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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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