Sephania
9th September 2006, 11:21 AM
Legalistic- what does that mean?
There were laws before the creation of man, there will be laws after his time on earth is over. Our G-d is a G-d of order, thus there are laws to govern that order. Our G-d is not one of chaos, even when the world seems like its rushing to destruction, He still has it all in control. Control is gained by Laws, and thankfully not all things in the universe are dependant on if man abides by those laws.
I believe that in the beginning, the VERY beginning , before there was anything in existence, G-d created his laws. When he made the universe, those things were made to function within the confines of those laws.
He created all things 'tov', good, perfect, in other words: they could not be improved upon by man or beast.
However we see but a small bit of what happens, when laws are not followed by the little vignette in the Garden of G-d. The Couple called Adam were given one law, only one with which to follow and be in harmony with G-d.
Br'sheet 2
16 ADONAI, G-d, gave the person this order: "You may freely eat from every tree in the garden 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die."
He told them what they were allowed to do:
You may freely eat from every tree in the garden
What they weren't allowed to do:
except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it,
And even why they shouldn't:
because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die."
He didn't say "Do it because I said so" but He gave a reason why. Why did He give the reason? Because of His love for us.
But still there was order. Until this one law was broken. And when it was, man became lawless. He could not even follow that one law given by his creator.
Now think if the other creations do not follow the laws they were given what would be the consequences?
As an example if the law of gravity is not obeyed? We go flying off the planet into an atmosphere where we can no longer breath and we die.
There are many other laws of physics that man has taken almost his whole history in discovering and still is today.
We actually see the creation of a law in genesis after man is on the earth, and after so much lawlessness abounded, that the whole of the earth changed , that in Noach’s flood. Now new laws were but into place, because of this change, the law which governs the appearance of the rainbow, the Rain bow, the Bow of the L-rD set in the clouds, in remembrance of His covenant with the earth and it’s inhabitants. And G-d is faithful, we still can see a rainbow today, thousands of years after this law came into existence. It will last until the earth is returned to its perfect state, that of what it was in the Garden.
But one thing is known for such that the universe is based on laws. And if these laws are not obeyed disaster happens.
We know from the Bible that the earth itself groans as a result of the disobedience, it is awaiting the new birth, that of bringing things all back to rightness, back to the perfect way they were designed by HaShem, and to be working in perfect harmony with the laws He set up for them.
Now if the whole universe is governed by laws, and even our whole lives are, wither we believe in G-d or not ( the physics laws), why would it even make sense for a believer to think that he is exempt from following G-ds laws?
We know of only one creation of G-ds that rebelled, that refused to follow his laws. We are also told of the one coming that will come as the Messiah of Israel, but is not, we are told he is called ( by who? by G-d) the Lawless one, or the Man of lawlessness.
He has a law unto himself and thinks he is above all laws, even though he still has to exist within many of G-ds laws because after all , he is but a creation of G-d.
It really bothers me when believers ( or those who say they are, I cannot look into their hearts) say things like:
“The Law is dead”
“The Law is done away with”
“The Law is nailed to the Cross”
“You are being Legalistic”
So what is legalistic? or legalism?
Let's just look at the secular definition:
Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality.
Now if this was followed by Havah, and Adam in the garden, world history would be a lot different today. But instead, Havah listened to the serpent’s interpretation of the one law, and followed that. She was even the first 'fence maker' as she also added to the law, by saying that they were told not to touch it. ( She should have listened to her own self ;) )
But how much different would life be if she had just taken G-d at his exact word? Not adding to it, not listening to someone else's interpretation of it?
The Torah teaches us, a fallen race , how to be in harmony with G-d, and no, we always fall short, because of that first disobedience to G-ds law. That is why we need Yeshua, but he did not become the Torah nailed to the tree, instead he became the ‘not following of the Torah’ and the penalties for not following the Torah, for all who believe on Him.
Yes, there is a fine balance which Yeshua came to teach us, and yet even with his teachings we still could not accomplish this without His spirit living in and guiding us to the full understanding of His laws.
However his dying for our sins against Torah does not cancel Torah out. Torah was not blotted out, only the penalties for not obeying it. It is still there, it still must be obeyed, it is for our good, from the love of the Father to follow in obedience, it is the way to walk in harmony, not enmity , with our creator.
Paul says this, in Romans 5, something that is much misunderstood:
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
When the Torah was given, it was to show man two things, one, how to have a correct relationship with G-d, to walk in his ways, and do good. Secondly by showing him how he should walk, how he should act towards his creator and his fellow human being, it showed him that he fell short of what was good and right, thus showing his need for a Savior G-d.
Now that we believe in the one who paid our debt to G-d for us, and showed us how undeserving we are of that. Does that make the Law disappear? G-d forbid!
No, for we now have the ability to turn from sin, and to walk in His ways, because we have been Born again, into the newness of life, the life that we walk in not only towards G-d and in His ways, but with Him within us, because we can never do this alone.
Why? Why can't we do it alone, just by following the laws of G-d?
Because He never made it to be that way. He never wanted us to be able to walk alone in his ways, to follow his rules all by ourselves.
Let's go back to the garden for a moment:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the L-RD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the L-RD God amongst the trees of the garden.
By this we see that G-d walked in the Garden once with Adam and Chavah, but from their disobedience, they could no longer walk with him, but instead hid in shame.
G-d made us to be able to walk together with him, Echad, as one. We can not do it alone, we can not go it alone, with all things we must do with Him, he created us to be part of him, not separate. But man separated himself from G-d through disobedience to His law. And only through him, through his spirit can we once again be echad. He does not do it for us, He does it through us.
:amen: <------------Amein!
There were laws before the creation of man, there will be laws after his time on earth is over. Our G-d is a G-d of order, thus there are laws to govern that order. Our G-d is not one of chaos, even when the world seems like its rushing to destruction, He still has it all in control. Control is gained by Laws, and thankfully not all things in the universe are dependant on if man abides by those laws.
I believe that in the beginning, the VERY beginning , before there was anything in existence, G-d created his laws. When he made the universe, those things were made to function within the confines of those laws.
He created all things 'tov', good, perfect, in other words: they could not be improved upon by man or beast.
However we see but a small bit of what happens, when laws are not followed by the little vignette in the Garden of G-d. The Couple called Adam were given one law, only one with which to follow and be in harmony with G-d.
Br'sheet 2
16 ADONAI, G-d, gave the person this order: "You may freely eat from every tree in the garden 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die."
He told them what they were allowed to do:
You may freely eat from every tree in the garden
What they weren't allowed to do:
except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it,
And even why they shouldn't:
because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die."
He didn't say "Do it because I said so" but He gave a reason why. Why did He give the reason? Because of His love for us.
But still there was order. Until this one law was broken. And when it was, man became lawless. He could not even follow that one law given by his creator.
Now think if the other creations do not follow the laws they were given what would be the consequences?
As an example if the law of gravity is not obeyed? We go flying off the planet into an atmosphere where we can no longer breath and we die.
There are many other laws of physics that man has taken almost his whole history in discovering and still is today.
We actually see the creation of a law in genesis after man is on the earth, and after so much lawlessness abounded, that the whole of the earth changed , that in Noach’s flood. Now new laws were but into place, because of this change, the law which governs the appearance of the rainbow, the Rain bow, the Bow of the L-rD set in the clouds, in remembrance of His covenant with the earth and it’s inhabitants. And G-d is faithful, we still can see a rainbow today, thousands of years after this law came into existence. It will last until the earth is returned to its perfect state, that of what it was in the Garden.
But one thing is known for such that the universe is based on laws. And if these laws are not obeyed disaster happens.
We know from the Bible that the earth itself groans as a result of the disobedience, it is awaiting the new birth, that of bringing things all back to rightness, back to the perfect way they were designed by HaShem, and to be working in perfect harmony with the laws He set up for them.
Now if the whole universe is governed by laws, and even our whole lives are, wither we believe in G-d or not ( the physics laws), why would it even make sense for a believer to think that he is exempt from following G-ds laws?
We know of only one creation of G-ds that rebelled, that refused to follow his laws. We are also told of the one coming that will come as the Messiah of Israel, but is not, we are told he is called ( by who? by G-d) the Lawless one, or the Man of lawlessness.
He has a law unto himself and thinks he is above all laws, even though he still has to exist within many of G-ds laws because after all , he is but a creation of G-d.
It really bothers me when believers ( or those who say they are, I cannot look into their hearts) say things like:
“The Law is dead”
“The Law is done away with”
“The Law is nailed to the Cross”
“You are being Legalistic”
So what is legalistic? or legalism?
Let's just look at the secular definition:
Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality.
Now if this was followed by Havah, and Adam in the garden, world history would be a lot different today. But instead, Havah listened to the serpent’s interpretation of the one law, and followed that. She was even the first 'fence maker' as she also added to the law, by saying that they were told not to touch it. ( She should have listened to her own self ;) )
But how much different would life be if she had just taken G-d at his exact word? Not adding to it, not listening to someone else's interpretation of it?
The Torah teaches us, a fallen race , how to be in harmony with G-d, and no, we always fall short, because of that first disobedience to G-ds law. That is why we need Yeshua, but he did not become the Torah nailed to the tree, instead he became the ‘not following of the Torah’ and the penalties for not following the Torah, for all who believe on Him.
Yes, there is a fine balance which Yeshua came to teach us, and yet even with his teachings we still could not accomplish this without His spirit living in and guiding us to the full understanding of His laws.
However his dying for our sins against Torah does not cancel Torah out. Torah was not blotted out, only the penalties for not obeying it. It is still there, it still must be obeyed, it is for our good, from the love of the Father to follow in obedience, it is the way to walk in harmony, not enmity , with our creator.
Paul says this, in Romans 5, something that is much misunderstood:
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
When the Torah was given, it was to show man two things, one, how to have a correct relationship with G-d, to walk in his ways, and do good. Secondly by showing him how he should walk, how he should act towards his creator and his fellow human being, it showed him that he fell short of what was good and right, thus showing his need for a Savior G-d.
Now that we believe in the one who paid our debt to G-d for us, and showed us how undeserving we are of that. Does that make the Law disappear? G-d forbid!
No, for we now have the ability to turn from sin, and to walk in His ways, because we have been Born again, into the newness of life, the life that we walk in not only towards G-d and in His ways, but with Him within us, because we can never do this alone.
Why? Why can't we do it alone, just by following the laws of G-d?
Because He never made it to be that way. He never wanted us to be able to walk alone in his ways, to follow his rules all by ourselves.
Let's go back to the garden for a moment:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the L-RD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the L-RD God amongst the trees of the garden.
By this we see that G-d walked in the Garden once with Adam and Chavah, but from their disobedience, they could no longer walk with him, but instead hid in shame.
G-d made us to be able to walk together with him, Echad, as one. We can not do it alone, we can not go it alone, with all things we must do with Him, he created us to be part of him, not separate. But man separated himself from G-d through disobedience to His law. And only through him, through his spirit can we once again be echad. He does not do it for us, He does it through us.
:amen: <------------Amein!