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eli-kittim · 3 years ago

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A Critical Review of the “TruthUnedited” YouTube Channel Which Teaches a Heretical Christian Doctrine

By Bible Researcher & Author Eli Kittim 🎓

What is the Truthunedited Platform?

Although the practical side of this YouTube channel appears to have a semblance of Christianity, the theology is definitely Judaic!

This YouTube channel is called “Truthunedited” and it also has an affiliated website: Truthunedited.com. These platforms are apparently run by the host, Mr. Ron Charles. Unfortunately, I could not find anything about his qualifications. This is a very popular YouTube channel that has 604k subscribers.

Their website seems to advertise books by the Restored Church of God (RCG), an offshoot of the teachings and doctrines of Herbert W. Armstrong who was the leader of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). The RCG is a cult which,

denies the Trinity, says that God is a

composition of two beings … that being

born again means being resurrected from

flesh to spirit, that the earth was re-

created, that people will not go to hell and

will be annihilated, that Christians do not go

to heaven, … that the Holy Spirit is a force.”

——- Wiki

I skimmed through some of the videos that he’s put forth and they seem quite disturbing. For example, one of the videos refers to Easter as a goddess, which is based on the discredited 19th century book “The Two Babylons” by Alexander Hislop. The actual word Easter in Greek is “Pascha” (Πάσχα), from the Jewish “Passover” (aka Pesach). So, in trying to discredit Easter as a pagan holiday, his argument is irrelevant to the original Hebrew festival because he’s arguing only from the English translation, the so-called Month of Ēostre', which is historically a so-called “Paschal month" that corresponds to April.

In another video (“What is the true name of our creator & messiah?”), Mr. Ron Charles differentiates between the creator and the messiah, even though Hebrews 1.2 & John 1.1-3 tell us explicitly that Jesus is in fact the creator! Mr. Charles admits that he is part of the Hebrew Roots movement——which is a Jewish religious movement that advocates adherence to the Torah and the Law of Moses——something that Paul criticized vehemently. More on that later. He writes: “I want to discuss why I prefer using the Hebrew name of our creator and the Hebrew name of our Messiah.” But the messiah **Is** the creator! Why distinguish between the creator and the messiah? Well, because that is a Hebrew, not a Christian, position.

A Critical Review of the Truthunedited Video: “This is How a Believer Should Live in These Last Days”

While viewing this channel, I saw some other heretical videos as well but I would like to limit the discussion to one particular video which I listened to from start to finish, namely, a recent YouTube video entitled “This is How a Believer Should Live in These Last Days.”

The content of this video is quite shocking! As a case in point, what does the host mean by saying that he praises “Yah”? Is he a Hebrew convert? Because in the New Testament the name Yah is never mentioned, not even once! According to the New Testament, we must ONLY praise **Jesus**:

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is

no other name under heaven given to

mankind by which we must be saved.

——- Acts 4.12 NIV

Yet, in this entire video, Mr. Charles mentions the actual name of the God-incarnate-messiah “Jesus” only once, and that in passing, as a pejorative translation. And yet, the original Greek name of the Messiah is Iésous, the correct English translation of which is Jesus.

Moreover, Mr. Ron Charles keeps talking about his personal relationship with the Father. He never once mentions his personal relationship with the Son. As a matter of fact, when he refers to God’s Son, who’s coequal with the Father, he simply calls him by the vague term “messiah.” Mr. Charles claims to come from the Hebrew Roots Movement. But, as far as the Jews are concerned, the messiah is NOT Jesus. For example, a majority of the Jewish Chabad community believe that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the deceased seventh Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, is the Jewish messiah. Is that who he’s referring to? Different religions have different messiahs. For instance, in Islam there is Imam Husayn and the Twelfth Imám (Shí’ih), and the Promised Qá’im in the Bábí Faith. There is also the Buddha Maitreya-Amitabha, the Shah Bahrám (Zoroastrianism), and the Avatar Kalki (Hinduism). These are different messiahs that are associated with different belief systems. To the Rastafari religion, it is Haile Selassie I from Ethiopia. So, which of these messiahs is he referring to? And if he’s a Christian, why doesn’t he mention the name of Jesus Christ, which is the name above all other names?

He discusses the cultural deception that is going on and “the marketing of Satan,” but his misleading approach to Jesus Christ and the New Testament is equally dangerous and deceptive because it not only mixes Christianity with Judaism, but it also destroys the New Testament from within by radically changing its terminology, it’s theology, and even the name of it’s God. If we don’t even know who we are praying to, why bother to pray at all? I don’t know enough about his soteriological views because I haven’t listened to any of his other videos, except one. I don’t know what salvation means to him. But given that he is part of the Hebrew Roots Movement, I suspect he thinks that we have to follow the laws of Moses, observe the sabbaths, etc. But Paul urges us to do the exact opposite (cf. Acts 16.31):

all are justified freely by his [God’s] grace

through the redemption that came by Christ

Jesus. ——- Rom 3.24

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the

truth and the life. No one comes to the

Father except through me.’ ——- John 14.6

In the New Testament, is the Messiah’s Name Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic? Is it Ἰησοῦς or Yeshua?

In the video that we’re discussing, the host keeps repeating the name Yahusha. But who is Yahusha, anyway? Can he show us where that name is mentioned in the Greek New Testament as Jesus’ name? Answer: nowhere! The host mentions the name of Jesus only once, in passing, by erroneously stating that his name is “Yahusha, who in English is translated to Jesus.” In order to confirm this translation, please give us chapter and verse in the New Testament where Yahusha is written as the name of Jesus. This so-called “evidence” doesn’t exist. The New Testament only mentions the name Ἰησοῦς, which in English is translated as Jesus, not Yahusha (see the original Greek New Testament: Matthew 1.16; 3.13, 15-16; 4.1, 7, 10, 17; 7.28; 8.4, 10, 13, 14, 18, 20, 22; 9.2, 4, etc.). And I’m only partially citing the gospel of Matthew. There are many more references. Besides, there are three more gospels, the book of Acts, the epistles, and the Book of Revelation. The name Iesous (Jesus) is mentioned nearly 1,000 times in the New Testament. The Greek text never once refers to Jesus as Yahusha or Yeshua!

If Jesus’ name was in fact the Hebrew Yeshua, why didn’t the New Testament transliterate it as Yeshua? By contrast, the name “Ἰησοῦς” is not annotated as a transliteration, even though Hebraic transliterations are typically explained in the New Testament one way or another. For example:

1) In Mark 11.9, hosanna (ὡσαννὰ) is

explained.

2) ελωι ελωι λεμα σαβαχθανι is explained in

Mark 15.34; Matthew 27.46.

3) Talitha cum is explained in Mark 5.41.

4) In John 20.16, "Rabbouni” is explained.

5) In Romans 8.15, Abba is explained.

6) In Matthew 1.23, the name “Immanuel” is

explained.

The Aramaisms that exist in the Greek New Testament are typically explained or defined. For example, in Matthew 27.46, we read:

Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? (which means

‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken

me?’).

By contrast, the name ΙΗΣΟΥΣ (Jesus) is *never* *ever* explained as an *aramaism,* nor defined as an Aramaic or Hebrew name. If what Mr. Charles says is true, why doesn’t the New Testament indicate that the name “Jesus” is the transliteration of Yeshua? You would think that a name as important as Jesus would necessitate such an explanation. The fact that there isn’t any indicates that the Greek name Iēsous is not a transliteration from the Late Biblical Hebrew Yēšūaʿ (Yeshūa):

The English name Jesus derives from the

Late Latin name Iesus, which transliterates

the Koine Greek name Ἰησοῦς Iēsoûs.

——- Wiki

By contrast:

The name יֵשׁוּעַ, Yeshua ([is] transliterated in

the English Old Testament as Jeshua).

——- Wiki

Conflating the Hebrew name of Joshua with Jesus Christ is confusing for various reasons:

In Nehemiah 8:17 this name refers to

Joshua son of Nun, the successor of Moses,

as leader of the Israelites. ——- Wiki

According to the Book of Numbers verse

13:16, the name of Joshua, the son of Nun

was originally Hosheaʿ (הוֹשֵעַ), and the

name Yehoshuaʿ (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) is usually spelled

the same but with a yod added at the

beginning. ——- Wiki

So what do we call the messiah of the New Testament? Joshua son of Nun, Hoshea, Yəhōšūaʿ, Yeshua, or whatever other Hebrew name we could think of?

New Testament Misquotes and Hebrew Interpolations

Mr. Ron Charles, the host of this video, misquotes Paul as supposedly saying that “this is the Will of Elohim & Yahusha for you.” But Paul does not mention either Elohim or Yahusha in his letters. Why is he putting words in Paul’s mouth that Paul never said? This is misleading because he’s colouring the Greek New Testament with foreign elements from the Hebrew Roots movement. If he’s going to refer to the New Testament, it’s appropriate that he uses the original Greek words of the text. Hebrew is appropriate only for the Old Testament.

He further misquotes Ephesians 5.17. The text reads “Lord,” not master. Ephesians 5.17 uses the Greek term “kurios” to mean “Lord.” We are not talking about kung-fu, platonic philosophy, or Buddhism where there’s a master-disciple relationship. We’re talking about reverence to almighty God. The only appropriate translations are “Lord” or “God.” None of the credible Bible translations quote kurios as master. I’m not sure which Bible version he’s using. He also misquotes Romans 12.11, 19, and Philippians 3.1. The word is Κυρίῳ (Lord), not Yahuah! Furthermore, in Philippians 3.14, the words are God (θεοῦ, not Elohim), and Christ Jesus (Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, not Messiah Yahuah). In Philippians 3.20, the words are Lord Jesus Christ (κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν), not “master Yahusha the messiah.” This is a way of belittling the name of Jesus by not mentioning his name *properly* or *reverently* and not referring to him in a manner worthy of the name that is above all names. That name is actually Ἰησοῦs (i.e. Jesus) in the Greek New Testament. It is not a Hebrew name derived from the Old Testament or from Pharisaical Judaism.

Mr. Charles then misquotes James 1.27 and mentions a “Pure and undefiled religion before Elohim and the father.” And if the Father is not Elohim, then who is Elohim? In the New Testament, neither Jesus nor the Father is ever called Elohim. Mr. Ron Charles doesn’t seem to be familiar with textual criticism, the Greek New Testament, or with Christian theology.

He then misquotes 2 Corinthians 5.20 by using the vague term “messiah”——a term that means different things to different people——and also by mentioning Elohim who, once again, is never mentioned in the New Testament. Here is the phrase in the original Greek (2 Corinthians 5.20 SBLGNT):

ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὖν πρεσβεύομεν ὡς τοῦ

θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος δι’ ἡμῶν · δεόμεθα

ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλάγητε τῷ θεῷ.

As you can see, the Greek words that Paul uses are Christ (Χριστοῦ) and God (θεῷ), not messiah or Elohim. That’s why Jesus is known as Jesus Christ, whom he never mentions, except once as a pejorative or pagan translation. Yet he claims that “we are representatives of the gospel.” But if he identifies with the New Testament, why is his theology derived from the Old Testament? I also noticed that his relationship is not with the Son, but rather with the Father, because he keeps saying that he had some issues that the father had to help him work through.

What is more, he keeps praising this unknown and obscure messiah without once revealing what his true name is: the name that is above all other names, mind you. This New Testament name stands far above the other Old Testament names (such as Elohim and Yahweh) because we are not supposed to call on these names for salvation. So, which name do we call upon for salvation? We are to call on the name of Jesus (Acts 4.12)!

Hebrew Roots Beliefs

In case you’re not familiar with the Hebrew Roots Movement, here are some of their beliefs:

Hebrew Roots followers believe that sin is

breaking the Torah (cf. 1 John 3:4), all of the

purity laws such as dietary restrictions and

sabbath keeping are in the Torah, thus it is

sinful to not keep the sabbath and to eat

forbidden animals, among other social and

religious observance laws. ——- Wiki

Unlike the New Testament that does away with the works of the law (legalism) in favor of grace, the Hebrew Roots followers believe in observing the Law of Moses and the Torah:

Old Testament/Torah Laws and the

teachings of the New Testament are to be

obeyed by both Jews and Gentiles in the

community of believers. (See Numbers

15:15–16 for the explanation). ——- Wiki

But these “Hebrew Roots” beliefs are the exact opposite of what the Greek New Testament teaches. In fact, this is precisely the charge that Paul brought against Judaizers in Galatians. Paul says in Galatians 2.16:

know that a person is not justified by the

works of the law, but by faith in Jesus

Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in

Christ Jesus that we may be justified by

faith in Christ and not by the works of the

law, because by the works of the law no one

will be justified.

In Galatians 2.21, Paul says:

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if

righteousness could be gained through the

law, Christ died for nothing!

In Galatians 3.11, Paul repeats the justification of faith teaching through grace:

Clearly no one who relies on the law is

justified before God, because ‘the righteous

will live by faith.’

It’s also found in many other places, including Romans 3.20:

Therefore no one will be declared righteous

in God’s sight by the works of the law.

It doesn’t get any clearer than that. We are not to observe the law. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone! In fact, the entire New Testament can be summed up as the revelation of the person and work of Jesus Christ (Ιησούς Χριστός).

Alas, even as he ends his video, Mr. Ron Charles keeps talking about Elohim, while repeating the ambiguous and enigmatic term “messiah” over and over again. He also keeps mentioning “Yah” nonstop. But who is “Yah” in the New Testament? He is never mentioned. In fact, Mr. Charles ends the video by saying “praise yah.” Really? Not Jesus? And he is supposedly a Christian who identifies with the Gospel of the New Testament? I don’t think so. This is clearly a heretical Jewish theology that radically deviates from, and corrupts the truths of, Christianity!

See my essay:

“Yahweh is Never Once Mentioned in the New Testament”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjOF_wqhKdv/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

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eli-kittim · 4 years ago

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A Response to Jon Bloom’s “Can I Follow My New Heart?”

By Biblical Researcher, Psychologist, & Award-Winning Author, Eli Kittim

In an article entitled “Can I Follow My New Heart?” (published July 1, 2021), which was posted on John Piper’s desiringGod website, Jon Bloom, staff writer of https://www.desiringgod.org/ writes:

When Christians are born again, we enter

into a lifelong internal war where ‘the

desires of the flesh are against the Spirit,

and the desires of the Spirit are against the

flesh, for these are opposed to each other,

to keep you from doing the things you want

to do’ (Galatians 5:17).

That is incorrect, inaccurate, and misleading. When Paul talks about the war within, between the flesh and the Spirit, he is referring to a *pre-regenerative* rather than a “post-regenerative” state of mind. This battle or war between the flesh and the Spirit is waged BEFORE “Christians are born again,” NOT after! After “Christians are born again” this battle ENDS! The War within ends, provided an *authentic-regeneration* has taken place (not simply a fake “rebirth” based on a profession of faith or an altar call) in which we have died to our selves in order to receive a new identity (Ephesians 4:22-24). There is no more internal struggle. Sin no longer reigns within. God is now on the throne of your heart and, instead of war, there is peace. Instead of bitterness and anger there is love and self-acceptance. Sin has not been completely eradicated. It’s still there. But it no longer dominates your mind and heart. So, the notion that we enter a battle or a war AFTER we are reborn is completely false. On the contrary, that’s when the battle, in a certain sense, ends for us and tranquility ensues.

Jon Bloom misinterprets both the authorial intent of the Biblical authors as well as the concept of authentic rebirth. He mistakenly employs certain Biblical quotes to suggest that they are referring to a condition AFTER rebirth, when in fact they are referring to a carnal mind PRIOR to regeneration. Thus, he misreads the following verses out-of-context:

their ‘passions are at war within’ them

(James 4:1). Peter warns his readers (and

us), ‘Do not be conformed to the passions

of your former ignorance’ (1 Peter 1:14).

Paul describes this internal experience of

warring passions as ‘wretched’ (Romans

7:24).

Finally, the fact that he’s been totally misreading and distorting the Biblical authors becomes apparent. He writes:

And he [Paul] admonishes the Colossian

Christians (and us) with strong language:

‘Put to death therefore what is earthly in

you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion,

evil desire, and covetousness, which is

idolatry’ (Colossians 3:5). Why did these

apostles feel the need to speak this way to

regenerated people? Because the hearts of

these regenerated people were not yet fully

free from the influence of their flesh, their

old selves.

Why would Paul say “put to death” all these vices to regenerated Christians who have already done just that and have died to sin? And if reborn, recreated Christians are “not yet fully free from the influence of their flesh” (i.e. “their old selves”), then that implies that Christ either lied or was confused when he said “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV). No! It is Jon Bloom himself who is confused because in spite of what he writes, he nevertheless seems to acknowledge that after rebirth sin no longer dominates. He writes:

Paul lays the theological foundation of our

understanding by explaining ‘that our old

self was crucified with [Christ] in order that

[our] body of sin might be brought to

nothing, so that we would no longer be

enslaved to sin’ (Romans 6:6). Our new

selves were ‘raised with Christ’ (Colossians

3:1) so that ‘we too might walk in newness

of life’ (Romans 6:4). Therefore, we ‘must

consider [ourselves] dead to sin and alive to

God in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 6:11).

In sharp contrast to Jon Bloom’s overall message, Paul declares a radical change that has ALREADY occurred in the personality as a result of the *NEW BIRTH,* as well as a new way of being that is no longer dominated by sin or the carnal mind (Romans 8:1-2 ESV):

There is therefore now no condemnation for

those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of

the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ

Jesus from the law of sin and death.

I therefore take issue with the notion of *regeneration* as an “internal war” between the flesh and the Spirit in which we “are not yet fully free.”

For a comparative reading, see the undermentioned link:

“Can I Follow My New Heart?” (Article by Jon Bloom, Staff writer, desiringGod website): https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/can-i-follow-my-new-heart?fbclid=IwAR0SjG4T6TVZN8TVuB0Sjt-10zS5UnRy05rxjPd00YiVWcixmVCR6dm3EW0

——-

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