“Read Galatians 2:16” say the Christians who wish to prove that “works” are “bad”….

Among the many Christian arguments to show that Torah isn’t for them is this favorite: “Read Galatians 2:16.”

Okay, let’s read it Galatians 2:16 … in its actual Hebrew context. But first, it needs to be mentioned that many fail to understand the simple truth that Paul – a mere man - was neither YHWH nor His Divine Son. (Not even the Divine Yeshua changed, attacked or contradicted His Father’s Divine Instructions in any way!)

Paul didn't have the right (nor did he even try!) to go against what YHWH commanded or what His Jewish Messiah taught! Paul’s main problem was that he was attempting to explain difficult Hebraic concepts to a Gentile audience….

So, here is that pesky passage that appears to suggest that “works” is a “bad” thing, and that Jesus freed us by bringing “grace and mercy”…

Galatians 2: 15. For if we who have a Jewish nature[1] ourselves, and not those who are from Gentile sinners, 16. for we know that the sons of men are not made righteous by the works[2] of Torah, but by faith in Y'shua the Mashiyach (Messiah). Even we who believed in him know that it is from the faith in Mashiyach that we will be made righteous and not from the works of Torah. For from the works of Torah no flesh will be made righteous.

17. But if while we seek (while in our eyes)[3] to be made righteous by Mashiyach we still find ourselves to be sinners,[4] should (it be) therefore that Y'shua the Mashiyach is a servant of sin? Elohim forbid! (AENT)

Footnotes:

[1] The only place in all Aramaic Renewed Covenant writings where the phrase "Jewish nature" appears. The word kyanna refers to a classification without a physical occurrence, kind of like having an image of a bird in one's mind, but not seeing the literal bird. As such, the only types of natures that are discussed are animal, human, or divine. In this lone exception however, Rav Shaul (Paul) bifurcates human nature further into Jewish and (by implication) non-Jewish.

[2] The phrase "Ma'aseh haTorah" (works of the Torah) appears first in the Dead Sea Scrolls; it is indicative of the ultra-religious halacha of the Essenes, but also refers to the halacha (religious traditions) of the Pharisees. This is NOT referencing observance of Torah in Y'shua. If the reader does not distinguish between "Torah written upon the heart", versus the "works of Torah" or being "under Torah" it would be impossible to understand the book of Galatians.

[3] In our eyes" is an Aramaic idiom meaning, "we seek."

[4] Paul's teaching will forever judge those who say they follow Mashiyach but live and teach against Torah (see 1 John 3:4 for a definition of sin). Religion uses words like "moral" (moralis 1340 CE) or "ethical" (ethikos) to establish their own standards of conduct; however, followers of Mashiyach are to live by every Word that proceeds from the Mouth of Elohim (Deuteronomy 8:4/Matthew 4:4). The Word of YHWH is absolute Truth and as such YHWH will Judge man's willful neglect of Torah.

Many Christians, for example, are taught that they "don't have" to observe Shabbat (Sabbath) on the Seventh Day because it's not part of their "moral code" and they say their "conscience" never convicted them of breaking Shabbat. This is no surprise, because, even as children, they were taught that Shabbat is not included with Scriptural principles of right and wrong conduct.

They were not taught that erecting a Christmas tree is an abomination unto Mashiyach as it depicts Tammuz who was the son of Nimrod and Semiramis, the originators of the pagan trinity. They were not taught that Easter is morally wrong because it originated with paganism; and the list goes on. The point is that Paul defined sin very astutely, but precious few care to listen because their cultural and status quo values are projected over his teachings.

Dear Christians, it is imperative for you to stop pretending “Jesus”  came to abolish Torah and bring “grace and mercy.”  It is equally imperative to stop trying to adhere to what you THINK Paul said, and making his writings your guide for life!  Your guide for holy living is in Torah – nothing else!

Yeshua reiterated that fact, time and time again.  He even SAID he came to proclaim the Kingdom of YHWH and to do everything his Father commanded. He tore down the fences of man's legalism. Neither he nor his Apostles ever advocated against Torah!  Why is that so hard to understand?

John 12: 44. But Y'shua cried out and said, He who believes in me, it is not in me he does believe, but in Him who sent me. [1] 45. And he who sees me sees Him who sent me! 46. I have come as the light into this world that all who believe in me might not remain in the darkness! 47. And he who hears my words, yet does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I have not come to judge the world but to give life[2] to the world.

48. He who rejects me and does not receive my words, there is something that judges him. The word that I have spoken, it will judge him on the last day. 49. For I have not spoken from my soul, but the Father who sent me. He gave a Commandment to me what I should say and what I should speak. 50. And I know that His commands are eternal life. [3] Therefore, these things that I speak just as my Father told me, thus I speak.[4] (AENT)

[1] Y'shua does not bring a new Faith, but reveals the original Faith of YHWH the Father.

[2] Y'shua proclaims that he came to give life, then he declares that his father's Commands are eternal life! The Father's "Commands" are instruction in righteousness; this is Torah which contains Commandments, Judgments, Testimony and Witness regarding the Kingdom of Elohim. Those who enter into Covenant with Mashiyach are entering into Covenant with his Father YHWH; therefore, it is evil - an outright lie - to teach that Torah is done away with and replaced by a new theology!

[3] The Commands of YHWH bring eternal life. YHWH's "Commands" refers to all of His Commandments; these are one and the same as every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of Elohim. These are not Commands only between Y'shua and his Father but they are universal for all souls who will enter into the Malchut Elohim.

[4] Y'shua speaks the Word of YHWH, not his own words; therefore, he conveys the revelation of YHWH according to the Ruach haKodesh without the baggage of man's religious tradition. Religion has a propensity to reinvent or interpret the Word of YHWH to make it "acceptable" to man's standards; whereas Mashiyach came not to please men, but to honor and bring Glory to his Father.

Yeshua was sent by the Father NOT to do his own will, but the Father's! So many seem to think he came to replace the Father and abolish Torah....Yet he came to restore man's relationship with YHWH and remind us to totally rely on YHWH for everything.

Many (if not most) Christians keep insisting "God is love" and that's all we need to know. So here's a hypothetical question: A father teaches his child not to cross the road unless he has looked both ways; he did that because he LOVES the child.

The child, believing that the father's love is all encompassing, doesn't bother to continue to obey what the father SAID because, hey, "Dad is LOVE!"; he just goes ahead and crosses the road without looking - and consequently gets smashed by a semi-truck.

So, how did the father's LOVE save that child? It didn't! There are commands the kid should have obeyed in order to please his father and continue living with and FOR the father. Loving God includes obeying His rules because they are our ONLY blueprint for moral, holy living!