Shimshon
28th February 2005, 06:19 PM
Torah Observance
Is the outward show of your inward convictions.
What is your inward conviction?
I believe, have "trust"ing "faith"fulness in YHWH’s love. He Loved all mankind so much that he promised to make a family of children from us more numerous than the stars. (Avraham) He gave loving instructions to guide us in all his ways and teach us of his Inner being and purpose. (Moshe-Torah) He faithfully kept his promises and purpose as revealed through Yeshua.
To the Jew, do not continue to place your “faith” in the ACTIONS of Obeying Torah. This is your stumbling, believing that you will attain righteousness by applying legalistic observance of Torah commands to your life. Living in rebellion and rejection to the heart of YHWH. Love
To the Goyim, do not continue to reject “faith” in the ACTIONS of YHWH. This is your stumbling, living in rebellion and rejection to the heart of YHWH. Love
To the Messianic Jew, do not place your “faith” in the ACTIONS of Obeying Torah, along side of Faith in Yeshua. This is the same stumbling the P'rushim(rabbi's) entered into.
5 But some of those who had come to trust were from the party of the P'rushim; and they stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Torah of Moshe." 7 After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them,9 that is, he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their heart by trust. 10 So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear? 11 No, it is through the love and kindness of the Lord Yeshua that we trust and are delivered-and it's the same with them." 12 Then the whole assembly kept still as they listened……….13 Ya'akov broke the silence to reply. "Brothers," he said, "hear what I have to say. 14 Shim'on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name. 15 And the words of the Prophets are in complete harmony with this for it is written, 16 '"After this, I will return; and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild its ruins, I will restore it, 17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, that is, all the Goyim who have been called by my name," 18 says ADONAI, who is doing these things.' All this has been known for ages. 19 "Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God.
The Jew was given Torah, but many did not take it to heart. They only wore it on their sleeve.(literally) But YHWH expressed over and over how it was the “HEART” that mattered to him. That a person could do all the things he commanded but if done as a ‘duty’ it was meaningless. However if it was done in love, in trusting faithfulness of it’s true intent it was seen as righteousness in the sight of YHWH.
Those who were seeking to be made righteous by legalistic observances were literally missing the boat. Yeshua clarified, revealed what was hidden within the Torah. That it was by FAITH in what YHWH promised that one attains salvation, righteousness. The Jew wore and lived all these ways and in them contained the revelation of Yeshua, but most remained blind to this. Yet many did not and attained righteousness by Faith.
Yeshua came to clarify for the Jew how far off they were. He fulfilled the promises he made about them, himself and what he would do about it. And so he was the savior to the Jew first, and then to the rest of creation. The Good News is that Yeshua was the fulfillment of Torah. He came as a kapparah for our sins, was sacrificed and then rose on the third day as prophesied in Yonah. He is what all Torah was pointing to, not righteousness through following physical Torah mitzvoth. These were a shadow and sign that pointed to Yeshua and the coming of salvation, righteousness to the children he created.
And they have passed away, in that they no longer are ‘observed’ in legalistic ways, as that was NEVER the way to observe them to begin with. They have passed from the physical to the Spiritual. They have now been written on our hearts, Jew first then Goyim.
I was always hung up on this verse, I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra'el and with the house of Y'hudah. Thinking that this means Goyim would need to become part of “physical” Yisrael. And they are. Yet, they are not part of “old covenant” Yisrael, but “New Covenant” Yisrael. First, both covenants were made with Yisrael. Goyim could enter into either covenant. This new covenant is/was made with Yisrael, then the Goyim were included. Just like the old.
However, Yeshua did not come to ‘correct’ the old covenant, because there is nothing to correct outside of men who would not follow it. He came to ratify and initiate the “new” covenant. Which places the old one inside of your heart. So again, cool we observe OLD covenant ways with the TRUE heart intent, right? Yes, and no.
Yeshua did not come to make it possible to “legalistically observe” Torah. He rebuked the Jews for doing this. He came to make it possible for the Jew to follow in trusting faithfulness, which was the TRUE intent of Torah. And he came to offer the same trusting faithfulness to the Goyim, which was the True intent of his promises, to bless both Jew and Goy.
So Yeshua has placed in union Yehudim v’Goyim. We are ONE in Moshiach, One in Yeshua’s LOVE.
Torah Observance is the outward show of your inward convictions. And I am fully convinced that Yeshua is the embodiment of Torah, the fullness thereof, and he has placed his Ruach HaKodesh in those who believe in what he has done, who he is, and what he will do. And this Spirit of Holiness is observing all ways given by YHWH ‘inLOVE and in TRUTH”. Not by mere legalistic “physical” observances.
To the Christian, does this mean we forget and forsake “physical” Torah Commands? Heaven forbid! We ‘observe’ them in Truth and Spirit. We know that observing them just for fact of mere observance will bring us nothing but the fate of 'old covenant' Yisrael. Exile and death. But, we are assured that LOVE for YHWH is the purpose of life and our ways and deeds will always reveal this love that was placed in our hearts.
If all Torah points to HaMoshiach Yeshua. Then all Messianics should point to Torah. But not Torah as ‘legalism’ or‘Rabbinicalism’ has defined, but Torah as YHWH has defined, Spirit, Truth, Love. There is no Torah against them. No instruction against them.
Yeshua came to take the sin of the world. Torah revealed the sinfulness of men. Yeshua took the sinfulness of men and destroyed it, hung it on the stake. Outwardly Torah condemns men, inwardly Torah justifies them. The outward expression of Torah only served to highlight the sinfulness of men. Conversely the inward expression of Torah only serves to highlight the righteousness of Yeshua.
We no longer wear Torah on our “outward” parts. We wear Torah in our ‘inward’ parts. Yeshua is the goal of Torah, and he lives within our heart. We live Torah inwardly, and it is expressed outwardly. We no longer wear Torah Mitzvot, we LIVE Torah Mitzvot.
Another verse that is worth questioning is
But when I saw that they were not walking a straight path, keeping in line with the truth of the Good News, I said to Kefa, right in front of everyone, "If you, who are a Jew, live like a Goy and not like a Jew, why are you forcing the Goyim to live like Jews?
Just how was Kefa “living like a Goy”? I don’t believe that he was eating unkosher, but this is not revealed either. What is, is that he was eating with the Goyim and when those who still observed Torah as the Prushim defined were showing ‘favoritism’ and refusing to even sit at the table with them. When Kefa and Bar-Nabba joined in it seemed more than Shaul could bear so he did what he said he does. Confronted the leader in public. And he accuses Kefa of “living like a Goy” and implies “why teach Goyim to live like Jews”?
This to me, along with all the other non-mentions of “physical” Torah observance by the talmidim leave me to understand that the Messianic Community was NOT observing Torah as “old” covenant Torah defined, but as ‘new’ covenant Torah defined. Not once can you find an occurance where they are said to be following ‘legalistic’ Torah. Yes, Shaul went into the Temple as a show that he did not ‘flat out reject’ Torah, as was being gossiped about. But, I do believe that observances like that could have been done in Spirit and Truth. And since the Temple was still standing it could be carried out as such. And do you realize that Shaul was on the road for “fourteen years”. He hardly ever went to Yerushalayim
1 Then after fourteen years I again went up to Yerushalayim, this time with Bar-Nabba; and I took with me Titus. 2 I went up in obedience to a revelation, and I explained to them the Good News as I proclaim it among the Gentiles - but privately, to the acknowledged leaders. I did this out of concern that my current or previous work might have been in vain. 3 But they didn't force my Gentile companion Titus to undergo b'rit-milah. 4 Indeed, the question came up only because some men who pretended to be brothers had been sneaked in - they came in surreptitiously to spy out the freedom we have in the Messiah Yeshua, so that they might enslave us. 5 Not even for a minute did we give in to them, so that the truth of the Good News might be preserved for you. 6 Moreover, those who were the acknowledged leaders-what they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by outward appearances - these leaders added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Uncircumcised, just as Kefa had been for the Circumcised; 8 since the One working in Kefa to make him an emissary to the Circumcised had worked in me to make me an emissary to the Gentiles. 9 So, having perceived what grace had been given to me, Ya'akov, Kefa and Yochanan, the acknowledged pillars of the community, extended to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship; so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised. 10 Their only request was that we should remember the poor - which very thing I have spared no pains to do.
What about all his offerings and sacrifices? What about his following the Mo’edim? And notice he only went "in obedience to a revelation" and I explained to them the Good News as I proclaim it among the Gentiles. To give the Good News. Not to "observe legalistic Torah mitzvot.
It is quite apparent to me that the old ways of Temple worship and ritual purification have been fulfilled by Yeshua and his coming. Yesterday we were to observe the Mitzvot physically, knowing of it’s true intent. Today we are to observe the Mitzvot Spiritually, knowing it’s true intent. Example; then we bore circumcision in our bodies, today we bear it in our hearts. Then we wore tzitziyot on our clothes to remind us of all YHWH’s mitzvoth and DO them, and be Holy to YHWH, today we are reminded of all YHWH’s mitzvoth by the Ruach HaKodesh (Spirit of Holiness) in our hearts and we are convicted by him to walk in ALL his ways. Then we observed times days seasons and months knowing that they all point to Yeshua and his work, today we observe YHWH’s times, days, seasons, and months knowing that they all pointed, and still point to Yeshua and his work. But we do these out of “memorial” not “duty”. We do them because they are teaching tools, shadows that reveal a LIGHT source. We don’t live in the shadows, we live in the Light of Yeshua. His Ruach lives in and through us and all we do should point to him and his promises. Done in LOVE TRUTH and SPIRIT, not legalism. Notice, even Yeshua who physically wore the tzitziyot declared to the woman who had touched them,
22 Yeshua turned, saw her and said, "Courage, daughter! Your trust has healed you." And she was instantly healed.
Notice it was not the fact that she physically touched the tzitzit, but her ‘trust’ that healed her. I would imagine if she would have placed her faith that all she needed was his shadow to fall on her, it would have been the same. It was not the physical manifestation that saved her, but the Spiritual one. Her FAITH healed her.
Torah Observance is the outward show of your inward convictions. Inwardly you are convicted by the Ruach HaKodesh to outwardly show your observance to Torah in Truth and in Spirit. Not in legalism and in bondage to sin. Torah was given so sin could be revealed. Yeshua was given so sin could be removed. If sin is removed because Yeshua is given, then Torah is faithfully revealed, in and through his children.
b,shalom
Shimson
Is the outward show of your inward convictions.
What is your inward conviction?
I believe, have "trust"ing "faith"fulness in YHWH’s love. He Loved all mankind so much that he promised to make a family of children from us more numerous than the stars. (Avraham) He gave loving instructions to guide us in all his ways and teach us of his Inner being and purpose. (Moshe-Torah) He faithfully kept his promises and purpose as revealed through Yeshua.
To the Jew, do not continue to place your “faith” in the ACTIONS of Obeying Torah. This is your stumbling, believing that you will attain righteousness by applying legalistic observance of Torah commands to your life. Living in rebellion and rejection to the heart of YHWH. Love
To the Goyim, do not continue to reject “faith” in the ACTIONS of YHWH. This is your stumbling, living in rebellion and rejection to the heart of YHWH. Love
To the Messianic Jew, do not place your “faith” in the ACTIONS of Obeying Torah, along side of Faith in Yeshua. This is the same stumbling the P'rushim(rabbi's) entered into.
5 But some of those who had come to trust were from the party of the P'rushim; and they stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Torah of Moshe." 7 After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them,9 that is, he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their heart by trust. 10 So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear? 11 No, it is through the love and kindness of the Lord Yeshua that we trust and are delivered-and it's the same with them." 12 Then the whole assembly kept still as they listened……….13 Ya'akov broke the silence to reply. "Brothers," he said, "hear what I have to say. 14 Shim'on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name. 15 And the words of the Prophets are in complete harmony with this for it is written, 16 '"After this, I will return; and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild its ruins, I will restore it, 17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, that is, all the Goyim who have been called by my name," 18 says ADONAI, who is doing these things.' All this has been known for ages. 19 "Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God.
The Jew was given Torah, but many did not take it to heart. They only wore it on their sleeve.(literally) But YHWH expressed over and over how it was the “HEART” that mattered to him. That a person could do all the things he commanded but if done as a ‘duty’ it was meaningless. However if it was done in love, in trusting faithfulness of it’s true intent it was seen as righteousness in the sight of YHWH.
Those who were seeking to be made righteous by legalistic observances were literally missing the boat. Yeshua clarified, revealed what was hidden within the Torah. That it was by FAITH in what YHWH promised that one attains salvation, righteousness. The Jew wore and lived all these ways and in them contained the revelation of Yeshua, but most remained blind to this. Yet many did not and attained righteousness by Faith.
Yeshua came to clarify for the Jew how far off they were. He fulfilled the promises he made about them, himself and what he would do about it. And so he was the savior to the Jew first, and then to the rest of creation. The Good News is that Yeshua was the fulfillment of Torah. He came as a kapparah for our sins, was sacrificed and then rose on the third day as prophesied in Yonah. He is what all Torah was pointing to, not righteousness through following physical Torah mitzvoth. These were a shadow and sign that pointed to Yeshua and the coming of salvation, righteousness to the children he created.
And they have passed away, in that they no longer are ‘observed’ in legalistic ways, as that was NEVER the way to observe them to begin with. They have passed from the physical to the Spiritual. They have now been written on our hearts, Jew first then Goyim.
I was always hung up on this verse, I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra'el and with the house of Y'hudah. Thinking that this means Goyim would need to become part of “physical” Yisrael. And they are. Yet, they are not part of “old covenant” Yisrael, but “New Covenant” Yisrael. First, both covenants were made with Yisrael. Goyim could enter into either covenant. This new covenant is/was made with Yisrael, then the Goyim were included. Just like the old.
However, Yeshua did not come to ‘correct’ the old covenant, because there is nothing to correct outside of men who would not follow it. He came to ratify and initiate the “new” covenant. Which places the old one inside of your heart. So again, cool we observe OLD covenant ways with the TRUE heart intent, right? Yes, and no.
Yeshua did not come to make it possible to “legalistically observe” Torah. He rebuked the Jews for doing this. He came to make it possible for the Jew to follow in trusting faithfulness, which was the TRUE intent of Torah. And he came to offer the same trusting faithfulness to the Goyim, which was the True intent of his promises, to bless both Jew and Goy.
So Yeshua has placed in union Yehudim v’Goyim. We are ONE in Moshiach, One in Yeshua’s LOVE.
Torah Observance is the outward show of your inward convictions. And I am fully convinced that Yeshua is the embodiment of Torah, the fullness thereof, and he has placed his Ruach HaKodesh in those who believe in what he has done, who he is, and what he will do. And this Spirit of Holiness is observing all ways given by YHWH ‘inLOVE and in TRUTH”. Not by mere legalistic “physical” observances.
To the Christian, does this mean we forget and forsake “physical” Torah Commands? Heaven forbid! We ‘observe’ them in Truth and Spirit. We know that observing them just for fact of mere observance will bring us nothing but the fate of 'old covenant' Yisrael. Exile and death. But, we are assured that LOVE for YHWH is the purpose of life and our ways and deeds will always reveal this love that was placed in our hearts.
If all Torah points to HaMoshiach Yeshua. Then all Messianics should point to Torah. But not Torah as ‘legalism’ or‘Rabbinicalism’ has defined, but Torah as YHWH has defined, Spirit, Truth, Love. There is no Torah against them. No instruction against them.
Yeshua came to take the sin of the world. Torah revealed the sinfulness of men. Yeshua took the sinfulness of men and destroyed it, hung it on the stake. Outwardly Torah condemns men, inwardly Torah justifies them. The outward expression of Torah only served to highlight the sinfulness of men. Conversely the inward expression of Torah only serves to highlight the righteousness of Yeshua.
We no longer wear Torah on our “outward” parts. We wear Torah in our ‘inward’ parts. Yeshua is the goal of Torah, and he lives within our heart. We live Torah inwardly, and it is expressed outwardly. We no longer wear Torah Mitzvot, we LIVE Torah Mitzvot.
Another verse that is worth questioning is
But when I saw that they were not walking a straight path, keeping in line with the truth of the Good News, I said to Kefa, right in front of everyone, "If you, who are a Jew, live like a Goy and not like a Jew, why are you forcing the Goyim to live like Jews?
Just how was Kefa “living like a Goy”? I don’t believe that he was eating unkosher, but this is not revealed either. What is, is that he was eating with the Goyim and when those who still observed Torah as the Prushim defined were showing ‘favoritism’ and refusing to even sit at the table with them. When Kefa and Bar-Nabba joined in it seemed more than Shaul could bear so he did what he said he does. Confronted the leader in public. And he accuses Kefa of “living like a Goy” and implies “why teach Goyim to live like Jews”?
This to me, along with all the other non-mentions of “physical” Torah observance by the talmidim leave me to understand that the Messianic Community was NOT observing Torah as “old” covenant Torah defined, but as ‘new’ covenant Torah defined. Not once can you find an occurance where they are said to be following ‘legalistic’ Torah. Yes, Shaul went into the Temple as a show that he did not ‘flat out reject’ Torah, as was being gossiped about. But, I do believe that observances like that could have been done in Spirit and Truth. And since the Temple was still standing it could be carried out as such. And do you realize that Shaul was on the road for “fourteen years”. He hardly ever went to Yerushalayim
1 Then after fourteen years I again went up to Yerushalayim, this time with Bar-Nabba; and I took with me Titus. 2 I went up in obedience to a revelation, and I explained to them the Good News as I proclaim it among the Gentiles - but privately, to the acknowledged leaders. I did this out of concern that my current or previous work might have been in vain. 3 But they didn't force my Gentile companion Titus to undergo b'rit-milah. 4 Indeed, the question came up only because some men who pretended to be brothers had been sneaked in - they came in surreptitiously to spy out the freedom we have in the Messiah Yeshua, so that they might enslave us. 5 Not even for a minute did we give in to them, so that the truth of the Good News might be preserved for you. 6 Moreover, those who were the acknowledged leaders-what they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by outward appearances - these leaders added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Uncircumcised, just as Kefa had been for the Circumcised; 8 since the One working in Kefa to make him an emissary to the Circumcised had worked in me to make me an emissary to the Gentiles. 9 So, having perceived what grace had been given to me, Ya'akov, Kefa and Yochanan, the acknowledged pillars of the community, extended to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship; so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised. 10 Their only request was that we should remember the poor - which very thing I have spared no pains to do.
What about all his offerings and sacrifices? What about his following the Mo’edim? And notice he only went "in obedience to a revelation" and I explained to them the Good News as I proclaim it among the Gentiles. To give the Good News. Not to "observe legalistic Torah mitzvot.
It is quite apparent to me that the old ways of Temple worship and ritual purification have been fulfilled by Yeshua and his coming. Yesterday we were to observe the Mitzvot physically, knowing of it’s true intent. Today we are to observe the Mitzvot Spiritually, knowing it’s true intent. Example; then we bore circumcision in our bodies, today we bear it in our hearts. Then we wore tzitziyot on our clothes to remind us of all YHWH’s mitzvoth and DO them, and be Holy to YHWH, today we are reminded of all YHWH’s mitzvoth by the Ruach HaKodesh (Spirit of Holiness) in our hearts and we are convicted by him to walk in ALL his ways. Then we observed times days seasons and months knowing that they all point to Yeshua and his work, today we observe YHWH’s times, days, seasons, and months knowing that they all pointed, and still point to Yeshua and his work. But we do these out of “memorial” not “duty”. We do them because they are teaching tools, shadows that reveal a LIGHT source. We don’t live in the shadows, we live in the Light of Yeshua. His Ruach lives in and through us and all we do should point to him and his promises. Done in LOVE TRUTH and SPIRIT, not legalism. Notice, even Yeshua who physically wore the tzitziyot declared to the woman who had touched them,
22 Yeshua turned, saw her and said, "Courage, daughter! Your trust has healed you." And she was instantly healed.
Notice it was not the fact that she physically touched the tzitzit, but her ‘trust’ that healed her. I would imagine if she would have placed her faith that all she needed was his shadow to fall on her, it would have been the same. It was not the physical manifestation that saved her, but the Spiritual one. Her FAITH healed her.
Torah Observance is the outward show of your inward convictions. Inwardly you are convicted by the Ruach HaKodesh to outwardly show your observance to Torah in Truth and in Spirit. Not in legalism and in bondage to sin. Torah was given so sin could be revealed. Yeshua was given so sin could be removed. If sin is removed because Yeshua is given, then Torah is faithfully revealed, in and through his children.
b,shalom
Shimson