Besorah

Do Not Be Conformed To This World
By William Moore

Conformity is probably the main behavior which has served to weaken the power of the Besorah (“gospel”) in the lives of those who claim to believe and trust in Messiah. Sha’ul instructed The Roman Assembly that they should not be conformed to this world but rather allow the spirit of Messiah to transform them, by the renewing of their minds, so they could genuinely recognize the Torah of Elohim.

Those who claim to be in the assembly of Messiah, cannot love the world more than they regard their relationship with YHWH. Our main concern as the Bride of Messiah must be for cultivating a relationship with Messiah. Within the last fifty years many wolves posing as teachers have spoiled the flock and hindered many from entering the congregation of Yisra’el due to their neglecting to teach the unadulterated truth of The Word of YHWH. These wolves have turned people away from the Covenant YHWH has made with His people by sending them down another path, a path which leads one away from YHWH and His Torah. If a person desires to have a true relationship with YHWH then they must walk the path which He paved and not attempt to cut their own.

Let’s take a quick look at the origins of halloween/Samhain from druidry.com and then we will examine two passages from Scripture which demonstrate how people who have a genuine love for Messiah should not have anything to do with this sinful worldly custom.  

“To the ancient Celts, the year had two "hinges". These were Beltaine (the first of May) and Samhain, (the first of November), which is also the traditional Celtic New Year. And these two days were the most magical, and often frightening times of the whole year.

At Samhain (which corresponds to modern Halloween), time lost all meaning and the past, present, and future were one. The dead, and the denizens of the Other World, walked among the living. It was a time of fairies, ghosts, demons, and witches. Winter itself was the Season of Ghosts, and Samhain is the night of their release from the Underworld. Many people lit bonfires to keep the evil spirits at bay. Often a torch was lit and carried around the boundaries of the home and farm, to protect the property and residents against the spirits throughout the winter.

Many Irish and Scottish Celts appeased their dead with a traditional Dumb Supper. On Samhain Eve, supper was served in absolute silence, and one place was set at the head of the table "for the ancestors". This place was served food and drink without looking directly at the seat, for to see the dead would bring misfortune. Afterwards, the untouched plate and cup were taken outside "for the pookas", and left in the woods. In other traditions, this is the night to remember, honor, and toast our beloved departed, for the veil between the living and the dead is thin, and communication is possible on Samhain Eve.

Samhain is also the night of the Great Sabbat for the witches (Ban-Druidh, in Scots Gaelic). On Hallowmas, all the witches of Scotland gather together to celebrate, prophesy, and cast their spells.

Many of the traditions of Halloween derive from Pagan and Druid customs. It is a time of prophesies, of disguising oneself to avert evil, of performing rites of protection from the dead and Otherworldly spirits. The ancient Druid practice was to circle the tribal Samhain bonfire with the skulls of their ancestors, who would protect the tribe from demons that night.

In modern Scotland, children have inherited the ancient custom of disguising themselves in costumes. These "guisers" wear masks, or blacken their faces. They carve turnips in the shape of skulls and place a candle within, creating an eerie effect. The children travel from door to door, performing or singing for their treats. When they are not rewarded for their antics, they resort to tricks”. (druidry.com)

Really even a cursory reading of the history of halloween should prompt one who claims to love Messiah to completely shun the day, especially since nothing in the historical account of the day has any parallel which can be made to the character of YHWH.

When one considers the counsel of Sha’ul in his epistle to the Romans it becomes quite clear that halloween/Samhain has no place in the life of a believer in Messiah:

I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of Elohim, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, set-apart, acceptable unto Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of Elohim (Romans 12:1-2).

First Sha’ul beseeches the Romans to present their bodies a living sacrifice, set apart and acceptable to Elohim. The word “beseech” here is translated from the Greek word “parakaleō” which means to “beg”, “encourage” or “instruct”, considering the context of the verse the most appropriate definition would be that Sha’ul is “instructing” the Romans to present their bodies a living sacrifice. The word “living” here is translated from the Greek word “zaō” and in this context means “to have true life; worthy of the name”, the word “sacrifice” is translated from the Greek word “thusia” which comes from the Greek word “thuō” and means to “to slay, kill”.

So Sha’ul is instructing the Romans to have a true life in Messiah, worthy of His name, through slaying or killing the desires of the flesh. Our living sacrifice which we present, is to be “set-apart” translated from the Greek word “hagios” which means “to be pure from every fault”, in order to be acceptable to Elohim.

The verse closes with the words “reasonable service”, the word reasonable is from the Greek word “logikos” which is where we get or English word logic from, “logikos” refers to “reasoning which is conducted or assessed to strict principles of validity”, in other words, “truth which serves as the foundation of behavior that is factually sound”. The word “service” comes from the Greek word “latreia” which means, “the worship of Elohim according to the requirements of the Torah”.

A proper expository translation of Romans chapter twelve, verse one is; “I instruct you with all urgency, brothers, by the mercies of Elohim to present your bodies with true life in Messiah, worthy of His name, not following the desires of the flesh, pure from every fault, pleasing to Elohim, which is your logical conduct in obedience to the requirements of Torah”.

Sha’ul then goes on to tell the Romans to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, in order to prove what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of Elohim. The word “conformed” is translated from the Greek word “suschēmatizō” and comes from the Greek word “sun” which means, “union with, that is, by association, companionship or resemblance”. Sha’ul is telling believers not to be in union with the world through association, companionship or having qualities in common with the world or its customs.

We are instructed to be “transformed”, from the Greek word “metamorphoō”, meaning “to change into another form, or modify behavior in accordance to that with which one is joined”. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds; “renewing” from the Greek word “anakainōsis” which means “to make a complete change for the better”. This complete change of our thought process leads us to demonstrate the truth of, through evidentiary behavior, what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.

The customs associated with Halloween are in direct contrast to the instruction given in The Torah of YHWH unto those who desire to enter into Covenant with Elohim: When you are come into the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those people. There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto YHWH: and because of these abominations YHWH your Elohim does drive them out from before you. You shall be perfect with YHWH your Elohim. For these nations, which you shall possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for you, YHWH your Elohim has not permitted you so to do (Debarim (Deuteronomy) 18:9-14).

These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to do in the land which YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers gives you to possess it, all the days that you live upon the earth. You shall completely destroy all the places in which the nations which you shall possess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall overthrow their altars and break their pillars, and burn their pillars with fire. And you shall cut down the carved images of their gods, and destroy their names out of that place. You shall not do so to YHWH your Elohim… You shall not do according to all that we do here today, each doing whatever is right in his own eyes (Debarim (Deuteronomy) 12:1-4, 8).

As we can see the instruction Sha’ul is giving to the Romans is in agreement with Torah. YHWH tells His Yisra’el they are not to conform to the standards of the nations of the world which HE drives out from before their presence. YHWH does not want His people to associate with or resemble the world, He desires them to be transformed, to modify their behavior in a way which demonstrates they have entered into a Covenant with Him. Many people try to reason away the instruction of Elohim through faulty logic; however, the reasonable mind cannot read Torah or The Besorah of Messiah and come to the conclusion that it is acceptable to YHWH for one to follow the dark customs of unbelievers.

But I say that the things which the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to Elohim. And I do not desire that you should have companionship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons; you cannot be partakers of the Master's table and of a table of demons (1 Corinthians 10:20-21).

All things in the Creation of Elohim have an order, this order is established by the Creator, not man. While man can experience the creation process and can even perform certain limited acts of creation, through initiating the conception of a child, ultimately the act and rules of creation belong solely to YHWH; therefore, all authoritative command, direction and instruction originate with YHWH. YHWH alone arranges everything according to His pattern and if a person believes YHWH does not pay close attention to detail or is not concerned about the method in which people approach Him, that person needs to take time to study The Tabernacle. Halloween and other holidays which find their origin in heathen forms of worship are condemned in Torah and are not recognized as methods by which people can approach YHWH.

The second passage I want to examine is found in Matthew chapter seven: Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in through it: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. YOU shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not every one that says unto me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work lawlessness (Matthew 7:13-23). 

We are told to “Enter in at the strait gate” which is a direct reference to The Torah: Scripture metaphorically depicts the commandments of YHWH as a path through life. The Torah says, “You shall walk in all the way which YHWH your Elohim has commanded you, that you may live” (Debarim (Deuteronomy) 5:33). “Walk in the way of good men and keep to the straight path” (Mishle (Proverbs) 2:20). And you shall not go aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right hand or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. (Debarim (Deuteronomy) 28:14).

The Hebrew word for “strait” is “yâshar” and goes to the heart of the matter much better than the Greek does, “yâshar” means “to be right, be straight, be upright, be just, be lawful”. So Messiah, who came to show us how to live the Torah, tells his followers to enter in at the gate which leads one to be lawful, or follow The Torah. The book of The Torah tells us we are NOT to go aside from any of the words which YHWH gave to His Yisra’el, we are not to go to the right hand or the left hand which means we do not take our own path but strictly stay upon the road YHWH paved if we are wanting to abide in the covenant.

Messiah tells us that “Few Find The Way Which Leads To Life”, so according to the teaching of Yahushua, most people are not on the path which leads to the kingdom. There is more to being in the Kingdom of YHWH than just having mental assent, we must follow the instruction of Elohim and keep from going to the right hand or the left hand, in other words we must keep from going our own way.

A couple interesting notes on verse fourteen of Matthew chapter seven, which really help to shed light on the verse, is the use of the word “few”, it comes from the Greek word “oligos” which means “small in number” and the Hebrew word  “'âchad” which means “to go one way or another, to be sharp”. So in considering the aspect of “small in number” one only look to the epistle of Kepha where he tells us “when once the long-suffering of Elohim waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared (in which a FEW, that is, EIGHT SOULS were saved through water)” (1 Kepha (Peter) 3:20). So eight souls (few) were saved at a time when the population of the earth was approximately 250 to 300 million, this is a sobering account which reveals the fact “few” really is a small number and demonstrates the gravity of following the path established by YHWH instead of our own (to go one way or another).

We are told by Messiah that a corrupt tree cannot produce good fruit, the word “corrupt” here comes from the Greek word “sapros” and the Hebrew word “shâchath” which both mean “rotten or unfit for any use”. In the kingdom of YHWH, halloween is completely unfit for use due to its roots in the customs of heathen practices. While one may attempt to use human reasoning to justify their participation in customs not prescribed or accepted by YHWH, human reasoning falls short when measured against The Torah (instruction) of YHWH. Elohim alone establishes what appropriate behavior is and what inappropriate behavior within the camp of Yisra’el is. He designed the method in which restoration of mankind takes place, if a person wants to be restored then they conduct themselves according to the procedure of YHWH and govern themselves according to the Ketubah (marriage contract) He wrote. If we stray from the Ketubah, especially as it concerns the customs associated with worshipping other gods then we are adulterers.

“Not every one that says unto me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven”. “The will of my Father” is a metaphor for Torah, evidence of this is found in the following verse where Messiah states, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work lawlessness”. The term “work lawlessness” comes from the Greek words “ergazomai anomia” and the Hebrew words “‛âśâh ‛âvôn” and both phrases mean “commit violation of The Torah”. When we look into The Book of Debarim and the other four books of The Torah, it becomes quite clear that the customs associated with halloween are in violation of the Torah. If we truly love and respect YHWH and what Yahushua Messiah did for us then we will handle The Word (Torah) of YHWH with great care and guard it making sure that we do not turn to the right hand or to the left.

Many people tend to think Elohim changes as the trends of the world do with each passing decade. Yet Scripture informs us that He is “Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning”, in other words, He does not change as man does, if something was an abomination to him 3,000 years ago, it still is.

In closing let me state that while I care for people’s souls, I cannot make you, nor do I want to make you do one thing or another; however, if you desire to have a relationship with Messiah you need to act in accordance to His Word take your relationship seriously and not play the harlot.

As stated, I cannot and do not want to make anyone do anything, we all have the right to choose how we want to live this life, what I want is a person to love YHWH in a manner in which the truth will bring about positive action or reaction. Scripture tells me that by accepting Yahushua’s sacrifice as atonement for breaking the Covenant and then guarding Torah from there on I will be allowed into the Kingdom of YHWH, by the skin of my teeth, but I will still be there: “Because it is time for judgment to begin from the House of Elohim. And if firstly from us, what is the end of those who do not obey the Good News of Elohim? And if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where shall the wicked and the sinner appear”? (1 Kepha (Peter) 4:17-18). If this verse tells us anything, it tells us not to handle The Word of Elohim with a lackadaisical attitude but to be diligent in respecting our relationship with YHWH. We are to be transformed, changed for the better. We are not to conform to the world, show any resemblance to the world. We are to be pure from every fault so we can be a chaste virgin ready to be presented to Messiah. Halloween is an act of affection toward another god, which leads me to ask, can a bride who visits the bed of another be considered pure? Selah