Isa 33:22; Jam 4:12; Deu 4:2 w/5-8; Num 15:16). 2) Free to choose (not free from consequences, Deu 30:19) 3) Everyone gets what their choices/deeds deserve (Psa 28:4, 62:2; Pro 24:12; Isa 3:10-11; Jer 17:10, 21:14, 32:19; Eze 7:27, 1...

Christian Cognitive Dissonance (CCD) = A feeling of distrust toward God as righteous (just and equitable[1]) that occurs when what the Bible teaches conflicts with a desirable situation (e.g., an attractive female unbeliever expresses interest in dating a single Christian male. The Christian finds himself interested and excited. However, when he finds out that God not only prohibits all sexual act...

Why study Satan? 1) The Bible identifies Satan as public enemy #1, the greatest adversary (Heb., Satan = Adversary) of all sentient beings – including God. To fight him we need to know him[1] (2Co 2:11).[2] The following profile is based on the conclusions that may be drawn about Satan when considering the teachings of Scripture and traditions of the Ancient Near East (ANE). Distilling what we hav...

Why study Satan? 1) The Bible identifies Satan as public enemy #1, the greatest adversary (Heb., Satan = Adversary) of all sentient beings – including God. To fight him we need to know him[1] (2Co 2:11).[2] The following profile is based on the conclusions that may be drawn about Satan when considering the teachings of Scripture and traditions of the Ancient Near East (ANE). CREATION AND PRE-CRIME...