It's not nice to rejoice over someone else's misfortune

The influx of Muslims into Europe is in the news daily. Europe is being absolutely overwhelmed with myriad Muslims and Christians fleeing the tyranny of the Middle East. Every once in awhile, I see really mean Facebook threads and memes/posters and other respective Internet articles about these people, and honestly, it hurts my heart. It hurts because, regardless of their respective faiths, they are still humans just trying to stay alive. They have lost everything, risked their lives, walked hundreds of miles – many with babies and small children – and my heart goes out to them.

Yes, I’m positive many ISIS/Al-Qaeda thugs have seized the opportunity to sneak into Europe with them, creating a true dilemma that will surely plague Europe at some point in the very near future when those demons begin to unleash their agenda. (Most immigrants seem to want to go into Germany...and so my guess is, Germany will be the first country to be dominated by radical Islam…and for all I know, perhaps this is YHWH's retribution against Germany for killing 6 million of HIS people....Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19.)

Regardless, I am still heartbroken for all the innocents who were forced to flee and start all over again. Unless we personally have been bombed out of our homes, watched family members being shot/blown up, and been forced to flee on foot to another country, we have no right to promote ill will against anyone! I honestly don’t think God wants us to berate and make fun of these people. As a matter of fact, He even said so:

Proverbs 24:17 Do not exult when your enemy falls, And let not your heart rejoice when he stumbles; 18 Lest יהוה see and it be evil in His eyes, And He turn away His wrath from him.

Torah is our way to holiness!

We at The Refiner's Fire encounter many Christians spending a lot of time finding ways to deny any obligation to Torah.  The "Law", they say, "...no longer applies."  "I just don't see the sense in all those 'rules'."  "Jesus paid it all so we don't have to." "That was just for the Jews." "We are under grace."  "We have Torah written on our hearts."  The excuses go on and on and on.

But I have to wonder if those saying these things ever bothered to find out just what "Torah" is, and what it means?

If you aren't already turned off by these first two paragraphs, here's something that may stun you:  No one is permitted to come before God unless they are "clean" in mind, spirit, and body.  If you do not live by Torah, then you are not "clean", and I'm sorry, but when the time comes, be that in life, death, or rapture, you cannot be in the presence of God.

Ouch!

Yes...OUCH!  That statement hurts doesn't it? If you are not "holy" then you cannot be in His presence!  I'm sorry, but this is not my rule, this is God's rule!  Here it is in blue and white:

"For I am Adonai your God; therefore, consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy..." (Leviticus 11:44, CJB)

"...you are to be holy, because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:45, CJB)

"...you people are to be holy for me; because I, Adonai, am holy; and I have set you apart from the other peoples, so that you can belong to me." (Leviticus 20:26, CJB)

You see, God commanded us to "be holy" so we could be in His presence and He could dwell with us.  "In this way you will separate the people of Isra'el from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in a state of uncleanness for defiling my tabernacle which is there with them." (Leviticus 15:31, CJB)

"The person who remains unclean and does not purify himself will be cut off from the community because he has defiled the sanctuary of Adonai." (Numbers 19:20 CJB)

And lest you think this is just "Old Testament" stuff, look at the situation in the end, when the old earth has passed away and God and Jesus are sitting on the throne and the whole world is the "city" where He dwells:  "Nothing impure may enter it, nor anyone who does shameful things or lies; the only ones who may enter are those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."  (Revelation 21:27, CJB)

So how can one "be holy" so one can be in His presence?   By being Torah observant!  "But" you object, "that's Old Testament stuff; it doesn't apply to us today."  Really?  The command for us to "be holy" somehow would not apply to us today?

Jesus said "If you love me, you will keep my commands."  Most all of Christianity accepts/believes that Jesus is God, so if Jesus is God, and Torah comes from God, wouldn't Jesus' commands be Torah?  Even Peter, who valiantly tried to teach us who the Messiah was and what He did for us, said "...following the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in your entire way of life; since the Tanakh says, 'You are to be holy because I am holy.' " (1 Peter 1:15-16 CJB).  Was Peter talking about some other way to be "holy"?

NO!  Torah is our way to be holy.  Torah teaches us how to behave.  Torah teaches us how to have a relationship with God.

So instead of spending time trying to justify that Torah does not apply to you, how about spending some time finding out what it is?  It will surprise you (I guarantee it!) how wonderful Torah is. Stop looking at Torah as "rules", and try to see it as a "way" of life.  (Please check out our article on what Torah rules still apply to us today.) You can begin your journey by studying the many articles on The Refiner's Fire .  And if you are truly new, you can begin at the beginning with the inexpensive book "Should Christians be Torah Observant?" by Carmen Welker, on Amazon.com. 

Yeshua constantly upheld Torah....

Sharing a couple of scripture readings for today, the first day of Sukkot.   They brought tears to our eyes.  The Bible is AWESOME!!!

John 1: 1. In the beginning[1] was the Miltha.[2]  And that Miltha was with Elohim.  And Elohim was that Miltha.  2. This was with Elohim in the beginning.  3. Everything existed through His hands,[3] and without Him, not even one thing existed of the things which have existed.  4. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5. And that light shines in the darkness,[4] and the darkness did not overtake it.  6. There was a man who was sent from Elohim whose name was Yochanan.  7. This man came for a witness that he might testify concerning the light that all might believe through his hand.  8. He was not the light; rather that he might bear witness concerning the light.  9. For the light was of truth, that which shines on all who come into the world. 

10. He was in the world, and the world existed by His hand and the world did not know Him.  11. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  12. But those who did receive Him He gave to them authority that they might be the sons of Elohim, those who have believed in His name.  13. Those who neither by blood nor by the will of the flesh nor by the will of a man, rather were begotten by Elohim.  14. And the Miltha[5] became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw His glory,[6] the glory as the Only-Begotten who is from the Father who is full of grace and truth.  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  The phrase B’resheet aytohi hwa miltha breaks a most basic rule of Aramaic grammar by combining a feminine noun (miltha) with two masculine verbs for “to be” (aytohi, hwa).  This is unheard of in Aramaic literature other than right here in this passage and in 1 John.  This shows YHWH has male and female “images/spirits” even though YHWH remains a He.  It may also be a midrash on Isaiah 11:1-2, which describes the Spirit of YHWH descending on Mashiyach using both masculine and feminine suffixes. This is not something easily translated, let alone when it occurs within the first four words.

[2]  Miltha has no direct English equivalent. It can mean ‘Word’, ‘Manifestation’, ‘Instance’ or ‘Substance’ among other things. In this context, it may best be left untranslated.

[3]  Literal Aramaic reading; “through his hands” indicates the Word as a creative force, like a sculptor working under the orders of a king.  See Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 44:24; 66:1, 2.

[4]  Aramaic wordplay.  Nohra b’nshokha menhar (light in the darkness that shines) is a deliberate mirror-reversal of menhar-nohra (menorah), which marks the conception of the light of the world at Hanukkah.  This puts the birth of Mashiyach nine months from Hanukkah, during the fall feasts; many point to the first day of Feast of Tabernacles for the date of Y’shua’s birth.

[5]  Miltha refers to the “Manifestation” of the Ruach haKodesh within Mashiyach.  The physical body of Mashiyach is not the Word of YHWH, but his words and actions demonstrate the Will and Word of YHWH, which upholds observance of Torah.  However, Christo-Pagans like Marcion and Constantine taught that Y’shua’s body and spirit manifest a different “word” that did away with Torah.  The Word of YHWH was substituted with dispensational and replacement “theologies,” which are very popular among Christians.
 

[6]   Isaiah 42:8; 48:11

John 7: 1. After these things Y’shua was walking in Galeela, for he did not desire to walk in Yehuda because the Yehudeans were seeking to kill him.  2. And the Feast of the Tabernacles of the Yehudeans was drawing near.  3. And his brothers said to Y’shua, “Depart from here and go to Yehuda that your disciples may see the works that you do.  4. For there is no man who does anything secretly yet desires he that it be in the open.  If you do these things, show yourself to the people.”  5. For not even his brothers had believed in him, in Y’shua.  6. Y’shua said to them, My time, mine, is not arrived up until now, but your time, yours, is here at all moments.  7. The world is not able to hate you, but it hates me because I witness, I, against it that its works are evil.  8. You go up to this feast.  I will not go up to this feast now because my time is not yet finished. 

9. He said these things, and he remained in Galeela.  10. But when his brothers went up to the feast, then even he went up, not openly[1] but as in secret.  11. But the Yehudeans were looking for him at the feast and where saying, “Where is he?”  12. And there was much arguing among the crowds because of him, for there were those who said, “He is good.” and others who were saying, “No. He only deceives the people.”  13. But no man was openly speaking concerning him because of the fear of the Yehudeans.  14. Now when the days of the feast were divided Y’shua went up to the temple and he was teaching.  15. And the Yehudeans were marveling and saying, “How does this man know the scrolls since he has not learned them?”  16. Y’shua answered and said, My teaching is not mine, rather it is of He who has sent me.  17. He who desires to do His will can comprehend my teaching, if it is from Elohim, or if from my own will I speak. 

18. He who speaks from his own mind seeks glory for himself, but he who seeks the glory of He who sent him is true and there is no iniquity in his heart.  19. Did not Moshe give you Torah, yet not a man among you kept Torah?[2]  20. Why do you want to kill me? The crowd answered and said, “You have a demon!  Who wants to kill you?”  21. Y’shua answered and said to them, One work I have done and all of you marvel!  22. Because of this, Moshe gave circumcision to you.  It was not because it was from him, Moshe, but from the patriarchs; yet you circumcise a man on the day of the Shabbat.  23. If a man is circumcised on the day of the Shabbat so that the Torah of Moshe not be loosed, why do you argue against me because the whole man I have made whole on the day[3] of the Shabbat?  24. Do not be judging by hypocrisy, rather judge with a just judgment.  25. And the men from Urishlim were saying “Is this not the man that they want to kill? 

26. And behold he speaks openly and they do not say anything to him, why? Do our elders know that this is truly the Mashiyach?  27. But we know where this man is from, but when the Mashiyach comes, no man will know where he is from.”  28. And Y’shua lifted up his voice while he taught in the temple and said, You know both me and where I am from!  And I did not come from my own will but He is true who sent me, He who you do not know Him!  29. But I know him because I am from His presence and He sent me!  30. Then they wanted to seize him, yet no man placed hands upon him, because his time had not yet come.  31. And many in the crowds believed in him and said, “When the Mashiyach comes, what more than these miracles that this man does will he do?”  32. And the Pharisees heard the crowds who said these things concerning him, and the chief priests sent guards that they might seize him. 

33. And Y’shua said, A little time again I am with you, and I will go to Him who sent me.  34. And you will seek me and you will not find me, and where I am you are not able to come.  35. And the Yehudeans said among themselves, “Where is this man about to go that we cannot find him?  Why indeed is he about to go to the countries of the Gentiles and teach the pagans?  36. What is this teaching which he said that “You will seek me and you will not find me, and where I am you are not able to come?”  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  Yochanan is using a wordplay between b’Galeela (in Galeela, v9) and b’Galeea (openly, v10). Maran Y’shua went up to the feast secretly, not openly.

[2]  The Pharisees face a very stern rebuke here from Y’shua for not keeping the Torah of Moshe; his language could not be stronger. Y’shua’s teaching comes from the “divine” side (qnoma) within him.  It is YHWH who is speaking through Mashiyach Y’shua.  By contrast, “not a man among you,” not one Pharisee, is keeping Torah.  The message is clear; Y’shua in effect is saying, “who are you to judge me when you don’t practice what you preach?”  Even as a child from Galeela, Y’shua had a flawless understanding of Torah.  Y’shua never lived one standard for himself while teaching another to the Pharisees, and another to his Jewish followers, and yet another for non-Jews.  See Matthew 5:20.

[3]  This event is in active participle form in Aramaic, indicating that it is unfolding into the immediate present.  As a result, this verse clearly invalidates the false theory of a lunar Shabbat.  This cannot be referring to a miracle on any other time but, rather, at that moment on that day – since that selfsame moment is called the Shabbat day! Y’shua states that a day between the first and last days of Sukkot is the Shabbat.  That being the case, the Shabbat is by definition, falling on a day other than the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd or 29th day of the month. 

This imperative clearly nullifies the lunar Shabbat falsehood; it is validated by Aramaicists and authoritative Aramaic grammars of both Christian and Jewish persuasion.  Neither is there any historical documentation among Netzarim followers of Y’shua regarding the observance of a lunar Shabbat.  Nor do Jewish historians such as Yoseph ben Mattathias (Josephus) support the theory that Y’shua’s talmidim observed a lunar Shabbat.  Had Y’shua or his talmidim adopted lunar Shabbat observance, the Rabbinical world would have raked them over the coals, but no such thing is evidenced in Jewish writings.  The lunar Shabbat theory is a fallacy, invented by a “lunatic”. 

Does God only expect the Jews to be holy?

As we near the end of another year of Torah study, I feel the need to reiterate that YHWH meant for ALL to obey His Torah.  Anyone who has ever read and actually studied the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) can see that YHWH meant His Torah (Divine Instructions in Righteousness) to be for everyone who accepts Him as their ELOHIM.  Yet there continue to be those who insist that Torah (which they erroneously refer to as "the Law”) was given only to “the Jews." Never mind, there were 12 tribes standing at Mount Sinai, as well as the myriad Gentiles who had followed Moshe (Moses) out of Egypt and were commanded to do exactly as YHWH’s people did (Numbers 15:13-16).

We must always remember that YHWH chose Avram, a PAGAN Chaldean, to become our first patriarch (Genesis 12). Avram wasn't a Jew, and neither were any of the other patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob -  and actually, neither were Adam and Eve who broke a “Torah” command when they decided to partake of the fruit of that forbidden tree!  (Yes, it was a broken Torah command that caused the rest of us to be born into a SINFUL, struggling world!) 

But yes, we need to realize that, right from the beginning, people were either Torah observant (lived by God’s rules), or not!  In Genesis 4 Cain killed Abel over what?  Jealousy over a sacrifice – knowledge of which came from YHWH’s Torah – things He had passed down from the moment He created Adam!  (Granted, Torah was not “written down” in those days, but somehow people KNEW what YHWH demanded of them....)

So, what makes the Jews themselves and just about anyone else with any Bible knowledge believe that Torah was given only to “the Jews?”  Did He mean for “only the Jews to be holy?”  Heck no!  It was simply because when YHWH dispersed the endlessly disobedient tribes into the nations, He chose the Tribe of Judah to take Torah into the world and safeguard and preserve it (Genesis 49:10, Micah 4:2)!

Y'shua was born into the Tribe of Yehudah/Judah, but He never once taught that Torah was "only for the Jews!"  Yes, the Jews (who have been safeguarding Torah for thousands of years) are expected to be the EXAMPLE of holiness, but, according to Numbers 15:13-16 where we see YHWH reiterating it four times in a row, ALL who accept Him are to do exactly as His people do! 

As an aside, nobody automatically “becomes a Jew” when they begin to be Torah observant.    Only someone descended directly from the Tribe of Yehudah (or one who converts) can legally call themselves a Jew.  However, they CAN refer to themselves as “Hebrew.”  Why?  Well, the answer lies in Genesis 12 when Avram accepted YHWH as his God, and began to obey His every command, he "crossed over" both spiritually and physically into the land YHWH commanded – and thus he became a HEBREW (which means “to cross over”).  Avram, who later became, Abraham became a HEBREW, and all of his descendants became known as Hebrew.  Therefore, all those who accept YHWH can legitimately refer to themselves as Hebrew.

To "fast" on Yom Kippur - required or not?

On this blessed Yom Kippur, considered the highest of Holy Days in Judaism and for those of us who seek true obedience to God in the manner He gave to all who are His, a rather disturbing subject has emerged.  That subject is whether or not Yom Kippur calls for a day of fasting.

Seems that many out there, some well  respected, are spreading the argument that a "fast" is not part of Yom Kippur; rather, all it calls for is "rest" - no work for you and you should not have anyone working for you that day.  Somehow they see that interpretation in full compliance with scripture.  But is it in compliance with scripture?

Here are the verses most often referenced to make the case:

"And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you.   For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins.   It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever."  (Leviticus 16:29-31, ESV).

Most then go into a long explanation that the Hebrew word, תענו, ("tayanu") translated here as "afflict" in English, in no way carries the meaning or requirement to "fast" because the Hebrew word for "fast" is   וצומו, (ve'tzumu).  Thus they conclude that the scripture says that "afflict yourself" means to not work that day.  Therefore, by their deep, scriptural analysis, they have found a way to eliminate the requirement for fasting on Yom Kippur.

But somehow they miss that the phrase says "afflict yourself".  Well, actually it says
תענו את־נפשׁתיכם,  "te'anuh et-nafsh'tim", roughly "afflict your souls".  The Hebrew word for "nephesh", translated into English, actually means much more than "souls", and the phrase truly reads that each person is doing something special and not simply "taking the day off."

The days of no work

All of God's Holy Days are Shabbats!  For each one we are commanded to do no work.  The weekly Sabbath is commanded for no work:

"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places." (Leviticus 23:3, ESV).

No, "afflict your soul" associated with the weekly Sabbath!

Then in Leviticus 23:6-8 we learn that the first and last days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread are Sabbaths on which there is to be no work.  No, "afflict your soul" associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Then we learn in Leviticus 23:21 that Shavuot is a Holy Day with no work, and the 1st of Tishri in Leviticus 23:24-25 is a Holy Day with no work,  as are the 1st and eighth days of Sukkot (Leviticus 23:34-36) ... and on all these Holy Days of no work we do not find "afflict your soul" associated with these Holy Days.

But there in Leviticus 23:27, there it is again: "Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD." (ESV).  So clearly, since Yom Kippur is a day of no work, it is also a day to "afflict your soul."

So can we find out what this means?  

Yes we can!  All arguments aside, as to the meaning of "afflict" and whether or not "fasting is implied or required", simply turn to scripture:

"And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3).

Here we find God "humbled" His people by making them hungry!  The English word "humbled" here is from ויענך,  ("vey'ane'cha"), the same word as "afflict" in Leviticus 16 and 23!

So there you have it.  To "afflict your soul" truly does mean "become hungry"; that is, to "fast".  And we are even told why:  "...that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD "!

And if Deuteronomy 8:3 does not "cement" this for you, then read verse 2:

"And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not." (ESV)

So next Yom Kippur, when you try to find some reason not to fast, is that not actually testing your heart?  How about fasting that day so you can dwell on not living by food alone!

Looking at Romans 7 and Paul in context

Many people attempt to use passages such as the ones we see in Romans 7 to show that Paul was a “false Apostle” because he supposedly didn’t uphold Torah, and/or that “the law” was abolished and does not pertain to believers in Messiah Y’shua.

Well, let’s take a look at Romans 7 in context, using the excellent footnotes contained in the Aramaic English New Testament:

Romans 7: 1. Or do you not know, my Brothers (for I am speaking to them that know Torah) that Torah has dominion over a man as long as he is alive?  2. Just as a woman, by Torah, is bound to her husband as long as he is alive: but if her husband should die, she is freed from the Torah of her husband.  3. And if, while her husband is alive, she should adhere to another man, she would become an adulteress: but if her husband should die, she is freed from Torah; and would not be an adulteress though joined to another man.[1] 

4. And now, my brothers, you also have become dead to Torah[2] by the body of Mashiyach; that you might be joined to another, (even) to him who arose from the dead, and might yield fruits to Elohim.  5. For while we were in the flesh, the emotions of sin which are (listed) by Torah, were active in our members that we should bear fruits to death.  6. But now we are absolved from Torah and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might from now on serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.[3]  7. What will we say then? Is Torah sin? May it never be! For I had not learned sin except by means of Torah: for I had not known lust, had not Torah said, You will not covet:  8. And by this Commandment sin found occasion and perfected in me all lust: for without Torah, sin was dead. 

9. And I, without Torah, was alive formerly; but when the Commandment came, sin became alive, and I died;  10. And the Commandment of life was found by me (to be) to death.  11. For sin, by the occasion which it found by means of the Commandment, seduced me and thereby killed me.  12. As a result, Torah is Set Apart; and the Commandment is Set Apart, and righteous, and good.  13. Did that which is good, therefore, become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be seen to be sin, perfected death in me by means of that good (Torah); that sin might the more be condemned by means of the Commandment.  14. For we know, that Torah is spiritual;[4] but I am carnal, and sold to sin.  15. For what I am doing, I do not know: and what I would, I do not perform; but what I hate, that I do. 

16. And if I do what I would not, I testify of Torah, that it is right.  17. And then, it is no more I who do that thing, but sin which dwells in me.  18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) good dwells not: because, to approve the good, is easy for me; but to do it, I am unable.  19. For I do not perform the good which I would perform, but the bad which I would not perform, that I do perform.  20. And if I do what I would not, it is not I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.  21. I find therefore a Torah coinciding with my conscience which agrees to my doing good, whereas evil is near to me. 

22. For I rejoice in the Torah of Elohim, in the inner man.  23. But I see another instruction[5] in my members, which wars against the instruction of my conscience and makes me a captive to the instruction of sin which exists in my members.  24. O, a miserable man, am I! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  25. I thank Elohim by means of our Master Y’shua the Mashiyach (I will be rescued.)  Now, therefore, in my conscience, I am a servant of the Torah of Elohim; but in my flesh, I am a servant of the instruction of sin.[6]  (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  In these three verses “Torah” is intended as “Instruction” as in the instruction pertaining to marriage alone, not the whole body of the Covenant.  When a marriage partner dies, the surviving spouse is no longer contractually bound to the marriage covenant, but this does not mean that the rules of marriage no longer apply to the survivor, or to the rest us.

[2]   “Dead to Torah” refers to being dead to the penalty for sin, which is death, followed by destruction.  The believer sins (misses the mark) as anyone else does; however, those who are “in Mashiyach” have atonement in him.  From the beginning (Gen. 3:15) YHWH established a defense for His people against haSatan (the adversary).  To be “in” Mashiyach means to live a life pleasing to YHWH and NOT break Torah (see also Romans 8:1-10).  Those who think that they can repeatedly break Torah without consequence, because of Mashiyach died for them, are very deceived.  To “live in the spirit” means that the Spirit of Mashiyach is training up his followers so they can put away the carnal desires of the weak flesh, and that they are overcomers of the flesh. 

[3]  This is because faith in Mashiyach and Torah observance brings eternal life, but the consequence of sin is death.  It does not mean Torah is “released” because, with or without Mashiyach, the penalty for willful sin still remains.  If the penalty for sin remains, then Torah also remains.  The “oldness of the letter” speaks of old religious ways which do not recognize Mashiyach as bringing the Living Word of YHWH to mankind.  Y’shua brought the correct understanding of Torah which is to be written upon the heart, so we don’t continue in sin.  See also 6:12.  Some might say they have Faith and claim to be “Believers,” but if they continue in sin their faith/belief is irrelevant.

[4]  Paul says “Torah is spiritual”; therefore, while those without Torah might be very religious, they are not “spiritual” according to Paul and Mashiyach!  Mashiyach is the goal and we are to be like him, which means that when our spirits are awakened to Mashiyach we will proceed to welcome Torah to be written upon our hearts.

[5]  Namusa could refer to the Tanakh, particular instruction within Tanakh, or an earthly instruction from the heart of man that may or may not be righteous, as it does here. The key context here is “in my members”; i.e., the flesh.

[6]  Two instructions; one from YHWH, the other from flesh, are in direct opposition to one another.

What we must remember when reading Paul’s epistles is that he was desperately attempting to get difficult Hebrew concepts across to the Greek mindset!  Paul was an amazing servant, but yes, he WAS hard to understand.
Even Peter warned us that people would misinterpret/misunderstand the writings of the Apostle Paul:

2 Peter 3: 15 And think of our Lord's patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Sha'ul also wrote you, following the wisdom God gave him. 16 Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

And even the anti-Semite Martin Luther (1483-1546), said: "If I were younger I would want to learn this language [i.e. Hebrew], for without it no one can properly understand the Holy Scripture.... For that reason they have said correctly: 'The Jews drink out of the original spring, The Greeks drink out of the stream flowing out of the stream, The Latins, however, out of the puddle.'"

The scriptures of Rabbi Sha'ul (Apostle Paul) whose native tongue was Hebrew, have been mistranslated or misunderstood since the advent of the "church age." This is because people are viewing his teachings through a "Greek" as opposed to a "Hebrew" mindset. Paul never went against Yeshua's teachings, nor did he forsake the Torah. The following article shows that Paul's declarations have either been misunderstood, mistranslated, or wrongly interpreted - not to mention, used by some Gentile churches as an excuse to negate God's Torah and thus continue the age-old, anti-Semitic stance against the Jews.

Many people tend to forget that Paul was a Jew whose teachings NEVER contradicted Torah (God's original teachings/instructions). If he had, he would have rendered Scripture contradictory.

Acts 21:15-21 - which was written after Paul had written the Galatians - clearly reveals Paul was Torah observant. It is commonly misunderstood that Paul's teachings - especially the idea that Paul said in Galatians, "if one is led by the Spirit, he or she is not under law..." - that the authority of the law has been abolished for believers in Yeshua and that the Torah has been superseded. Many people are confusing legalism (man's requirements) with Torah observance.

When Paul speaks of being "under the law" or the "works of the law", he is speaking against legalism, and not against the Torah. There is no Hebrew word for the concept of "legalism" or "legalist" so Paul was hindered in his attempt to explain to the Gentiles that legalism was not what God intended. Paul was not teaching against Torah observance by believers of Yeshua; rather, he was being careful in his language to make it clear that Torah was not given by God to be used in a legalistic manner.

Some people insist that there is no explicit text in the New Testament that commands us to "walk in Torah" or in any way continue to adhere to any of the commands of the old covenant. However, Romans 3:31 clearly says:  Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law....

A discussion on "dead to the law"

Someone recently posted a wonderful comment in response to one of our blog posts – and I felt it was so good that it needed to be shared with the world.

COMMENT:

I am wondering does 'dead to the law' mean that we become more and more like Yeshua, putting away sin as we gradually die to ourselves and the sinful wants of our human nature?

To me, that would make sense. If I 'die to the law' that means I no longer want to commit sin because I am dead to it, and dead doesn't wake up, isn't tempted by sin. And this most certainly is a process throughout our lifetime, walking with Yeshua, learning from Him, being guided by His Spirit, gradually dying to our old sinful nature.

This is something I feel like I am experiencing, sinful things that I used to struggle with, no longer tempt me, as if I was dead to it. The more I read the scriptures, the more I learn from Yeshua and keep to Him, the more this transformation and 'dying' occurs.

I still struggle with many things in my daily life, many things I'm not happy about and that needs to change, but I am a very different person now than when I began this journey.

Correct me if I'm wrong!


MY RESPONSE:

GREAT question, and every word you wrote is absolutely right on!  You wrote:  “I am wondering does 'dead to the law' mean that we become more and more like Yeshua, putting away sin as we gradually die to ourselves and the sinful wants of our human nature?”

The answer is a resounding YES!  That’s exactly what it means.  Unfortunately, many have decided that “the law” died – when nothing could be further from the Truth!  Why would Torah (our only divine blueprint for moral, holy living) become defunct, null and void, just because Y’shua’s human body died? 

We must remember that “Torah” means “instruction in righteousness”; it never meant “law.”  Somehow the Greek Bible translations lost the true meaning and, consequently, Christianity twisted YHWH’s Torah into being something that was “only for the Jews” (and even a “curse” -  because they misunderstood Galatians 3:10), and suggested that Christians are "under grace" had to do nothing but “believe in Jesus.” 

Somehow, no one seemed to realize that these erroneous thought processes totally removed the relationship between God and man!  After all, if you don’t OBEY your Creator by keeping His commanded weekly and yearly Sabbaths, etc., then WHOM are you worshiping?  Just “believing in Jesus” does not teach a child right from wrong or how to play nicely with others….

But yet many will use passages such as Colossians 2:14-15 to “prove” that “the law” was abolished at the cross:

Colossians 2:14 - He wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us; but he removed it by nailing it to the execution-stake 15 stripping the rulers and authorities of their power he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by means of the stake. (Stern’s)

This passage NEVER suggested that, because Jesus died, Christians were so special that they were released from any responsibility to obey YHWH's "forever" commands because they were suddenly "under grace!"  (Grace has always been around, or else Adam and Eve would have been wiped off the face of the earth, and none of us would be here now.)

Read IN CONTEXT Colossians 2:14-15 reveals that YHWH wiped away the documented opinions of men (bill of charges) against us and took them from our midst....The Torah was NOT “wiped away”!  Why would it have been?  The Torah is holy, righteous and good. To suddenly have it "nailed to the cross" would mean that the things of God were originally evil, something to be done away with.

People tend to forget that sin is transgression of TORAH  (I John 3:4)!

Let’s do a little study from the Aramaic English New Testament and its awesome footnotes on a passage in Galatians 2 – another passage many attempt to use to prove “the law” was abolished at the cross.  Please read the footnotes very carefully, because they serve to clear up some terrible misconceptions about the writings of Paul:

Galatians 2: 14. But behold! When those who did not follow righteously the truth of the Good News,[1] said I to Peter, to the eyes of them all, “If you who are Yehudeans, live as Arameans;[2] why do you urge the Gentiles who have joined themselves to Yehuda to live as Yehudeans?”  15. For if we who have a Jewish nature[3] 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[4] of Torah, but by faith in Y’shua the Mashiyach. 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) to be made righteous by Mashiyach we still find ourselves to be sinners,[5] should (it be) therefore that Y’shua the Mashiyach is a servant of sin? Elohim forbid!  18. For if I build again the things I destroyed, I will prove to myself that I have passed by the Commandment.[6]  19. For by Torah I am dead, that I might live to Elohim.  20. And I am executed on a stake with Mashiyach, so it is not I that live but Mashiyach lives in me; and the life I live now in the flesh in faith[7] of the Son of Elohim who loves me and give his life/soul for me.  21. And I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim, for if righteousness came by Torah, then Mashiyach died for nothing.[8] (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1]  The original Peshitta reads awngaleyon, which is a loan word from the Greek evangelion. However, the New Testament Aramaic Peshitta Text with Hebrew Translation editor writes on page iv: “Concerning the word ‘gospel’, only the pure Aramaic word sevartha is used in this edition, rather than the Greek word where the Peshitta uses it in 27 places.” While the issue of loan words is complex and beyond the scope of a simple word-for-word translation, suffice to say that we should expect the Peshitta contain these, as it reflects the harsh reality of First Century Israel under Roman occupation.  If Aramaic were entirely “pure” this would tend to invalidate the Peshitta’s claim to originality.  There are clearly many more signs of Aramaic influence in the Greek “New Testament” than the other way around. It is for these reasons that every line must be scrupulously checked in multiple sources.

[2]  Rav Shaul consistently uses “Arameans” in Peshitta, where the Greek NT versions read “Greeks.”  Arameans are Semites who are closely related to Hebrews, but in this context “Arameans” refers to Semites living as non-Jews.

[3]  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 bifurcates human nature further into Jewish and (by implication) non-Jewish.

[4]  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.

[5]  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 wilful neglect of Torah. 

Many Christians, for example, are taught that they “don’t have” to observe Shabbat 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 is not even on the commanded Passover); 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.

[6]   “Passes over sin” is an idiomatic expression meaning “transgress.”  Literally, “to go around the commandment” – just as the Hebrew word for repentance means “to turn back.”

[7]  The faith here is two fold in Aramaic.  First, it is the faith in the Son of man, Y’shua the Mashiyach, who brings eternal life. However, that eternal life is made possible because Y’shua the man was obedient to YHWH’s Torah.  His faith brought him life, and through him, our eternal life.  So Rav Shaul says that his faith is in the Son’s perfected nephesh (soul) while the perfected nephesh (soul) became that way through the faith of the Son.

[8]  Torah instructs us about righteousness, but it can’t make anyone righteous in itself.  It is YHWH Tsidkenu (our Righteousness) who is the Spirit of YHWH in Mashiyach that purifies the spirit and soul of man.  As we read and study Torah we must “hear” the Ruach haKodesh inside of us.  YHWH gives us His Grace to turn to Him, walk in His Righteousness and observe His Torah.