“Jesus died for my sins. Let’s go eat some hot dogs.”
Sounds kinda silly right? But I think it gets straight to the point. That is the gospel message to many. Jesus died for my sins, so now I’m good to go. Let’s not worry about sin anymore.
Yahusha (Jesus) the Messiah did suffer, die and was resurrected. But it was to become our High Priest BECAUSE of our transgressions.
“So in every way He had to be made like His brothers, in order to become a compassionate and trustworthy High Priest in matters related to Elohim, to make atonement for the sins of the people.” – Hebrews 2:17
Yet so many people claim that Yahusha came to the earth for a death, burial, and resurrection so that you could now live in sin. They won’t say it in so many words, but that is the message that many are teaching.
“Jesus freed us from the law” is the message that I learned in the mainstream church. But that is not what the Scriptures teach.
“Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.” – Romans 3:31
What does that mean? And how do we do that as believers? Paul is clear in his statement about the law (Torah). We do not nullify it. Rather we ESTABLISH it!
The mainstream church teaches that the law is a bad thing. I’ve heard so many people say it was slavery, bondage, or too hard for us. But that is not the message of the Bible. The law (Torah) is Yahuah’s instructions for living.
Think about this: Yahuah brought His people out of the bondage of Eqypt…only to bring them back into the bondage of the Torah? It is not slavery, or bondage, or too hard for us!
“For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off.” – Deuteronomy 30:11
John reiterates this in his epistle:
“For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy.” – 1 John 5:3
The Torah is the behavior of the Father. And it should be our behavior as well. Yahusha did not abolish the Torah, he completed it. And despite what the mainstream church says, to complete the Torah does not mean to abolish it!
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete.” – Matthew 5:17
The word “complete” is also often translated as “fulfill.” But the Greek word used here is pleroo (Strongs 4137) and it can mean to fill up, fully preach, and make perfect. So Yahusha is not doing away with His Father’s law. Rather, He is teaching it in it’s fullest! He is showing you exactly how to walk it out.
But many people miss that concept and I don’t blame them. The mainstream church has taught a lack of accountability and reverence for Yah’s law for quite some time. Personally, I was taught that the law was bondage. But Scripture teaches otherwise.
“…for Your Torah is my delight.” – Psalms 119:77
“Oh how I love Your Torah! It is my study all day long.” – Psalms 119:97
“But his delight is in the Torah of Yahuah, and he meditates in His Torah day and night.” – Pslams 1:2
“The Torah of Yahuah is perfect, bringing back the being.” – Psalms 19:7
“For I gave you good instruction: do not forsake my Torah.” – Proverbs 4:2
“Where there is no vision, the people are let loose, but blessed is he who guards the Torah.” – Proverbs 29:18
How about Paul, the one whom many claim teaches against the Torah…?
“For I delight in the Torah of Elohim, according to the inward man.” – Romans 7:22
“So that the Torah truly is set-apart, and the command set-apart, and righteous, and good.” – Romans 7:12
Many misunderstand some of Paul’s writings, particularly Galatians. Every book should be read and studied in relation to the rest of Scripture. And Galatians is no different. We need to understand that it is not the instructions of the Most High that we should be freed from…but the traditions of men. And Yahusha taught the same thing!
“Forsaking the command of Elohim, you hold fast the tradition of men.” – Mark 7:8
It is man’s traditions that have infiltrated the Scriptures and the law of God. Many of the practices in Pharisaical Judaism are traditions that have no place in the life of a believer. The same can be said for the mainstream church. Much of what is practiced in Christianity is nothing but traditions masquerading as doctrine, passed down from the fathers.
“Our fathers have inherited only falsehood, futility, and there is no value in them.” – Jeremiah 16:19
Why does Jeremiah make this statement? Because the people were following false deities. They were mixing tradition with the one true faith. And they were not following His instructions (Torah).
“…and have forsaken Me, and did not guard My Torah.” – Jeremiah 16:11
We know that Yahuah does not change (Malachi 3:6). His instructions for our lives do not change either. It is the priesthood, according to the writer of the Book of Hebrews, which looks different. Yahusha, our High Priest, still carries out the duty of a High Priest as defined in the Torah, but He does it in the perfect Tent not made with hands (Read Hebrews 9).
To circle back to the beginning, we are still required to walk in obedience to the Father’s instructions. He did not do away with those instructions. This includes the two great commands in the Torah: loving Yahuah and loving our neighbor. It includes having no carved images, respecting our father and mother, and not committing adultery. It includes remembering the Sabbath, keeping the Feast Days (Appointed Times), and eating according to what the Father defines as food.
The instructions still apply!! We should not sin (transgress the law). But if (and when) we do, all praises to the Most High that we have an Intercessor with the Father, Yahusha Messiah! (1 John 2:1).
Let’s get back to His instructions (Torah) and show the reverence, fear, and honor that He deserves!
Baruk Atah Yahuah! (Blessed are You Yahuah!)
FAITH IN MOTION 