Yahuah First Assembly

Faith and Obedience Have Always Walked Together

"Thus did Noah; according to all that Elohim commanded him, so did he." (Genesis 6:22)

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people..." (Exodus 19:5)

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Faith and obedience have never been separated. This truth did not begin at Sinai, nor did it begin with Yahshua. It was established from the beginning. Long before the Law was written upon stone, Noah believed Yahuah.

His faith was not demonstrated by words alone but by obedience. When Yahuah commanded him to build an ark in a world that had never seen rain, Noah obeyed. For many years he labored in faith, trusting the word of Yahuah despite the ridicule of those around him. Scripture simply records, "Thus did Noah; according to all that Elohim commanded him, so did he." His obedience did not earn Yahuah's favor; it revealed his faith in the One who had spoken.

When Yahuah brought Israel to Mount Sinai, He codified this same principle by declaring:

"If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant..."

Yahuah was not asking for empty rituals or outward religion. He desired a people who trusted Him enough to obey Him. The covenant relationship was built upon faith expressed through obedience. Throughout Israel's history, blessing followed obedience, while rebellion brought discipline. The issue was never whether Yahuah was faithful; the issue was whether His people trusted Him enough to walk in His ways.

Centuries later, Yahshua confirmed this eternal truth. He declared:

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Yahshua did not separate faith from obedience; He united them. Love for Yahuah is demonstrated through obedience to His Word. True faith is never passive. It moves. It acts. It trusts. It follows. Just as Noah built the ark because he believed, those who truly believe Yahshua will seek to walk as He walked. Obedience is not the root of salvation, but it is the fruit of genuine faith.

The question for every generation is this: Does my life demonstrate the faith I profess? It is easy to say we believe in Yahuah. It is much harder to trust Him when obedience requires sacrifice, patience, or perseverance. The world often separates faith from obedience, but Scripture never does. Throughout the Bible, every person commended for great faith was also known for faithful obedience.

Faith built the ark.
Faith left Ur with Abraham.
Faith crossed the Red Sea.
Faith faced Goliath.
Faith followed the Messiah.

Yahuah established the principle of faith and obedience through Noah before the flood. He codified it at Sinai by calling His people to keep His covenant. Yahshua confirmed it by teaching that those who love Him will keep His commandments. Therefore, let our faith be more than words. Let it be seen in how we live, how we obey, and how we trust Yahuah every day. For faith and obedience have always walked together, and they always will.

Amen.

The Second Great Commandment

"So Elohim created man in his own image, in the image of Elohim created he him..." (Genesis 1:27)

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am Yahuah." (Leviticus 19:18)

"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:39)

The Second Great Commandment did not begin in the days of Yahshua. It was established at Creation itself. When Yahuah created mankind in His image, He established the value and dignity of every human life. Every man, woman, and child bears the imprint of the Creator. From the very beginning, humanity was designed to live in relationship—not only with Yahuah, but also with one another. Adam and Chavah were created to walk together, labor together, and serve together under the authority of Yahuah. The foundation of loving our neighbor was laid the moment Yahuah created mankind in His image.

When Yahuah instructed Israel at Sinai, He codified this eternal truth:

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

This commandment reaches far beyond merely avoiding harm. It calls us to actively seek the good of others. To love our neighbor means to treat others with the same care, mercy, patience, and compassion that we desire for ourselves. The commandments concerning murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting all find their practical fulfillment in this principle. A person who genuinely loves his neighbor will not seek to harm, deceive, exploit, or take advantage of him.

Centuries later, Yahshua confirmed this truth when He declared that the Second Great Commandment is like the first. After commanding us to love Yahuah with all our heart, soul, and mind, He immediately added:

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Yahshua taught that the entire Law and the Prophets hang upon these two commandments. Love for Yahuah and love for our neighbor are inseparable. One reveals itself through the other. A person cannot claim to love Yahuah while continually mistreating those created in His image.

The question for every generation is this: How do we treat the people around us? It is easy to love those who agree with us, support us, and encourage us. Yet Yahuah calls His people to a higher standard. We are commanded to show kindness, mercy, forgiveness, patience, and compassion even when it is difficult. Loving our neighbor is not merely a feeling; it is a choice demonstrated through our actions.

Yahuah established the value of human life at Creation when He made mankind in His image. He codified love for neighbor through His instruction to Israel. Yahshua confirmed it by declaring it to be the Second Great Commandment upon which the Law and the Prophets depend. Therefore, let us love one another as Yahuah has commanded. Let us be quick to forgive, eager to serve, and willing to bear one another's burdens. For when we love our neighbor, we reflect the character of the Eloah who first loved us.

Amen.

You Shall Not Steal

"And Yahuah Elohim took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." (Genesis 2:15)

"Thou shalt not steal." (Exodus 20:15)

"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good..." (Ephesians 4:28)

The Eighth Commandment did not begin at Sinai. It was established at Creation itself. When Yahuah placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, He entrusted him with stewardship over what had been given to him. From the very beginning, Yahuah established the principle of ownership, responsibility, and accountability.

The Garden belonged to Yahuah, and Adam was given the privilege of caring for what the Creator had entrusted to him. Throughout Creation, Yahuah demonstrated that He is the rightful owner of all things and that mankind is called to manage His blessings faithfully rather than take what does not belong to him.

When Yahuah brought Israel to Mount Sinai, He codified this eternal truth upon stone:

"Thou shalt not steal."

This commandment protects the property, labor, possessions, and livelihood of others. Stealing is more than taking an object. It is the violation of trust and the rejection of Yahuah's provision.

Theft declares that what Yahuah has provided is not enough and that we have the right to take what belongs to another. Whether through dishonesty, fraud, deception, corruption, or outright theft, the heart of the sin remains the same: taking what Yahuah has not given us.

Centuries later, Yahshua confirmed this principle through His teachings on righteousness, honesty, and love for one's neighbor. The apostles carried that teaching forward, declaring:
"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good."

Yahshua's message was not merely to stop stealing. It was to replace selfishness with honest labor, greed with generosity, and taking with giving. The Kingdom of Yahuah is built upon integrity, not exploitation.

The question for every generation is this: Are we faithful stewards of what Yahuah has entrusted to us? Most people think of stealing only as robbery, yet theft appears in many forms. Dishonest business practices, cheating, fraud, manipulation, false weights, broken agreements, withholding wages, and taking credit for another person's work all violate the spirit of this commandment. Yahuah calls His people to be people of honesty in every area of life.

Yahuah established stewardship at Creation when He entrusted Adam with the Garden. He codified the protection of property at Sinai when He wrote the commandment upon stone. Yahshua and the apostles confirmed it by calling believers to honest labor and generous living. Therefore, let us reject greed, dishonesty, and theft in every form. Let us work faithfully, deal honestly, and give generously. For everything we possess ultimately belongs to Yahuah, and faithful stewards honor the One who entrusted it to them.

Amen.