Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians Part 6: Jesus Hates
In the Gospel of Luke, Yahshua Christ is caught up in a dispute with the Pharisees which is described in Luke chapter 11, and then it says at the beginning of Luke 12: “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” With this, Christ gives a long discourse which includes a discussion concerning the fear of this world and those who would “kill the body” as opposed to the fear of God who judges man after the body is destroyed. In this discussion Christ then states that “8... Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”
This ultimately leads into a question posed to Christ by some of his disciples, where in Luke chapter 13 we read: “1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Repentance is something which is only necessary when one has sinned, and sin is a transgression of the law of God. Repentance is a necessary prerequisite for forgiveness, as we read in Luke 17:3 where Christ had said “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Once again, that same Jesus had said “If you love Me, keep My commandments”, and His commandments are those which summarize the laws of God. The same Jesus had also said, as it is recorded in Matthew chapter 5, “17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” By “one of these commandments”, He meant the commandments found in the law. Yahshua Christ had fulfilled the ceremonial requirements of the law, so that Yahweh God could be reconciled to Israel. But He did not put an end to the commandments, as the words of Paul and the other apostles prove in the Book of Acts and in their epistles.