256 How do we choose the right teacher

How do we choose the right teacher?

Salvation is a very serious subject and once YHVH has started calling us to become part of His chosen royal priesthood, we need to make sure that we qualify for that purpose at the end of our lives, or when Messiah returns one day. YHVH calls His first fruit believers from the religions of the world, to start following Him the way He prescribes in His word. He calls us out of the many counterfeit religions of the world, to come and have a personal relationship with Him. However, because Satan’s main purpose is to keep the world deceived and from knowing Elohim’s truth, he makes sure that as soon as many new believers come out of the religions of the world, they get deceived into following just another counterfeit.

The question of how to make sure we follow the right teacher is therefore very important, as Satan has many agents disguising themselves as apostles[1] of Messiah, as Rav Shaul also warned about in 2 Corinthians 11: 13 – 15, saying: ‘For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Messiah. (14) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.’ Rav Shaul wrote a further warning about Satan’s deceiving work in 2 Corinthians 4: 3 & 4, saying: ‘And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, (4) in whose case the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of Elohim.’ The gospel of the Kingdom of Elohim is definitely not the false gospel that the churches of this world preach about the life, death and resurrection of Messiah, but it is the good news about the coming Kingdom of Elohim, during which Messiah will rule with His saints for a thousand years from Jerusalem and then the Universe into eternity.

The fact that most of the groups who have been called out of the religions of the world, proclaim the good news of the coming Kingdom of Elohim, is not enough to make sure that we are taught the true good news about what Elohim has planned for all mankind. The good news of the coming Kingdom of Elohim does not end at the Feast of Tabernacles, which pictures the wedding reception of the Marriage of the Lamb and His bride the congregation of first born children of Elohim, resurrected at the return of Messiah on the Feast of Trumpets, one day in the near future. It also includes the rebirth of all people who ever lived after the thousand year rule of Messiah from Jerusalem. However, these people will be resurrected as flesh and blood human beings, who will be given a period of one hundred years, during which to make an informed decision about accepting Yahshua as their personal Passover or not, after the Scriptures will be opened to their understanding (as per Isaiah 25: 7 – 9[2] and Isaiah 65: 17 – 20[3]). Because some of the leaders of a number of Messianic/Nazarene Jewish/Israelite groups have never themselves been through the discipleship programs started by Messiah, not all of them are aware of what the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles depicts, let alone knowing about the existence of the eighth Day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Such teachers teach like most in Christianity that only those who are answering (YHVH)’s call at this time will eventually be saved and the rest of mankind will be thrown into the ‘eternal’ lake of fire.

But, nothing could be further from the truth – as is actually depicted in the annual Feast Days of Elohim, commanded to be kept by all those who worship Him. By keeping the Feast Days of Elohim, we get to know Elohim’s plan of salvation for all mankind. Whereas, the original Passover was specifically instituted to save the first born children of Israel, the Feast of Weeks, also known as Shavuot pictures the time when the first fruits chosen from both houses of Israel are presented before Elohim, to be accepted to be born again as the first born children of Elohim, at Messiah’s return one day soon. As part of the reward of the first fruits of Elohim, because of sacrificing their lives for the way of Elohim during this age, they will become kings and priests under Yahshua at His return on the Feast of Trumpets. It is also on the same Feast of Trumpets that Yahshua will save the tents of Judah first, as witnessed in Zechariah 12: 7 – 10 in this way: “YHVH also will save the tents of Judah first in order that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be magnified above Judah. (8) In that day YHVH will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like Elohim, like the angel of YHVH before them. (9) And it will come about in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (10) And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.” This will be when our Jewish Brothers will like Messiah’s disciple Thomas, see His hands and accept Him as their Master and Elohim! If after reading the remainder of Ezekiel 12 and you do not recognize that this will happen when the Jews will be in their synagogues on Yom Teruah (known by them as Rosh Hashanah), when Yahshua returns at the sound of the last trumpet and you still believe and keep a different calendar to what YHVH has ordained through Judah, then you are undoubtedly blinded to Elohim’s truths. This is indeed a glaring witness to the Hebrew calendar, which will ensure that those who are too anti-Semitic to keep to it, will like the five foolish virgins of Matthew 25, be too late for the wedding feast of the Lamb. Rav Shaul wrote about this event in Romans 11: 13 - 15, talking about the fact that our Jewish Brothers are presently blinded to the identity of Messiah, saying: ‘But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, (14) if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. (15) For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?’ Yes, at the moment when our Jewish Brothers accept Yahshua as their Master and Elohim at His return, the dead in Messiah will be raised. It is at the sound of the last trumpet, that the remnant of first fruits from both houses of Israel will be born again as the Spiritual children to rule as kings and priests of Elohim, under Yahshua Messiah for a thousand years.

But, the designation first born children of Elohim also logically imply that there will be second born children of Elohim. This is essentially inferred by the annual Feast Days of Elohim commanded in Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16. Similar to there being two harvest seasons in the Promised Land, so there will be two harvests of Human Beings into Elohim’s eternal Kingdom. Whereas the first annual harvest in Israel occur around the Feast of Weeks, 50 days after the First Day of Unleavened Bread (the first annual Sabbath of the year), the second great harvest occurs on the Feast of Ingathering after the Feast of Tabernacles, depicted by the Last Great Day of the Feast. The first fruit harvest around the Feast of Weeks consists of wheat depicting the first fruits unto YHVH, and the second great harvest is made up of grapes, olives, vegetables and other products propagated in the Land of Israel, depicting the rest of mankind to be resurrected during the period known as the Great White Throne Judgment, during which time the Scriptures will be opened to the minds of all mankind, allowing them to make an informed decision as to follow the way of Elohim or not. Having read many different teachers’ views on Elohim’s plan of salvation for all mankind, I came to the realization that not many teachers are aware and teach the truth about the Last Great day of the Feast Days of Elohim. These are therefore the first two ways to distinguish between a true and a misinformed teacher.

Having dealt with those who question the validity of the Hebrew calendar as well as with those who are totally oblivious of the meaning of the Last Great Day, we will now discuss the third area where many so-called teachers in our community are misinformed and deceive our people, namely the question of what it means to be born again. If we believe that the last named problem is unique to our time, we are wrong, since the same problem is discussed in John 3: 1 – 8, in this way: ‘Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; (2) this man came to Him by night, and said to Him “Rabbi, we know that You have come from Elohim as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless Elohim is with him.” (3) Yahshua answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim.”(4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (5) Yahshua answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (8) The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”’ In verse 9 Nicodemus answered and said to Yahshua: “How can these things be?” In verse 10, Yahshua said to Nicodemus: “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things?” So we see that this problem has been around from Yahshua’s time.

The truth is that Yahshua is the first ‘human being’ to be born-again from the dead as the Son of Elohim, as may be seen by reading Romans 1: 1 – 5 and Colossians 1: 15 - 18, as follows: “Shaul a bond-servant of Messiah Yahshua, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of Elohim, (2) which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, (3) concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, (4) who was declared the Son of Elohim with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Yahshua Messiah our Master.” (Colossians 1: 15 – 18) ‘And He is the image of the invisible Elohim, the first-born of all creation. (16) For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (18) He is also head of the body the congregation; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.’ The government that Yahshua is coming to establish upon the earth with Jerusalem as headquarters will be a ‘Spiritual Government’, by fully converted, Torah observing believers, who will be changed into Spirit beings at Yahshua’s return. Those born again of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit will be spirit beings, as much as those born of a human father are human beings. They will be born again at the first resurrection and will enter the Kingdom of Elohim as immortal spiritual beings. This is as Yahshua told Nicodemus; flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Elohim, as we must be born again as spirit beings to enter.

Elohim’s plan of salvation requires that we, who were separated from Him because of sin, be reconciled to Him, through the penalty that Yahshua paid, by dying in our stead. Subsequently to dying for us, Yahshua was resurrected so that we may receive Elohim’s gift of the Set-apart Spirit, as a deposit with a view to Eternal life, but also to show us how we will one day be born-again as Elohim’s spiritual children, at His return, as witnessed in Romans 8: 29 & 30, in this way: ‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; (30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’ Yahshua ascended to the third heaven to become our High Priest, during which time we are being trained and developed, as fellow heirs of Elohim to assist Yahshua in the administration of Elohim’s Government. Whilst Yahshua was on earth, His disciples and others could not understand why He could not set-up the Kingdom of Elohim at that time. Similarly the Jewish leaders in Yahshua’s time expected Him to take over the rulership of the world, as prophesied about Him in Numbers 24: 17, in this way: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth (or tumult).”

Nicodemus a Pharisee who believed in Yahshua came to Him privately; since he and other Pharisees understood Yahshua’s message about the Kingdom of Elohim and that it will replace all human governments. But, they feared because Yahshua, a Jew like them, was proclaiming the Kingdom of Elohim. They thought that He was planning to overthrow the Roman government immediately, which could result in them losing their power and perhaps be put to death for threatening to overthrow the government. That is why Yahshua clearly stated that the Kingdom of Elohim is not of this world, but of the world that is to come. We should not forget that Yahshua told Nicodemus that unless a man is born again from above, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Elohim. Nicodemus did not understand what Yahshua meant. He knew what it meant to be born as a little baby, but he did not understand the concept of being born again. Yahshua clearly told him that the Kingdom of Elohim will not be something which we as flesh and blood human beings could enter, but confirmed that if we are born again one day, we may enter. Similar to when a baby is born, it is delivered from its mother’s womb into this world, so will a person being born again of the Spirit be delivered into the Kingdom of Elohim, at the resurrection of the dead. Rav Shaul explained in 1 Corinthians 15: 47 - 52 that even though we are presently flesh and blood beings, we will be changed into spirit beings when we are born again, as follows: “The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (48) As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. (49) And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (50) Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Elohim; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” Verse 53 of 1 Corinthians 15 witness how this change will come about: “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” We will only inherit eternal life in the Kingdom of Elohim, after the first resurrection. Continuing in the second part of Romans 8: 9, we read: ‘But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, he does not belong to Him.’ It is only by immersion into Yahshua’s saving name (as per Acts 2: 38[4]) and after the laying on of hands by the elders (as per Acts 8: 12 – 17[5]) that we receive a portion of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit.

The Set-apart Spirit entering us could be compared to a sperm cell impregnating an ovum, thereby giving us spiritual life, later to be born again as spirit beings. A fertilized ovum is not yet a born human being; at conception life is passed on from the human father and in this way the father has begotten a new life, but at that point neither the embryo nor the fetus is ready to be born as a person yet. In similar way a spirit begotten human is not a Spirit being yet. But, we are told in Romans 8: 11, ‘But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yahshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yahshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.’ So it is clear, there is a direct comparison between being born of the flesh, and being born again of Elohim. After a human father has impregnated an egg cell from the mother, the father has begotten the child, but it remains in the mother’s womb for the gestation period of nine months before it is delivered into this world. Similarly, the process of being born again begins when Elohim gives us a portion of His Set-apart Spirit after immersion and the laying on of hands. The Set-apart Spirit from Elohim the Father combines with the spirit of man and we are begotten anew, to be born again as spirit beings when we are resurrected (or changed if we remain alive) at Yahshua’s return. The human mother’s womb serves the function of feeding the unborn child with physical food, so that it may develop and grow physically. After immersion, we also need to grow in grace and knowledge and are fed Spiritual food by those whom YHVH called into discipleship, before us. It is through the guidance of the Set-apart Spirit that our teachers feed us Spiritual food, but, it is important for us to make sure that what they teach us comes from The Scriptures.

Let’s now cover the few remaining points of how to identify the false prophets among us. We turn to 2 Peter 2: 1 – 3, where Rav Kepha warns us about such false teachers, saying: ‘But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying (a word which comes from the Greek word ‘arneomai[6]’ meaning to deny, but also to contradict) the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; (3) and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.’ It is clear that false teachers are people who contradict what Yahshua taught and did whilst He was on earth. In addition we see that such teachers are more concerned about ‘selling the word of Elohim’, than teaching people freely as Yahshua said in Matthew 5: 8. This same warning is also repeated in the book of Jude verse 4, but here we are told that these people ‘are marked out for this condemnation’ meaning that they will not be in the Kingdom of Elohim as kings and priests, but will eventually be given a chance of salvation in the second resurrection, after they have repented of their deception from Satan. These false teachers are those who teach against the Oneness of Elohim; saying that they know He consist of two (YHVH)’s, but they are also those who teach contrary to what Yahshua taught: One example being, that somehow they deny that the Pharisees, presently seated in Moses’ seat are responsible to name and proclaim the annual Feast Days of Elohim.

We’ve also seen Rav Shaul’s warning about brethren who will find for themselves teachers to teach them what they want to hear, instead of listening to Elohim’s truth as in 2 Timothy 4: 1 - 4, in this way: ‘I solemnly charge you in the presence of Elohim and of Messiah Yahshua, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: (2) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers according to their own desires; (4) and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.’ Finally we read more about the methodology used by false teachers in Jeremiah 23: 14 – 17, as follows: “Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing; the committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah. (15) Therefore thus says YHVH of hosts concerning the prophets, ‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood and make them drink poisonous water, for from the prophets of Jerusalem pollution has gone forth into all the land.’” (16) Thus says YHVH of hosts, ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of YHVH. (17) They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘YHVH has said, “You will have peace”; and as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, they say, ‘Calamity will not come upon you.’ So we see that these false teachers strengthen the hand of the evildoers; they also give people false hope, instead of warning them to stop sinning and they tell their congregants that no harm will come to them, despite their sins.

But there are also those who teach against the writings of Rav Shaul, without realizing that Yahshua personally appointed him to be a facilitator to reconcile us, a remnant of the lost ten tribes to the Father, but also to Brother Judah, as recorded in Ephesians 2: 11 – 19, in this way: ‘Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Un-circumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—(12) remember that you were at that time separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise (given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but also to David), having no hope and without Elohim in the world. (13) But now in Messiah Yahshua you who formerly were far off (from the house of Israel) have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. (14) For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, (15) by abolishing in His flesh the enmity (punishment due to us for breaking the commandments), which is the law of commandments contained in ordinances (the punishment described for transgressing various commandments and statutes), that in Himself He might make the two (houses of Israel) into one new man, thus establishing peace, (16) and might reconcile them both in one body (or congregation) to Elohim through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. (17) AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY (us), AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR (the Jews); (18) for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. (19) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Elohim’s household.’ It is for this reason that Rav Kepha warned about the writings of Rav Shaul, saying in 2 Peter 3: 13 – 16: ‘But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (14) Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (15) and regard the patience of our Master to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Shaul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, (16) as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.’ Similarly was there in the recent past (2006) those who taught against the book of Hebrews, saying that it is anti-Torah, also insinuating that it was originally written in Greek. However Eusebius in the fourth century referred to a now lost writing by Clement of Alexandra written around the year 200 C.E. which Eusebius cites as follows: “in the work called Hypotheses, to sum up the matter briefly he (Clement of Alexandria) has given us the abridged accounts of all the canonical Scriptures, the Epistle to the Hebrews he asserts was written by Paul, to the Hebrews, in the Hebrew tongue; but that it was carefully translated by Luke, and published among the Greeks.” (Clement of Alexandria; Hypothesis (c.200 CE) referred to by Eusebius in Eccl. Hist. 6: 14:2) “For as Paul had addressed the Hebrews in the language of his country; some say that the evangelist Luke, others that Clement, translated the epistle.” (Eusebius (4th Cent.); Eccl. Hist. 3: 38: 2-3). Because these people do not understand Rav Shaul’s writings and reject a portion of the Scriptures, they are guilty of taking away from the word of Elohim, since Rav Kepha shows in verse 16 quoted above, that Rav Shaul’s writings are part and parcel of the Scriptures or the word of Elohim.

Those who reject Elohim’s way, after having received all the knowledge required to follow Him during this age, as well as those who reject His way after being given full understanding of His will and way, after the second resurrection, will simply be burnt to become ashes under the feet of the righteous, as witnessed in Hebrews 10: 26 – 29, as follows: “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. (28) Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (29) How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of Elohim, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” But more specifically in Malachi 4: 1 – 3, in this way: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says YHVH of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. (2) But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. (3) And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says YHVH of hosts.” I hope and pray that these few pointers will help those of us called out of the world to follow the way of Elohim, to find suitable teachers to both immerse and teach them the things Yahshua taught His disciples, whilst He was on earth. Think about it!

[1] Apostles – the word apostle simply means someone who has gone through the same discipleship program as Messiah’s original disciples did and is sent forth to teach Torah and to proclaim the coming Kingdom of Elohim.

[2] Isaiah 25: 7 – 9: ‘And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and YHVH Elohim will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for YHVH has spoken. And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our Elohim for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is YHVH for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”’

[3] Isaiah 65: 17 – 20: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for gladness. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying. No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred shall be thought accursed.”

[4] Acts 2: 38, ‘And Kepha said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit.”’

[5] Acts 8: 12 – 17: ‘But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of Elohim and the name of Yahshua Messiah, they were being immersed, men and women alike. And even Simon himself believed; and after being immersed, he continued on with Philip; and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Elohim, they sent them Kepha and Yochanan, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Set-apart Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been immersed in the name of the Master Yahshua. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Set-apart Spirit.’

[6] Strong's Greek: 720. Ἀρνέομαι (arneomai) -- to deny, say no biblesuite.com/Greek/720.htm 720 arnéomai – properly, deny (refuse); hence, contradict, refuse to affirm or to confess (identify with); disown (repudiate).