Tithes & Alms

The Battle for Our Souls

• The Devil through lust, the root of his wickedness, put a war within mankind, and we all have to overcome it to have right to the Tree of Life:

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Apocalypse of Moses Chapter XIX

“And I opened to him and he walked a little way, then turned and said to me: 'I have changed my mind, and I will not give thee to eat until thou swear to me to give also to thy husband.' And I said, 'What sort of oath shall I swear to thee? Yet what I know, I say to thee: By the throne of the Master, and by the Cherubim and the Tree of Life, I will give also to my husband to eat.' And when he had received the oath from me, he went and poured upon the fruit the poison of his wickedness, which is lust, the root and beginning of every sin, and he bent the branch on the earth and I took of the fruit and I ate.

Apocalypse of Moses CHAPTER XXI

"And I cried out in that very hour, 'Adam, Adam, where art thou? Rise up, come to me and I will

show thee a great secret.' But when your father came, I spake to him words of transgression which

have brought us down from our great glory. For, when he came, I opened my mouth and the devil

was speaking, and I began to exhort him and said, 'Come hither, my lord Adam, harken to me and

eat of the fruit of the tree of which Alahayim told us not to eat of it, and thou shalt be as a

Alahayim.' And your father answered and said, 'I fear lest Alahayim be wroth with me.' And I said

to him, 'Fear not, for as soon as thou hast eaten thou shalt know good and evil.' And speedily I

persuaded him, and he ate, and straightway his eyes were opened and he, too, knew his nakedness.

And to me he saith, 'O wicked woman! what have I done to thee that thou hast deprived me of the

glory of Alahayim?

Apocalypse of Moses CHAPTER XXV

"And the Lord turned to me and said: 'Since thou hast harkened to the serpent, and turned a deaf

ear to my commandment, thou shalt be in throes of travail and intolerable agonies; thou shalt bear

children in much trembling, and in one hour thou shalt come to the birth, and lose thy life, from

thy sore trouble and anguish. But thou shalt confess and say: "Lord, Lord, save me, and I will turn

no more to the sin of the flesh." And on this account, from thine own words I will judge thee, by

reason of the enmity which the enemy has planted in thee.'

Apocalypse of Moses CHAPTER XXVIII

"But the Lord turned to Adam and said: 'I will not suffer thee henceforward to be in paradise.' And

Adam answered and said, 'Grant me, O Lord, of the Tree of Life that I may eat of it, before I be

cast out.' Then the Lord spake to Adam, 'Thou shalt not take of it now, for I have commanded the

cherubim with the flaming sword that turneth every way to guard it from thee that thou taste not

of it; but thou hast the war which the adversary hath put into thee; yet when thou art gone out of

paradise, if thou shouldst keep thyself from all evil, as one about to die, when again the

Resurrection hath come to pass, I will raise thee up and then there shall be given to thee the Tree

of Life.

​Revelation 22:14-15

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

2 Esdras 3:21-22

For the first Adam bearing a wicked heart transgressed, and was overcome; and so be all they that are born of him. 22 Thus infirmity was made permanent; and the law (also) in the heart of the people with the malignity of the root; so that the good departed away, and the evil abode still.

• Lust, the root of the devil's wickedness is the infirmity and malignant root in the heart. The law is spiritual and doesn’t mix with evil so it departed from the heart unable to dwell with lusts while lusts abides in the heart 

2 Esdras 3:8

And every people walked after their own will, and did wonderful things before thee, and despised thy commandments.

• Two characteristics of a heart where lust still dwells is self will and despising the commandments not to do them or being grieved to keep them 

2 Esdras 3:20

And yet tookest thou not away from them a wicked heart, that thy law might bring forth fruit in them.

• The law can’t bring forth the fruits of righteousness through good deeds where lust is still in the heart. Every person has the choice to perform Alahayim's will or their own will, which is the lusts of the devil's wickedness, and whatever a person chooses truly in their heart, they will be helped or have a path opened to perform:

Gad the Seer 8:7. 

And He gave each one free choice: if one wants to do good, he will be helped, and if one wants to do evil, a path will be opened for him. 

Sirach 15:14-15

He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel; 15 If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.

• Keeping the commands of Alahayim willingly is showing acceptable faithfulness towards Alahayim by abstaining from and putting no trust in the works of the Devil nor having the desire for them to find pleasure in them:

Sirach 15:16 He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.

Sirach 15:17 Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.

• Every person has the opportunity to choose what we want and desire and we will be given what we actually like whether life by keeping the commandments in humility and longsuffering or death living in our own pleasure and sins. This choice is worth considering and reasoning on to make the necessary changes in our hearts because we will all be rewarded based on our decisions in this battle for our souls in this life: 

2 Esdras 7:56-61 

For while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not that we should begin to suffer for it after death. 57 Then answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that is born upon the earth shall fight; 58 That, if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said: but if he get the victory, he shall receive the thing that I say. 59 For this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live. 60 Nevertheless they believed not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have spoken unto them, 61 That there should not be such heaviness in their destruction, as shall be joy over them that are persuaded to salvation.

II Baruch 54:14-19

14 And justly do they perish who have not loved Your law, and the torment of judgment shall await those who have not submitted themselves to Your power. 15 For though Adam first sinned And brought untimely death upon all, yet of those who were born from him each one of them has prepared for his own soul torment to come, and again each one of them has chosen for himself glories to come. 16 For assuredly he who believeth will receive reward. 17 But now, as for you, you wicked that now are, turn you to destruction, because you shall speedily be visited, in that formerly you rejected the understanding of the Most High. 18 For His works have not taught you, nor has the skill of His creation which is at all times persuaded you. 19 Adam is therefore not the cause, save only of his own soul, but each of us has been the Adam of his own soul.

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• We all have the choice of desiring to do good so we can be helped to perform acceptable faithfulness by keeping the commandments whether to stand or to fall as Adam did and we are all responsible for ourselves and our choices each recieving our rewards based on our works in the end:

Revelation 22:11-13

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Ezekiel 18:20

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Ezekiel 18:22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Ezekiel 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord Ahayah: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 18:26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
Ezekiel 18:27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Ezekiel 18:28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Ahayah: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Understanding the Works of the Flesh

• Lust for our own pleasures that entice us by evil spirits that have influence over our thoughts is the cause of the war within our flesh:

James 4:1

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

James 1:13-16

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of Alahayim: for Alahayim cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

• Because of the infirmity of lust warring within our flesh, the flesh lusts against the Spirit so that we cannot do the things for Alahayim that we would like to do. For this reason, we have to be mindful of the spirits of Satan's family and the thoughts and inclinations they come at us with to arouse the lusts of the flesh in us and avoid them by walking in the Spirit to be protected from fulfilling any lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-21 

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Alahayim. 

 

• The works of the flesh are more than what Paul mentioned as he said "and such like." To sum up the works of the flesh, one can understand that any work that would cause us not to inherit the kingdom of Alahayim can be categorized as a work of the flesh:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of Alahayim? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of Alahayim.

• In short, the works of the flesh can be any work or spirit at work in us that would cause us not to inherit the kingdom of Alahayim.

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Understanding Satan's Family

• Amongst the works of the flesh, there are also the spirits of Doubtful-mindedness, Evil desire, Sorrow, and Angry Temper. We must be diligent to avoid these spirits lest we lose our hope in Christ by putting on Faith, serving the Good desire, clothing ourselves in Cheerfulness, while being Long-suffering and Understanding.

Doubtful-mindedness

Shepard of Hermas Mandate 9

1[39]:7 Cleanse therefore thy heart from doubtful-mindedness, and put on faith, for it is strong, and trust Alahayim that thou wilt receive all thy petitions which thou askest; and if after asking anything of the Lord, thou receive thy petition somewhat tardily, be not of doubtful mind because thou didst not receive the petition of thy soul at once. For assuredly it is by reason of some temptation or some transgression, of which thou art ignorant, that thou receivest thy petition so tardily.

1[39]:8 Do thou therefore cease not to make thy soul's petition, and thou shalt receive it. But if thou grow weary, and doubt as thou askest, blame thyself and not Him that giveth unto thee. See to this doubtful- mindedness; for it is evil and senseless, and uprooteth many from the faith, yea, even very faithful and strong men. For indeed this doubtful-mindedness is a daughter of the devil, and worketh great wickedness against the servants of Alahayim.

1[39]:9 Therefore despise doubtful-mindedness and gain the mastery over it in everything, clothing thyself with faith which is strong and powerful. For faith promiseth all things, accomplisheth all things; but doubtful-mindedness, as having no confidence in itself, fails in all the works which it doeth.

1[39]:10 Thou seest then," saith he, "that faith is from above from the Lord, and hath great power; but doubtful-mindedness is an earthly spirit from the devil, and hath no power.

1[39]:11 Do thou therefore serve that faith which hath power, and hold aloof from the doubtful-mindedness which hath no power; and thou shalt live unto Alahayim; yea, and all those shall live unto Alahayim who are so minded."

Evil Desire

The Shepard of Hermas Mandate 12

1[44]:1 He saith to me; "Remove from thyself all evil desire, and clothe thyself in the desire which is good and holy; for clothed with this desire thou shalt hate the evil desire, and shalt bridle and direct it as thou wilt.
1[44]:2 For the evil desire is wild, and only tamed with difficulty; for it is terrible, and by its wildness is very costly to men; more especially if a servant of Alahayim get entangled in it, and have no understanding, he is put to fearful costs by it. But it is costly to such men as are not clothed in the good desire, but are mixed up with this life "These men then it hands over to death."

1[44]:3 "Of what sort, Sir," say I, "are the works of the evil desire, which hand over men to death? Make them known to me, that I may hold aloof from them." Listen," [saith he,] "through what works the evil desire bringeth death to the servants of Alahayim.

2[45]:1 "Before all is desire for the wife or husband of another, and for extravagance of wealth, and for many needless dainties, and for drinks and other luxuries, many and foolish. For even luxury is foolish and vain for the servants of Alahayim.

2[45]:2 These desires then are evil, and bring death to the servants of Alahayim. For this evil desire is a daughter of the devil. Ye must, therefore, abstain from the evil desires, that so abstaining ye may live unto Alahayim.

2[45]:3 But as many as are mastered by them, and resist them not, are done to death utterly; for these desires are deadly.

2[45]:4 But do thou clothe thyself in the desire of righteousness, and, having armed thyself with the fear of the Lord, resist them. For the fear of Alahayim dwelleth in the good desire. If the evil desire shall see thee armed with the fear of Alahayim and resisting itself, it shall flee far from thee, and shall no more be seen of thee, being in fear of thine arms.
2[45]:5 Do thou therefore, when thou art crowned for thy victory over it, come to the desire of righteousness, and deliver to her the victor's prize which thou hast received, and serve her, according as she herself desireth. If thou serve the good desire, and art subject to her, thou shalt have power to master the evil desire, and to
subject her, according as thou wilt."
3[46]:1 "I would fain know, Sir," say I, "in what ways I ought to serve the good desire." "Listen," saith he; "practice righteousness and virtue, truth and the fear of the Lord, faith and gentleness, and as many good deeds as are like these. Practicing these thou shalt be well-pleasing as a servant of Alahayim, and shalt live unto Him; yea, and every one who shall serve the good desire shall live unto Alahayim."
 

Angry Temper

Hermas Mandate 5

1[33]:1 "Be thou long-suffering and understanding," he saith, "and thou shalt have the mastery over all evil deeds, and shalt work all righteousness.

1[33]:2 For if thou art long-suffering, the Holy Spirit that abideth in thee shall be pure, not being darkened by another evil spirit, but dwelling in a large room shall rejoice and be glad with the vessel in which she dwelleth, and shall serve Alahayim with much cheerfulness, having prosperity in herself.

1[33]:3 But if any angry temper approach, forthwith the Holy Spirit, being delicate, is straitened, not having [the] place clear, and seeketh to retire from the place; for she is being choked by the evil spirit, and has no room to minister unto the Lord, as she desireth, being polluted by angry temper. For the Lord dwelleth in long-

suffering, but the devil in angry temper.

1[33]:4 Thus that both the spirits then should be dwelling together is inconvenient and evil for that man in whom they dwell.

1[33]:5 For if you take a little wormwood, and pour it into a jar of honey, is not the whole of the honey spoiled, and all that honey ruined by a very small quantity of wormwood? For it destroyeth the sweetness of the honey, and it no longer hath the same attraction for the owner, because it is rendered bitter and hath lost its use. But

if the wormwood be not put into the honey, the honey is found sweet and becomes useful to its owner.

1[33]:6 Thou seest [then] that long-suffering is very sweet, beyond the sweetness of honey, and is useful to the Lord, and He dwelleth in it. But angry, temper is bitter and useless. If then angry temper be mixed with long-suffering, long-suffering is polluted and the man's intercession is no longer useful to Alahayim."1[33]:7 "I would fain know, Sir," say I, "the working of angry temper, that I may guard myself from it." "Yea, verily," saith he, "if thou guard not thyself from it--thou and thy family--thou hast lost all thy hope. But guard thyself from it; for I am with thee. Yea, and all men shall hold aloof from it, as many as have repented with their

whole heart. For I will be with them and will preserve them; for they all were justified by the most holy angel.

2[34]:1 "Hear now," saith he, "the working of angry temper, how evil it is, and how it subverteth the servants of Alahayim by its own working, and how it leadeth them astray from righteousness. But it doth not lead astray them that are full in the faith, nor can it work upon them, because the power of the Lord is with them; but them

that are empty and double-minded it leadeth astray.

2[34]:2 For when it seeth such men in prosperity it insinuates itself into the heart of the man, and for no cause whatever the man or the woman is embittered on account of worldly matters, either about meats, or some triviality, or about some friend, or about giving or receiving, or about follies of this kind. For all these things are foolish and vain and senseless and inexpedient for the servants of Alahayim.

2[34]:3 But long-suffering is great and strong, and has a mighty and vigorous power, and is prosperous in great enlargement, gladsome, exultant, free from care, glorifying the Lord at every season, having no bitterness in itself, remaining always gentle and tranquil. This long-suffering therefore dwelleth with those whose faith is

perfect.

2[34]:4 But angry temper is in the first place foolish, fickle and senseless; then from foolishness is engendered bitterness, and from bitterness wrath, and from wrath anger, and from anger spite; then spite being composed of all these evil elements becometh a great sin and incurable.

2[34]:5 For when all these spirits dwell in one vessel, where the Holy Spirit also dwelleth, that vessel cannot contain them, but overfloweth.

2[34]:6 The delicate spirit therefore, as not being accustomed to dwell with an evil spirit nor with harshness, departeth from a man of that kind, and seeketh to dwell with gentleness and tranquility.

2[34]:7 Then, when it hath removed from that man, in whom it dwells, that man becometh emptied of the righteous spirit, and henceforward, being filled with the evil spirits, he is unstable in all his actions, being dragged about hither and thither by the evil spirits, and is altogether blinded and bereft of his good intent. Thus then it happeneth to all persons of angry temper.

2[34]:8 Refrain therefore from angry temper, the most evil of evil spirits. But clothe thyself in long-suffering, and resist angry temper and bitterness, and thou shalt be round in company with the holiness which is beloved of the Lord. See then that thou never neglect this commandment; for if thou master this commandment, thou shalt be able likewise to keep the remaining commandments, which I am about to give thee. Be strong in them and endowed with power; and let all be endowed with power, as many as desire to walk in them

 

Sorrow

• There is also, Sorrow, the sister of Doubtful-mindedness and Angry temper, that we must avoid through cheerfulness:

Shepherd of Hermas Mandate 10

1[40]:1 "Put away sorrow from thyself," saith he, "for she is the sister of doubtful-mindedness and of angry temper."

2[41]:2 When the man of doubtful mind sets his hand to any action, and fails in it owing to his doubtful-mindedness, grief at this entereth into the man, and grieveth the Holy Spirit, and crusheth it out.

2[41]:3 Then again when angry temper cleaveth to a man concerning any matter, and he is much embittered, again sorrow entereth into the heart of the man that was ill-tempered, and he is grieved at the deed which he hath done, and repenteth that he did evil.

2[41]:4 This sadness therefore seemeth to bring salvation, because he repented at having done the evil. So both the operations sadden the Spirit; first, the doubtful mind saddens the Spirit, because it succeeded not in its business, and the angry temper again, because it did what was evil. Thus both are saddening to the Holy Spirit, the doubtful mind and the angry temper.

2[41]:5 Put away therefore from thyself sadness, and afflict not the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in thee, lest haply She intercede with Alahayim [against thee], and depart from thee.

2[41]:6 For the Spirit of Alahayim, that was given unto this flesh, endureth not sadness neither constraint.

3[42]:1 "Therefore clothe thyself in cheerfulness, which hath favor with Alahayim always, and is acceptable to Him, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man worketh good, and thinketh good, and despiseth sadness;

3[42]:2 but the sad man is always committing sin. In the first place he committeth sin, because he grieveth the Holy Spirit, which was given to the man being a cheerful spirit; and in the second place, by grieving the Holy Spirit he doeth lawlessness, in that he doth not intercede with neither confess unto Alahayim. For the intercession of a sad man hath never at any time power to ascend to the altar of Alahayim."

3[42]:3 "Wherefore," say I, "doth not the intercession of him that is saddened ascend to the altar?" "Because," saith he, "sadness is seated at his heart. Thus sadness mingled with the intercession doth not suffer the intercession to ascend pure to the altar. For as vinegar when mingled with wine in the same (vessel) hath not the same pleasant taste, so likewise sadness mingled with the Holy Spirit hath not the same intercession.

3[42]:4 Therefore cleanse thyself from this wicked sadness, and thou shalt live unto Alahayim; yea, and all they shall live unto Alahayim, who shall cast away sadness from themselves and clothe themselves in all cheerfulness."

the Twelve Women in Black

• There are 12 evil women who are chief in leading us astray from entering the kingdom of Alahayim:

Shepherd of Hermas Parable 9

9[86]:5 So twelve women were called, most beautiful in form, clad in black, [girded about and having the shoulders bare,] with their hair hanging loose. And these women, me thought, had a savage look. And the shepherd ordered them to take up the stones which had been cast away from the building, and to carry them off to the same mountains from which also they had been brought;

9[86]:6 and they took them up joyfully, and carried away all the stones and put them in the place whence they had been taken. 

13[90]:6 "The stones then, Sir," say I, "which are cast aside, wherefore were they cast aside? For they passed through the gate and were placed in the building of the tower by the hands of the virgins." "Since all these things interest thee," saith he, "and thou enquirest diligently, listen as touching the stones that have been cast aside.

13[90]:7 These all," [saith he,] "received the name of the Son of Alahayim, and received likewise the power of these virgins. When then they received these spirits, they were strengthened, and were with the servants of Alahayim, and they had one spirit and one body [and one garment]; for they had the same mind, and they wrought righteousness.

13[90]:8 After a certain time then they were persuaded by the women whom thou sawest clad in black raiment, and having their shoulders bare and their hair loose, and beautiful in form. When they saw them they desired them, and they clothed themselves with their power, but they stripped off from themselves the power of the virgins.

13[90]:9 They then were cast away from the house of Alahayim, and delivered to these (women). But they that were not deceived by the beauty of these women remained in the house of Alahayim. So thou hast," saith he, "the interpretation of them that were cast aside."

14[90]:1 What then, Sir," say I, "if these men, being such as they are, should repent and put away their desire for these women, and return unto the virgins, and walk in their power and in their works? Shall they not enter into the house of Alahayim?"

14[90]:2 "They shall enter," saith he, "if they shall put away the works of these women, and take again the power of the virgins, and walk in their works. For this is the reason why there was also a cessation in the building, that, if these repent, they may go into the building of the tower; but if they repent not, then others will go, and these shall be cast away finally."14[90]:3 For all these things I gave thanks unto the Lord, because He had compassion on all that called upon His name, and sent forth the angel of repentance to us that had sinned against Him, and refreshed our spirit, and, when we were already ruined and had no hope of life, restored our life.

15[92]:3 Hear," saith he, "likewise the names of the women that wear the black garments. Of these also four are more powerful than the rest; the first is Unbelief; the second, Intemperance; the third, Disobedience; the fourth, Deceit; and their followers are called, Sadness, Wickedness, Wantonness, Irascibility, Falsehood, Folly, Slander, Hatred. The servant of Alahayim that beareth these names shall see the kingdom of Alahayim, but shall not enter into it."