Guest Post!
Apr. 21st, 2009 01:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiberaddictThis is a post I borrowed from Anna. It says everything I want to, but she says it very well. (This is the post I mentioned in my post last night. :grin:)
The Law isn't for Me!
I humor people occasionally. Just because they're behaving, or because they at least feign an interest in Truth. Mostly because I can teach EVERYONE off their one question. I was going to write about the Mikvah today, but someone new came and had a question: Isn't the Old Testament obsolete, since we have Messiah? And she directed me to Galatians 3:23-29. Very innocently, very respectfully (not that I buy it, my red flags were up ALL over the place given this past week)... but I can use this to clear up an important misconception. One that, when shown as it really is, is a corruption of scripture causing the Word to contradict itself in more places than I have time to quote. So how about it? Aren't we no longer under the law? Well, stay with me, this'll get interesting.
1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
^^ Sin is, by Biblical definition, disobedience of God's laws.
1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
^^ Paul (who wrote Galatians) says that the law of God is good. This verse is the NT endorsing the law. WHY is the law good?
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
^^ The law was given so that we would know what disobedience was, so that when Messiah came, we would be desperate for His salvation from the wages of that disobedience. Continuing in the same passage:
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
^^ While we, as believers, are free from the punishment of our disobedience, we are STILL obligated to obedience as a show of our faith. Hence the comments by Yeshua: "If you love me (claim faith), keep my commandments (obey)." Continuing on:
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
^^ Another way of saying 'faith without obedience is dead' (James 2:20). If you love Yah, you keep His laws and follow His precepts. Yeshua did. Paul did. Why don't you? And now, in light of this, let's look at how Galatians 3:23-29 fits:
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
^^ Exactly what we've proven thus far with other scripture. The Law was what show us our need to be justified by faith in Messiah. Continuing:
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
^^ We no longer need to be led to justification and redemption once we have Yeshua. Does this nullify the law? NO! Which is why Yeshua said, "I have not come to destroy the law, but to bring it to fullness." But does this mean that we are no longer called to obey the Law? God forbid! - in Paul's own words. Yeshua goes on to say:
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
^^ Have heaven and earth passed away? NO. This means the Law is STILL a vital part of the life of those who worship Yahweh. Not to condemn us by our deeds, but that by those deed we can show the Lord our obedience and love. Every act that you do, every feast that you keep (which Paul says are 'a shadow of things to come' - thus still VERY relevant!)... all of these things are how Yah calls us to obedience.
This is the problem with christianity - it teaches its followers that they don't have to worry about anything, they're saved, they can do what they want! They're FREE!! They don't have to pay attention to God's laws, they don't have to keep His feasts - they can blow Him off and have "Easter" instead of Passover/Firstfruits/Unleavened Bread, and Christ-Mass on Mithras pagan day instead of Sukkot. Screw the Old Testament - rip it out, it's done, it's over, it doesn't apply! It drives me CRAZY. And think what Yeshua must feel. Like moneychangers have set up camp in the Temple... only now it's lawchangers who've set up camp in the 'c'hurch. Nevermind that that line of thinking contradicts itself and all of scripture. It's no wonder the world want's NOTHING to do with christians - they pick and choose and play holy while treading over that which they have been called to obey!
And what they're missing!! I know, because I was there. I had no idea that when you celebrate Passover, you open the door, and look for the coming Elijah (two witnesses, due to arrive during a Passover in YOUR future!). When you celebrate the Firstfruits, you're looking for the time when we will rise in Christ and meet him in the air. Rosh Ha'Shannah - the Trumpet of the Lord sounding. Yom Kippur - the coming Judgment Day. Sukkot - Our eternity with the Lord. And they miss it all, tossing it out like yesterday's trash. Say it's "no longer applicable". Wanna bet?!
I'm sorry, I'm just a little passionate about this. In Israel, when a person chose to serve Yahweh, whether they were a Jew or Ger (Gentile), they were considered God's and were called to obey His statutes and commands. What makes today's 'christians' any different? Romans 2:29 says that he is a JEW who is one in heart and spirit. And if we are Jews... we are commanded to observe those things "for all generations". That means ALL generations. He didn't say 'until the Messiah comes'. He said ALL generations.
I've written several blogs talking further about this: "Freedom in Christ", "Apples, Onions, and Pomegranates" (<< Which I HIGHLY recommend), and if you check the sidebar you'll find half a dozen others. I hope you prayerfully consider these things. Because you should really want to know the Truth.
The Law isn't for Me!
I humor people occasionally. Just because they're behaving, or because they at least feign an interest in Truth. Mostly because I can teach EVERYONE off their one question. I was going to write about the Mikvah today, but someone new came and had a question: Isn't the Old Testament obsolete, since we have Messiah? And she directed me to Galatians 3:23-29. Very innocently, very respectfully (not that I buy it, my red flags were up ALL over the place given this past week)... but I can use this to clear up an important misconception. One that, when shown as it really is, is a corruption of scripture causing the Word to contradict itself in more places than I have time to quote. So how about it? Aren't we no longer under the law? Well, stay with me, this'll get interesting.
1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
^^ Sin is, by Biblical definition, disobedience of God's laws.
1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
^^ Paul (who wrote Galatians) says that the law of God is good. This verse is the NT endorsing the law. WHY is the law good?
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
^^ The law was given so that we would know what disobedience was, so that when Messiah came, we would be desperate for His salvation from the wages of that disobedience. Continuing in the same passage:
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
^^ While we, as believers, are free from the punishment of our disobedience, we are STILL obligated to obedience as a show of our faith. Hence the comments by Yeshua: "If you love me (claim faith), keep my commandments (obey)." Continuing on:
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
^^ Another way of saying 'faith without obedience is dead' (James 2:20). If you love Yah, you keep His laws and follow His precepts. Yeshua did. Paul did. Why don't you? And now, in light of this, let's look at how Galatians 3:23-29 fits:
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
^^ Exactly what we've proven thus far with other scripture. The Law was what show us our need to be justified by faith in Messiah. Continuing:
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
^^ We no longer need to be led to justification and redemption once we have Yeshua. Does this nullify the law? NO! Which is why Yeshua said, "I have not come to destroy the law, but to bring it to fullness." But does this mean that we are no longer called to obey the Law? God forbid! - in Paul's own words. Yeshua goes on to say:
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
^^ Have heaven and earth passed away? NO. This means the Law is STILL a vital part of the life of those who worship Yahweh. Not to condemn us by our deeds, but that by those deed we can show the Lord our obedience and love. Every act that you do, every feast that you keep (which Paul says are 'a shadow of things to come' - thus still VERY relevant!)... all of these things are how Yah calls us to obedience.
This is the problem with christianity - it teaches its followers that they don't have to worry about anything, they're saved, they can do what they want! They're FREE!! They don't have to pay attention to God's laws, they don't have to keep His feasts - they can blow Him off and have "Easter" instead of Passover/Firstfruits/Unleavened Bread, and Christ-Mass on Mithras pagan day instead of Sukkot. Screw the Old Testament - rip it out, it's done, it's over, it doesn't apply! It drives me CRAZY. And think what Yeshua must feel. Like moneychangers have set up camp in the Temple... only now it's lawchangers who've set up camp in the 'c'hurch. Nevermind that that line of thinking contradicts itself and all of scripture. It's no wonder the world want's NOTHING to do with christians - they pick and choose and play holy while treading over that which they have been called to obey!
And what they're missing!! I know, because I was there. I had no idea that when you celebrate Passover, you open the door, and look for the coming Elijah (two witnesses, due to arrive during a Passover in YOUR future!). When you celebrate the Firstfruits, you're looking for the time when we will rise in Christ and meet him in the air. Rosh Ha'Shannah - the Trumpet of the Lord sounding. Yom Kippur - the coming Judgment Day. Sukkot - Our eternity with the Lord. And they miss it all, tossing it out like yesterday's trash. Say it's "no longer applicable". Wanna bet?!
I'm sorry, I'm just a little passionate about this. In Israel, when a person chose to serve Yahweh, whether they were a Jew or Ger (Gentile), they were considered God's and were called to obey His statutes and commands. What makes today's 'christians' any different? Romans 2:29 says that he is a JEW who is one in heart and spirit. And if we are Jews... we are commanded to observe those things "for all generations". That means ALL generations. He didn't say 'until the Messiah comes'. He said ALL generations.
I've written several blogs talking further about this: "Freedom in Christ", "Apples, Onions, and Pomegranates" (<< Which I HIGHLY recommend), and if you check the sidebar you'll find half a dozen others. I hope you prayerfully consider these things. Because you should really want to know the Truth.
