The Curse of Independence
(Text of Sermon give Feast of Tabernacles October 17, 2005)
One of the major tenets of American life is the principle of freedom and independence. In fact, it is often cited with an air of pride that America is free and independent. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. As emerging citizens, we learn it early in our government schools. Thus America was born in rebellion.
The document that formed this country as an independent nation is a bold “Declaration of Independence”.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness
1 Peter 2:13-17
(13) Then be in obedience to every creation of men because of YHWH; whether to a king, as being supreme;
(14) or to governors, as through Him having indeed being sent for vengeance on evildoers, but praise on well doers,
(15) because so is the will of YHWH, doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish men;
(16) as free, and not having freedom as a cover of evil, but as slaves of YHWH;
(17) honor all, love the brotherhood, fear YHWH, honor the king.
Striving to be independent and rejecting the King that YHWH put into control is counter to Torah. So America started out in rebellion and anti-Torah.
In Numbers chapter 2:1-16, we read of Aaron and Miriam questioning Moses and asking among themselves if YHWH spoke only to him. YHWH quickly showed His attitude toward those who question the authority He designated. Scripture tells us in Deuteronomy 24:8-9 to remember Miriam.
Romans 13:1-5(1) Let every soul be subject to higher authorities, for there is no authority except from YHWH, but the existing authorities have been ordained by YHWH.
(2) So that the one resisting authority has opposed the ordinance of YHWH, and the ones opposing will receive judgment to themselves.
(3) For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire not to fear the authority? Do the good and you will have praise from it;
(4) for it is a servant of YHWH to you for the good. But if you practice evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of YHWH, an avenger for wrath to the one practicing bad things.
(5) Because of this, it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of wrath, but also on account of conscience.
We read about one of the strongest supporter of American independence in an American History book titled “From Revolution to Reconstruction” .
Typical of the patriots was their most influential and effective member, Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, who toiled tirelessly for a single end: independence. From the time he graduated from Harvard College, he was a public servant in some capacity - inspector of chimneys, tax collector, and moderator of town meetings. A consistent failure in business he was shrewd and able in politics. The New England town meeting was the theater of his action. His tools were men, and he was intimate with all of them, winning the confidence and support of shipyard roustabouts and ministers of the gospel. His major achievement was freeing these plain people from their awe of their social and political superiors and making them aware of their own importance. His second task was to arouse them to action.
Scripture tells us many places of the penalties of pride, arrogance, and self importance. Proverbs 15:25, 16:5, 16:18, 28:25, Ecclesiastes 7:8, Isaiah 13:11 and Jeremiah chapter 50 are just some of the several hundred references to pride and arrogance.
The spirit of independence was designed to permeate every facet of America. The self-inflicted curse continues to control the life of Americans and now, the rest of the world, as we export the concept of independence.
The 1960’s were called the “ME” decade. “I am a rock…I am an island” was a popular song. We all remember Frank Sinatra’s proclaiming, “I did it my way”. America saw the proliferation of individualism in all aspects of life. Along with individualism came rebellion.
But wasn’t this spirit of independence the very thing that allowed this land to be discovered, explored, tamed and established as the world super power? Didn’t this independence contribute to great advances in science, technology, heath and sanitation? Yes indeed!
But the growth has been in a direction that is opposed to the dependence upon YHWH. It has encouraged personal and individual success and shunned the precept of interdependence upon each other to exhort and share the burden. Unbridled individualism has downplayed the importance of the congregation and even distorts how believers think about their relationship to YHWH and other believers.
How has independence manifested as a curse? Independence by definition is a form of rebellion. It has fostered the idea of individualism. A look at the definition of individual is enlightening
Merriam Webster Dictionary – Individiual, noun,
1 a: a particular being or thing as distinguished from a class, species, or collection: as (1): a single human being as contrasted with or distinguished from a group or institution b : a particular person
Now each of us is indeed an individual in that we are unique in our creation, but we as called out believers are supposed to be members of the Body of Yahshua Messiah and not called to strive to be distinguished individually.
Individualism is a competitive, contagious, insidious form of rebellion that is a major obstacle to our work together as interdependent branches of a vine and parts of the body of Messiah as Torah instructs.
The fight for individual gain causes us to turn a deaf ear to the less fortunate. We use arbitrary lines to separate and to oppress the poor and less educated.
Exodus 23:9
(9) And you shall not oppress an alien; and you know the life of an alien, since you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
The concept of the individual is a mainstay of the free enterprise economic system. This system promotes individual plans, needs, and wants. It plunges us into the competition for mammon. It rewards and encourages habits of greed and self-indulgence.
The free enterprise focus on individual success is detrimental to spiritual growth. The parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16 points out that the men of the world are wiser in financial dealings than the children of the light are. The passage suggests that if we make decisions based on mammon that we will have to rely on mammon for salvation. Great individual success is at the expense of spiritual enlightenment. We cannot serve two masters. Mammon is the mighty one of the capitalist system.
The free enterprise system is a zero sum game. It encourages us to take advantage of others for individual gain. For every winner, there must be a loser. For every investor who purchased low and sold high, there are others who bought high and sold low.
We are seeing this type of predator activity in the hurricane damaged areas of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Not only is there price gouging and hording but real estate investors are buying up distressed property cheaply at the expense of those who have already been victimized by the ravages of the storms. All this for the promotion of individual success and lifestyle.
Competition for mammon encourages incremental degradation of principles of Torah. How many take jobs producing products or services which promote concepts against Torah? What does your company sell? Is YHWH esteemed by your product or service? Will your career be of use in the millennial kingdom?
Do we routinely participate in the usury system that is contrary to Torah? Have we lent to our brother with expectation of interest? Do we encourage others to do so?
Ezekiel 22:12-13
(12) In you they have taken bribes in order to pour out blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have gained by extortion of your neighbor. And you have forgotten Me, declares YHWH Elohim.
(13) And behold! I have struck My hand against your unjust gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in your midst.
The spirit of individualism and independence is a major hindrance to faith and dependence upon YHWH. True faith in YHWH Yireh will force enormous changes in our attitudes toward conventional medicine, finances, insurance, education, and nutrition.
Are believers striving to apply scripture in everyday life, or do we look for the easy way? When we begin to trust our own ability to produce and our own ability to manage, we lose touch with the fact that all good comes from YHWH. How dependent upon YHWH are we and how can we have faith for YHWH to give us our daily bread if we are sitting on stocks, annuities, insurance, bonds, money market accounts, 401K’s, and IRA’s?
Matthew 6:31-34
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of YHWH, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Certainly we are called to work, avoid debt, pay our bills and take care of our families by Torah…but it is a fine line between that and striving for fame, fortune, success and security. Does fear dictate our actions? Revelation 21:8 warns that the fearful and unbelieving will have part of the lake of fire.
The individual is an integral part of the political system. While candidates regularly campaign with promises of greater good to society, their true motives often become apparent. In the age of TV, charisma, personal appearance, and charm become important aspects of elections. The promotion of the individual under the guise of freedom and independence taints the process. The individual’s desire for fame, power, and control causes promise of favors in exchange for support.
Exodus 23:8
(8) And you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe blinds the seeing one, and it perverts the words of the righteous.
Quid pro quo (which means something given in return for something received) is an accepted fact of democratic process in which the individual candidate asks the individual citizen to exchange votes for financial well being. Voters routinely choose candidates based on hope for personal gain over community good. Have we supported a political candidate that was strong on fiscal policy but weak on abortion, homosexuality, or civil rights?
Isaiah 33:15-16
(15) He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; he who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands free from taking the bribe, who stops his ear from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil.
(16) He shall live on high; strongholds of rocks will be his retreat; his bread shall be given; his waters are faithful.
The concept of the individual is an integral part of the sports and entertainment industry. It encourages striving for excellence for the sake of esteeming one person over another. Individualism is promoted via pride of accomplishment. Olympic gold medals, halls of fame, pro-bowls, all-star games, Oscar and Emmy awards, and even “Yard of the Month” all reek of individualism and pride.
The concept of the individual is another unscriptural part of the religious industry. Americans like to discover their own personal path to walk with their creator. Many vanilla christians preach of inviting Messiah into your life. We are not to ask HIM into OUR life – we are to be conformed to HIS image.
Many popular christian ministries in America are called by the minister’s name as a result of pride and individualism. We have heard one vanilla christian minister proudly declare that their congregation has 54 individual ministries. What an incredible display of disunity and independence.
As we learn in Ephesians 4, being a child of YHWH does not just revolve around our personal meditation experience. But it is speaking the truth in love, and growing in all things to be like Yahshua Ha Mashiach, who is the Head. He is the shepherd and we are the sheep. It not about being our own man!
Instead of simply being fulfilled through our individual relationship with YHWH, 1st Corinthians chapter 12 14-31 tells us that YHWH has placed us into a covenant community where each member is to function for the benefit of others. Walking in the way is about personal sacrifice for the brethren.
While scripture plainly tells us that YHWH wants us to prosper, many have allowed the spirit of individualism to pervert this concept into a doctrine that says YHWH wants each of His people to be rich. Many so-called believers have fallen for the deception of some ministries that encourage sowing in order to reap.
So much for the mainstream christians, are the Congregations of YHWH any different? Do the congregations of YHWH function as a group…as an interdependent collection of branches? Or are we simply individuals who share a few doctrinal beliefs and set apart days?
The body of Ha Mashiach is composed of individual parts that are homogeneous and designed to be fitted together in love. One spirit, one body, one baptism, one gospel in service. We are not created to be individualistic and independent.
As branches of a tree sway and move together in a breeze, so should the congregation move. And as the branches of the tree join together to provide a great harvest of fruit and a wide canopy of shade, so should the congregation.
Ephesians 4:1-7
(1) Call upon you, then, do I--the prisoner of YHWH--to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called,
(2) with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love,
(3) being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace;
(4) one body and one Spirit, according as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
(5) one Master, one faith, one baptism,
(6) one Elohim and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in you all,
(7) and to each one of you was given the grace, according to the measure of the gift of Messiah,
Do we bear each other’s burden? Do we even know of each other’s burdens? Are we diligent to keep the unit of the spirit in the bond of peace? Do we exhort and support each other in our daily lives? Are we willing to stand in the gap for our brothers and sisters as bold believers in the scriptures did? Or does Satan, the master of individualism, demand so much of us there is none left for the brethren? Are we too busy?
James 2:14-17
(14) What is the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him?
(15) and if a brother or sister may be naked, and may be destitute of the daily food,
(16) and any one of you may say to them, `Depart ye in peace, be warmed, and be filled,' and may not give to them the things needful for the body, what is the profit?
(17) so also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.
Because believers have promoted the “personal relationship” concept of belief and ignored the requirement to be part of the body with accountability, commitments and obligations to the whole, the spirit of individualism has permeated them too. Our personal relationship to YHWH is only the beginning of the walk– but many consider it the end – and that is where discipleship dies. Once we have a personal relationship to YHWH through Yahshua, then we MUST become a part of a larger spiritual family. We need to share and give and support and teach and encourage the family.
YHWH ordained this for the ecclesia, but rebellious man distanced himself from moral responsibility through his independent spirit and pursued selfish ends. Believers have compartmentalized their belief to a few hours or days a week, and ignored the family of YHWH in order to pursue the independent mighty ones of sports, sex, power, politics, and mammon.
It is very important for believers to develop and maintain a genuine sense of family and communal responsibility. The children of Israel are intended to be a community, a nation, a family, a unit. We are accountable to each other, must work together, and support other. The sense of family, belonging and unity must be very prominent. None is free to do whatever is right in his own eyes to follow his own agenda.
Service to the brethren is paramount. Congregational ownership and belonging is important. YHWH instructs us not to forsake the assembly together. This is to encourage the idea of being a part of the congregation…not a visitor. But ego and self-focus which promotes a cult of independence and individualism threatens the congregation.
Those of us whose membership is long distance via the tape and DVD programs, have to work a bit harder to communicate and participate by letters, phone calls, and emails. But the attitude of belonging can be encouraged even over long distances.
The concept of the individual is also poisoning the family system. Few families today are groups…most are simply collections of individuals. Do family members submit to each other? The desires and plans of the individual take precedence. Dad pursues his career. Mom works in her own career, or is active in church or community affairs, while the children each have their own separate social group, sports and activities. Or worse yet, the children’s’ athletic or academic success become the rallying source of family pride. Rarely does the family eat, travel, play, or worship together. Families that encourage individual pursuits often have worldly success but little spiritual commonality and success. The cornerstone of discipleship is crushed by independence.
Individual independence is destroying marriage. Marriage is to show in the physical how we will live in the spiritual realm with Yahshua. But the concept of freedom, independence, individualism, and the feminist movement has undermined the YHWH ordained line of authority.
1 Corinthians 11:3
(3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Yahshua; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Yahshua is YHWH.
Challenges to this scriptural directive driven by independence and individualism have caused women to exercise control and men to abdicate responsibility. And whether the Spirit of Jezebel came before the Spirit of Ahab or vice versa is the classic chicken or the egg question.
Ephesians 5:25-28
(25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Yahshua also loved the assembly and gave Himself up on its behalf,
(26) that He might sanctify it, cleansing it by the washing of the water in the Word,
(27) that He might present it to Himself as the glorious assembly, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such things, but that it be holy and without blemish.
(28) So, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies, (he loving his wife loves himself),
The spirit of Ahab is one in which the husband allows others to make the decisions for the household. It is a spirit that allows others to do the dirty work. It is a spirit that shirks responsibility.
The Ahab spirit promotes the concept of two wage earners in a family. Now there are many exceptions to this…and there are many families that must have two wage earners to survive…but routinely, it is not survival but greed and covetousness of independence that encourages the woman to work outside the home.
Genesis 2:18
(18) And the YHWH Elohim said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
The husband may be actually selling his wife into slavery, since she now has a different master. How can a wife serve as her husbands helper if she is off somewhere else actively serving someone else?
The responsibility as the spiritual leader of the household is YHWH ordained and it is a great one.
1 Timothy 5:8
(8) But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
But it is more than a paycheck. It is more than food, shelter, sneakers, bikes, and cars. It is more than visitation. It is more than child support. It is leadership and covering.
How can a father talk Torah to his children when they are at school? How can a father walk by the way and teach his children statutes if he is at the office and they are at soccer practice pursuing individual goals? How can a father instruct his children in Torah if they are asleep when he gets home?
A recent sermon told about companions and the influences in our lives. It stressed how important it is to manage the influences in our lives. We learned about many negative influences which are not always other folks.
Who is the primary influence in an American child’s life? Is it the TV that children watch over 4 hours every day in the average American home? When was the last time you saw a program teaching Torah on TV? (Incidentally, American adults watch 30 hours of TV per week.)
Could the primary influence on your children be the 30,000 commercials a child sees each year which encourage individual expression and self-indulgence?
Is the main influence in your child’s life the school teacher who teaches moral relativism, self expression and individuality, occult consciousness, sexual diversity and new age values that are opposed to Torah for the 7 hours each day your children are a captive audience?
Is your child’s primary influence the worldly peer group they hang with for 50+ hours per week?
Psalms 1:1
(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the unrighteous, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
It is a proven fact that home schooled children identify more with their family that do children who attend public schools. Home schooled children are better able to relate to adults and are comfortable with broad ranges of age groups.
We too often delegate our responsibility to influence and train our children. It is not the responsibility of the state, the school, or the neighborhood. Scripture states that children are a gift from YHWH. We are charged as stewards to care for, nurture, teach, and protect them. There are numerous scriptures that tell parables about unwise stewards who fail.
Scripture plainly tells us that we are to be the educators of our children. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 rings unmistakably clear,
"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
The Torah principle is confirmed in Deuteronomy 4:9; 11:18-21, and Ephesians 6:4
Our children are not "government property.” Yet when we enroll them in government schools, the legal theory in loco parentis (Latin for "in place of the parent") is understood to rule. Thus, the rights and responsibilities of the parents are at least temporarily passed on to the school. This legal understanding applies to private schools as well. Unless the parent is present and has an understanding that he is solely responsible for the direct supervision of his children the school has the legal right and responsibility to act in his place.
However, because of our independence and dedication to individual pursuit of self-actualization - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Americans choose lifestyles that are incompatible with Torah principles. We choose to send our children off to schools in other cities to strengthen their independence. Yet we are ignorantly surprised when they rebel and live the life of the prodigal son.
The responsibility to guide and teach them does not suddenly end at an arbitrary age. Parents continue to advise and guide their children even into the adult years. Joseph and his brothers were still subject to their fathers as adults. In Genesis 42, we read where Jacob instructs his sons to go to Egypt to buy food during the famine. Rueben even offered his sons’ lives if he failed to return Benjamin from Egypt. These were adult men still being subject to their father.
We also have a witness in Jeremiah 35 of adult men being subject to their father. There the Rechabites remained subject to the instruction of their father not to drink wine and enforced the ban to their children. These adults continued in the Torah principle of honoring their father. Honor is usually defined as to associate with, emulate, follow, admire, and obey.
But independent Americans send their barely adult aged children off to colleges so they can develop an independent spirit. They succumb to the collegiate norm of rebellion, drunkenness, fornication, venereal disease, and abortion. The schools teach that control of desire is not necessary as long as protection is used.
Students in university learn to strive for mammon and to adopt the cutthroat attitude of American business. They forsake guidance from anyone except other rebellious young adults and the professors at the university who have a totally anti-Torah perspective.
American young people develop independent spirits that encourage them to put themselves first…to grab all the gusto they can…be what they want to be. Through dating, they practice relationships and commitments that are short term and are designed to be broken. They learn not to build pure, long-term relationships, but stay with casual contacts. They practice “hooking up”.
“Hooking up” is strictly physical contact without any relationship commitment. The concept of “hooking up” is prevalent not only in colleges but in high schools too. Young women often prefer “hooking up” because of the pain of loss in a broken relationship. But an overwhelming reason for young women preferring “hooking up” is to avoid the time consuming aspect of a committed relationship.
A Brown University study said that 88% of all college aged Americans are sexually active, and 1 out of 3 of them will have a sexually transmitted infection before the age of 24. (The National Institute of Health suggests the term sexually transmitted DISEASE be changed to sexually transmitted INFECTION to lessen the stigma and embarrassment of the patient.)
Dr. Joe McIlhaney of Austin's Medical Institute for Sexual Health said in CBN news “We all know the kids in college are doing too much sex, too much drugs and too much alcohol. We just hope to get them out of here alive.’"
Why would college kids choose to lead such libertine lifestyles? Dr. McIlhaney says many literally do not know any better: No adults ever told them they should, or even can, lead lives of sexual purity. He says this is as true for Christians as non-believers.
Dr. McIlhaney said, "The Christian church isn't taking this seriously. Indeed, the rates of promiscuity among Christian young people are almost as high as those among youthful non-believers. There's only a four-percent difference in the Christian kids' sexual activity and the secular kids' sexual activity."
Sadly, the statistics for believers is the same as those of the secular world.
The Torah principle to teach by example is impossible if we send our young off to be taught elsewhere.
Titus 2:2-8
(2) That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
(3) The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
(4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
(5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of YHWH be not blasphemed.
(6) Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
(7) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
(8) Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Do the congregations of YHWH teach our young women to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, or do we teach them to get their own apartments, jobs, careers, and MBA’s and be independent? Do we teach them to strive and compete with men, travel, expand their horizons, and delay family commitments until they have fulfilled career goals? Teaching a young woman to be obedient to their own husbands so that THE WORD OF YHWH BE NOT BLASPHEMED will bring instant response from the politically correct and the thought police.
Young women learn independence and develop the spirit of individuality. It is the foundation for the spirit of Jezebel and it wreaks havoc in the marriage when and if they ever choose to marry and not just shack up. There are many witnesses to the struggle young believing wives have trying to overcome the independent spirit they learned in their youth.
Where are the young people in the congregations of YHWH today? Have they forsaken the training of the fathers to seek individual success? Has the lure of independence instilled the “I WILL” attitude in them? Has the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness drawn them into the world and deafened them to YHWH’s calling?
An often quoted but misinterpreted scripture is Proverbs 22:6
(6) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The Torah principle and promise is to teach him the way and he WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT – NOT THAT HE WILL RETURN TO IT AFTER HE HAS STRAYED FOR A WHILE!
The prodigal son story is one of salvation… But it is very dangerous to think it is intended to be an example that we can “sow wild oats” and then come back.
Because of independence, we choose a worldly lifestyle opposed to Torah. We become too busy to serve the orphan and the widow. We choose to be too self-centered to bear each other’s burdens. We choose to focus on our own needs, we seek mammon, and pleasure, and we have little time or energy to serve others.
What is the curse of this independence? Aside from the lure of sin and its extremely high cost, the curse of independence is the scattering of Yahweh’s people.
Scripture frequently equates scattering with punishment for evil or disobedience. Conversely, scripture tells us that gathering together is blessing and reward.
Nehemiah 1:8-9
(8) `Remember, I pray Thee, the word that Thou didst command Moses Thy servant, saying, Ye--ye trespass--I scatter you among peoples;
(9) and ye have turned back unto Me, and kept My commands, and done them--if your outcast is in the end of the heavens, thence I gather them, and have brought them in unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to tabernacle there.
We get witness to this from Deuteronomy 30:3-4, Jeremiah 31:10, and John 11:51 for example.
Matthew 24:31
(31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
We recall the power of being echad – one in spirit – as in Acts 2 at Shavuot. And we all relish the times that we actually are gathered…such as now. Yahshua said he wanted to gather Israel together as a hen gathers her chicks to protect them.
So, how do we overcome the curse of independence? First, we must recognize it is our responsibility to choose. In Exodus 23, we are told not to follow the multitude to do evil, and we are told to not use our own reasoning to justify following those in error. We must begin to make the right choices.
James 4:3-8
(3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
(4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with YHWH? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of YHWH.
(5) Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
(6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, YHWH resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
(7) Submit yourselves therefore to YHWH. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(8) Draw nigh to YHWH, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Exploiting the weak through investments is a choice. Striving for mammon is a choice. Having a TV in your home is a choice. Encouraging an independent spirit in our children is a choice. Letting someone else control the input to your children is a choice. Taking a job that is anti-Torah is a choice. Selling yourself or your family into slavery is a choice. Participating in corrupted events is a choice. Choosing feminism over submission is a choice. Avoiding spiritual headship of the family is a choice. Choosing the lesser of two evils is a choice. Esteeming and promoting independence and individualism is a choice.
These are hard words and difficult choices. This is the why the gate is narrow and few can enter in.
We must remember that pride, individualism, non-submission, and independence, was the original sin of Satan.
YHWH has put before us life and death and asks us to choose life. We must choose eternal life that entails dependence upon YHWH. We must also practice submission to and interdependence upon the brethren. We must not choose individuality and independence that is carnal life and eternal death.