What do You Mean... Works of the Law?

What do You Mean... Works the Law?
By
James Scott Trimm

Often when I share with Christians that the Torah is everlasting, for all generations, they respond by saying, "But we are not saved by "works of the law."

The phrase "works of the law" (which is sometimes rendered "deeds of the law" in the KJV) appears only nine times in the New Testament and only in Paul's writings:

Therefore by the deeds of the law
there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:
for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
(Rom. 3:20 KJV)

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law.
(Rom. 3:28 KJV)

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith,
but as it were by the works of the law.
For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
(Rom. 9:32 KJV)

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
(Gal. 2:16 KJV)

This only would I learn of you,
Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law,
or by the hearing of faith?
(Gal. 3:2 KJV)

He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit,
and worketh miracles among you,
doeth he it by the works of the law,
or by the hearing of faith?
(Gal. 3:5 KJV)

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
(Gal. 3:10 KJV)

(In Gal. 3:10 the Aramaic has "works because of the law" rather than "works of the law".)

This phrase, "works of the law", is best understood through its usage in Gal. 2:16. Here Paul writes:

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
(Gal. 2:16 KJV)

If we consider this passage carefully we can see that Paul uses this phrase to describe a false method of justification which is diametrically opposed to "faith in the Messiah". To Paul "works of the law" is not an obsolete Old Testament system, but a heresy 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 law, those which we determined
would be beneficial for you...
And it will be reckoned to you as righteousness,
in that you have done what is right and good before Him...
(4QMMT (4Q394-399) Section C lines 26b-31)

And that this is an amazing inverse literary parallel to Gal. 2:16; 3:6:

Now we have written to you some of the
works of the law, those which we determined
would be beneficial for you...
And it will be reckoned to you as righteousness,
in that you have done what is right and good before Him...
(4QMMT (4Q394-399) Section C lines 26b-31)

Knowing that a man is not justified by the 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 the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified....

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.

(Gal. 2:16; 3:6)

This heretical doctrine laid out in MMT is based on twenty-four purity regulations about which the Essenes held a stricter halacha than their Pharisaic counterparts, and which they believed would be reckoned to them as righteousness. Apparently Paul’s opponent takes “righteousness/justification” in this passage of MMT to mean “salvation”. Paul however argues that it is faith in Messiah and not these “works of the law” by which we are saved:

When Paul speaks out against "works of the law" it is like a Baptist preacher speaking out against "Latter Day Saints", he does not mean the words according to their literal meaning, he has nothing against "Saints" who live in the "Latter Days" he is using the Mormon's theological technical term to refer to their theology.

There can be no doubt that Paul sees "works of the law" 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 as obsolete, but to a heresy, a false theology that was never true.

HaSatan wishes "to steal and to kill and to destroy" (Jn. 10:10) and he knows the time is short and has stepped up his war with those who proclaim both Torah Observance and Faith in Messiah (the two pillars of Nazarene Judaism) (Rev. 12:12, 17; 13:7). But no weapon forged against us will prosper (Is. 54:17).

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1 member likes this

Comment by Frank Barbour on July 30, 2012 at 12:23pm

Like almost everyone else, you've really over analyzed all of this! To put it simply,

You Cannot Earn Salvation It Is A Gift From Yahweh Himself...
Yahshuah [ His Own Physical Body ] Died To Obtain It For You...
However, It Has Always Been A Good And Right Thing To Observe The Law Properly [ ie, Righteous ]...
It's All About What Motivates You!

Legalism is an improper motivation... since, it is based upon you doing something to earn a reward - something which you should [ honestly ] already be doing automatically, without any other expectations...
while Anti-Nomialism is also an improper motivation... since, it treats The Highly-Significant Gift Of Yahweh [ in actually dying for your sins ] as a very common thing!

That's why All Of The Prophets - and, in particular: Solomon and Yahshua - actually taught that we should observe The Middle Path Of Spiritual Balance In All Things....

Keep The Law, Yes... in fact, Observe All Of His: Commandments, Judgments, and Statutes - it is ' The Righteous Thing To Do '... but, do so, motivated out of love - For What He Alone Has Done For You!

You, really, don't need to dig that deeply to figure it all out... it's only: " The Milk Of His Word " - not, " The Meat "... even a mere child, can understand the milk! We're supposed to be studying The Truly Difficult Things, by now. After all, we're now living in The Last Days.

Comment by James Trimm on July 30, 2012 at 12:25pm: Actually I have brought many anti-nomians out of Babylon and into Torah observance, and yes I have used this argument for years. In fact I was using it before 4QMMT was even made public.

Comment by Joseph S on July 30, 2012 at 2:32pm: Forgiveness by YHVH through His Son does bring you back into covenant relationship with Him, but are you really ready to repent? He has forgiven you of your 'whorings', but you apparently would still use the symbols of other gods to worship YHVH with and then pretend that His 'forgiveness' gives you the 'right' to continue....When Messiah, as King, and unelected, sits as leader over the 'regathered' whole house of Israel do you actually think your corruptions will be tolerated....Rev 22:15 has something to say about this.

If you want to go to heaven when you die then believe in the Lord...if you want to live with Him in Israel then become a member of His culture and stop trying to corrupt it with your substitutions....Stop using Christ's sacrifice on the cross for your forgiveness as an excuse to continue in 'worldly ways'....it is precisely by not observing (as a for instance) YHVH's commands re: financial usury system that the world is living under such a system.....The 'wise' virgins are no longer concerned with your foolishness...we are now prepared and waiting...The Lord will have the final say over who is right and who is wrong....It's His problem.

Comment by James Trimm on July 30, 2012 at 3:21pm: You must have read it wrong.... Paul's words are in agreement with the Pharisees against the Qumran Sect.

Comment by michaelnoble(messengerofYah) on July 30, 2012 at 4:48pm: Why keep Torah:Today,whatever we do to keep Elohim's Torah, (and it is commanded to live a Torah-observant life as a believer in Messiah YAHUSHA,) we should be convinced that there is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Messiah YAHUSHA if we fail in certain areas of Torah observance (Rom.8:1-2). Also it must be emphatically stated that we believers do not attempt to follow the Torah to BECOME SAVED, we attempt to follow Torah because WE ARE SAVED.

Comment by James Trimm on July 30, 2012 at 4:48pm: No Paul the Pharisee (Acts 23:6) was upholding the Pharisaic position:

On three occasions Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 "The just shall live by faith" to support his teaching that we are saved not by "Works of the Law" but by "faith" Rom. 1:16-17; Gal. 3:10-11; Heb.10:37-39). In order to best understand Paul's use of this verse it is helpful to first understand the conflict between the Pharisaic and Essene communities as to how Habakkuk 2:4 was to be understood. This particular verse was a focal point in the fundamental debate between Pharisees (Especially of the House of Hillel) and Essenes, a debate in which the Nazarenes sided withe the Pharisees.

Paul champions the Pharisaic understanding of Habakkuk 2:4 over that of the Essenes.

The Pharisees understood Habakkuk 2:4 as summarizing the precepts of Torah as living by "faith".

Again came Isaiah and reduced them [The precepts of the Torah] to two [principles], as it is said, Thus saith the Lord, [i] Keep ye justice and [ii] do righteousness [etc.]. Amos came and reduced them to one [principle], as it is said, For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me and live. To this R. Nahman b. Isaac demurred, saying: [Might it not be taken as,] Seek Me by observing the whole Torah and live? — But it is Habakuk who came and based them all on one [principle], as it is said, 'But the righteous shall live by his faith' (Hab. 2:4).
(b.Makkot 24a)

This was in keeping with the Pharisaic precept that we keep Torah as a matter of faith. Faith is the way of Torah (Ps. 119:29-30). We keep Torah out of faith, out of the love and awe that we have for YHWH, but not as one seeking to earn salvation through the Works of the Law. As the Mishna said:

Antigones of Soko received [Torah] from Simeon the Righteous.
He used to say, “Be not like servants who serve their master
for the sake of wages, but be like servants who serve their
master with no thought of a wage – and let the fear
of Heaven be upon you.”
(m.Avot 1:3)

By Contrast the Essenes understood Habakkuk 2:4 as follows:

And the Righteous shall live by his faith' (Hab. 2:4b)
The interpretation concerns all the Doers of the Torah in the House of Judah,
whom Elohim will save from the House of Judgment because of their works and their faith in the Teacher of Righteousness.
(Habakkuk Commentary)

The Essenes saw Habakkuk 2:4 as referring to faith in the founder of Essenism, the Teacher of Righteousness and his doctrine of earning salvation through the "Works of the Law", a group of halachic precepts about which the Essenes believed the Pharisees were to lax and through which they believe they had polluted the Temple.

Comment by Frank Barbour on July 30, 2012 at 8:34pm: Yahshua stated it best: " Neither To The Left [ Ungodly Licentiousness ], Nor To The Right [ Deadened Kabbalism ], But Rather Observing A Proper Balance In All Things [ Straight Up The Middle Based Upon Love ] "... everything else, is [ just ]: Worthless Traditions and Ignorant Sophistry!

Comment by James Trimm on July 30, 2012 at 8:40pm: Wow Frank... talk about reading your opinions into the text.

Comment by Frank Barbour on July 30, 2012 at 8:47pm: I mean, honestly folks, who needs to put: That Much Effort and Extensively Deep Study - into The Common Sense Principles Of Obedience [ Which Are Based Upon ]: The Rightness In Factually Doing So, Love For Our Fellow Human Beings, and Our Sheer Reverence For Yahweh?

If you have to expend this much effort in comprehending these things, then you're not going to make it into His Own Kingdom anyway! After all, the scripture clearly states: " His Sheep Hear His Own Voice and They Follow Him Where-So-Ever He Goes "... meanwhile, you make great pains in merely arguing over " The Baby Food "; while, He's leading still others: " Into The Fullness And Stature Of Yahshua "!

Comment by Frank Barbour on July 30, 2012 at 10:06pm: Solomon stated:

" Do not be overly righteous [ Walking Along In Your Own Self-Imposed Chains Of Legalism ], Nor be overly wise [ Straining A Gnat From Within The Scriptures ]: Why should you destroy yourself [ By Focusing Upon Your Own Walk, Rather Than Yahweh Himself ]?

Do not be overly wicked [ By Licentiously Ignoring All Of His Commandments, Judgments, and Statutes ], Nor be foolish [ In Thinking That Yahweh Will Be Mocked ]: Why should you die before your time [ For Certainly He Will Indeed Judge You, Very Quickly ]?

It is good that you grasp this [ Very Important Scriptural Concept ], And also not remove your hand from the other [ By Following A Proper Path Of True Spiritual Balance ]; For he who fears The Mighty One [ The True Follower Of Yahweh Himself ] will escape them all [ These Traps And Snares Of Lucifer ].

Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city.

For there is not a just man upon the earth [ Or, Perfect One ] who does good [ Every Moment Of His Own Life ] And does not sin [ At Some Point In Life ]. " - Ecclesiastes 7:16-20.

Solomon is actually stating, the very same thing as: Yahshua, Paul, and All Of The Other Prophets... " Walk The Straight And Narrow ", " Follow The Middle Path ", and " Observe True Spiritual Balance In All Things "! Yes... It's, honestly, that simple....