Negotiating the 'Great Divide'
June 8,1997, rev July 8, 2001

Mignon so admired the cardinal family as they came to the feeder for breakfast each morning. "Oh, how wonderful it is to watch the beautiful Red Bird Family; how much better to own one, to pet one, to make friends of one!" On Saturday, the cardinal father got into the house through an open window. Mignon found that the dear bird not such an endearing specimen in person as she endured several pricks from the sharp beast as she worked him back outside. After the sting and thrill of it subsided some, she thought to herself, "I captured him!"

John Touched Yahshua

To John, Yahshua was not as much a spiritual being as he was a flesh and blood human. John knew him, and could vouch for him. Like in the capture of the cardinal, you had to be there to receive the full impact of Yahshua' life. And it was because John knew Yahshua, heard Yahshua, touched him, handled him, laid upon his breast, and was convinced that Yahshua was eternal life in person, that John could proclaim him courageously to us, so that supernatural relationships might develop:

(1) You and I with one another in love;
(2) Then us with John and the other disciples in love;
(3) And finally that we all might be in unity with the Father and the Son -- that we all might be one in love.

Like Mignon captured of Mr. Red Bird, John 'captured' Yahshua personally, and found him worthy to devote to him his life, witness, and sufferings, so that we might know Yahshua as John knew him, and walk in the sinless Light. Nothing in the world could give John greater joy than our believing his message now! And the message is that:

Yahshua' message to you through John is that 'Elohim is Light.' If we claim that we are 'good' people but walk in 'the absence of light' (for that is what darkness is), we try to make Father a liar, but we are the liars. As the moon reflects the light of the sun, we must reflect the light of Father, else we are not what we claim.
His light is his holiness and righteousness; for us, holiness means being in a right relationship with Him, righteousness means doing right for Him.

On the other hand, darkness means sin. What is sin? First, sin is iniquity, which means not being in a right relationship with Father. Iniquity is inner darkness -- the consequence of being born human: it is sin rooted in human nature. The Hebrew word for iniquity means bentness toward. The bentness of iniquity is illustrated in the life of St. Paul:

John Wesley cites the evidence of our conversion and regeneration:

If our hearts are cleansed and our consciences are purged, then we have power to overcome the second evil of sin, which is: "Unloving acts" against Elohim and neighbor. Sin also means not doing Elohim's will, or disobedience. Disobedience comes from being brought up in a world of darkness: it’s the consequence of our upbringing in this sinful world. The outcome of disobedience is judgment, condemnation and death. To clean up your unloving acts and become obedient, you need conversion first, then discipleship - training in the disciplines of love, compassion, and judgment.

Walter Henrichsen, who wrote the book on disciple-making (The Disciple-making Pastor) sets out an essential for the true disciple of Yahshua Messiah:

Professor R.C. Sproul describes the call to discipleship in these compelling words:

You see, the disciple's life must reflect what Wesley called "scriptural holiness."

• The disciple will pay any price to have the will of Elohim fulfilled in his / her life. The Bible doesn't go half-way: It says that people who are ambitious for worldly things are enemies of the cross of Messiah. That's a harsh judgment, but you can't serve Father and mammon; you can't eat at the table of the Messiah one day and the table of demons another.
• The disciple develops compassion for people. In a cartoon, Charlie Brown said, "I love the world. It's the people I can't stand." Yet, when scripture tells us Yahshua came because his Father so loved the world, it means that Father loves people first. If you don't care for people, Father can give you compassion and joy in service, if you will ask and be diligent to expect the gift -- and try hard.
• The disciple is learning discipline. It is easy to slide down the slippery slope of sin and slothfulness when it comes to the spiritual disciplines. Wouldn't you rather read a juicy novel than study the Word of Elohim? Wouldn't you rather watch television than pray for your neighbors? Wouldn't it be easier just to go along with the rest instead of taking Elohim's way? But, praise his name, even the most leisurely individual can learn discipline with Elohim's help.
   

In regards to obedience and discipleship, Reformed theologian J. I. Packer wrote years ago about his struggle to pray. His spirit desired constant prayer, but his soul wouldn't pray -- there were too many other, 'more pressing' things to do. So Packer tells us his spirit commanded his soul:

Indeed, discipleship has an awful lot to do with willfully making a decision and sticking with it!

It is a fearful thing to make a decision to be a converted disciple for Messiah, leave the darkness of sin and walk in the light of His holiness. It calls for risk, and it calls for radical change. For some, like the martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the decision calls for one's life. Bonhoeffer called such a decision 'the Great Divide':

Yes, it is frightening indeed to consider leaving everything we are and know behind to become new creations. But we must 'negotiate the great divide.' And, Hallelujah, "Elohim as light will overcome fear because He alone pushes back every form of darkness." Walking in the light of Father is the only way you as a believer soldier can possibly 'be all you can be' in this lifetime and in the next. Walk in the Light!

"Whoever claims to know Yahshua must live Yahshua." This is a hard saying!
So many are claiming today to know Yahshua; yet it is evident that so few really do, because they're not living Yahshua - they're not producing the fruits of repentance. Perhaps now, as we have exposed sin and expounded discipleship and self-sacrifice Messiah demands of us, it's time to minutely examine our own lives to see where we stand. Do we walk in the light or trip in the darkness?
Chuck Colson, the ex-Marine captain and Watergate conspirator, was once described as "tough, wily, nasty, and tenaciously loyal to Richard Nixon" by Time Magazine. Colson, a believer, once stood at the crossroads of self-examination -- the crossroads between sin and discipleship. Colson was innocent of some of the charges brought against him. The omission was that he was still guilty of others. He talked about his dilemma at a prayer breakfast one morning:

We might be innocent of many of the charges against us, but are we yet guilty of claiming to belong to Yahshua, but still walking in darkness? Do you know Yahshua? Have you seen him, touched him, handled him, spoken with him? Have you given your heart and life to him? Have you been converted -- born anew -- regenerated in his likeness -- justified before his judgment seat?

Like Colson, is there no turning back for you? Are you living for him first and foremost? Are your priorities straight? Are the fruits of your life in accordance with his Word? Are you walking and living in the light? And is your life a witness to others? To your family? To your acquaintances? To your co-workers? Are you a true disciple of Yahshua Messiah, following his calling and commandments in love and expectation? Are you driven by a holy passion?
Examine yourselves now. Little children, if you are walking in the darkness of iniquity, you have someone to plead your case -- Yahshua Messiah -- who has paid the price for the forgiveness of your iniquity and for the iniquity of the whole world. He's knocking at your heart's dark door with a flashlight. Won't you turn on your light for him? Won't you open the door, let him fully into your heart and life, touch him, handle him, speak with him, know him, capture him?