"Not Subject to the Law of God?"

Part 10. Concluding Thoughts & Footnotes

Christianity teaches that if someone claims to "be saved," but never stops blatantly sinning, then they probably did not truly repent and weren't really born again (i.e., often said of homosexuals). It also teaches that even if you "sincerely" follow incorrect doctrine regarding salvation, you aren't saved (i.e., often said of Mormons).

Yeshua warned that we will be judged by the same measure we judge by. Therefore, when a Christian judges a Mormon, or a homosexual, or anyone for that matter, using the unified Word of God (the Torah), he had better be ready to be judged by the same Torah.

Keeping this Biblical principle in mind, The Torah shows that God's position on the Sabbath is clear. It is Friday evening to Saturday evening and we are to set it aside for Him as a Holy Day. History shows that man changed this out of disrespect for Judaism and Torah. Christians don't bother to learn this history (or don't care) accepting the lie that God changed this. As a result, they violate God's Sabbath every weekend, while carrying His Torah in their Bibles on their way into "Sunday church services" that preach "freedom FROM the Torah."

According to Paul in Romans 8:5-8, if you consider yourself to be "of the Spirit," you ARE subject to the Torah of God.

Are you?

Or are you of the flesh and "not subject to the Law of God?"

FOOTNOTES AND WEB LINKS:

  1. Basic Theology - A Popular Systematic Guide To Understanding Biblical Truth, Charles C. Ryrie, 1986, SP Publications Inc., Victor Books, Wheaton IL, pp. 302-303.
  2. When Skeptics Ask, Norman L. Geisler and Ronald M. Brooks, 1990, SP Publications Inc., Victor Books, Wheaton IL, p. 129.
  3. The Daily Study Bible Series - the Letters of James and Peter, William Barclay, 1976, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, p. 80.
  4. New King James version, Nelson Regency Publishers.
  5. The Daily Study Bible Series - the Letters of James and Peter, William Barclay, 1976, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, p. 70.
  6. Introductions and Reading Guide, King James Bible, 1962, Zondervan Publishing house, p. 9.
  7. ibid p. 10.
  8. Thru the Bible Commentary Series, Galatians, J. Vernon McGee, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991, p. 23.
  9. Another ancient Jewish teaching, regarding respect for the poor, is that material success often comes at the cost of spiritual failure. This is reflected in the saying, "Be careful with the poor, for, from them Torah comes out" (Talmud, Nedarim 81a). This teaching mirrors that of Yeshua in Matthew 19:23-24, where He expresses the difficulties that the wealthy have in finding the kingdom of God.
  10. The Shema, Spirituality and Law in Judaism, Norman Lamm, The Jewish Publication Society, Jerusalem, 1998, p.16
  11. Interestingly, the commentary of the Midrash Rabbah, on the first verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1) has the Torah referring to itself as a tutor at the time of creation!
  12. The Unity of the Bible, Daniel P. Fuller, 1992, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI, p. 346-359.
  13. In order to retain the parts of the Torah it claims remain valid for believers (i.e., adultery, covetousness, homosexuality) Christianity divides the Torah into separate moral, ceremonial, civil, and/or other "sections." However, no such strict division has existed in Judaism, nor in the minds of the authors of the "New Testament." This can be seen in the epistle of "James" (2:8-11), where he says all the Torah is one, as well as Paul's writings, such as Galatians 5:19, where he lists things like "uncleaness" ("ceremonial law") in the same sentence as adultery ("moral law") and murder ("civil law") and of course Yeshua, in Matthew 5:17-21.
  14. Thru the Bible Commentary Series, James, J. Vernon McGee, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991, p. 68.
  15. Basic Theology - A Popular Systematic Guide To Understanding Biblical Truth, Charles C. Ryrie, 1986, SP Publications Inc., Victor Books, Wheaton IL, p. 304.
  16. Jewish literature outside of the Bible reflects this, i.e., Midrash Rabbah Genesis LXXXV:1; Midrash Rabbah Exodus V:7; Midrash Rabbah Numbers IV:8; Zohar, Bereshit Section 1, page 176a. (Soncino)
  17. The web site www.nazarene.net has several informative articles on the facts concerning the New Covenant and other important topics.
  18. Jewish New Testament Commentary, David Stern, (Jewish New Testament Publication, Inc., 4th edition, 1995), commentary on Hebrews 10:8-10.
  19. Basic Theology - A Popular Systematic Guide To Understanding Biblical Truth, Charles C. Ryrie, 1986, SP Publications Inc., Victor Books, Wheaton IL,  p. 303.
  20. ibid  p. 305.
  21. Foundations of the Christian Faith, James Montgomery Boice, 1986, InterVarsity Press, Downsers Grove, IL, p. 234.
  22. A book that addresses this subject in detail is From Sabbath to Sunday (Samuele Bacchiocchi, 1977, The Pontifical Gregorian University Press, Rome). Bacchiocchi's research shows how the movement away from the Sabbath and other biblical feasts was prompted by the anti-Semitism of the early "Church fathers." Among other issues, Bacchiocchi specifically refutes the idea that, 1 Corinthians 16;1-2, Acts 20:7-11 and Revelation 1:10, offer any "proof" for the argument that God switched from Saturday Sabbath to the Christian Sunday (pp. 90-131).
  23. Jewish literature outside of the Bible gives enormous consideration to a coming Messianic Millennial Sabbath -- the same as the New Testament writers referred to (i.e., Midrash Rabbah Genesis 12:6, Zohar 1:119a, Talmud tractate Sanhedrin 97a, tractate Tamid 33b).
  24. Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 119a
  25. Why the Protestant Reformation Failed!, Frank M. Walker. Published in Petah Tikvah Volume 15, No. 1, found at: www.yashanet.com/library/reformf.htm.
  26. See the article Equal Weights and Measures at www.yashanet.com/library/equal.htm for more about this and other mistranslations in Christian Bibles.
  27. Thru the Bible Commentary Series, James, J. Vernon McGee, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991, p. 56.
  28. Even the term "Christian," as seen in this verse, may be a mistranslation. There is evidence that this was a later entry to the Bible as early manuscripts have the term "almsgiver" (rather than "Christian"). This would make it a Jewish slur as that was a Jewish term and practice. The latter would make sense as it would indicate that Gentiles "had become like Jews" in their new faith. For a Roman Gentile to become like a Jew was considered a disgrace.
  29. The Mystery of Romans, Mark Nanos, 1996, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, pp. 64-68. Julius Caesar had respect for ancient religions and granted the Jews legal privileges as collegia, giving them the right to assemble, have common meals and property, govern and tax themselves, and enforce their own discipline. They were the only non-pagan religious group to have this right. This led to much resentment from the rest of the Roman population. This also explains such occurrences as Paul being able to persecute Jewish believers (before his conversion) as mentioned in the book of Acts, and the right of the Synagogue to later discipline Paul, as he mentions in his epistles. The latter also shows that Paul kept himself under the authority of the Synagogue. According to Roman law, he could have used his Roman citizenship to stop this discipline but, according to Jewish law, he then would have forfeited his right to speak and teach in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Although Paul is commonly known as "the apostle to the Gentiles," even this ministry was for the benefit of Israel (Romans 11:13). See also, Romans - A Shorter Commentary, C.E.B. Cranfield, 1985, William B. Eerdmans publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, pp. 275-276.
  30. James the Brother of Jesus, Robert Eisenman, 1997, Penguin Books, New York, NY.
  31. Ignatius' Letter to the Magnesians
  32. Caesar and Christ, Will Durant, 1944, Simon and Schuster, New York, p. 548.
  33. Justin Martyr - Dialogue with Trypho (Circa 138-161 A.D.)
  34. Origen of Alexandria (185-254 A.D.) as quoted in Scattered Among the Nations, Documents Affecting Jewish History 49 to 1975, Edited by Alexis P. Rubin, Jason Aronson Inc., London, pp. 22-23.
  35. Jew & Gentile in the Ancient World, Louis H. Feldman, 1993, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, pp. 123-176
  36. Caesar and Christ, Will Durant, 1944, Simon and Schuster, New York, p. 546.
  37. The Mystery of Romans, Mark Nanos, 1996, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, pp. 64-68.
  38. Novella III, as instituted by Theodosius II, Roman Emperor in the East, 439 A.D.
  39. The last known meeting between the Jewish minority and Gentile majority was in the year 318,  presided over by Sylvester, a representative of Emperor Constantine.
  40. Council of Elvira, 304 A.D., Canon 50, Laws Relating to Jews
  41. Council of Elvira, 304 A.D., Canon 16, Laws Relating to Jews
  42. Epiphanius; Panarion 29; 4th Century -- See Biblical Law by James Trimm at: www.nazarene.net/biblaw.htm.
  43. Paul and the Jewish Law - Halakha in the Letters of the Apostle to the Gentiles, Peter J. Tomson, 1990, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, p. 3.
  44. Martin Luther called for persecution of Jews, including; burning their synagogues to the ground, destroying their homes, confiscating their Talmuds and prayer books, killing their rabbis who refused to stop teaching, revoking their right to travel, and putting them in concentration camps. Hitler followed Luther's recommendations quite well. See Anti-Semitism of the "Church Fathers," at www.yashanet.com/library/fathers.htm.and, Why the Protestant Reformation Failed!, at: www.yashanet.com/library/reformf.htm.
  45. See Anti-Semitism of the "Church Fathers," at www.yashanet.com/library/fathers.htm.
  46. The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1985.
  47. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, J. Dwight Pentecost, 1981, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, MI, p.188-189.
  48. The Way of the Boundary Crosser, Gershon Winkler, 1998, Jason Aronson Inc., Jerusalem, pp. 221-251. The examples shown in this table and the next, are only a portion of those given by Winkler, who shows Yeshua's teachings to be very much in line with Talmud, Midrash Rabbah, and other ancient Jewish writings. It is rather ironic that a liberal Reformed Jewish author (Winkler) has done such a thorough job of revealing the truth of what Yeshua taught.
  49. Babylonian Talmud, tractate Sotah 22b.
  50. Babylonian Talmud, tractate Yevamot, footnote #14 to 16a: "Literally 'the first-born of Satan.'"
  51. The Way of the Boundary Crosser, Gershon Winkler, 1998, Jason Aronson Inc., Jerusalem, pp. 221-251.
  52. The Daily Study bible Series - the Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, William Barclay, 1976, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, p. 29.
  53. ibid. p. 29.
  54. ibid. p. 27.
  55. Caesar and Christ, Will Durant, 1944, Simon and Schuster, New York, p. 616.
  56. Jew & Gentile in the Ancient World, Louis H. Feldman, 1993, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, -- The Mystery of Romans, Mark Nanos, 1996, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.
  57. See The Mystery of Romans, Mark Nanos, 1996, Fortress Press, Minneapolis. Nanos' award winning book (National Jewish Book Award for Jewish-Christian Relations), offers historical insight into the background of Paul's letter not found in any previous work. In it he reveals Paul's concern over the conduct of the Gentiles within the Roman congregation, with respect to them modifying their behavior in order not to offend unsaved Jews who were amidst them in their fellowship, which was still conducted under Synagogue authority.
  58. It may be hard for the western mind to comprehend how Paul could be accused by other Jews, of teaching against the Torah, when he was preaching a pro-Torah message. However, this was not the only time in Jewish history that a great teacher was thus misrepresented. Moses Maimonides (1135-1204 CE), one of the most famous Jewish thinkers and Torah scholar of all time, was accused by his Jewish contemporaries as denying bodily resurrection. They made this claim even though Maimonides had written in his commentary on the Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10:1, that, "Bodily resurrection is one of the fundamentals of the Law of Moses; one who does not accept [resurrection] has no part in the religion, nor any connection to the Jewish people." Maimonides admits he didn't think anyone would take the source of such false teaching and accusation seriously, stating, "...we paid no attention thereto, saying that this individual's (opinion) is of no consequence, because no one can be so foolish as to find it so difficult to understand what we wrote (clearly in our composition). Moses Maimonides' Treatise on Resurrection, translated and annotated by Fred Rosner, 1997, Jason Aronson Inc., Northval, NJ, foreward to the Second Edition, p. ix, 29-31. Paul too, was shocked to hear that he was being accused of preaching against the truth of Torah, as seen by his comments in Romans 3:8. Peter, in his epistle, also warned, that people were twisting Paul's words around. One has to wonder what Paul will one day have to say of churches who teach that he thought Torah was not to be followed by believers in Yeshua!
  59. "Memra" is an Aramaic term for "the Word" and is found in the Aramaic Targums read in the Synagogues each Sabbath at the time of Yeshua. "Memra" appears in the Targums whenever a verse contains a double reference to YHVH, i.e. Psalm 110:1, where the "second YHVH" is called the Memra of God. Also in Genesis where Abraham prayed to YHVH in the name of the Memra of YHVH.
  60. Vine's Expository Dictionary, a classic Protestant reference work, agrees that telos should not be translated as "end" in Romans 10:4, but rather as "the result of a state or process" (a goal). See also the, Jewish New Testament Commentary, David Stern, (Jewish New Testament Publication, Inc., 4th edition, 1995), commentary on Romans 10:4. Interstingly, the Christian work quoted in this document, The Unity of the Bible, (Daniel P. Fuller, 1992, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI), also agrees with translating "telos" as "goal," but still arrives at typically Christian conclusions.
  61. Jewish New Testament Commentary, David Stern, Jewish New Testament Publication, Inc., 4th edition, 1995, commentary on Romans 10:6-8.
  62. See Equal Weights and Measures at www.yashanet.com/library/equal.htm.
  63. The word "church" was entered into the "New Testament" text in the middle ages and may itself be pagan in origin. See The Translation Conspiracy, by Rabbi David M. Hargis, at http://messianic.com/articles/translation.htm
  64. The Unknown Paul - Essays on Luke-Acts and Early Christian History, Jacob Jervell, 1984, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, p. 41.
  65. Thru the Bible Commentary Series, First John, J. Vernon McGee, 1991, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, pp. 41-42
  66. Thru the Bible Commentary Series, James, J. Vernon McGee, 1991, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, p. 61.
  67. See also Mishna Yoma 7:5.
  68. In August, 1999, a controversy arose over the Internet Search engine Lycos, refusing to run advertisements from Jews for Jesus, due to the expressed outrage of the Jewish community. News articles with the details of this story may still be found on the Web, by searching keywords "Jews for Jesus" and "Lycos."
  69. The Gospel of "James" stresses this point throughout, but particularly in 2:19, where he says that "believing" in God is meaningless if void of a trusting relationship grounded in the works of the Torah.
  70. The same Greek term for lawlessness, anomia, is used in 1 John 3:4, to describe those who commit sin, as well as 2 Thessalonians 2:7, to describe the anti-Messiah who is opposed to God's truth.
  71. The Unity of the Bible, Daniel P. Fuller, 1992, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI, p. 53. As another example of out-of-context interpretation, Fuller also states (p. 357) that Mark 7:19 shows Yeshua declaring all meats to be clean, ignoring the context of the discussion (established in 7:2-5) which is entirely about the non-Biblical command some Pharisees had added of eating (clean) meats with unwashed hands, a practice which has its origins in the Zohar, the more mystical part of Judaism. See also; Introduction to the Talmud, by Harris Brody, Section 10, at www.yashanet.com/library/talmud.htm.
  72. See The Mystery of Romans, Mark Nanos, 1996, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, pp. 337-371, for a comprehensive discussion of these verses.
  73. Rabbi Tovia Singer (Jews for Judaism, Outreach Judaism) has made the comment that more Jews have come to believe Jesus is the Messiah in the past 19 years than in the past 1900 years. The origins of the modern Messianic movement can be shown to coincide with the return of Jerusalem to Jewish hands in 1967. The number of Messianic congregations has increased exponentially in the past three decades (a true "end time revival" of God that Christianity is generally unaware of, or unconcerned with.) The later 1990's have seen a trend toward greater Torah observance among both Jewish and gentile Messianic believers. A global listing of Messianic congregations is kept at www.yashanet.com.
  74. A recently published book that deals with some of the essentials of the Shema and offers a well-rounded view of Jewish thought in this matter is; The Shema, Spirituality and Law in Judaism, by Orthodox scholar and Yeshiva University president, Norman Lamm (The Jewish Publication Society, Jerusalem, 1998.)

Part 1 - The Christian View of "the Law"
Part 2 - The Hebrew View of the Law/Torah and Salvation
Part 3 - What does the "New Testament" Teach About the Torah and Salvation?
Part 4 - Christianity's Difficulty with "the Law"
Part 5 - The Confusing Christian view of the Believer's Relationship to Torah
Part 6 - How Did the Christian View of the Torah Originate?
Part 7 - Historical Reality Concerning What Yeshua and His Followers Believed
Part 8 - Clarifying the Believer's Relationship to Torah
Part 9 - Is This All Really That Big a Deal?
Part 10 - Concluding Thoughts & Footnotes

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