Wisdom Wednesdays - Six Questions

Our 350+ year old sefer Torah

I found this article on the Torah Babies Facebook page.  I think it is an excellent explanation of why believers in Yeshua the Messiah are to obey the Torah.



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"Six questions that will change your life....

This resource is unlike any of our other resources. It is designed for Torah followers who are looking for a way to introduce family and/or friends to the Torah, but it is also self-explanatory, so it is relevant to people who are searching for the truth on their own. By asking a serious of questions in a very specific order and answering those questions using scripture, a foundation is laid which proves that Torah is still applicable in the lives of believers today.

How do we love YHWH (G-d)?

What is Sin?

What is the Law?

What is Lawlessness?

What are Commandments?

What is Righteousness?

These questions along with their corresponding answers are designed to keep a person on topic and guide them to the conclusion that the law, AKA Torah, is still applicable today.

How do we love YHWH (G-d)?

For this is what love for G-d is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, 1 John 5:3

And this is love: that we walk according to His commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: you must walk in love. 2 John 1:6

“If you love Me, you will keep My commands. John 14:15

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4

What is Sin?

Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law. 1 John 3:4

What is the Law?

Also: The Law, G-ds Law, Mosaic Law

Merriam-Webster

a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority 2 a often capitalized : the revelation of the will of G-d set forth in the Old Testament

the first part of the Jewish scriptures : pentateuch, torah

Strong’s

H8451 towrah or torah – (from H3384 yarah – to throw, shoot, to point out, show, to direct, teach, instruct) law, direction, instruction, Mosaic Law

G3551 nomos – anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command

a law or rule producing a state approved of G-d, the Mosaic law

Scripture References

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

Psalm 119:136 Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law.

1 Corinthians 14:21 In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says YHWH.

1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully,

Commentary

The law in the Bible is referring to Torah. Translating Torah as law gives it a somewhat negative tone. A much better translation would be ‘instruction.’ The root word for Torah carries the idea of shooting or aiming to hit a mark. Torah is YHWH’s instructions for righteousness, or His way of showing us how to aim our lives towards righteousness. Torah has more to do with ‘hand’ led instruction than ‘rod’ following legalism.

What is Lawlessness?

Merriam-Webster

1: not regulated by or based on law

2 : not restrained or controlled by law

Strong’s

G458 anomía (from 459 / anomos “destitute of (the Mosaic) law”) – properly, without law;

the condition of without law (because ignorant of it), (because of violating it)

contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness

Scripture References

Matthew 13:41 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

Commentary

1 John 3:4 defines exactly what lawlessness is…SIN. Sin is defined as the breaking of the law and the law that defines sin is Torah. Breaking Torah is Lawlessness. 2 Corinthians 6:14 makes a very clear distinction between righteousness (obeying Torah) and lawlessness (breaking Torah).

What are Commandments?

Merriam-Webster

1: the act or power of commanding

2: something that is commanded; especially: one of the biblical Ten Commandments

Strong’s

H4687 mitsvah – commandment (of G-d) (of man)

G1785 entolē – an order, command, charge, precept, injunction

Scripture References

Leviticus 22:31 “Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am YHWH.

Deuteronomy 4:40 You shall keep his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land, which YHWH your G-d gives you, forever.

Matthew 5:17 But he answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of G-d by your tradition?

Matthew 22:40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Commentary

A commandment, statute, or judgment is anything YHWH commands us to do or observe. Commandments are YHWH’s instructions for righteousness and they are found in the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah. The verses we have listed show the importance of keeping YHWH’s commandments, forever, throughout our generations. 

Even the New Testament verses show the commandments are to be observed today. Matthew 22:40 is often used to say that believers are only required to keep two commandments, love your neighbor and love YHWH, but Y’shua makes it clear that all of the Law (Torah, Commandments) depend on those two, NOT that those two are the only ones we are required to keep today.

What is Righteousness?

Merriam-Webster

1: morally good: following religious or moral laws: caused by something that you believe is not morally right or fair

2: acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin

Strong’s

H6664 – tsedeq (from 6663 / tsadaq “to be just, be righteous”) – justice, rightness, righteousness

what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures), righteousness (in government), of law

G1343 – dikaiosýnē (from 1349 /díkē, “a judicial verdict”) – properly, judicial approval (the verdict of approval); in the NT, the approval of G-d (“divine approval”).

in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness; the condition acceptable to G-d

Scripture References

Psalm 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances.

Psalm 119:137 You are righteous, YHWH. Your judgments are upright.

Psalm 119:138 You have commanded your statutes in righteousness. They are fully trustworthy.

Psalm 119:160 All of your words are truth. Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

Psalm 119:172 Let my tongue sing of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness.

Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of G-d’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of G-d.

Commentary

Righteousness is simply the condition of being acceptable to YHWH. Romans 10:3 shows us that there is a difference between YHWH’s righteousness and our own righteousness. 

David makes it very clear in Psalm 119 that YHWH and his ordinances and commandments (Torah) are righteous, so it only stands to reason that following and observing YHWH’s ordinances and commandments is what leads us to the state of righteousness that is acceptable to YHWH. Following Torah is righteousness.

Conclusion

Loving YHWH is expressed by our keeping of his commands or laws. Sin is defined as breaking YHWH’s laws or commands. The law or commandments are known as the Torah or YHWH’s instructions in righteousness. Following Torah is righteousness. When we set aside the Torah as if it does not apply to modern day believers, we are sinning and also not loving YHWH, or at least not loving him the way He wants to be loved. Without Torah there can be no righteousness. The Torah is love!

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear YHWH and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. Ecclesiastes 12:13"

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Gail-Friends, if you call yourself a believer, a follower of Jesus, I ask you to prayerfully consider these things above.

We've often heard the saying "What would Jesus Do?"  Well, beloved, He would, and did, follow the Torah. I challenge you to read through each of the Gospels in the New Testament and find any place where He said to disobey the Torah (G-d's Commandments). 

I also challenge you to find where He said to change the Sabbath (one of the Ten Commandments).

Yeshua was a Torah observant Jew, as were His disciples.  Torah obedience is part of the Gospel.  He died and shed His blood as payment for our sins, yes.  He also said to keep His Commandments.

Ponder these things, as well as Matthew 7:21-23 (which caused me to fall on my knees in repentence):

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. ²² On that Day, many will say to me, ‘L-rd, L-rd! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ ²³ Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness

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