Blue

Gentile Disciple of Rabbi Jesus.
Pro-Life libertarian.

"The Gentiles will know that I the LORD sanctify Israel, when my Temple is among them forever" Ez 37:28

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

Theologians often construct elaborate theologies based primarily on Paul's letters and then interpret the rest of the Bible through the resulting lens.

This is backwards. We should construct theology based on the rest of the Bible, and only then interpret Paul carefully and in context.

If not, we are prone to commit the same error as the lawless people that Peter mentions here.

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@followffoz This was a great article.

Some of my favorite authors are experts at weaving bits of lore throughout their stories, encouraging readers to dig deeper and piece details together for a clearer picture.

It seems HaShem does this too.

[Rothmus 🏴 @Rothmus]

Ask a child whether everyone deserves free housing and healthcare and infinity money and they’ll say yes with zero hesitation.

That’s why, when socialists pose the same question, I’m reminded how alike the two really are.

[chesed1973 @chesed1973]

In the 1930s, as Nazi antisemitism rose, much of the German church remained largely silent or complicit. Many leaders prioritized institutional survival, national loyalty, or internal debates over publicly defending Jewish neighbors. The Confessing Church and courageous voices like Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood apart, declaring that the church must “jam a spoke in the wheel” of injustice. Yet the broader silence helped pave the way for horror. Bonhoeffer’s challenge echoes: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

Today, in America, we face no totalitarian regime forcing our hand. Antisemitic incidents remain dramatically elevated—thousands annually, with assaults at multi-decade highs, even as overall numbers fluctuate. Jews (2% of the population) face a wildly disproportionate share of religious hate crimes. Many churches and leaders have spoken clearly against hatred since October 7, 2023, issuing statements, partnering in solidarity, and rejecting antisemitism as incompatible with following Jesus.

But pockets of apathy persist: casual indifference, selective outrage, theological drift that blurs into tropes, or discomfort addressing it amid cultural noise. History warns us that silence normalizes evil.

Scripture calls us higher:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Proverbs 31:8).
“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This includes our Jewish neighbors, made in God’s image, through whom we received the Scriptures and our Savior.
Jesus identified with the vulnerable: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

As Christians, antisemitism is not “someone else’s issue.” It is a test of whether we truly believe every person bears God’s image and that hatred of Jews as Jews contradicts the Gospel.

What can we do?
Preach and teach clearly: Antisemitism has no place in the church.
Speak publicly when incidents occur, locally and nationally.
Build relationships with Jewish communities; show up in solidarity.
Reject tropes from any political side; pursue truth and justice consistently.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the protection of Jewish people.

The church in Germany failed many in its hour. May we not repeat that failure in ours. Let our pulpits, small groups, and lives declare: We stand with truth against hatred. Christ compels us.

“First they came for the Jews...” Let us ensure no one needs to finish that poem in our generation.

[The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee]

Faux Pas: Trump Gifts President Xi With Pot Of Honey From White House Beehive https://t.co/oA3alqjVZy

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@tgflake @rabbriansamuel *for Gentiles, not for Jews

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@RealMBoxerman77 @rabbriansamuel I would take it even further.

The purpose of the earthly atonement on Yom Kippur was never to cleanse souls for eternal life.

It was for cleansing the earthly Sanctuary so that God may dwell among men without destroying them -- still a separate and legitimate purpose.

[chesed1973 @chesed1973]

“If you walk in My statutes… but if you will not listen…” (Lev. 26:3, 14). The blessings and warnings reveal a covenantal framework where obedience and consequence are deeply intertwined. This is not arbitrary punishment, but relational consequence.
The New Testament echoes this: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

Theologically, this affirms that God governs the world with moral coherence. Grace does not erase responsibility, it empowers faithfulness.

Take obedience seriously. Your choices participate in a moral reality established by God's sovereignty.

[chesed1973 @chesed1973]

Some days the Trinitarian vs. Unitarian debates make me want to scream.

Not because the question of who God is doesn’t matter because it absolutely does. Knowing God is at the very heart of Torah: “Know this day and take it to your heart that ADONAI is God…” (Deut 4:39). And Yeshua Himself ties eternal life to knowing the Father (John 17:3).

But what grieves me is how quickly people turn this into caricature and condemnation.

Trinitarians will sometimes speak as if Unitarians deny God altogether.

Unitarians will sometimes speak as if Trinitarians are outright idolaters.

At that point, we’re no longer seeking truth, we’re bearing false witness about each other.

And even worse, we start making our precision of explanation the standard by which someone stands or falls before God!!!!

But Scripture consistently points to a deeper measure: not just how precisely we can articulate God’s nature, but whether we actually know Him, trust Him, and walk in His ways.

“For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (cf. Matthew 7:2)

That should sober all of us.

Because if the standard is flawless theological articulation, who among us stands? Who fully comprehends the infinite God?

We are all, in some sense, reaching toward a reality greater than our language can contain. That doesn’t mean truth doesn’t matter. It does. It means humility must accompany the pursuit of truth.

We should argue carefully. We should challenge each other. We should refine our understanding.

But if our theology leads us to quickly damn others who are sincerely seeking the God of Israel, we may want to ask whether we’ve understood His heart at all. Better to tremble at His word than weaponize it.

Better to pursue truth with humility than to win arguments with arrogance.

In the end, the question is not just, “Did you define God correctly?” It will be, “Did you know Him? Did you trust Him? Did you walk in His ways?”

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@K289Rando I've been really busy lately, so I'm a little out of the loop on the Matt Fradd thing!

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@K289Rando But Jesus clarified a key component that many Jews might miss, which is that the Torah must be internalized.

I think this is why he said our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees: it must penetrate to the mind too.

This is a cooperative process b/tw us and God.

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@K289Rando But emunah doesn't mean belief in the right dogma. It means faithfulness.

From a Jewish standpoint, a man can be blameless even if he isn't sinless. He must live a life of faithfulness to God and repent when he sins. I think that's ultimately what Jesus taught too.

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@K289Rando 5/
Judaism teaches that the only way to cover the gap left by sin is to repent (return to God, stop sinning).

Jesus teaches the same. The difference is that he actually provided the means for God to forgive those who do repent.

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@K289Rando 4/
Finally, I would say that calling a religion "works-based" implies that eternal life may be achieved through works alone.

Christians usually think Judaism either calls for perfection or uses animal sacrifice to cover sin, but neither of these ideas is accurate.

[Blue @StarryBlueWater]

@TheMuppetPastor Oh, I'm sure they'll come around.

Just give it 6, 7 years.