Torah cf. Grace:
I believe we are not under torah, but grace as it says in the scripture.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Samuel Tykocinski on -
In Colossians 2:14 Says: He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way nailing it to the cross.
exaleipsas to kath heemon cheirographon tois dogmasin ho eem hupenantion hemin, kai auto eerken ek tou mesou proseelosas auto to stauro.
Waata bpuqdanawhy shtar khawbayn. Haw diyathawhy hwa saquvlan. Ushaqleih min mtsata wqaveih bazqiypeih.
Biteil et shtar hakhov asher hayah negdeinu od tumu weheseeyru btaqu oto batzlav.
I quoted in the Original Common Greek, Syrian Aramaic, and Modern Hebrew languages from the Received Text (NKJV),Syrian Peshitta (Eastern (Iraqi) Text), and the Modern Hebrew translation from the United Bible Soceity's Greek Text. Sam
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Permalink Reply by Samuel Tykocinski on
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The writing in question does not say that the Torah is nailed to the cross, but rather its certificate or the teachings of Mosaic Law that is contrary to the Church Universal , no longer Jewish only but one new body in Christ Jesus. If the Nazarene Jews really observed the Mosaic law they may speak, but they pick and choose what suits them. I have found that people will use lights and drive to the Synagogue on the sabbath a voliation of Torah punishable by death. If we are all under Torah then we all must die for violating its strict laws and regualtions which none of us can live according to, that is why we are nolonger under the torah but Grace while the strict laws and regulations is fullfilled in Christ at the cross and we are free to live in Christ rather than the Law Nomos also Nomosa in the Peshitta a translation of the Greek Nomos used for Torah in the LXX and the NT. Sam
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Permalink Reply by Kenny Cartwright on -
You know- I do not consider myself under Torah, but bercause of YESHUA and the recieving of the SPIRIT of the HOLY ONE, I desire to obey the Torah. I am not perfect at it- I am growing in it. If I was under Torah, I would be condemned for failure. But, as expressed by David in Psalm 119, I am now freee to walk in the Torah, and I grow in it because I desire, am passionate to do so. Obeying Torah from a sense of liberty is not being under the Torah. Shalom, kenny cartwright
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Permalink Reply by Kenny Cartwright on
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Being at work earlier, I had to cut it a little short as my break time ended. I would like to add that honoring GOD's Sabbath is a priveledge. Now that I am learning to do so, I wouldnt miss this precious gift for the world!!!! Observing the Moedim is a priveledge that teaches about YESHUA the MESSIAH! The tzitzit I am priveledged to wear- and as they symbolize the commandments, they aslo symbolize the MESSIAH- the Torah made flesh, in remarkable ways! The phylactery on the forehead and the tefilin on the hands along with the tztzit on the sides reminds of the places of YESHUA's wounds on our behalf. And that is just a few on the Torah commands I am, along with many others, honored to grow in keeping. It is by the SPIRIT of MESSIAH that I keep the rightness of the Torah (Romans 8)- if I do not have that SPIRIT, I do not belong to MESSIAH. Not being under Torah does not liberate me to break Torah (sin), rather being under grace causes me to give myself as a servant of the righteousness of Torah- and I am priveledged to do so. YESHUA said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (a conclusion also found in the Talmud and Midrash)- in other words it is a gift to man. By extension (qal vchomer argument) so is the Torah. The Torah and the commands therein are a gift!!!!! I agree wholeheartedly that we are not under Torah but under grace- and being so makes keeping Torah an honor and coveted priveledge! Shalom, kenny cartwright
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Permalink Reply by Mikha El on -
This changed my mind on the subject about 3 years ago now. Please prayerfully consider it.
In His service...
Mikha el.
Is the Torah for Today?
(An excerpt from the book “Nazarene Theology”)
By
James Scott Trimm
More books, DVDs and “at cost” booklets
are available at:
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Published by
Institute for Nazarene Jewish Studies
PO Box 471
Hurst, TX 76053
http://www.nazarene.co.nr
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© Copyright 2008 James Scott Trimm
This booklet is not to be sold for profit.
It is an “at cost” educational service in
the public interest, published by the
Institute for Nazarene Jewish Studies.
It is made possible by voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings.
Contributions are welcomed and greatfully accepted. Those who wish
to voluntarily aid and support this work are gladly welcomed as coworkers
in this important effort to proclaim the truth of Torah and
Messiah to all people.
Donations may be sent via paypal (http://www.paypal.com) to
donations@beitnetzarim.com or may be mailed to:
Nazarene Judaism
PO Box 471
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Is The Torah for Today?
The word "TORAH" is commonly translated in our Bibles as "Law",
but is that really a good translation of the word Torah? The Hebrew
word "TORAH" (Strong's Heb. #8451) means guidance or instruction.
TORAH comes from the Hebrew root verb YARAH (Strong's 3384)
meaning "to instruct". YARAH was also an archery term refering to
shooting an arrow and as a term meaning "to lay a foundation." Torah
therefore is guidance, like the straight path of an arrow to its target.
Torah is our foundation. It is important to understand the real meaning
of the Hebrew word Torah. Because while some might say "Elohim's
Torah is not for today" no one would say that "Elohim's instruction
and guidance are not for today."
The Greek word for TORAH used in the Septuagint (Greek "Old
Testament") and the Greek New Testament is NOMOS. This parallels
the Aramaic Bible (the Peshitta) which has NAMOSA from the
Semitic root NIMMES meaning "to civilize" and from which we also
get the modern Hebrew word NIMOS or NIMUS meaning
"politeness." At the core of TORAH are the precepts of civilization.
From Elohim's perspective, without Torah we are uncivilized.
The mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah are categorized under three
categories:
MISHPATIM (judgments) Strong's 4941
EDYOT (testimonies) Strong's 5715
KHOKIM (statutes; decrees) Strong's 2706
The MISHPATIM are the moral and ethical commandments. These
deal with what is fundamentally right and wrong.
The EDYOT are commandments that give testimony to YHWH.
These include the Shabbat, the festivals the teffilin, the Mezuzah etc.
The KHOKIM are commandments with no apparent rational. For
example the commandment not to mix wool and linen.
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For All your Generations Forever
Now we have already shown that in studying the New Testament we
must ask ourselves "can you get here from there?" ("there" being the
Tanak (Old Testament)). If we understand something in the New
Testament in such a way that it contradicts the Tanak, then we must be
misunderstanding it. Now there are many who understand many New
Testament passages in such a way as to believe and teach that the
Torah has been abolished. Let us be like noble Bereans and let us look
in the Tanak to see if this is so (Acts 17:11). After all Paul tells us that
the Tanak is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, [and]
for instruction" (2Tim. 3:16). So what does the Tanak say? Was the
Torah to be for all generations, forever? or would it one day be
abolished? If the Torah would one day be abolished, then we should
be able to find this taught in the Tanak. As Noble Bereans we should
be checking to see if the things we have been taught can be found in
the Tanak. By contrast, if the Torah would not be abolished, but
would be for all generations forever, then we should be able to find
that information in the Torah as well. Since the Tanak is profitable for
doctrine and correction, perhaps we can seek the truth on this issue
from the Tanak:
...it shall be a statute forever
to their generations.... (Ex. 27:21)
...it shall be a statute forever to him
and his seed after him. (Ex. 28:43)
...a statute forever... (Ex. 29:28)
...it shall be a statute forever to them,
to him and to his seed
throughout their generations. (Ex. 30:21)
It is a sign between me
and the children of Israel forever. (Ex. 31:17)
There is no shortage of passages in the Torah which specify that the
Torah will not be abolished but will be for all generations forever. (For
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more see: Lev. 6:18, 22; 7:34, 36; 10:9, 15; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 41; 24:3;
Num. 10:8; 15:15; 18:8, 11, 19, 23; 19:10 and Deut. 5:29)
Moreover the Psalmist writes:
Your word is truth from the beginning:
and every one of your righteous judgements
endures forever.
(Psalm 119:160)
Furthermore the Tanak tells us that the Torah is not to be changed or
taken away from:
You shall not add to the word
which I command you,
neither shall you diminish a thing from it,
that you may keep the commandments
of YHWH your God which I command you.
(Deut 4:2)
Whatever thing I command you,
observe to do it: you shall not add thereto,
nor diminish from it.
(Deut. 12:32)
So if we are "Noble Bereans" we will find that the Tanak teaches that
the Torah will not be abolished but will endure for all generations
forever. This teaching from the Tanak is profitable to us for doctrine,
for reproval and for correction.
The Messiah echoes this teaching:
Do not think that I have come
to destroy the Torah or the Prophets.
I have not come to destroy but to fulfill.
For assuredly, I say to you,
till heaven and earth pass away,
one yud or one mark will by no means
pass from the Torah till all is fulfilled.
Whoever therefore breaks one of the least
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of these commandments, and teaches men so,
he will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven;
but whoever does and teaches them
will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Matt. 5:17-19 see also Lk. 16:17).
As does Paul:
Do we then abolish the Torah through trust?
Absolutely not! We uphold the Torah!
(Rom. 3:31)
Despite the fact that David was saved by faith alone (Rom. 4:5-8) he
loved the Torah and delighted in it (Ps. 119: 97, 113, 163). Paul (Paul)
also delighted in the Torah (Rom. 7:22) and called it "holy, just and
good." (Rom. 7:12). There is nothing wrong with the Torah that
Elohim should want to abolish or destroy it, in fact both the Tenach
and the New Scriptures call the Torah "perfect" (Ps. 19:7; James 1:25).
The Torah is even called in the New Testament "the Torah of
Messiah" (Gal. 6:2). To say that the Torah was not forever and is not
for all generations, is to call Elohim a liar.
Another popular teaching in the church is a teaching that Elohim only
gave the Torah to Israel to prove that they could not keep it. For
example one book states:
...Israel, in blindness and pride and selfrighteousness,
presumed to ask for the law;
and God granted their request, to show them
that they could not keep his law...
(God's Plan of the Ages; Louis T. Tallbot; 1970; p. 66)
Now lets think this through for a moment. God gives Israel the Torah.
He says he will place curses upon Israel if they fail to keep the Torah
(Lev. 26 & Deut 28-29). He sends prophets to warn Israel of pending
destruction because of their continual failure to keep Torah.
Eventually God allows Babylon to invade Jerusalem and the Jews to
be taken into captivity, because of their failure to keep Torah. Then he
comes along and says "Nah, I was only fooling. I just gave you the
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Torah to prove you could not do it." What kind of God would that be?
Of course as noble Bereans we can simply look in the Tanak to see if
this poular teaching is true. Let us see what the Tanak says on this
issue:
For this commandment which I command you this day
it is not to hard for you, neither is it far off.
It is not in heaven, that you should say:
" Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us,
and make us to hear it, that we may do it?"
Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say:
"Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us,
and make us hear it, that we may do it?"
But the Word is very near to you, in your mouth,
and in your heart, that you may do it.
(Deut. 30:11-14)
The fact that the Torah can be kept is confirmed as well in the New
Testament which tells us that Yeshua was tempted in all things just as
we are and he did keep the Torah (Heb. 4:15).
Paul Misunderstood
Paul is greatly misunderstood as having taught that the Torah is not for
today. I have met a great many who feel uncomfortable with his
writings. Some of these have even, like the Ebionites of ancient times,
removed Paul's from their canon (Eusebius; Eccl. Hist. 3:27:4). This
belief that Yeshua may not have abolished the Torah, but that Paul did,
has been propagated since ancient times. The "Toldot Yeshu" for
example, an ancient hostile Rabbinic parody on the Gospels and Acts,
accuses Paul of contradicting Yeshua on this very issue (Toldot Yeshu
6:16-41; 7:3-5). At least one modern Dispensationalist, Maurice
Johnson, taught that the Messiah did not abolish the Torah, but that
Paul did several years after the fact. He writes:
Apparently God allowed this system of Jewish
ordinances to be practiced about thirty years
after Christ fulfilled it because in His patience,
God only gradually showed the Jews how it was
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that His program was changing.... Thus it was
that after God had slowly led the Christians
out of Jewish religion He had Paul finally
write these glorious, liberating truths.
(Saved by "Dry" Baptism! ; a pamphlet by
Maurice Johnson; pp. 9-10)
Kefa warns us in the Scriptures that Paul's writings are difficult to
understand. He warns us saying:
...in which are some things hard to understand,
which those who are untaught and unstable
twist to their own destruction,
as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
(2Pt. 3:15-16)
Paul knew that his teachings were being twisted, he mentions this in
Romans, saying:
And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?
-- as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm
that we say." (Rom. 3:8)
Paul elaborates on this slanderous twist of his teachings, saying:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin
that grace may abound? Certainly not!..."
(Rom. 6:1-2)
and
What then? Shall we sin because we are not
under the Torah but under grace? Certainly not!"
(Rom. 6:15).
So then, Paul was misunderstood as teaching that because we
are under grace, we need not observe the Torah.
Upon his visit to Jerusalem in Acts 21 Paul was confronted with this
slanerous twist of his teachings. He was told:
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You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews
there are who believe, and they are all zealous
for the Torah; but they have been informed about
you that you teach all the Jews who are among
the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they
ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk
according to the customs.
(Acts 21:20-21)
In order to prove that this was nothing more than slander, Paul takes
the nazarite vow and goes to make offerings (sacrifices) at the Temple
(Acts 21:22-26 & Num. 6:13-21) demonstrating that he himself kept
the Torah (Acts 21:24). Paul did and said many things to prove that he
both kept and taught the Torah. He:
• circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:1-3)
• took the nazarite vow (Acts 18:18; 21:17-26)
• taught and observed the Jewish holy days such as:
• Passover (Acts 20:6; 1Cor. 5:6-8; 11:17-34)
• Shavuot (Pentecost) (Acts 20:16; 1Cor. 16:8)
• fasting on Yom Kippur (Acts 27:9)
• and even performed animal sacrifices
in the Temple (Acts 21:17-26/Num. 6:13-21;
Acts 24:17-18)
Among his more notable statements on the subject are:
• "Neither against the Jewish Torah,
nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar
have I offended in anything at all." (Acts 25:8)
• "I have done nothing against our people
or the customs of our fathers." (Acts 28:17)
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• "...the Torah is holy and the commandment
is holy and just and good." (Rom. 7:12)
• "Do we then nullify the Torah through faith?
May it never be! On the contrary, we maintain
the Torah." (Rom. 3:31).
Was Paul a Hypocrite?
Being confronted with the various acts and statements of Paul which
support the Torah, many of the "Torah is not for today" teachers
accuse Paul of being hypocritical. Charles Ryrie, for example,
footnotes Acts 21:24 in his Ryrie Study Bible calling Paul a "middle of
the road
Christian" for performing such acts. Another writer, M.A. DeHaan
wrote an entire book entitled "Five Blunders of Paul" which
characterizes these acts as "blunders." "These teachers of lawlessness"
credit Paul as the champion of their doctrine, and then condemn him
for not teaching their doctrine. If Paul was really a hypocrite, could he
honestly have condemned hypocrisy so fervently (see Gal. 2:11-15).
Consider some of his own words:
For now do I persuade the sons of men or Eloah? Or do I seek to
please the sons of men? For if until now I had pleased the sons of
men, I would not have been a servant of the Messiah.
(Gal. 1:10 HRV)
And you know, my brothers, that our entrance unto you was not in
vain,
but first we suffered and were dishonored, as you know, in Philippi,
and then with great struggle we spoke to you with the boldness of our
Eloah the good news of the Messiah.
For our exhortation was not from deception nor from impurity nor
with treachery.
But as we were approved of Eloah to be entrusted with his Good
News, thus we speak, not so as to please the sons of men, but Eloah,
who searches our hearts.
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For we never used flattering speech, as you know, nor a pretext of
greediness; Eloah [is] witness.
(1Thes. 2:1-5 HRV)
If Paul was a hypocrite, he must have been one of the slickest con-men
in history!
"Works of the Torah" and "Under the Torah"
Much of the confusion about Paul's teachings on the Torah involves
two scripture phrases which appear in the New Testament only in
Paul's writings (in Rom. Gal. & 1Cor.). These two phrases are "works
of the Torah" and "under the Torah", each of which appears 10 times
in the Scriptures.
The first of these phrases, "works of the Torah", is best understood
through its usage in Gal. 2:16. Here Paul writes:
knowing that a man is not justified by
WORKS OF THE TORAH but by faith in
Yeshua the Messiah, even we have believed
in Messiah Yeshua, that we might be justified
by faith in Messiah and not by the
WORKS OF THE TORAH; for by the WORKS OF
THE TORAH no flesh shall be justified.
Paul uses this phrase to describe a false method of justification which
is diametricly opposed to "faith in the Messiah". To Paul "works of the
Torah" is not an obsolete Old Testament system, but a hearasy that has
never been true.
The term "works of the Torah" has shown up as a technical theological
term used in a document in the Dead Sea Scrolls called MMT which
says:
Now we have written to you some of the
WORKS OF THE TORAH, those which we
determined would be beneficial for you...
And it will be reckoned to you as righteousness,
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in that you have done what is right and good
before Him...
(4QMMT (4Q394-399) Section C lines 26b-31)
The second of these phrases is "under the Torah". This phrase may
best be understood from its usage in Rom. 6:14, "For sin shall not have
dominion over you, for you are not UNDER THE TORAH but under
grace." Paul, therefore, sees "under grace" and "under the Torah" as
diametrically opposed, one cannot be both. The truth is that since we
have always been under grace (see Gen. 6:8; Ex. 33:12, 17; Judges
6:17f; Jer. 31:2) we have never been "under the Torah". This is
because the Torah was created for man, man was not created for the
Torah (see Mk. 2:27). "Under the Torah" then, is not an obsolete Old
Testament system, but a false teaching which was never true.
There can be no doubt that Paul sees "works of the Torah" and "under
the Torah" as categorically bad, yet Paul calls the Torah itself "holy,
just and good" (Rom. 7:12), certainly Paul does not use these phrases
to refer to the Torah itself.
The Belt of Truth
There is a spiritual battle taking place. A battle between light and
darkness. A battle between truth and deception. Paul writes:
and put on all the armour of Eloah, so that you may be able to stand
against the strategies of 'Akel Kartza,
because your struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with
principalities and with authorities and with the possessors of this dark
world and with the evil spirits that are under heaven.
Because of this, put on all the armour of Eloah that you may be able to
meet the evil one, and being prepared in everything, you may stand
firm.
(Eph. 6:11-13 HRV)
Paul goes on to describe the parts of this armour as:
• The Belt of Truth
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• The Breastplate of Righteousness
• The Shoes of the Goodnews of Peace (Shalom)
• The Shield of Faith
• The Helmet of Salvation
• The Sword of the Word
Now Paul is making a play on words here. The Aramaic word for
"Armour" is ZAYNA while the Aramaic word for for "whiles" is
TZEN'TA. Paul is contrasting the ZAYNA with the TZEN'TA. The
four fixed (non mobile) pieces of armour correspond to the four whiles
of HaSatan which are depicted in the Tanak:
• Deception/Lies (Gen. 3)
(Belt of Truth)
• Temptation/Pride (1Chron. 21:1)
(Breastplate of Righteousness)
• Oppression (Job)
(Shoes of Peace)
• Accusation (Zech. 3:1-5)
(Helmet of Salvation)
Now we will not cover each of the items here, instead we will
concentrate only on the belt of truth.
Now it should be understood that the armour Paul is speaking of is not
Roman armour, it was not inspired by Roman Soldiers. The armour
was originally inspired by the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 11:5; 52:7 and
59:17) as well as the apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon (5:17-20).
Therefore the subject of this passage is ancient Hebew armour and not
Roman armour at all. Now ancient Hebrews wore a skirt like garment.
Before going into battle a Hebrew warrior would gird himself with the
a belt, he would gather his skirt-like garment up and tuck it up under
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his belt to allow free movement. This prevented him from getting
tripped up in his own garment while trying to fight.
Now when he was on trial before Pilate Yeshua said:
For this I have been born,
and for this I have come into the world,
to bear witness of the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.
(John 18:37-38)
To this Pilate asked the all important question:
What is truth?
(John. 18:38)
Let us look back to the Tanak to find the answer to Pilate's question:
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your Torah is truth.
(Psalm 119:142)
You are near, O YHWH,
and all your commandments are truth.
(Psalm 119:151)
This definition explains many phrases in the New Testament:
"Obey the truth" (Gal. 3:1)
"But he that does truth..." (Jn. 3:20)
And I rejoice that I found your children
walking in the truth, as we have received
a commandment from the Father.
(2Jn. 1:4)
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The Tanak definition of truth gives whole new meaning to Yeshua's
words:
For this I have been born,
and for this I have come into the world,
to bear witness of the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.
(John 18:37-38)
Yeshua came to bear witness of the Torah, those who hear the Torah
hear his voice. This leads us to another important saying from
Yeshua:
Then Yeshua said to those Jews who believed
on him, if you continue in my word,
then are you my disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free.
(John 8:31-32)
Paul, however, speaks of those "who changed the truth of God into a
lie" (Rom. 1:25) Now if Messiah came to bear witness of the truth
then what has HaSatan to bear witness to? The scriptures tell us:
He [the devil] was a murderer from the beginning,
and abode not the truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own:
for he is a liar, and ther father of it.
(John 8:44)
...HaSatan, who deceives the whole world...
(Rev. 12:9)
When HaSatan speaks a lie, he is merely speaking his native language.
Now if the Torah is truth, then what is HaSatan's lie? His lie is that
there is not a Torah, that the Torah has been done away with. There is
a Greek term for this teaching. This term is ANOMOS (Strong's Greek
#459). ANOMOS is made up of the Greek prefix A- (there is
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not/without) with the Greek word NOMOS (Torah). ANOMOS means
"without Torah" or "Torah-lessness." While Messiah came to bear
witness to the Torah, HaSatan comes to bear witness of ANOMOS
(Torah-lessness). Two entire books of the New Testament (2Kefa and
Jude) are dedicated to combating this false ANOMOS teaching.
Yeshua tells us that these teachers will be called "least" in the
Kingdom (Mt. 5:19).
Now lets take a look at how the Bible uses this term ANOMOS:
...I [Yeshua] will profess to them, I never knew you,
depart from me, you that work ANOMOS.
(Mt. 7:23)
...and they [angels] shall gather out of his Kingdom
all things that offend, and them which do ANOMOS.
(Mt. 13:41)
And many false prophets shall rise,
and shall deceive many.
And because ANOMOS shall abound,
the love of many shall grow cold.
(Mt. 24:11-12)
For the mystery of ANOMOS does already work...
And then shall the ANOMOS one be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth,...
whose coming is after the working of HaSatan
with all power and lying wonders,
and with all deceivableness...
because they received not the love of truth...
That they might be damned
who believed not the truth...
(2Thes. 2:7-12)
Many people have been taken in by the ANOMOS teaching. In fact
two of Christendom's largest theological sub-sets, Dispensationalism
and Replacement Theology, submit detailed theories to explain why
they teach that the Torah is not for today.
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Permalink Reply by Mikha El on
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Dispensationalism is a form of Premillennialism which replaces the
eternal "covenants" with finite "ages". Two of these finite ages are
"The Age of Torah" which basically encompasses "Old Testament
times", and "The Age of Grace" which basically encompasses "New
Testament times". According to these Dispensationalists, during "Old
Testament times" men were under Torah, but during "New Testament
times" men are under grace. Some Dispensationalists, called "Ultra-
Dispensationalists", even teach that men were saved by Torah in "Old
Testament times," but are saved by grace in "New Testament times."
As a result, Dispensationalists teach that "the Torah is not for today"
or "we have no Torah."
Replacement Theologians teach that G-d has replaced Israel with the
Church; Judaism with Christendom; The Old Testament with The New
Testament; and Torah with grace. As a result, they too teach that "the
Torah is not for today" or "we have no Torah."
Now you may be saying to yourself: "Ok, so they teach Torahlessness,
but don't the Torah-less teachers of 2Peter & Jude go so far
as to teach sexual immorality? Surely the Torah-less teachers of within
the church would never use their "the Torah is not for today" teaching
to promote sexual immorality." Wrong! Some of Christendom's
teachers have already carried the "the Torah is not for today" reasoning
to its fullest and logical conclusion. A sect of Christendom known as
"The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches" has
published a tract which does just that. The nameless author of the tract
writes:
Another Scripture verse that is used to show
that the Bible condemns the gay lifestyle is found
in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, 18:22,
"Thou shalt not lie with a man as thou would with
a woman." Anyone who is concerned about this
prohibition should read the whole chapter or the
whole Book of Leviticus: No pork, no lobster,
no shrimp, no oysters, no intercourse during
the menstrual period, no rare meats, no eating blood,
no inter-breeding of cattle, and a whole host of other
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laws, including the Law to kill all divorced people who
remarry.
As Christians, our Law is from Christ. St. Paul clearly
taught that Christians are no longer under the Old Law
(for example in Galatians 3:23-24); that the Old Law is
brought to an end in Christ (Romans 10:4); and its
fulfillment is in love (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14).
The New Law of Christ is the Law of Love. Neither
Jesus, nor Paul, nor any of the New Testament Scriptures
implies that Christians are held to the cultic or ethical
laws of the Mosaic Law.
(Homosexuality; What the Bible Does and Does not Say;
Universal Fellowship press, 1984, p. 3)
Thus Christendom's teaching that "the Torah is not for today" is
already being used to "turn the grace of our Elohim into perversion."
(Jude 1:4; see also 2Pt. 2:18-21)
There is indeed a spiritual battle taking place. It is a battle between the
truth and a lie. It is a battle between light and darkness. It is a battle
led by the one who came to bear witness to the Torah, and the one who
comes to bear witness to Torah-lessness. The Torah is truth. The belt
of truth is the belt of Torah. Gird yourselves with the belt of Torah
that you may withstand the Torah-less one.
Freedom from Bondage
In the last chapter we learned that the Torah is Truth (Ps. 119:142) and
that Yeshua said:
... if you continue in my word,
then are you my disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free.
(John 8:31-32)
Therefore the Torah brings freedom. This is completely contrary to
what most people have been taught. The common wisdom is that the
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Torah is bondage and that "freedom in Christ" means freedom from
Torah. For example one author writes:
Many Christians today would return to Sinai.
They would put upon the church the yoke of
bondage, the Law of Moses.
(God's Plan of the Ages; Louis T. Tallbot; 1970; p. 66)
However as we shall see the scriptures teach that exactly the opposite
is
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Permalink Reply by ohevyisrael on -
AMEN AND AMEN!!!!!!!!
Kenny Cartwright said:Being at work earlier, I had to cut it a little short as my break time ended. I would like to add that honoring GOD's Sabbath is a priveledge. Now that I am learning to do so, I wouldnt miss this precious gift for the world!!!! Observing the Moedim is a priveledge that teaches about YESHUA the MESSIAH! The tzitzit I am priveledged to wear- and as they symbolize the commandments, they aslo symbolize the MESSIAH- the Torah made flesh, in remarkable ways! The phylactery on the forehead and the tefilin on the hands along with the tztzit on the sides reminds of the places of YESHUA's wounds on our behalf. And that is just a few on the Torah commands I am, along with many others, honored to grow in keeping. It is by the SPIRIT of MESSIAH that I keep the rightness of the Torah (Romans 8)- if I do not have that SPIRIT, I do not belong to MESSIAH. Not being under Torah does not liberate me to break Torah (sin), rather being under grace causes me to give myself as a servant of the righteousness of Torah- and I am priveledged to do so. YESHUA said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (a conclusion also found in the Talmud and Midrash)- in other words it is a gift to man. By extension (qal vchomer argument) so is the Torah. The Torah and the commands therein are a gift!!!!! I agree wholeheartedly that we are not under Torah but under grace- and being so makes keeping Torah an honor and coveted priveledge! Shalom, kenny cartwright
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Permalink Reply by Kenny Cartwright on
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I agree with you, Bartek, wholeheartedly, except for a terminology issue- an issue that is only vital when discussing with christians who think that not being under the Torah but under grace= not obeying Torah. The heart of what you are saying is right on target, and I understand it fully. Paul, or Rav Shaul, says that we are not under Torah but under grace, and then poses the question of "does that mean we can sin- i.e. transgress the Torah (1John 3:4). He says- NO WAY!! It seems to me that the term "under the Torah" does not refer to those who obey it out of love and gratitude for G-D, rather it refers to the disobedient who are under the curse of the Torah for disobedience and who have not been justified by faith. I say it seems to me to used this way, though I have not tracked it down fully. YESHUA was born under the Torah- not because of HIS disobedience (which there was none), but because HE came to a fallen world, and took the sin of the world on HIMSELF. Other than that those under the Torah are those who disobey- no matter how hard they try. This is just my opinion- something to look at and test to see if it holds true. But irregardless of a disagreemant about a phrase, in my opinion you are one of the few in this world who are going through the narrow gate into eternal life. Grace and Shalom to you!!!!
Bartek Swierczek said:I think it's rather simple: we are under the grace & we are under the Torah at the same time. Why? Because Elohim showed us His grace - He forgave our sins - that's why we should be more than grateful. What does it mean to be grateful? It means to be obedient. Obedient to what? To His commandments.
If we keep YHWH's commandments we simply fulfill His will - if we keep man-made commandments we fulfill some man's will only, and it leads to nowhere, it's a waste of time...
Do you want to obey Yahweh? Keep His commandments. Which ones? All of them. Why all of them? Cause Yeshua said clearly about it in Matthew 5:17-19
There is nothing more simple than that - but if you have still "so called" Christian mind then first you should ask yourself: Do I really see the whole picture? And I tell you: it takes long time before you finally understand you were in darkness... I know what I am talking about - I walked that path...:-)
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Permalink Reply by James Trimm on
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Torah and Grace
By James Trimm
(an excerpt from my book Nazarene Theology at http://www.lulu.com/nazarene)
Another misunderstanding common in the church today is the concept that Torah and Grace are mutually exclucive ideas. For exmple one author writes:
A believer can not be under law and
under grace at the same time.
(God's Plan of the Ages; Louis T. Tallbot; 1970; p. 83)
Now let us be noble Bereans to see if this is true. Let us ask ourselves: "How were people saved in 'Old Testament' times? Were they saved by works or by grace?
The fact is that often when Paul speaks of how we are saved by grace through faith he often cites the Tanak to prove his point. Two of his favorite proof texts for this concept are from the Tanak:
And he believed in YHWH;
and he counted it to him as righteousness.
(Gen. 15:6 = Rom. 4:3, 22; Gal. 3:6)
...the just shall live by his faith.
(Hab. 2:4 = Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11)
So Paul is arguing from the Tanak that one is saved by faith alone appart from works. In fact the real truth is that men of the "Old Testament" times were just as under grace as we are today:
But Noah found grace in the eyes of YHWH.
(Gen. 6:8)
...you have also found grace in my sight....
...for you have found grace in my sight...
(Ex. 33:12, 17)
...and now I have found grace in your sight...
(Judges 6:17)
The people... found grace in the wilderness...
(Jer. 31:2)
Thus as noble Bereans we learn from the Tanak that people in "Old Testament" times were saved by grace through faith. They could not have earned their salvation any more than we could today, as Paul writes:
Knowing that a man is not justified by works
of the law, but by the faith of Yeshua the Messiah,
even we have believed in Yeshua the Messiah,
that we might be justified by the faith of Messiah,
and not by works of the law; and by the works
of the law shall no flesh be saved.
(Gal. 2:16)
In fact the "New Testament" contains more commandments than the "Old Testament". The New Testament contains1050 commandments [as delineated in Dake's Annotated Reference Bible; By Finnis Jennings Dake; N.T. pp.313-316] while the "Old Testament" Mosaic Law contains only 613 (b.Makkot 23b; see Appendix). Thus faith and grace are in the "Old Testament" and law and works can be found in the New Testament. People in Old Testament times were saved by grace through faith just like people in New Testament times. Now many anomians will agree to this fact on the surface, but lets follow this thought through to its fullest conclusion. Lets go beyond the surface and really think this through. If what we have shown to be true is true, then the people in the wilderness in the days of Moses were saved by grace through faith. Now lets look at the full impact of that statement. That means that people were under grace, and saved by faith alone and not by works, when Moses was stoning people to death for violating the Torah! Obviously then being saved by grace through faith in no way affects Torah observance.
So if grace and faith do not negate the observance of Torah, then what is the true nature of faith and grace? What is faith? What is grace? Let us once again turn to the scriptures for answers.
Now part of the reason that many people have come to think that there is more "grace" in the New Testament than in the Old Testament is a translation bias in the KJV and many other English versions.
There are two words for "grace" in the Hebrew Tanak. The first word is CHEN (Strong's 2580/2581) which means "grace or charm". The other word is CHESED (Strong's 2616/2617 ) which carries the meaning of "grace, mercy or undue favor."
These two words closely parallel the meanings of the two Greek words used for grace in the Greek Bible. These are CHARIS (Strong's 5485/5463) which means "grace or charm" and ELEOS (Strong's 1651/1653) meaning "grace, mercy or undue favor."
Obviously Hebrew CHEN = Greek CHARIS and Hebrew CHESED = Greek ELEOS. Now the KJV tends to translate CHEN/CHARIS as "grace" but tends to translate CHESED/ELEOS as "mercy". Now when we think of "grace" in biblical terms we are ussually thinking of the concept of CHESED/ELEOS "undue favor".
Now if we follow with the KJV translation scheme then it appears that there is much more grace in the New Testament than the Tanak, since CHEN only appears 70 times in the Tanak while CHARIS appears 233 times in the New Testament. But remember, the concept of "undue favor" is actually CHESED/ELEOS. CHESED appears 251 times in the Tanak, while ELEOS appears only 50 times in the New Testament. If anything there is far more "grace" in the Tanak than in the New Testament.
Now let us turn to the Tanak to get a better understanding of what grace really is. According to the Scriptures there is a close connection between "grace" and the "fear of YHWH":
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his grace (CHESED)
toward those who fear him.
(Psalm 103:11)
Oh let those who fear YHWH say,
"His grace (CHESED) is everlasting.
(Psalm 118:4)
By grace (CHESED) and truth
iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of YHWH
one keeps away from evil.
(Proverbs 16:6)
And the fear of YHWH, according to the Tanak, includes Torah observance:
...that he may learn the fear of YHWH his God,
to keep all the words of this Torah
and these statutes, to do them:
(Deut. 17:19)
...that they may hear, and that they may learn,
and fear YHWH your God,
and observe to do all the words of this Torah.
(Deut. 31:12)
Therefore there is clearly no conflict between grace and Torah. In fact the Torah is closely connected to grace.
The next word we need to examine is "faith". The Hebrew word is EMUNAH. EMUNAH can mean "belief, faith or trust" and is best translated "trusting faithfulness". When we speak of "faith" in YHWH we are not merely speaking about "belief" but "trusting faithfulness". If someone were to ask you if you are faithful to your spouse, you would not reply by saying "Yes, I believe my spouse exists." That is because it is clearly not an issue of what you believe but in whether you are faithful. Imagine a man who stays out late at night every night committing adultery with various women. Each night he comes home to his wife and tells her how much he loves her, and insists that since he believes in her existence that he therefore is faithful to her. Is this man faithful to his wife? Absolutely not! This understanding is confirmed to us in the Scriptures as follows:
Remove the false way from me,
and graciously grant me your Torah.
I have chosen the way of faith;
I have placed your ordinances before me.
(Psalm 119:29-30)
Now I want to make it clear that we are not saying that one earns ones salvation by keeping Torah. At times I have been asked "Do I have to keep Torah to be saved?". I reply by saying "Of course not.... do you have to get cleaned up to take a bath?"
You may ask, "Well if we don't keep the Torah for salvation, then why do we keep the Torah?" First of all, keeping the Torah SHOWS our faith (Titus 3:5-8; 1Jn. 2:3-7; James 2:14-26). Secondly there are rewards for keeping the Torah (Titus 3:8). The Psalms tell us that it "restores the soul" (Ps. 19:7). Yeshua promises that those who keep the Torah and teach others to do so will be called first in the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 5:19). Additionally, Jews who keep the Mosaic Torah are given a long list of other promises (Deut. 28).
Now if the Torah is good and everlasting then it stands to reason that it should be observed. Paul tells us that we should not use grace as an excuse to sin (Rom. 6:1-2, 15) and that the only way to know sin is through the Torah (Rom. 7:7). Yeshua tells us that if we love him we will keep his commandments (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23-25; 15:10). The fact that we are saved by faith is all the more reason that we should keep the Torah, as the Scriptures tell us:
..not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing
of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom
he poured out on us abundantly through Yeshua the Messiah
our Savior, that having been justified by his grace we should
become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is
a faithful saying, and I want you to affirm constantly, that those
who have believed in God should be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
(Titus 3:5-8)
And by this we know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. He who says, "I know him," and does not
keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him. But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is
perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He
who says he abides in him ought himself to walk just as he
walked. Brothers, I write no new commandment to you,
but an old commandment which you have had from the
beginning. The old commandment is the word which you
heard from the beginning.
(1Jn. 2:3-7)
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Permalink Reply by Kenny Cartwright on
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Right On!! Brother of Gold-Zahav! Shalom to you!! :c) !!!!!
zahav peretz said::
Shamuel:
Q--"In Colossians 2:14 Says: He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way nailing it to the cross."--
REPLY:
You may quote and quote as many translations you like, but the truth is still glaring: What was nailed to the cross was the "DEBT". Every debt is an "obligation" as we learn it from life. If you borrow from the bank you are in "debt" to it, until you perform the "obligation to pay" the borrowing. How do we apply this metaphor to theological issue? Where does debt applies?
Answer: Debt here symbolizes "sin" and its resulting obligation is "death" for the wages of sin is death: this means "we pay the obligation of death" because all men "sinned" and it was for this redemption that Moshiach our paschal sacrifice was nailed to the cross in order to eliminate (nail it away) our indebtedness. How? By offering His own "death" to satisfy for our personal obligations of "dying" for our sins. Any proof? The proof to this is the gospel that "His suffering and death was locum tenens to our own duty of suffering and death: He died that we may have life!"
Where does the law mentioned here? Answer: None. Because Sha'ul did not mean Torah.
Your quote: "exaleipsas to kath heemon cheirographon tois dogmasin ho eem hupenantion hemin, kai auto eerken ek tou mesou proseelosas auto to stauro."
Where is the word "nomon" for the law? None. Why? Because what Moshiach took away from us in the cross was "sin" and its wage which is "death" but not our duty to keep His law and commandment. (cf. Koheleth 12:13; Mat. 5:17-19; Mat. 23:2-3)
ON THE CONTRARY:
Moshiach did not take away the Law from us, rather, He intended to write the Laws into our hearts: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them..." (Hebrew 10:16)
Will you take away from man what you wanted to stay in his heart and mind?
Salud ushlom.
zahav peretz
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The idea comes from not lighting a fire on the Sabbath. The automobile uses an internal COMBUSTION engine which BURNS fossil fuel. So whenever you start a car and drive, you are lighting a fire.
Also there is a Torah command not to go out of your "place" on the Shabbat, According to the Oral Law this is 2,000 cubits (the distance from the Temple to the Mount of Olives). The book of Acts verifies this, calling this distance "a Sabbath day's journey).
However Nazarene halacha looses the Sabbath in regards to "the knowledge of Elohim" so we allow driving to Synagogue.
© 2013 Created by James Trimm.
