Friday, January 1, 2021

Folks, “the law” is NOT a “curse”….

How sad it is to see people making comments about how the "law is a curse."   My goodness, the "law" (which actually refers to TORAH) CANNOT be a  curse!  YHWH's Commands have never been a curse!  It's blasphemy to even  suggest that! The bottom line is, those who are able to make ignorant  comments like that that are completely Bible illiterate....

So, let's see why they are in error:

As  you all know, even Peter said that Paul would be hard to understand (2  Peter 3:15-16). However, the answer to this "under a curse" situation is  really very simple.

First,  look who Paul is writing to. The  congregations in Galatia, Galatians  1:2. Why is he writing to them?  Because they have already fallen away  from faith in the Messiah and had  been confused and challenged by men  who do not believe in the Messiah  (1:6-7). What does Paul say about  these teachers?

He says they "are men who agitated you and desired  to pervert the Good News of Mashiyach" (1:7),  and that these men  "preach outside from what was preached to you, let  them be cursed. ...  Whichever man preaches to you outside of what you  have received, let him  be accursed" (1:8-9).

Now, read Galatians 3 with this in mind, but first, understand that Torah says: "A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice"  (Deuteronomy 27:26).

In  Galatians 3, Paul is teaching (again) that righteousness does not come  through "works", rather, that righteousness is through faith, and  faith  is demonstrated by works (Galatians 3:2-6). Then, referring to  Deuteronomy 27:26, Paul says in 3:10 "For  those  who are servants of Torah are still under a curse, for it is  written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not act on all that is written in  this book  of Torah.’”

Paul goes on through the rest of  Galatians 3 to  explain that he's talking about those very men whom he  mentioned back  in Galatians 1:7; that those men are cursed because they  teach Torah,  but they do not live by Torah!

Read the way Paul puts it in Romans 2: "13.   For not the hearers of Torah are righteous before Elohim; but the  doers  of Torah are being made righteous. 14. For if Gentiles who have  not  Torah will, by their nature, do the things of Torah; they, while  without  Torah, become a Torah to themselves.

15. Additionally,  they show the  work of Torah as it is inscribed on their hearts; and  their conscience  bears testimony to them, their own reflections  rebuking or vindicating  one another." (Romans 2:13-15)

But about the Torah-teachers he says:

"17.   But if you who are called a Jew, and rely yourself on Torah and glory   in Elohim, 18. (And further that you think) that you know His good   pleasure and discern obligations because you are instructed in Torah;   19. And (that Elohim) has confidence in yourself, that you are a guide   to the blind, and a light to them who are in darkness,

20. And  an  instructor of those lacking knowledge, and a preceptor to the young;  and  you have the appearance of knowledge and of verity in Torah (then  what  do you all say to the following):

21.  You therefore, who  teach others, teach you not yourself? And you who  teach that men must  not steal, do you steal? 22. And you who say, “Men  must not commit  adultery,” do you commit adultery? And you who condemn  idols, do you  plunder the sanctuary? 23. And you who glory in Torah,  don’t you, by  acting contrary to Torah, insult Elohim himself? (Romans 2:17-23)

So, there you have it. When  Paul says in Galatians 3:10 that those who are servants of Torah  are  still under a curse  [that is, they demand serving Torah, but they  are  not living by Torah], it is because they, themselves, don't live by  Torah as true servants for YHWH.

(Refer back to Deuteronomy 27:26, which says:  26  "'A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by   putting them into practice.'All the people are to say, 'Amen!')

In other words, we come under the curse when we sin and refuse to turn to YHWH!

There is SO much more that could be added to this, but the  bottom line is:  Torah is NOT a "curse." 

Torah shows us what sin is  and sets a standard for Perfection. Torah points us to Redemption,  Salvation and Deliverance and a time of reckoning when those who are  dead will awake to everlasting life or everlasting contempt (Daniel  12:1-10).

As Paul wrote:

Romans 3: 31 "Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? Not at all! Rather, we ESTABLISH the Torah."

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