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Author
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Topic: The Christian and The Law
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
Is the Law of God Illegal?
by: Robert Somerville
Is the Law of God Illegal?
Absurd as the question may appear to be, it is a legitimate one which has caused you to begin reading this document. Your interest was aroused because the subject of the LAW is one of great historical controversy. It often generates much polarization and all too frequently more heat than light. There are basically three stock answers commonly given to the question. They are essentially these: YES, NO and SORT OF!
What is the Biblical answer?
The scriptures affirm that the Law of God is ETERNAL (Ec 3:14). Although times have changed, circumstances have changed and the manifestations of the law have changed, the Divine Law of God is unchangeable and irrevocable.
But, what is meant by the word LAW? Attempts have been made to break down God's law into three primary divisions called the Moral Law, the Civil Law and the Ceremonial or Sacrificial Law (interesting and perhaps helpful for clarification but not necessarily Biblical). These are only manifestations of the Law of God. The eternal principles of God's divine law transcend all of these manifestations that often consume our time and attention. Divine Law is that principle of God that is perpetual and immutable (unchangeable) regardless of time, people or circumstance. It is the nucleus and governing factor for any action or conduct of God. This divine law of immutability is the one principle which the eternal God set to govern His own actions (Hebrews 6:17-18). The divine principles of life, death, reward, judgment, mercy, truth, worship and the like are perpetual laws of God which are not subject
to repeal or abrogation. Spiritual truths are life truths. All natural laws of physics which govern the universe are axioms of fixed and unchangeable determinations. These natural laws exist to reveal the immutability of the spiritual laws of God which comprise Divine Law (Ro 1:20, Ps 19:1-7).
A CHANGE -- NOT AN EXCHANGE
"For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law" (Heb 7:12). Jesus effected a reformation in how the law was manifested (Heb 9:10). The New Covenant was a change, not an exchange of one set of laws for another, nor for grace. This change was subtle in that it affected how the law was manifested. It is important that we make a clear distinction between the Law and the "manifestations" of the law. Here we must avoid getting bogged down in endless explanations of these manifestations which can become very confusing, but the few examples we shall give for clarification should be helpful.
Before proceeding further let us first state unequivocally that no one can be saved nor made righteous by works of the law including God's law. Frankly, it was never intended to serve that purpose from its very introduction (an erroneous opinion all too often held by Christians). We are saved by grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9). What purpose then does the law serve? The concept that one is redeemed through "works" of the Law has been dubbed "legalism", a trend greatly feared by the Church and rightfully cautioned against. But perhaps an inordinate fear of "legalism" has so infused the Church that even God's law has been victimized by it. The truth is that "illegalism" has plagued the Church far more than legalism and has wreaked far more havoc, but never reached "code word" status as the term "Legalism." Yet
all too often we have simply substituted institutional or denominational laws, which are viewed as being somehow safe and helpful, for the laws of God that are usually considered dangerous and "risky business".
It is necessary, particularly with this sensitive subject, that we deal in Bible absolutes. Here is a fundamental Bible absolute uttered from the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Mt 5:17 NIV).
David in the Psalms informs us "the heaven and earth abide forever." Therefore, we must apply the same degree of eternality to the Law of God. Despite what is often quoted, there is no hint in Scripture that God's law was ever nailed to the cross, abolished, canceled, terminated, abrogated nor repealed. That traditional Christian idea needs to be put to rest. No noble cause is served in attempting to defend the concept of "grace" by discrediting the law. The only thing that could be remotely construed as suggesting that notion is the isolated mention of terminating "carnal ordinances", etc. (manifestations). This terminating effect (of fleshly rituals), the scriptures clearly confirm (Heb 9:10, Col 2:14). It is the underlying principles (laws) contained in those manifestations that must be perceived and understood as being the eternal irrevocable law of God. This is not difficult to understand.
For example, the "Law of Sacrifice" continues to be in force today. The death of Jesus on the cross did not cancel the sacrificial law. However, faulty interpretation of scripture has led many to think so and to act accordingly. The Church today should continue the practice of offering sacrifices. It is true that because of Christ we need no more slain or dead sacrifices to be offered for SIN. But there is a definite ongoing need for the Law of Sacrifice to be manifested in the Church and in the lives of God's people. The scriptures teach us that we are to be "living sacrifices" (Ro 12:1). In this instance, the "manifestation" of that law changed from animals to humans and from dead to living sacrifices but "sacrifice" nonetheless, i.e., by the sacrifice or the offering up of our time, finances, praises, worship, etc. (Php 4:18, Heb 13:15). We must have in our lives an ongoing "physical" manifestation of God's laws because we must reflect His divine nature and character. To say that the Church is in desperate need of this sacrificial manifestation today is a definite understatement. God's laws are as eternal as He is. The future trend of the Body of Christ must be, to conform to His image.
The Apostle Paul gives further insight into this concept with the following statement in Ro 7:12, 13: "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid..." The death of Jesus upon the cross was primarily for the purpose of changing the heart of man (Eze 11:19-20), not the law of God. It is inconsistent to suggest that God would destroy the very laws which He had purposed to write on the tables of mens' hearts. For this reason Paul could say "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Ro 3:31). It is unconscionable that anyone would persist in a theology that Paul categorized as "God forbidden".
The laws of celebration are similar. God did not give a "cease and desist" order regarding the celebration of Biblical memorial days (primarily Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles) with the advent of Jesus as Messiah. Jesus is the very heart and soul of these Feast celebrations. What did change was the "manifestation". No more ancient ritualism was required for the Passover day celebration. Christ is our Passover (1 Co 5-7), Therefore we ought to partake of the "Lord's Supper" on that memorial day as He instructed (Luke 22:19). Biblical festivals are eternal celebrations. They should be celebrated in the light of the New Covenant and the eternal principle involved.
God's code of moral conduct and ethical standards knows as the "Ten Commandments" are still valid. While they have no redemptive value, nor was that their original purpose, they remain a measure for righteousness and a disciplinary guide.
Even the dietary laws, while not redemptive nor obligatory, are conducive to good health and a worthy guideline to the proper treatment of our "temples of the Holy Spirit". The scientific community could well endorse them.
THE LAW OF LIBERTY
"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty" (Jas 2:12).
This passage is occasionally offered as "proof text" for asserting that we were liberated from the law of God. This scripture speaks entirely of our liberation from sin by the mercies of God. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has indeed made us free from the law of sin and death, but not free from the laws of God (Ro 8:2). A misconception of this reference to the "Law of Liberty" has too often resulted in a concept of a lawless liberty, i.e., turning liberty into
license. Liberty is the cornerstone of our democracy in the United States, but it is our legal system that guarantees the preservation of that liberty. The law of God remains valid. When we take occasion to transgress it, the debt is paid through repentance and faith in Christ's sacrifice. While disobedience to the law of God does not disqualify us from being children of God, unrepentance will exact a price.
The inclination to develop a theology that nullifies the law of God is perhaps a subconscious effort to absolve oneself from the responsibility of its requirements. If indeed the law of God had been abolished, the scripture teaches that it would be impossible to sin (1 John 3:4, Ro 5:13). The very existence of sin confirms the perpetuity of God's laws. There is a form to godliness and it is the law that defines it (2 Timothy 3:5). At the same time we must not deny the power (spiritual dimension).
The theology of "lawless grace" (antinomianism, i.e., "sin that grace may abound") reveals a gross lack of vision in the big picture of what is involved in the Gospel of the Kingdom. The destiny of the people of God is to rule and reign with Christ in an eternal physical kingdom upon the earth. The world will be subjected to the law of God that comes forth from Mt. Zion. What law will it be? It will be the same eternal law that has existed before time in the bosom of the Father, manifested at different times in different ways, but the same in principle. That law will once again be the international "law of the land" to be obeyed by the peoples of earth and manifested as is directed from Jerusalem.
So! Is the Law of God illegal? It really is an absurd question after all!
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul..." (Ps 19:7).
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
You certainly do err Brother not knowing the scriptures, if i was to die in my sleep, i would be as the scripture states to be "absent" from this body is to be present with Yahushua.
When my heart is convicted sir i repent, i do not want to greive my Father Yahweh nor His Spirit. The book states we are to love Yahweh :
Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Deuteronomy 11:13
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deuteronomy 13:3
Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 30:6
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Joshua 22:5
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mark 12:30
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Luke 10:27 )
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Sir the WORD tell us that we are NOT TO SIN; we have power over sin, by the blood of Yahushua and by the Holy Spirit:
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Your question is "loaded" Brother and i can since where its coming from:
Read the posts before you comment, and pray that the scriptures the Messiah spoke will open our ears and eyes that hearing we may hear and seeing we might see.
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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WildB
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Member # 2917
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Just answer the question .
if you fail to confess ALL THE TRANSGRESSIONS of the LAW you did this day and die in your sleep will you wake up in the torments of HELL?
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
Your failed attempts Brother wildb confound me.
i asked you numerous times have you read all the posts that i have written ; and that you have commented on?
ithink not sir.
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
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So Barry if you fail to confess ALL THE TRANSGRESSIONS of the LAW you did this day and die in your sleep will you wake up in the torments of HELL?
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
Brother Drew stated:
quote:
The New Testament contains hundreds of commands. All of them come under the general heading of love, for God is love. Everything he commands is an expression of love. Although some of Paul's comments about the law seem negative, Paul himself gave us hundreds of commands. He is not against law in itself, but he argues that the law of Moses is no longer valid. In regard to the Mosaic law, he could say, "I myself am not under the law." But in regard to obeying the Lord, he said, "I am under Christ's law" (1 Cor. 9:20-21).
In this short section, we have seen several dozen commands. Most of them are easy to understand. They are plain, and yet very demanding. They demand all our time, all our emotions, all our thoughts and all our actions. In this life, we will never achieve all they ask.
We might briefly contrast these clear commands with the idea of a Christian Sabbath-day command. The New Testament has space for all sorts of commands, from obvious things to subtle things, but it never commands the Sabbath. This would be odd if the Sabbath were an important command. We find sweeping statements that make the old covenant law obsolete, but unlike other commands, we never find the Sabbath commanded again or made an exception to the rule. Paul and John say a lot about the godly behavior that springs from Christian faith and love, but the Sabbath is simply never commanded.
Paul dealt with numerous problems of Christian living, and he listed numerous sins that characterize people who will not inherit the kingdom of God, but he never mentions Sabbath breaking. In describing sins of the gentiles (Rom. 1), he says nothing about the Sabbath. If the Sabbath is essential, it is certainly surprising that no one is ever criticized for ignoring it.
In the first-century Roman Empire, slaves would have found it particularly difficult to keep the Sabbath. Some of them had unconverted, harsh masters (1 Pet. 2:18). Some parts of the Roman Empire didn't even use a seven-day week. But Peter and Paul did not have to answer questions about how slaves could keep the Sabbath. Why not? Because slaves didn't have to keep the Sabbath. For one thing, first-century Jews did not believe that gentiles had to keep the Sabbath. For another, the decision at Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15, was that converted, Spirit-filled gentiles were not required to become circumcised and keep the law of Moses. Little is said about the Sabbath because it was not a problem.
Instead, the Sabbath was a neutral matter, neither commanded nor forbidden. People were free to rest on that day if they chose, or to use the day in other ways, as long as they did what they did to the Lord (Rom. 14:5-6).
Likewise, the New Testament does not say that any other day ought to be a day of rest. There is no command to keep the first day, either as a day of meeting or a day of rest. It is neither commanded nor forbidden. Christians are free to work these things out for themselves. We are commanded to assemble together for worship, but we are not commanded when (Heb. 10:25).
The important thing is not which day we observe, but whether we have faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is the test commandment, the center of faith, the standard by which we will be judged.
Thats at best a "hatchet" job on what Paul said.
Paul never said the Law was abolished. Read for yourself.
The following is a collection of scriptures showing that Paul never taught that we need not obey the Law. I only ask that everyone read all of this study (please do not skim thru) before coming to a conclusion.
Paul himself believed in keeping the Law:
Acts 24:14 (NKJV) "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the Elohim of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
Acts 25:8 (NKJV) while he answered for himself, "Neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all."
Acts 18:21 (NKJV) but took leave of them, saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, Yahweh willing." And he sailed from Ephesus.
Roma 7:25 (NKJV) I thank Yahweh--through Yahushua the Messiah our Master! So then, with the mind I myself serve the Law of Yahweh, but with the flesh the Law of sin.
Paul taught the disciples not to let anyone judge them for observing the Law (See the study on this on the home page)
Colo 2:16 (NKJV) So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the body of the Messiah.
Paul says that the doers of the Law will be justified and those who break it will be judged.
Roma 2:12 (NKJV) For as many as have sinned without Law will also perish without Law, and as many as have sinned in the Law will be judged by the Law 13 (for not the hearers of the Law [are] just in the sight of Yahweh, but the doers of the Law will be justified;
The word that is translated "without Law" here is word #460 which means "not amenable to the Jewish/Mosaic Law". (See Thayers and Strong's lexicon). Paul says that we know His will and approve the things that are excellent when instructed out of the Law.
Roma 2:17 (NKJV) Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the Law, and make your boast in Yahweh, 18 and know [His] will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the Law.
Here he says that when we break the Law, we dishonor Yahweh and blaspheme His name.
Roma 2:21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the Law, do you dishonor Yahweh through breaking the Law? 24 For "the name of Yahweh is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.
Here Paul twice states that we learn what sin is from the Law. This backs up the statement in 1John 3:4 that Sin is transgression of the Law.
Roma 3:20 (NKJV) Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law [is] the knowledge of sin.
Roma 7:7 (NKJV) What shall we say then? [Is] the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the Law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the Law had said, "You shall not covet."
Here is a key scripture proving that Paul believed that thru faith we do not make the Law void, but rather we establish the Law (To cause or make to stand, #2476).
Roma 3:31 (NKJV) Do we then make void the Law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
Here is another key scripture like the one above proving that Paul did not believe that once we are under grace, that we can continue to sin (break the Law):
Roma 6:15 (NKJV) What then? Shall we sin because we are not under Law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin [leading] to death, or of obedience [leading] to righteousness?
Here Paul is equating "the Law" with "the commandment" and stating his opinion of them:
Roma 7:12 (NKJV) Therefore the Law [is] holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Here is an unpopular statement of Paul's. Many like to believe that the Law is of the flesh.
Roma 7:14 (NKJV) For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Paul delights in the Law of Yahweh
Roma 7:22 (NKJV) For I delight in the Law of Yahweh according to the inward man.
Now we will move on to where Paul uses the term "Lawlessness". The word that is translated "Lawlessness" in the following verses is the Greek word "anomia" which carries the following definition:
BDB/Thayers # 458
458 anomia {an-om-ee'-ah}
from 459; TDNT - 4:1085,646; n f
AV - iniquity 12, unrighteousness 1, transgress the law + 4060 1,
transgression of the law 1; 15
1) the condition of without law
1a) because ignorant of it
1b) because of violating it
2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness
Now for a second witness here is the definition of this in the Strong's Hebrew Lexicon:
458. anomia, an-om-ee'-ah; from 459; illegality, i.e. violation of the law or (gen.) wickedness: --- iniquity X transgress (ion of) the law, unrighteousness.
Now note that both lexicons it states that both of these words come from the Greek word #459. This word means "To be destitute or in violation of the Mosaic or Jewish Law" (See Thayer's and Strong's Lexicons). Now the word #458 is translated "transgression of the Law" in the King James version of 1john 3:4
1Joh 3:4 (KJV) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the Law.
Yes, this was written by John but it is surely showing that this word is certainly the definition of sin. For sin is "anomia" (condition of being without the Law or violation of the Law, transgression of the Law)
In these verses he shows that righteousness is the opposite of Lawlessness (#458 in violation of the Law). Therefore if one is keeping the Law, they must walking in righteousness. (Though this is confirmed already by many verses I have already shown.) Please also remember this for later in the study.
Roma 6:19 (NKJV) I speak in human [terms] because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members [as] slaves of uncleanness, and of Lawlessness [leading] to [more] Lawlessness, so now present your members [as] slaves [of] righteousness for holiness.
2Cor 6:14 (NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with Lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
Here again, Paul equates this word (#458) Lawless with SIN.
Roma 4:7 (NKJV) "Blessed [are] [those] whose Lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;
Now here is an example where this word is used when translating the Old Testament.
Hebr 1:9 (NKJV) You have loved righteousness and hated Lawlessness (#458); Therefore Elohim, Your Elohim, has anointed You. With the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
Now this is interesting...here is an example of where the New Testament is quoting from the old testament. (From the Hebrew to the greek). Now what word does this greek word #458 translate from? Let's find out:
Psal 45:6 (KJV) Thy throne, O El', [is] for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom [is] a right sceptre.Psal 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness:(From the greek #458) therefore El', thy El', hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
So it comes from the Hebrew word reshah (#7562) which means "Wickedness" !! Now how is this word used in other places in scripture? Here we seen an example of a Psalm that makes wickedness the opposite of righteousness. (Just as Paul taught).
Now this study might go on forever and ever proving that the meaning of what Paul meant by "righteousness" was obedience to the Law but lets look at some examples.
Roma 6:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin [leading] to death, or of obedience [leading] to righteousness?
Here obedience is equated with righteousness (as defined by the Law)
Roma 10:5 (NKJV) For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the Law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."
Here are many other scriptures then where Paul says that we ought to walk in righteousness:
Ephe 5:8 (NKJV) For you were once darkness, but now [you] [are] light in Yahweh. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to Yahweh. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [them].
Ephe 6:14 (NKJV) Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Phil 1:9 (NKJV) And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, Phil 1:10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of the Messiah, Phil 1:11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which [are] by Yahushua the Messiah, to the glory and praise of Yahweh.
2Tim 2:22 (NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on Yahweh out of a pure heart. 23 (NKJV) But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
Here is an example where Paul takes another step forward in showing that ALL SCRIPTURE (which must include the Law of Yahweh because there was no written "new testament" at that time) is given by Yahweh, profitable for doctrine, for reproof and instruction in righteousness.
2Tim 3:16 (NKJV) All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of Yahweh, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,17 that the man of Yahweh may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Now in conclusion I must say that there would have to be very little doubt that according to these verses in which Paul spoke, he certainly upheld the Law as the very definition of righteousness and holiness. And he taught that breaking these commandments were Unrighteousness, Lawlessness, wickedness, and most importantly, SIN. Therefore we can conclude that whenever Paul speaks of Sin...he most certainly is talking about disobeying the commandments in the Law. How many more scriptures could be added where Paul speaks against sin? This study would certainly be many pages long!
Therefore, we can see that it must have been obvious to Paul as well as quite obvious to his followers that Law obedience was expected. I believe that many of the details of Law observance were worked out in their public meetings as well as in the synagogues (see where James made the decision in Acts 15 that the Gentiles would learn the Law on the synagogues every Sabbath). Now I ask that anyone responding to this post to not just respond to one scripture or point here or there...but to respond to all of it. May Yahweh lead us into the the truth and into His Kingdom by His wonderful Spirit which is the word of Yahweh. (John 6:63)
One final quote:
Roma 8:6-7 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Yahweh; for it is not subject to the Law of Yahweh, nor indeed can be.
Warning on Paul's writings
2Pet 3:15 (KJV) And account [that] the longsuffering of our Master [is] salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
This is the truth that Paul was writing. Our Master Yahushua is salvation. Not the law.
2Pet 3:16 (KJV) As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (or twist), as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
This is a warning from Peter (Kepha) that Paul's writings are hard to understand and if we are unlearned (in the rest of Yahweh's word) it is easy to get confused and end up twisting the scripture to say something it is not because of our lack of understanding. Those who claim that the law is done away with do not have a thing to base their beliefs on unless they turn to either Acts 15 or Paul's epistles. Neither James nor John nor Peter have anything in their writings that appear on the surface to say the law is done away with. This is why Peter (Kepha) warns us. In fact He says that we can twist Paul's writings to our own destruction! Now think about this. Who will be destroyed on the last day? Matthew 7:21-23 in the New King James version says it well:
Matt 7:21 Not every one that says unto Me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?
23 (KJV) And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you: depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Who are those many who claim Yahushua yet practice lawlessness? Those who say there is no law!
The Law-less ones.
Galatians, what a misunderstood book!
Often, one of the first things a nominal Christian will say when you tell them the law has not been abolished is: "you need to read the book of Galatians!" In spite of the multitude of scriptures in the "New Testament" which demonstrate we should keep Yahweh's law, many understand Paul's letter to Galatians to state otherwise.
In reality, there is not a single verse in the book of Galatians or anywhere in the scripture that would tell us that the law has been abolished. Rather, much to the contrary! The book of Galatians actually proves that while we are not saved by our observance of the Torah (The Hebrew word translated "Law" all throughout the scriptures), true believers will make a sincere effort to walk in its precepts.
In this study we will go through each of the verses in Galatians chapter 2 through chapter 5, which contain the key verses speaking of Yahweh's Torah/law and its place in our life. It is the words in these chapters that are most frequently understood as "abolishing the law". Thus, we will examine them to see if Paul is really making any claim that the law is now abolished and not to be heeded.
Questions answered on
these study pages are:
Did Paul say that the law is abolished?
Was Paul talking about feast and Sabbath days when he said "you observe days, months, times and years?"
Does the Sinai covenant bring us to bondage?
What does it mean to be "under the law?"
Should believers in Messiah be circumcised?
Did Paul rebuke Peter for trying to get Gentiles to keep the Torah?
Are those who observe the Torah under a curse?
Did the law end when the Messiah came to earth?
Almost all of the Christian world regards Paul's letter to the Galatians as "proof" that we need not concern ourselves with keeping Yahweh's Torah/law. This is a major mistake that must be addressed thoroughly. It is often more difficult for a person to 'unlearn error' than to 'learn truth.' For this reason, the studies into the book of Galatians is longer than most.
If you feel that I'm in error in this study, feel free to contact me. I'm only interested in the truth.
Galatians chapter 2
After his introduction, the first thing Paul mentioned in his letter to the Galatians was:
Galatians 1:6-9 - I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Messiah unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Messiah. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
This topic is the subject matter throughout the book of Galatians. The real question in the book of Galatians isn't whether or not we should keep the Torah. The real question is this: What is the "true good news" that Yahushua wants us to proclaim? Does the true "good news" mean that we receive salvation after we have been circumcised and kept the law? Does the true "good news" proclaim salvation through abolishing the law so that our sins are taken away? Or does the true good news simply proclaim that we can receive forgiveness for transgressing that law if we repent and believe in Yahushua...nothing added?
Let's examine:
Galatians 2:1-2 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
This chapter begins with Paul describing his time in Jerusalem with his fellow laborer in the faith, Barnabas. They had gone to Jerusalem to discuss the matter of what the true "gospel/good news" is really supposed to be. What is needful for a person to receive salvation? The 15th chapter in the book of Acts discusses this visit to Jerusalem in detail:
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, [and said], Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Notice carefully that the reason this trip was necessary was due to certain men from Judea teaching the brethren that they would have no salvation unless they were first circumcised. When they brought this doctrine to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, Peter/Kepha referred to this kind of theology a "a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear":
Acts 15:5-11 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." 6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago Elohim chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 "So Elohim, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 "Now therefore, why do you test Elohim by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 "But we believe that through the grace of the Master Yahushua Messiah we shall be saved in the same manner as they."
Peter/Kepha states that all are "saved" through the grace of Yahushua Messiah. As evidenced by this statement, the question they were discussing is whether or not the Gentiles were saved through the grace of Yahushua the Messiah, or by circumcision and keeping commandments. This was also the original question in Acts 15:1.
Kepha said, "we believe that through the grace of the Master Yahushua the Messiah we shall be saved, even as they." His point was that everyone, Jew or Gentile, is saved by grace, not by keeping the law or by circumcision. Even Jews who had been circumcised and kept the law didn't have salvation until they believed in Yahushua. He also said that to make circumcision or Torah/law observance the requirement for salvation would be to "test Elohim." But how would it "test Elohim?"
The testing would be: "Can Yahweh still bring the Gentiles into His flock while making the (quite painful) painful act of adult circumcision, and/or keeping the Torah/law of Yahweh a prerequisite to being saved?" In truth, there was not a man in all the generations of Israel who had ever kept the Torah, so to make the keeping of the Torah a requirement before salvation was not the true "good news" that Yahushua and the apostles were to be teaching.
So Peter, after detailing the proof that Yahweh had accepted the Gentiles in their uncircumcised state (Cornelius received the Spirit in Acts 10), affirmed that both Jews and Gentiles are saved through the grace of Yahushua the Messiah rather than circumcision or any other act of Torah/law observance. The ultimate decision in Acts 15 by James was not to require circumcision for salvation (Click here for a verse by verse study in Acts 15 for details).
So who were these "certain men from Judea" anyway? To properly understand the book of Galatians and the context of Paul's letter, it is important that we have an good understanding of what kind of people Paul was facing. For this reason we will begin to identify the beliefs and characteristics of these "certain men from Judaea." In this study, we will keeping a running list of notable characteristics of these "certain men" as we go along. Here is what we have so far:
They were from Judea. (Acts 15:1)
They were "sect of the Pharisees" (Acts 15:5)
They claimed to be believers in Yahushua. (Acts 15:5)
They believed that one cannot have salvation unless they are first circumcised and/or keep the Torah. (Acts 15:1)
They were vigorous in their belief to the point that they would argue with Paul and Barnabas over it, and even approach the apostles and elders about it. (Acts 15:1,5)
Continuing in Galatians 2:
Galatians 2:2-3 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. 3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Chronologically, the event Paul is describing (Acts 15) marks the first notice of Titus in scripture. Titus would eventually go on to be Paul's co-laborer and assistant in his ministry with the Corinthians and other places (see letters to the Corinthians & the book of Titus). Titus was among the group that went to Jerusalem and the apostles in Jerusalem did not require him to be circumcised.
Galatians 2:4-5 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Messiah Yahushua, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Again, the emphasis is placed on the "truth of the gospel/good news" being proclaimed rather than "another gospel." In verse 4, Paul identifies the "certain men from Judea" as "false brethren". We also see they they like to work in secret. Another attribute about them can be found in Galatians 6:
Galatians 6:12-13 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Messiah. 13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
So these "false brethren" were actually Torah breakers themselves but they were most interested in circumcising Gentiles so that they could go back to their Pharisee friends and brag about it. The focus on the praise of men was amongst the notable characteristics of some Pharisees of that time:
Matthew 23:4-5a For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men:
What Yahushua said about them continued to be true when Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians. They wanted to throw the weight of having the learn & keep the Torah and getting circumcised upon the necks of Gentiles before they would be accepted as having had salvation, and thus accepted into the fellowship and brotherhood of Messiah. This is not Yahushua's yoke at all.
Let's add these elements to the list of notable characteristics:
They were from Judea. (Acts 15:1)
They were "sect of the Pharisees" (Acts 15:5)
They claimed to be believers in Yahushua. (Acts 15:5)
They believed that one cannot have salvation unless they are first circumcised and/or keep the Torah. (Acts 15:1)
They were vigorous in their belief to the point that they would argue with Paul and Barnabas over it, and even approach the apostles and elders about it. (Acts 15:1,5)
They were actually "false brethren" (Gal 2:4)
They liked to sneak into the assemblies of true brethren to convert them to their own "good news" understanding of how to receive salvation. (Gal 2:4)
They didn't even keep the law themselves. (Gal 6:12-13)
They were interested in circumcising the Gentiles so that they could receive glory from men. (Gal 6:12-13)
Their sect had a history of being focused on "man pleasing" and laying heavy burdens on people that they themselves wouldn't do. (Mat. 23:4-5)
So these Pharisees regarded it as their duty to go to the Gentile believers in Yahushua and try to bring them over to "another gospel" which had their own way of receiving salvation. They apparently viewed the true good news as "bad news" for the future of their sect and they wanted to try and pervert the true good news with their doctrines.
With this understanding of what these "false brethren" were all about, let's continue reading Galatians 2:
Galatians 2:6-10 - But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: Elohim accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed [to be somewhat] in conference added nothing to me: 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as [the gospel] of the circumcision [was] unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10 Only [they would] that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
So Paul tells the Galatians that the apostles and elders added nothing to the good news that Paul was proclaiming to the Gentiles. In fact, they had agreed to have Paul and Barnabas go to the Gentiles while they went to the Jews. However, Paul next reports that Peter/Kepha and Barnabas got caught up in a form of hypocrisy:
Galatians 2:11-13 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
Both "dissembled" and "dissimulation" in this context mean "hypocrisy" and are translated "hypocrisy" in most translations. But why was it hypocritical? And why was Paul bold enough to rebuke Kepha/Peter, the man who walked with Yahushua for over 3 years?
They had just had the council in Acts 15 and they had all come to Antioch to deliver the decision to the brethren (Acts 15:30-35). When all together at the council, Kepha/Peter and Barnabas both stood with Paul and agreed with the good news they had been proclaiming. So for both of them to withdraw from keeping company with the Gentiles was quite hypocritical. They were standing with the truth that Gentiles were to be accepted into the brotherhood and having salvation in Acts 15, but in practice they were withdrawing and separating themselves from them out out of concern for what those of "the circumcision" might say or do.
Peter was especially at fault because he had walked with Yahushua for over 3 years and was chosen by Yahweh to first bring to good news to the Gentiles (Acts 10). At that time he was willing to fellowship with the Gentiles and defended it in Acts 11. So here was a situation where some very important leaders are sinning and causing confusion among the Gentiles by their actions, which was contrary to the decision that was made beforehand. So Paul asks:
Galatians 2:14-15 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel...
(Again we see that the primary issue here is "what is the true gospel [good news]?" Paul rebuked Kepha/Peter for not walking uprightly according to the truth of the good news.)
Galatians 2:14-15 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before [them] all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We [who are] Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Now there are some who like to interpret this as Paul in essence saying "If you are a Jew and have rightly abandoned the law (living like a Gentile), why do you compel the Gentiles to keep the law like a Jew by only eating with the Jews?" Due to this interpretation, it is commonly understood that this is a passage that supports the doctrine of the law being abolished. But verse 15 exposes the fallacy of this interpretation when Paul contrasts the Jews with Gentiles and identifies the Gentiles as being sinners.
So while many think that Paul's statement of Peter "living after the manner of Gentiles" was a positive one, it is actually a negative one because in verse 15 Paul says we are not "sinners of the Gentiles!" In other words Paul was saying, "Peter, how are you ever going to bring the Gentiles (sinners) into living righteous life when you are acting sinner yourself?" This was a very convicting statement to Peter that exposed his hypocrisy.
So rather than Paul's rebuke being proof that a Gentile should not keep the Torah, it was simply a rebuke that Peter himself was sinning (transgressing the law 1John 3:4) when he chose to fear man over Yahweh, pretend he was going along with a false gospel, and play the hypocrite.
This interpretation is further evidenced when we look into one of the alternative readings in older Greek manuscripts. Consider the comparison here:
The KJV reads: "why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?"
The Nestle-Aland Greek text (based on older manuscripts) reads: "How can you compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews."
So the question wasn't "Why are you over there trying to get Gentiles (Torah breakers) to live like Jews (Torah keepers)? Don't you know the law is abolished?" The real question was "How can you ever compel the Gentiles to keep the Torah (like Jews are supposed to) if you are a sinning yourself?" Both Greek texts are compatible with the latter understanding, but the Nestle-Aland text would contradict the common Christian interpretation of these verses.
The True Good News Explained
Let's now look further into these verses to hear a declaration of the true good news, something Kepha/Peter was failing to be straightforward about:
Galatians 2:15-16 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yahushua Messiah, even we have believed in Yahushua Messiah, that we might be justified by the faith of Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
In verse 15, notice that the words "who are" are in italics in the KJV. When a word is italicized in the KJV, it is to alert the reader that those words are not found in the original text. Commas are also not found in the Greek or Hebrew language. Therefore, what it should read is, "We, Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, know (Greek. perfect tense) that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Yahushua". This solidifies the understanding that Paul is stating that righteous Jews, who know the truth, ought to know what is right and proclaim the right way to the Gentiles. Therefore he was saying that "WE (Paul, Barnabas, Kepha and all of them), Jews by nature" know very well that we are not justified (made righteous) by works of the law, but by faith in Yahushua.
The word translated "Justified" in verse 15 (Grk. #1344) simply means to be "declared righteous."
It is a simple but important truth that none of us are able to be made righteous through the law of Yahweh. The law of Yahweh simply tells us what is right and wrong. It will not declare any of us to be righteous. To the contrary, it will declare that we have been unrighteous! None of us will be able to stand before Yahweh on the day of judgment and say, "From birth until death, I kept Your law!" For this reason, we are condemned unless we can somehow be declared righteous even though we were not. We need a Savior. We need have Yahushua's righteousness applied to us in order for us to have salvation. Once we are clothed with His righteousness by faith, we have all the righteousness we need to be saved.
When Kepha/Peter refused to eat with the Gentiles, a people who were formerly idol worshipers and were still learning about the Torah, he was suggesting that they had not yet received salvation and were unworthy to sit with him at the table. By his example he was suggesting that he agreed with those "of the circumcision" that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and keep the Torah in order to be accepted by Yahweh and accepted into the family of believers. But in Yahushua, all we need to do is repent (turn away from sin and toward righteousness) and Yahweh will purify our hearts by faith, giving us the grace to learn His commandments--at a pace that we can bear-- without fear of condemnation.
It was this "good news of the circumcision" that Paul spent a tremendous amount of time battling against. They truly believed that a person was only saved when they became a son of Abraham through circumcision. Why? The reality is that in scripture, there is almost a ring of logic to it. The logic was that since circumcision was the sign of the covenant between Yahweh and Abraham, which stated that He would give Abraham's descendants the land of Canaan, one needed to be circumcised in order to be a son of Abraham and thus--an inheritor of the land. Being an inheritor of the land was needed in order to receive all the promised blessings that came along with that covenant--namely eternal life in that land. But there are number of reasons why this belief was wrong and Paul discusses this in great detail in Galatians chapter 3. We will go over that later.
Meanwhile let's continue we left off in chapter 2:
Galatians 2:17-21 But if, while we seek to be justified by Messiah, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Messiah the minister of sin? Elohim forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
At this point Paul is making a very interesting statement. He discusses a potential situation where a person who sought to be justified by Messiah was instead found to be a sinner. But how could such a situation be possible? Isn't everyone who seeks to be justified by Messiah "declared righteous?"
The answer to that is a flat "NO." Not everyone who seeks to be justified by Messiah is declared righteous. Yahushua said that Himself in Matthew 7:
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The ones Yahushua said He would condemn apparently thought that they were "justified by Messiah" and even claimed to do various miracles as a testimony that Yahushua was with them. But they were found sinners ("Depart from me, ye that work iniquity"). So if one refuses to do the will of the Heavenly Father, they will not be declared righteous. The word translated "iniquity" is Grk. word #458, anomia. This word literally means, "illegality, i.e. violation of law" according to the Strong's Greek Lexicon. The Thayer's Greek Lexicon says it means, "1) the condition of without law 1a) because ignorant of it 1b) because of violating it 2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness."
The truth is that those claim to follow Yahushua but want to continue to live a life of sin (transgressing the Torah) are in big trouble! We need to not be among them!
Therefore, Messiah is not a minister of sin at all. As Paul said, "Elohim forbid!" (Lit. May it not be!)
Galatians 2:17-21 But if, while we seek to be justified by Messiah, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Messiah the minister of sin? Elohim forbid
Here are a couple of other places where Paul said this same phrase:
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Elohim forbid.
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Elohim forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Paul was again saying, "Elohim forbid" decide to continue in sin or even that we make the law void through faith. Rather, we establish the law (Greek word #2476, 'cause it to stand'). He is basically saying the same thing here in Galatians. Messiah is not a minister of sin (transgression of the law).
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
So Paul says if I choose to build again the things which I destroyed (sin), I make myself a transgressor. Read it again:
Galatians 2:17-21 But if, while we seek to be justified by Messiah, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Messiah the minister of sin? Elohim forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
The word translated "transgressor" here (#3848) is found 5 times in the 'New Testament' and every single time it is used in reference to someone disobeying the law of Yahweh given through Moses (Rom. 2:25, 27; Gal. 2:18; Jas. 2:9, 11). But how was sin "destroyed" in us to begin with?
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Elohim. 20 I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Elohim, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Note that it says we are "dead to the law." Note that it does NOT say the law is dead to us! There is a huge difference. If we are dead to the law then we have fulfilled the requirement that the law demands: our death. The law demands that we die because at some point in our life we have broken that law. When we receive Yahushua, we become "dead to the law" because we are "crucified/impaled with Messiah." But we also "live to Elohim."
What is being said here is that if one chooses to "build again the things which I destroyed" (sin) we make ourselves a transgressor and are rebuilding the sin that was placed upon us before we "died to the law." Yahushua is not a minister of sin. He didn't die for us so that he could destroy our sins only so that we could go back to our former life of transgressing the law. He died for us so that the law's death requirement could be fulfilled in us if we become a part of His body which was put to death on the tree but now "lives to Elohim!" Read the verse again with this understanding in mind and it makes perfect sense:
Galatians 2:17-21 But if, while we seek to be justified by Messiah, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Messiah the minister of sin? Elohim forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Elohim.
"For" in verse 19 and 20 indicate that the words to follow were the reasons why Yahushua is not a minister of sin. We are not to rebuild the things we destroyed (transgression of the law) and we died to the law so that we could "live to Elohim." It is no longer we who live but it is "Messiah that liveth in" us.
Galatians 2:19-20 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Elohim. 20 I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Elohim, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
This being the case:
1 John 2:4-6 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of Elohim perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
If "Messiah liveth/abideth in us" then we will walk as He walked. How did He walk? He kept the Torah to absolute perfection. Because He kept the Torah to absolute perfection, He is the righteous one. His righteousness is what saves us when it is no longer we who live but Messiah who lives in us. Yahushua is not an minister of sin, He is a minister of deliverance from sin by saving us from death and living out the righteous commandments IN US that He kept while on the earth. Our obedience to the Torah/law of Yahweh is the evidence that Yahushua lives in us.
This is not to say that Yahushua demands that we instantly walk in perfection. He only requires that we turn away from sin, truly (from the heart) seeking to keep Yahweh's commandments as we learn them at a pace that HE decides, not man. Ultimately our righteousness comes from Yahushua the Messiah who gave His life for us.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim: for if righteousness come by the law, then Messiah is dead in vain.
If our righteousness (and thus, our salvation) were to come from Torah keeping, we could have been declared righteous without Messiah and He died for nothing. The "good news of the circumcision" taught that believers in Yahushua are not saved until they learn and obey the Torah, then get circumcised. But the true "good news" is that we are all saved the moment we choose to repent and have faith in Yahushua. And what good news that is! Our hearts are purified by faith the moment we repent and believe. It is just as Kepha/Peter said in Acts 2:38:
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahushua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as Yahweh our Elohim shall call.
We repent, and are baptized in Yahushua's name to represent the death of the old man and Yahushua living in us. The Spirit of Yahweh then dwells with in us, guiding us to all truth, guiding us day by day to higher levels of obedience, just as the prophet Ezekiel predicted this indwelling of His Spirit would do:
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Those who promoted the "gospel of the circumcision" believed circumcision and Torah obedience had to come first, and that's why they were shocked when the Spirit fell upon uncircumcised men:
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Still, there was a tendency for a circumcised person who is learned in the Torah to treat those who just came to Messiah differently, as if they had no salvation yet. This is not the true "good news" and that is why this letter to Galatians was written.
The "good news" isn't that we are forgiven and now are free to disobey Yahweh's law now. That's not good news at all.
The "good news" isn't that we achieve salvation and forgiveness through Yahushua after we get circumcised and keep the law.
The good news is that Yahweh receives us and is willing to save us the very moment we turn our hearts toward learning and following His ways of truth in the Torah and the rest of His word, receiving Yahushua the Messiah as our righteousness for when we failed to be obedient toward it. The moment we decide to do that, we are received into the body of Messiah and are now sons and daughters of Elohim, children of Israel, through Yahushua the Son of the living Elohim, who, by the Spirit of Yahweh, dwells within us.
Galatians, what a misunderstood book!
Often, one of the first things a nominal Christian will say when you tell them the law has not been abolished is: "you need to read the book of Galatians!" In spite of the multitude of scriptures in the "New Testament" which demonstrate we should keep Yahweh's law, many understand Paul's letter to Galatians to state otherwise.
In reality, there is not a single verse in the book of Galatians or anywhere in the scripture that would tell us that the law has been abolished. Rather, much to the contrary! The book of Galatians actually proves that while we are not saved by our observance of the Torah (The Hebrew word translated "Law" all throughout the scriptures), true believers will make a sincere effort to walk in its precepts.
In this study we will go through each of the verses in Galatians chapter 2 through chapter 5, which contain the key verses speaking of Yahweh's Torah/law and its place in our life. It is the words in these chapters that are most frequently understood as "abolishing the law". Thus, we will examine them to see if Paul is really making any claim that the law is now abolished and not to be heeded.
Questions answered on
these study pages are:
Did Paul say that the law is abolished?
Was Paul talking about feast and Sabbath days when he said "you observe days, months, times and years?"
Does the Sinai covenant bring us to bondage?
What does it mean to be "under the law?"
Should believers in Messiah be circumcised?
Did Paul rebuke Peter for trying to get Gentiles to keep the Torah?
Are those who observe the Torah under a curse?
Did the law end when the Messiah came to earth?
Almost all of the Christian world regards Paul's letter to the Galatians as "proof" that we need not concern ourselves with keeping Yahweh's Torah/law. This is a major mistake that must be addressed thoroughly. It is often more difficult for a person to 'unlearn error' than to 'learn truth.' For this reason, the studies into the book of Galatians is longer than most.
If you feel that I'm in error in this study, feel free to contact me. I'm only interested in the truth.
Galatians chapter 3
This study is a continuation of the study on chapter 2 of the book of Galatians. If you have not read the study chapter 2, please read it before reading this study. Otherwise, the points made here may not make any sense to you.
The words in Galatians 3 were written to explain, from the Old Testament scriptures, why circumcision and Torah keeping are not prerequisites to receiving salvation. Paul demonstrates very clearly why we receive salvation through Yahushua the Messiah and why all Gentiles are sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Him.
Let's begin by quoting the end of chapter 2 to get a context of the first verses in chapter 3.
Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Elohim, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim: for if righteousness come by the law, then Messiah is dead in vain.
Looking at the context from which Paul was speaking, Paul is facing those who are presenting "another good news/gospel," the gospel of circumcision. The Gentiles were not accepted by those who were "of the circumcision" because they believed that even though the Gentiles received Yahushua, that was not good enough. They believed that the Gentiles were not sons of Abraham and they were not saved until they were first circumcised and kept the Torah. This unscriptural method of receiving salvation was a threat to Yahushua Himself. It was so dangerous that Paul said in the beginning of his letter:
Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
For if we choose to proclaim the good news, the message we proclaim must be true. Otherwise, we are building a foundation on falsehood. Yahushua is the way, the truth and the life. The "good news of the circumcision" was a threat to being able to reach the rest of the world with salvation.
All throughout the scriptures, including the 'Old Testament', it is always the hearts of men that Yahweh is most concerned about. Suppose there was a Gentile that lived 200 years before Messiah who came to the conviction that Yahweh was the true Elohim and he repented of his ways. Then, as he learned more about Yahweh's commandments he began to make a sincere effort walk in them. This being the case, at what point would such a man be received by Yahweh? Would it be after he observed 5 commandments? Or would it be after he observed 10? Or might it be the observance of 613 commandments were necessary for him to achieve salvation? The truth is Yahweh knows the hearts of all men and can meet them where they are. This has always been true:
Ezekiel 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
So the "good news of the circumcision" was not based on a correct understanding of how Yahweh deals with mankind. It wasn't true in Paul's day and it was never true at any point in history. Yahweh sees the hearts of all men. It was prideful men who wanted to have their own little 'club' that turned the good news of Yahushua into some kind of works based salvation with circumcision being the 'hazing act' in order to be accepted into the club. This was a perversion of what Yahweh intended His plan of salvation to be and what He intended circumcision to be.
For review let's examine again the characteristics of those who were proclaiming this "good news of the circumcision":
They were from Judea. (Acts 15:1)
They were "sect of the Pharisees" (Acts 15:5)
They claimed to be believers in Yahushua. (Acts 15:5)
They believed that one cannot have salvation unless they are first circumcised and/or keep the Torah. (Acts 15:1)
They were vigorous in their belief to the point that they would argue with Paul and Barnabas over it, and even approach the apostles and elders about it. (Acts 15:1,5)
They were actually "false brethren" (Gal 2:4)
They liked to sneak into the assemblies of true brethren to convert them to their own "good news" understanding of how to receive salvation. (Gal 2:4)
They didn't even keep the law themselves. (Gal 6:12-13)
They were interested in circumcising the Gentiles so that they could receive glory from men. (Gal 6:12-13)
Their sect had a history of being focused on "man pleasing" and laying heavy burdens on people that they themselves wouldn't do. (Mat. 23:4-5)
With this in mind, let's continue to Galatians 3:
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Yahushua the Messiah hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
The Gentiles who turned their lives over to Yahweh didn't receive the Holy Spirit because they had been keeping the law. They received the Holy Spirit because they repented and accepted Yahushua the Messiah. In response to the false 'good news of the circumcision', Paul was reminding them that the Spirit was given as evidence of their immediate salvation. Kepha (Peter) also had been shown this truth:
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Yahweh's plan of instant recognition of the Gentiles' salvation was something very difficult for many Jews to accept. It was so ingrained in their culture that a Gentile couldn't just come to Yahweh and be accepted the same as a natural Jew without going through a long process. But Yahweh showed that He accepted them when He poured out His Spirit on the Gentiles the moment they believed, thereby demonstrating that their sins were forgiven by faith, not by circumcision and Torah/law keeping. So Paul pointed out that they received the Spirit by the hearing of faith, not because they had kept the Torah (they hadn't).
Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
In this verse, it is believed by some that anyone attempting to be obedient to Yahweh's law is seeking to "be made perfect by the flesh." But would doing something like honoring your parents be an attempt to "be made perfect by the flesh"? Certainly not, but submitting to the 'good news of the circumcision' certainly would be.
Nevertheless, let's examine the Greek word translated "made perfect" in this verse. It is Strong's word #2005 and it means "to fulfill further (or completely), i.e. execute; by implication, to terminate, undergo" or in the Thayer's Greek Lexicon, "to bring to an end, accomplish, perfect, execute, complete." Young's Literal translation reads:
Galatians 3:3 so thoughtless are ye! having begun in the Spirit, now in the flesh do ye end?
Since the Gentiles had already received the Holy Spirit as evidence of their salvation, it was senseless for them to convert to the good news of 'the circumcision' which would have actually resulted in their condemnation rather than salvation. For if we require Torah obedience as a prerequisite to salvation, none of us would be found faultless before the throne of Yahweh on the day of judgment. We would be relying on the Adam man (self) and his abilities in the flesh to obey the Torah to achieve salvation rather than trusting in what Yahushua has already done for us. Thus, our end would be "in the flesh" rather than "in the Spirit". Anyone relying on their perfection in the flesh as one of the prerequisites to salvation will find that their own righteousness will not save them in the day of judgment.
The Jews of that time period taught that you were not a child of Abraham and therefore 'not Israel' until you were circumcised. They believed that one couldn't receive Israel's promises unless you 'became Israel' by being circumcised. Overall, they were putting too much of their faith in the fact that they were children of Abraham. But John the Baptist rebuked them for this:
Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that Yahweh is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Thus, there was a tremendous amount of emphasis put on whether or not a person was a son of Abraham--even to the point of someone getting puffed up and believing they didn't need to repent.
Let's continue in Galatians 3:
Galatians 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Further proof that the context of Paul's words on this issue is the question of which "good news" is to be believed and what is necessary for salvation is what Paul says here in verse 4. If the Gentiles had received a false message of salvation from Paul and the other apostles, all their suffering they endured up to that point was in vain because they weren't even saved to begin with. Paul is making this very point when he asks them if they suffered persecution in vain. In verse 5, he also adds further evidence that Yahweh has accepted them by bringing to remembrance the ministry of the Spirit which worked miracles among them even though they were uncircumcised and unlearned in the Torah. Yahweh had purified their hearts by faith just as Kepha said in Acts 15:
Acts 15:8-11 And Elohim, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye Elohim, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Master Yahushua Messiah we shall be saved, even as they.
So we are all saved by grace, not by this "good news of the circumcision" which was in contrast to the true good news.
The true Good News is that we receive salvation when we repent and accept Yahushua as our righteousness. Those who lived before Yahushua's day were still saved by faith in Yahweh's promises:
Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed Yahweh, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
So even Abraham 'believed' Yahweh and because of that belief he was declared righteous. He believed the promises and his faith in Yahweh was evidenced by his works when he demonstrated a willingness to offer his own son Isaac on the altar to Yahweh:
Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that Elohim was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
And Yahushua said:
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
And so Paul demonstrates that even Abraham was saved by faith. Those who are of faith are also considered to be children of Abraham:
Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed Yahweh, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
If one has faith like Abraham, one is like Abraham. Therefore they are child of Abraham. Consider what Yahushua said to the Scribes and Pharisees on this same subject:
John 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Yahushua saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
So Paul is in total agreement with what Yahushua had taught on this.
Continuing in Galatians:
Galatians 3:8-9 And the scripture, foreseeing that Yahweh would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
In keeping with the theme of understanding the true "Good News," Paul begins to explain how the true "Good News" was preached all the way back in the 12th and 22nd chapter of Genesis.
Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
And again:
Genesis 22:11-14 And the angel of Yahweh called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest Elohim, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of Yahweh it shall be seen.
Because of this, Yahweh said to Abraham:
Genesis 22:15-18 And the angel of Yahweh called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith Yahweh, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Because Abraham did not withhold his only son, Yahweh gave him the promises. We read earlier in Galatians 3:8 that the "Good news" was preached to Abraham when he was given this promise. But how was the true "good news" preached in this promise? And does the Torah play a role in the good news at all? That's what Galatians 3 explains in detail, and it is actually quite awesome when fully understood! So let's continue:
Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Because of a misunderstanding of the book of Galatians, there are a lot of people who believe that anyone attempting to obey Yahweh's commandments are "under a curse." But if this was true, we would be cursed every time we tried to honor our parents. We would be cursed for refraining from adultery or even choosing to worship Yahweh alone. But the truth is that we are no more cursed for doing those things than we would be if we kept the Sabbath. So what does verse 10 actually mean?
We see that he is comparing those "which be of faith" and those which are "of the works of the law". In this is the contrast of the two versions of the "Good news," the 'good news of the circumcision' and the True Good News. The 'good news of the circumcision' says that we do not receive salvation through faith in Yahushua alone, but we receive salvation when learning/keeping the Torah and are circumcised.
As we said earlier, if we require Torah obedience as a prerequisite to salvation, none of us would be found faultless before the throne of Yahweh on the day of judgment. We would be relying on the Adam man (self) and his abilities in the flesh to obey the Torah rather than trusting in what Yahushua has already done for us. Anyone attempting to trust in the Adam man for their righteousness are "of the works of the law" and are under a curse because the Torah itself says "cursed is everyone" who has not done the things which were written in the Torah/law! Since none of us has done them, none of us will receive salvation by them. Anyone attempting to be declared righteous (justified) by them will find themselves condemned.
Sadly though, today many think that we are under a curse if we seek to obey them. But this is not what it says. Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 27:26 where it says:
Deuteronomy 27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Does this scripture say that those who do them are under a curse? Certainly not. It is saying those who DO NOT do them are under a curse! Paul is not saying that we should not do them. Paul is saying that no one should submit to the false 'good news of the circumcision' which actually places a person under a curse by trying to insert the works of the 'Adam man' into Yahweh's plan for salvation. Anyone seeking to be justified (declared righteous) by the law is going to be condemned because they haven't kept the law--thus, they are cursed and not blessed with believing Abraham. So Paul says:
Galatians 3:9-11 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of Yahweh, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
No one is justified by the law because the law doesn't declare us righteous. It declares us to be unrighteous. Therefore, the "just" (one who is declared righteous) must live (have eternal life) by faith that Yahweh has mercy and will forgive our sins. Let's look at the scripture quoted here:
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
One cannot live or be justified by trusting in his own righteousness. This scripture says "his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him." To claim that we have our own righteousness is to be prideful. Here is how the New King James version translates this:
Habakkuk 2:4 (NKJV) "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
So just because a person claims to be "upright" does not mean he is. We cannot be justified before Yahweh by our claims of righteousness because all men have sinned at some point in their life. We are left with no choice but to "live" (have eternal life) by faith! We must come to Yahweh and trust in Him to forgive us of our sins and make us righteous through Yahushua the Messiah if we expect to have any hope whatsoever. Any other claim to righteousness is pure pride! The 'good news of the circumcision' minimized the sufficiency of our righteousness in Yahushua.
Galatians 3:11-12 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of Yahweh, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
This is once again a quote from the law. Let's examine it:
Leviticus 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Yahweh
If a man has done the law, he will certainly LIVE and have eternal life. This man would be justified by the law. But NO MAN has ever done this except Yahushua the Messiah. Therefore no man can LIVE or have salvation because they kept them. We all must rely on Yahushua! We cannot rely on our own obedience to the law to save us.
Galatians 3:13 The Messiah hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:
Is the law a curse? Some would love to quote this verse to you to tell you that. But as we learned earlier, it isn't those who KEEP the law that are under the curse, but those who have BROKEN it. Yahushua redeemed us from the curse that came when we disobeyed the law, For He was cursed for us by being hung on the tree.
Deuteronomy 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of Elohim;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Yahweh thy Elohim giveth thee for an inheritance.
Yahushua was hanged on a tree, yet He committed no sins. It was for our iniquities and our transgressions that He was put to death, just as the prophets foretold:
Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
We have committed sins (transgressions of the law, 1 John 3:4) that are worthy of death (the wages of sin IS death, Rom 6:23). Yahushua has redeemed us from this curse by becoming a curse for us when Yahweh laid on Him the iniquity of us all. So for anyone to claim that they have salvation because they have done the law, they cannot be speaking the truth. None of us has done them, so none of us will live (have eternal life) by them. Anyone saying that you aren't saved unless you are first circumcised and keep the law is seeking salvation by their own works and are under a curse. Such a one has not submitted to the truth that Yahushua's righteousness is sufficient to bring a sinner the cleansing he needs to be a child of Abraham:
Galatians 3:13 The Messiah hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Yahushua the Messiah; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
We see this promise fulfilled when we saw how the Gentiles received the Spirit in Acts 10. So now the blessing of Abraham (eternal life in the promised land) would also come to the Gentiles when they receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. The Spirit of Yahweh was poured out on the Gentiles when He purified their hearts by faith in Acts 10 and other scriptures, proving that He had accepted them in their uncircumcised state when they believed in Yahushua. For Jews to refuse fellowship with Gentiles (Galatians 2, Acts 11, 15) until they were circumcised and kept the law was hypocritical, was a misrepresentation of the true good news, and denied the power of Yahushua's blood as being sufficient to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
Next Paul begins to explain how the good news was preached to Abraham in the Genesis 12 & 22 promises, and how that applies to us today as well:
Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Even in covenants of men, no one can take away or add to that covenant. Therefore the same is true of Yahweh's covenants.
Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is the Messiah.
Notice carefully that Paul makes an important point regarding Genesis 22. Yahweh did NOT mean "To seeds" (all descendants of Abraham) but rather "To his SEED" (Yahushua the Messiah). Thus, the promise is made to two people: Abraham and Yahushua. For "He saith not, And to seeds, as of many".
Not everyone is going to inherit the land promised to Abraham. The wicked among the literal children of Israel will not inherit it. The wicked among the Gentiles will not inherit it. Only the righteous will inherit the land. In order for one to be righteous, they need to be a part of the body of Messiah, the "Seed" to whom the promises are made. Thus, Yahweh said to Abraham:
Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
So not only are the promises made to Abraham and to Messiah, but Yahweh also promised a blessing to all the nations and families of the earth (Yes, Gentiles!) through Abraham and through his Seed, the Messiah. That blessing is eternal life in the promised land. Thus, the following promise in Genesis is fulfilled in Him:
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
We know that Yahushua bruised the head of the serpent, but not without a wound Himself. Yahweh chose to bring this Seed (the Messiah) through a son of Abraham, then later narrowed it down to a son of David, then through Mary, the prophetic woman who brought forth the Seed that would destroy the work of the enemy--namely, sin and death.
1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohim was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Let's continue in Galatians 3:
Galatians 3:16-17 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Messiah. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of Elohim in Messiah, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Now here is where it can get very confusing if we did not understand the previous points and the context in which they were given. The 'good news of the circumcision' sought to involve the necessity of circumcision and Torah/law keeping as a prerequisite to receiving salvation (forgiveness of sin and eternal life in the promised land) and being accepted into full fellowship. But Paul is making the point that there is nothing written later on in the Torah that can disannul the promise given to Abraham and to His seed. If we are in Yahushua, we have everything we need! The additional requirements which the 'good news of the circumcision' sought to involve were attempts to disannul the Abrahamic covenant or add to it. So Paul said:
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but Elohim gave it to Abraham by promise.
So if the inheritance (eternal life in the promised land) comes from Yahweh's law then it is no longer a promise but something conditional upon our own perfection. If it were conditional upon our own ability to obey the Torah, none of us would make it. Therefore, we need the promise. It is this promise to Abraham and to his Seed (Yahushua) which is actually the "Good news" that we need. It is that "Good News" that was preached to Abraham:
Galatians 3:8-9 And the scripture, foreseeing that Yahweh would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
We need to be as faithful Abraham who believed the "good news" and we need to be the Seed of Abraham (Messiah) in order to be blessed with the inheritance. It is no longer we who live, it is Yahushua the Seed of Abraham who lives in us. This is the simple plan of salvation that Yahweh first mentioned in Genesis 3:15 right after the first sin was committed, further revealed by Yahweh's promise to Abraham and to his Seed, and even further revealed by the righteousness found in the Torah, Yahweh's promise to David, and the words of the prophets.
So where does the law of Yahweh actually fit in all of this? Paul was glad we asked...
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Now if we hadn't paid any attention to the previous verses, we might get the impression that the law was just a temporary thing until Yahushua came. But since we have been going over this very carefully, we will understand what is truly meant here in verse 19.
Firstly, notice that it says that the law was added 'because of transgressions.' It needed to be established that Yahweh has a righteous standard that He wants everyone to live by. If Yahweh had not given the Torah/law, there would have been no transgression from which one needed to be redeemed through Yahushua the Messiah:
Romans 4:15b for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Now notice that it says that it was added..."till the seed should come to whom the promise was made." But to whom was the promise made? We know the answer:
Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Messiah.
The promise was made to Abraham and to the Messiah Yahushua, his Seed.
But how is it that Seed should come to Abraham and Himself? Oh but this is the beauty of the good news! We ARE the body of the Messiah. It is no longer we who live but Messiah who lives in us. The day will come when Yahushua will return to gather each of us (His body) together with Abraham and at that time we will have no need of the Torah because we will no longer have sin within us.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Are there such men on the earth today? Certainly, and sometimes those who are in the body of Messiah fail to cleave to sound doctrine. Therefore, the need for the law of Yahweh to instruct us is still here any time we might fall short of righteousness.
Suppose for a moment you had the responsibility to supervise a room of 30 children for a day. On the first day you supervised them, all of the children were loving, obedient and never needed a bit of correction. In such a condition there would be no need for laws, commandments and ordinances to keep the children from doing wrong.
Now suppose that on the second day you supervised them, there were some major problems where the children were starting to get selfish and were fighting with one another. You would then need to set up "ground rules" (i.e. commandments, ordinances, statutes, laws) for the children to follow so that they would learn to walk in love rather than hate.
The same is true of our Heavenly Father. If we were walking in love, He would have no need to give us commandments, ordinances and laws to keep us from doing wrong things to Him and wrong things to one another. But since we have an inclination to do evil and be selfish, the Torah/law of Yahweh was given so that we would see that we have sinned against Him and against one another. When the day comes that we no longer have the inclination to do evil, we will have no need of the Torah any longer. But as long as there are lawless and disobedient sinners, unholy and profane men, liars, or any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine--the Torah/law is necessary to provide instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of Elohim may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
With these principles in mind, the correct understanding of Galatians 3:19 comes to light:
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
The simple truth is that the earth was full of disobedient children who needed instruction in righteousness, but in our case also needed redemption from sin. If no law had been given, Yahweh's righteous standard would have been unknown and none of us would have realized that we needed repent and be forgiven for anything. Yahweh had to show everyone what His will is, what His way of Righteousness is so that when Yahushua would come, we would all realize we are sinners.
Continuing in Galatians:
Galatians 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but Elohim is one.
This vagueness of this verse has resulted in much perplexity among various commentators. I'll be humble enough to join them in saying I'm not 100% sure what Paul exactly intended to say here with so few words, but I think it is at least safe to conclude that there is nothing here that has anything to do with the idea that we are free defiantly disobey Yahweh's law now.
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of Elohim? Elohim forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
If the law was able to give us righteousness and eternal life, it would have been against the promises of Yahweh which (as we discussed) involved the Seed (the Messiah) bringing us the blessing rather than the law. The law itself does not deliver the promise of life, it only points out what our sins actually are so that we will receive the promise of the inheritance by faith in Yahushua:
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Yahushua Messiah might be given to them that believe.
Were it not for the Torah, we would not have recognized our sin and we would have not sought to receive the promise by faith in Yahushua. So the Torah has an important role in us receiving the promise, but the Torah itself does not give us the promise. The Torah does promise life to those who do the things which were written within it, but none of us have done the things which are written within it! Only Yahushua has done it. Therefore we need to be a part of Him, and we need to abide in Him in order for us to receive the promise. The promise is to Him, and He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.. no man comes to the Father except through Him. Of course, as we discussed in the Galatians 2 study, those who abide in Him will want to walk as He walked...keeping the Torah.
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
But it is faith and salvation that comes first, not Torah observance. Otherwise, we are ALL condemned. Continuing in Galatians 3:
Galatians 3:23-24 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith.
Before we believed, the Torah/law kept us under guard as a schoolmaster to teach us that we needed salvation and redemption. It confined us all under sin, kept until the promise by faith in Yahushua would be revealed to us. It's purpose is to bring us to Yahushua so that we can be declared righteous by faith.
If today we chose to put ourselves under the law, we would be condemned. But if we humbly admitted that we needed Yahweh's grace and chose to believe in the promise of justification by faith in Yahushua, we would be a part of His body and He would dwell in us so that we can receive the promise of eternal life.
Galatians 3:25-27 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of Elohim by faith in Messiah Yahushua. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah have put on Messiah.
If we were still under the schoolmaster/law, we would still be looking for the way to get out of the confinement of sin. But we consider ourselves children of Elohim by faith in Yahushua who is a Child of the living Elohim. We were baptized into Messiah and have put on Messiah. It is no longer we who live; it is Messiah who lives in us.
This being the case, we are no longer under the law/tutor which had the intent of bringing us to Yahushua through confining/concluding us all under sin. But of course, this does not mean that we can continue in sin so that grace may abound:
Romans 6:15-16 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Elohim forbid. 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?
Romans 6:1-6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 Elohim forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Yahushua Messiah were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Paul never taught that being under grace was a license to continue breaking Yahweh's law. This is another perversion, the modern "good news" that is often proclaimed today. Rather, the fact that we are now Body of Messiah should demonstrate that we are to live as He did, walk as He walked and love as He loved. He kept the Torah perfectly, and it is He who now lives in us. Our choice to turn away from Torah breaking and receive Him for our salvation is evidence that He lives in us.
The problem with the Galatians is that they had it backwards. You don't seek obedience to the law through human effort and then receive salvation; you receive salvation through Yahushua's indwelling so that you have the power to walk in obedience!
The 'good news of the circumcision' was a false doctrine that created division within the body of Messiah, with the Gentiles being like second class citizens who needed more than Yahushua's righteousness to be considered worthy of full fellowship.
In Galatians 3, Paul's purpose is to demonstrate quite clearly one principle that exposes the 'good news of the circumcision' as a false doctrine that was never true: Salvation is not of the law, it is of promise. Therefore, we don't need circumcision to be a son of Abraham, we need Yahushua the Messiah, the Seed of Abraham dwelling in us!
Galatians 3:27-29 For as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah have put on Messiah. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Messiah Yahushua. 29 And if ye be Messiah's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
HalleluYah, for in Yahweh's eyes we are all Abraham's Seed through Yahushua. It is through Yahweh's promise to Abraham that this is so. Not through circumcision, not through our own righteousness...only through Yahushua and His Sonship, His righteousness, His indwelling. We are Israelites indeed through Yahushua who dwells in us. Because of this we are no longer strangers, but heirs:
Ephesians 2:8-13 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Elohim: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yahushua unto good works, which Elohim hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohim in the world: 13 But now in Messiah Yahushua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Messiah.
Indeed, many of us in time past were Gentiles in the flesh, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise. But through the good news of Yahushua the Messiah we are no longer Gentiles, but we are sons of Abraham, made nigh to the covenants of promise, joint heirs according to the promise, being one new man: Yahushua the Messiah living in each one of us.
For this, we have much to be thankful for. Let's allow Him to live in each of us in such a way that others recognize the Torah observant Savior and want the peace and reconciliation with Yahweh that we have received through Him; cleaving to His promises, heeding His word, loving Yahweh with all our hearts, and loving one another as He so loved us. That's what Yahushua is all about, and that's what the Torah is all about. Fellow children of Yisrael, follow His example! Let no one tell you any different.
Often, one of the first things a nominal Christian will say when you tell them the law has not been abolished is: "you need to read the book of Galatians!" In spite of the multitude of scriptures in the "New Testament" which demonstrate we should keep Yahweh's law, many understand Paul's letter to Galatians to state otherwise.
In reality, there is not a single verse in the book of Galatians or anywhere in the scripture that would tell us that the law has been abolished. Rather, much to the contrary! The book of Galatians actually proves that while we are not saved by our observance of the Torah (The Hebrew word translated "Law" all throughout the scriptures), true believers will make a sincere effort to walk in its precepts.
In this study we will go through each of the verses in Galatians chapter 2 through chapter 5, which contain the key verses speaking of Yahweh's Torah/law and its place in our life. It is the words in these chapters that are most frequently understood as "abolishing the law". Thus, we will examine them to see if Paul is really making any claim that the law is now abolished and not to be heeded.
Questions answered on
these study pages are:
Did Paul say that the law is abolished?
Was Paul talking about feast and Sabbath days when he said "you observe days, months, times and years?"
Does the Sinai covenant bring us to bondage?
What does it mean to be "under the law?"
Should believers in Messiah be circumcised?
Did Paul rebuke Peter for trying to get Gentiles to keep the Torah?
Are those who observe the Torah under a curse?
Did the law end when the Messiah came to earth?
Almost all of the Christian world regards Paul's letter to the Galatians as "proof" that we need not concern ourselves with keeping Yahweh's Torah/law. This is a major mistake that must be addressed thoroughly. It is often more difficult for a person to 'unlearn error' than to 'learn truth.' For this reason, the studies into the book of Galatians is longer than most.
If you feel that I'm in error in this study, feel free to contact me. I'm only interested in the truth.
Galatians chapter 4
This study is a continuation of the study on chapter 2 and 3 of the book of Galatians. If you have not read the previous studies which go over chapters 2 and 3, verse by verse, please read them before reading this study. Otherwise, the points made here may not make any sense to you.
We left off in Galatians 3 with a very important conclusion:
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of Elohim by faith in Messiah Yahushua. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah have put on Messiah. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Messiah Yahushua. 29 And if ye be Messiah's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
The blessing of this is that each of us become children of Elohim, the seed of Abraham by Yahushua the Messiah. All of us are now one in the Messiah Yahushua. It was not circumcision or the 'good news of the circumcision' that made this possible, it was the blood of Yahushua. Continuing in this thought, Paul next says:
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be master of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
During the time period in which Paul was speaking, the common practice was to appoint a caretaker to watch over a child until he was of a certain age. Paul is using this cultural practice as an illustration of the role of Yahweh's law in our lives. Rather than functioning as a means by which we are able to receive Yahweh's promise of eternal life, the law of Yahweh simply shows us what sin is and reveals our own bondage to it.
In the case of the Galatians, it was their idolatry and other pagan practices that was exposed as worthy of condemnation. The Torah/law of Yahweh teaches us that we need our Heavenly Father's mercy upon us if we ever want to hope for eternal life. The way we receive that mercy is through Yahushua's righteousness being placed upon us:
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, Elohim sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Note that Yahushua was under the law even as we were. There are some who believe that the phrase "under the law" is a metaphor for a person committing a sin. But this isn't true because Yahushua was born under the law but did not commit sin. Yahushua was born under the law and kept the law to absolute perfection. For this reason, He is the Righteous One who is able to redeem those who were under the law but condemned as sinners, held in bondage to the elements of the world.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, Elohim hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of Elohim through Messiah.
In His love and mercy, Yahweh redeemed us (bought us off the slave market) and caused us to be adopted into His family, making us sons of Elohim. This was made possible because Yahushua died for us. When He died for us and rose again, our Adam man participated with Him in that death and we were made a new creation:
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Elohim, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
So we were made sons of Elohim rather than mere servants or children who were held under the bondage of sin. Of course, now that we are made free this does not mean that we should continue in sin:
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Elohim in your body, and in your spirit, which are Elohim's.
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 Elohim forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
So again, we "live to Elohim" as Paul said in Galatians 2. We don't rebuild again that sin that was destroyed or we'll be making ourselves transgressors again. But apparently the Galatians had a problem with this very thing:
Galatians 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not Elohim, ye did service unto them which by nature are no elohim. 9 But now, after that ye have known Elohim, or rather are known of Elohim, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Many believe that the "days, and months, and times, and years" are in reference to the Sabbath and feast day gatherings that Yahweh commanded in the Torah/law. They claim that any observance of such things are an attempt to "earn our salvation" rather than trusting in the blood of Yahushua to be our cleansing.
Paul is not specific about what "days, and months, and times, and years" he is referring to. A nominal Christian might say that Paul is condemning the observance of any day, month time or year. But even if this were the case, it would actually condemn the nominal Christian because going to church on Sunday would be an observance of a day. And certainly the observance of Christmas and Easter festivals would fall under that as well.
But is Paul speaking of Yahweh's commanded observances of the weekly Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost and other such holy days? If so, Paul is condemning himself because he was a feast keeper:
Acts 18:20 - When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; 21 - But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if YAHWEH will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Paul said that he was looking forward to keeping the feast in Jerusalem. So if we understand the feast days to be the "weak and beggarly elements" that bring us into bondage, this would contradict Paul's own practice. In fact, Paul said:
Acts 25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
So was Paul bringing himself into bondage? Was he observing the very "weak and beggarly elements" that he told the Galatians not to observe? Was Paul a hypocrite? The answer to all of these questions would have to be "yes" if we understood the keeping of these commands in the Torah to be "weak and beggarly."
So what was Paul talking about? Let's read it again more carefully. Remember that the Galatians were formerly idol worshipers:
Galatians 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not Elohim, ye did service unto them which by nature are no elohim.
Having been idol worshipers, there was no feast keeping to "turn ye again" to. They did not formerly keep the feast days and Sabbath.
Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known Elohim, or rather are known of Elohim, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
The elements here were the "elements of the world" that they were formerly in bondage to, as he previously said:
Galatians 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Since the Galatians were formerly idol worshipers, the observances that they "turn again" to would be observances that were found in idolatry. They were not formerly a Torah observant people but "did service unto them which by nature are no elohim." It isn't the keeping of the Torah/law that results in bondage. It's transgressing the law that is sin and bondage. Otherwise Yahushua Himself was in bondage because He was born under the law and kept it without fault.
At this point Paul must have been very frustrated because not only were the Galatians looking to "another gospel/good news" for assurance of salvation, but they were also holding onto former things that they were supposed to be turned away from. No wonder he said:
Galatians 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Even more evidence that Paul wasn't condemning them for keeping the feast days and Sabbath was his next statement:
Galatians 4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
Since Paul himself kept the feast, he would be again contradicting himself in saying "be as I am" if the "days/months/times/years" were referring to the feast days. He wants them to be as he is, for he considers himself to be like them--redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, saved by grace through faith--not through any work of men but by the righteousness of Yahushua the Messiah.
Paul next makes the point that their wayward ways are not a personal hurt to him ("ye have not injured me at all"), even though he toiled and labored for them through infirmities:
Galatians 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of Elohim, even as Messiah Yahushua. 15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
The specific infirmity that Paul speaks of is quite possibly poor eyesight (compare this to Gal 6:11), but it is not certain. What is certain is that he suffered many afflictions while he proclaimed the good news, and the Galatians received the good news with joy and thanksgiving in spite of the afflictions.
Galatians 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
Those who were false teachers among them were apparently speaking against him so he brings to remembrance the blessedness and love they all had for one another, and reminds them that he isn't their enemy--but only wants to bring them the truth. There was a tremendous amount of peer pressure being placed on them from all sides, and they were caving into believing a false way of salvation:
Galatians 4:17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
This is a somewhat confusing statement in the KJV. It may help to read the New King James in this instance:
Galatians 4:17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.
They were being manipulated by others who used exclusion and peer pressure to get them to conform. One example of that is back in chapter 2 when some of the Jews refused to eat at the same table as the Gentiles.
Galatians 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Messiah be formed in you, 20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Zeal is good, but it must be according to truth.
Next Paul begins to use an allegory in order to demonstrate the truth of the good news. Many believe that this allegory proves that we should not be obedient to the law of Yahweh, but once again we will demonstrate this to be a false belief.
With this in mind, let's continue to read Galatians 4:
Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Once again, Paul appeals to the book of Genesis to demonstrate an eternal truth. Remember that Yahweh promised Abraham he would have a son in his old age even though he never had any children. After this promise was made to Abraham, both Abraham and Sarah thought that the promised son would not literally come through Sarah's womb, but through her handmaid/bondwoman (Hagar) on behalf of Sarah. The son that was born through Hagar was Ishmael.
Ishmael is called one who was 'born after the flesh' because he was brought about in a way that was contrary to Yahweh's promise, being the son of a bondwoman (slave). Yahweh was actually going to fulfill his promise by miraculously allowing Sarah to have a son (Isaac) well past child bearing years. Thus, the promise was going to be fulfilled by a work of Yahweh rather than a work of men. This becomes a perfect illustration of the difference between one trying to receive Yahweh's promise of salvation by a work of Yahweh and another trying to receive Yahweh's promise of salvation by a work of men:
Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
So why is Jerusalem and her children compared to Hagar and her children? Jerusalem as a whole were (like Abraham) attempting to receive the promise through human effort, coming up with their own idea of how Yahweh would fulfill his promises rather than letting Yahweh fulfill it Himself. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were trying to bring about the promises of eternal life through their own works rather than through works of Yahweh through the Messiah, who brings all of us the righteousness we need to have eternal life.
Any effort to use the Sinai covenant as a means of salvation will ultimately fail to deliver a man from the bondage of sin--for none of us have kept the law. None of us will receive the promises of Yahweh through human effort. It takes a work of Yahweh for any of us to have salvation.
Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Those who cleave to the understanding that we receive the promise of eternal life through the work of Yahweh are likened to Isaac, the son of a freewoman. We are the children of Promise because we have become the seed of Abraham through Yahushua the Messiah who lives in us...rather than through our own human effort of circumcision or Torah/law keeping.
Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
The bondwoman was ultimately cast out of Abraham's household because of the persecutions (Genesis 21) and was not allowed to be an heir with the freewoman. For this reason, it is important to submit to the true good news of salvation rather than the false 'good news of the circumcision' which states that we do not receive salvation until we keep the law and get circumcised.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Messiah has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
The yoke of bondage is (as we discussed in previous chapters) the 'good news of the circumcision.' As we discussed, Peter agreed with this in Acts 15:10-11. See the previous chapter discussions for more information.
Circumcision
At this point, Paul begins to make some important statements about circumcision and its role in the true 'good news'. In short, circumcision is not part of the good news of Yahushua in the sense that whether we we can still receive salvation whether we are circumcised or uncircumcised, . Let's continue in Galatians 5:
Galatians 5:2-5 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Messiah will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Messiah, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
One of the most important things to remember when reading the book of Galatians is that he is speaking to a certain group of people. In this case, he is speaking to the Galatians who were about to fall prey to a false 'good news'. As is evidenced by Paul's statements, "You have become estranged from Messiah, you who attempt to be justified by law" and "For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith," the subject matter at hand is whether or not circumcision is a part of the true good news that brings salvation.
Paul was NOT against circumcision if done for the right reasons. Proof of this is found in (once again) Paul's own example and practice:
Acts 16:1-3 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
In light of the common interpretation of Galatians 5, Paul was doing the very thing that most people think Paul was telling the Galatians not to do! Was he circumcising Timothy so that "Messiah could profit him nothing" and so that he would become "estranged from Messiah?"
Galatians 5:3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Messiah, you who [attempt] [to] be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Why did Paul tell the Galatians that they would be "fallen from grace," "estranged from Messiah," and "Messiah would profit them nothing" if they were to become circumcised because of Jewish pressures but then circumcise Timothy "because of the Jews?" Was Paul a hypocrite? Certainly not, but he would be if you went along with the common interpretation of Galatians. He was on one hand trying to tell the Gentiles of Galatia to not give into Jewish pressures, but then by most interpreters he gave into Jewish pressures himself in Acts 16:1-3. What is really going on here?
The truth is that Paul was not against circumcision. He was against the false doctrines found in the "good news of the circumcision" which were a perversion of the true "good news" that Yahweh desires to proclaim.
Timothy's father was a Greek. This means that Timothy would not be of Jewish heritage because in scripture a person's lineage follows the fatherly line. Today, Orthodox Jews believe it follows the mother's lineage but it is not certain if this was the practice in the first century. But even as the son of a Gentile, Timothy was raised in the scriptures by his Jewish mother Eunice (2Tim. 1:5, 3:15), was "well reported of by the brethren" according to Acts 16:2, and was ready in his heart to be circumcised.
Now there is no record of Paul ever circumcising anyone other than Timothy. But we see that in Acts 16:3, Paul decided to take it upon himself to circumcise Timothy. Why did Paul want to do the actual act of circumcision here? To prove to the Jews that he was not in any way against circumcising the son of a Gentile if it was done for reasons that would not pervert the good news of Yahushua. He did this right after going to the apostles and elders about the circumcision question in Acts 15. Paul's decision to make sure he was the one to circumcise Timothy would alleviate any concerns that Paul's trip to Jerusalem had any intentions of doing away with circumcision as a whole, even for the son of a Gentile--as it says "for they all knew his father was a Greek."
Let's read the verses in Galatians again:
Galatians 5:2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, the Messiah will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Messiah, you who [attempt] [to] be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
The issue here was our source of "righteousness." Those who held to the 'good news of the circumcision' believed that person had to learn/ obey the Torah and be circumcised before they could be considered righteous, and thus be saved. But the true good news is that one need only repent and believe in Yahushua to be considered righteous, and thus be saved. The former was an attempt to be "justified (declared righteous) by the law." The latter was the humble admission that our own righteousness is inadequate to gain any hope of receiving salvation through it. As a reminder, let's look at our diagram again:
Good News of the Circumcision:
Repent and accept Yahushua
THEN
Learn All of the torah and obey it!
THEN
Get Circumcised
THEN
You are Abraham's seed and righteous
Vain Attempt to be "Justified by the LAW"
Still "Under the Law"
THE TRUE GOOD NEWS
Repent and accept Yahushua (Acts 2:38)
THEN
YOU ARE ABRAHAM'S SEED AND ARE DECLARED RIGHTEOUS
"Justification by faith" in Yahushua
Humbly "Under grace"
If a man was to try to be "justified by the law" by submitting to the 'good news of the circumcision' and getting circumcised, they would be a "debtor to keep the whole law." Why? Because in order for us to be justified (declared righteous) by the law, we would need to keep every single commandment in order to be considered righteous. For whether we fail in one point, or a thousand points, we are still labeled a transgressor. For this reason, any attempt to be justified by the law will utterly fail. This is why the law has no part in justifying us. We need Yahushua for our righteousness/justification. That's why it says that we "wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."
Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in the Messiah Yahushua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
So again Paul makes the point that if we are in the Messiah Yahushua, whether we are circumcised or uncircumcised it doesn't amount to anything in regards to whether or not we have righteousness. If we come to Yahushua, we are saved regardless of whether we are circumcised or not. Let's examine those verses once more before moving on:
Galatians 5:2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, the Messiah will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Messiah, you who [attempt] [to] be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in the Messiah Yahushua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Again, keep in mind that Paul himself circumcised Timothy. Therefore when it says "the Messiah will profit you nothing" and "every man who becomes circumcised...is a debtor to keep the whole law" and "you have become estranged from Messiah," it does not mean everyone in the entire world who becomes circumcised is condemned.
Paul is writing to the Galatians. Before we think his statements apply to everyone in the entire world, we need to examine the context, examine other scriptures, and examine Paul's own practices to get a full understanding of what was intended. Otherwise we have Paul sending Timothy to the lake of fire by circumcising him "because of the Jews."
Paul is addressing the false 'good news of the circumcision,' so for someone to be circumcised by them was a sign of submission to that false doctrine, a doctrine so dangerous it could cause a man to lose his salvation. Paul himself did circumcise the son of a Gentile to prove he wasn't against circumcision, but he vigorously refuted anyone who taught this 'good news of the circumcision' which was always was a false doctrine.
The truth is that if we are in the Messiah Yahushua, whether we are circumcised or uncircumcised doesn't gain us salvation. To the contrary, if we use it (or any other commanded act) as attempt to replace the work of Messiah, we are putting ourselves under the law and separating ourselves from Yahushua.
We are sons of Abraham through Yahushua the Messiah, not circumcision. In this sense it avails us nothing. But circumcision for the right reasons does fulfill a purpose. Otherwise Timothy endured a very painful ordeal for nothing. He wasn't getting circumcised because he wanted to witness to the Jews, as some say. Timothy was going to be circumcised anyway. Paul was choosing to be the one who actually did the act of circumcising Timothy 'because of the Jews'. He was proving to them that he was not against circumcision if done for the right reasons. What are the right reasons? No, it is not so that you can impress the Jews! He was clearly dead against that!
In the Torah, circumcision was never the first item on Yahweh's list of things He desired. Yahweh didn't give Abraham the covenant of circumcision on the day that he called him. He gave the covenant of circumcision to Abraham after Abraham had walked with Him many years.
This was also how Yahweh dealt with this issue with the children of Israel. The children of Israel were in the wilderness for 40 years and were not circumcising their children but Yahweh said nothing about it until just before they entered the promised land:
Joshua 5:2-7 At that time Yahweh said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of Yahweh: unto whom Yahweh sware that he would not shew them the land, which Yahweh sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
The trek of the children of Israel going through the wilderness is a picture of our own salvation. It wasn't until just before they entered the promised land that Yahweh said anything about it. Why? Yahweh had some major sin that needed to be dealt with first. Idolatry, fornication, and a lack of faith were the major issues that needed to be dealt with first.
The same is true of Gentiles who are turning to Yahweh. They need to focus on learning Yahweh's commandments and practicing them before they concern themselves with circumcision:
Romans 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
For this reason Paul told the (very carnal) Corinthians who were turning to Yahweh:
1 Corinthians 7:18-19 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of Elohim.
The real focus for one being called was the need to keep Yahweh's commandments. This was in perfect line with the ruling in Acts 15. Gentiles needed to spend their time learning the Torah and this was the reason James made the ruling in Acts 15:
Acts 15:19-21 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to Elohim: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
The expectation that came out of this ruling was that the Gentiles would be learning the Torah when they attended the synagogues every Sabbath. This is why James limited the requirements for new believers to some 'necessary things' which demonstrated their allegiance to Yahweh. The 'pollutions of idols... fornication... things strangled, and .. blood' had to do with idolatrous temple practices.
Now Timothy was not circumcised as a child because his father was a Greek. But he was not raised to be an idol worshiper. His Jewish mother and grandmother raised him in the scriptures:
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Messiah Yahushua.
Because of this, Timothy, who was 'well reported of by the brethren,' was quite ready as an adult to go ahead and get circumcised. Paul's decision to be the one who circumcise him in Acts 16:1-3 was proof that Paul still preached circumcision if done for the right reasons. He did this to prove to the Jews that he was not against circumcision--even if the person is an adult and the son of a Gentile.
As we know, the actual commanded time of circumcision was on the 8th day. For an adult to go through this process is extremely painful. It wasn't the first item on Yahweh's agenda in the Torah and it wasn't in the first century assembly either, per the ruling in Acts 15 and other verses.
Galatians 5:7-11 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Further evidence that Paul was not against circumcision is Paul's statement "if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?" Because Paul still preaches circumcision, and proved that he wasn't against it in Acts 16:1-3, there should be nothing offensive about Yahushua's death on the tree being sufficient to bring salvation. But because some in Judah did not see righteousness by faith, they do stumble:
Romans 9:30-33 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
So the Gentiles were receiving righteousness by faith in Yahushua while many of the Jews were not because they were setting aside the work of Yahushua and trying to gain righteousness by their own works of law keeping. Thus, Yahushua became a stumbling stone and rock of offense to them rather than the only begotten Son of Yahweh who was able to make them righteous.
If Paul did not preach circumcision, there would be a legitimate reason for them to stumble because circumcision is clearly something Yahweh commanded (Genesis 17:12, Lev 12:2-3, Exodus 12:48). But Paul points out: the fact that he did preach circumcision should cause the 'offense of the cross/stake' to 'cease.' The only reason it does not is because some are not seeking righteousness by faith in Yahushua, but by their own works. For this reason, the children of the bondwoman persecute the children of the freewoman--as we read earlier.
Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
But everyone, Jew or Gentile, is able to receive the rebirth of the Spirit if they are willing to let the Adam man die and let Yahushua live in them by the power and wisdom of Elohim:
1 Corinthians 1:22-24 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Messiah crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Messiah the power of Elohim, and the wisdom of Elohim.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Elohim, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Let's continue in Galatians 5:
Galatians 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
Some have understood this to mean that Paul was hoping that the ones who troubled the Galatians would emasculate themselves. I don't believe that this is necessarily true because being 'cut off' can also be in reference to someone who is cut off from the community of believers. Being cut off from the fellowship of believers is certainly the context of his statement:
Galatians 5:7-10 I have confidence in you through the Master, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 10 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
So Paul's confidence was that they would judge the who were troubling them by cutting them off from fellowship. They needed to be judged because they were perverting the true good news of Yahushua and turning people toward their own 'good news of the circumcision,' a doctrine that was never true at any time in history. New believers in Yahushua have the grace and liberty to learn and apply Yahweh's commandments as His Spirit leads, without having a spiritual gun pointed to their head if they don't immediately whip into shape. But Paul does warn the Galatians that liberty is not to be used as an excuse to walk in sin:
Galatians 5:13-26 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Indeed it is true that all of Yahweh's law is fulfilled when we love our neighbor as ourselves. Knowing this, we should forsake the idea that we don't keep a certain commandment because "Yahushua fulfilled all that." The truth is that Yahushua fulfilled every commandment in the Torah and if He is dwelling in us then we will fulfill them as well! This is what it truly means to "walk in the Spirit."
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
And again:
Romans 8:5-10 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please Elohim. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of Elohim dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of his. 10 And if Messiah be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
So the carnal minded man is at enmity against Elohim because it is not subjecting itself to the Torah, which teaches us to love Yahweh and love one another. Our liberation in Messiah is never to be used as an excuse to continue transgressing the Torah/law of Yahweh, as is commonly taught today. It is because we have transgressed the Torah/law of Yahweh that Yahushua had to come and die for us in the first place!
Paul now goes on to explain the way one walks in the Spirit:
Galatians 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Notice it says that we will not be under the law if we are led of the Spirit. There are two ways that we can find ourselves 'under the law'. One is by refusing to acknowledge that our righteousness and our salvation comes from Yahushua alone. The other is by refusing to be led by His Spirit which causes us to walk in His statutes, keep His judgments and do them! So Paul warns the Galatians:
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Elohim.
How is that for a warning! We must walk in the Spirit and never use our liberty as an occasion or excuse to disobey Yahweh.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Messiah's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
So Yahweh's plan was to promise all of us eternal life through Abraham's Seed, Yahushua. First by showing us the path of righteousness which is in His law. And Yahweh, being ever so merciful, gave His only Son to redeem us from the curses that result in our disobedience to Him. The standard of righteousness DOES NOT CHANGE when we accept Yahushua, but our standing before Yahweh does!
It is a total distortion to teach that everyone else in the world is expected to refrain from sin (transgression of the law) and will be condemned for their failure to keep it but those who receive Yahushua are free to purposely transgress the law all day long! This is not Yahweh's 'Good news' and Paul was making that very clear! We need to walk in the Spirit! If we walk in the Spirit, we will be 'subject to the law of Yahweh.'
But we will not misuse the law of Yahweh to make it fulfill a function that it is never able to fulfill: Bring us righteousness and salvation. It is this misuse of the Torah that Paul is addressing in Galatians. Let's not misuse his writings to say something that he never meant to say.
Those who do so are in a lot of trouble:
2 Peter 3:13-17 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Master is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
So let's be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. Let's not be among the unlearned and unstable who twist his letters to their own destruction. In the end, Yahushua will not be saying "Depart from me, ye commandment keepers!" Rather, as Paul said, those who walk in the flesh (the former ways of sin) will not inherit the kingdom of Yahweh.
Therefore, let's walk in the Spirit...being found by Him without spot and blameless. Not because of our own righteousness, but because of His indwelling. If He dwells in us, then He will cleanse us of the former things and give us the power to walk as He walked, live and He lived, and be where He is! This is the good news!
Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his Elohim, and he shall be my son.
Let it be so that we are among the inheritors, ever faithful to trust in His righteousness for our salvation, ever seeking to walk in His Spirit, ever cleaving to the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever. The eternal principles of love as given in the Torah have not changed and they never will. Let's seek to walk in those eternal principles...that we might likewise remain...that His word (Yahushua) would abide in us forever.
May Yahweh bless you and may He have mercy on us all!
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Caretaker
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The words of the covenant — the Ten Commandments — were written on the stone tablets. Exodus 20:1-17 (the Ten Commandments) formed the beginning of the covenant, and Exodus 20:24–23:33 was also included in the covenant. When God restated the covenant in chapter 34, he mixed some of the Ten Commandments in with other regulations from chapters 21-23. The Bible does not put any stress on the precise order and structure of the covenant. All of God's commands were to be kept, for all were given with divine authority.
The worship regulations in Exodus 25–30, even though they were given after the covenant had been ratified, were also part of Israel's covenant with God. So were the additional rules found in other writings of Moses, such as the book of Leviticus. Deuteronomy is a restatement and expansion of the same covenant. Some regulations expand on the concept of worshiping God; other regulations expand on the concept of holy time; and others give details on how people should treat their neighbors. They were all part of the same covenant.
http://www.wcg.org/lit/law/otl/otl03.htm
The Ten Commandments are part of the Mosaic Covenant, which is obsolete:
Hebrews 8:
[8] For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
[9] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
[10] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
[11] And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
[12] For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
[13] In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
God's Law predates Moses and extends back to Adam.
The Mosaic Covenant was only for Israel and was fulfilled on Calvary, which includes the Ten Commandments part of the covenant.
http://www.wcg.org/lit/law/otl/otl13.htm
quote:
The New Testament contains hundreds of commands. All of them come under the general heading of love, for God is love. Everything he commands is an expression of love. Although some of Paul's comments about the law seem negative, Paul himself gave us hundreds of commands. He is not against law in itself, but he argues that the law of Moses is no longer valid. In regard to the Mosaic law, he could say, "I myself am not under the law." But in regard to obeying the Lord, he said, "I am under Christ's law" (1 Cor. 9:20-21).
In this short section, we have seen several dozen commands. Most of them are easy to understand. They are plain, and yet very demanding. They demand all our time, all our emotions, all our thoughts and all our actions. In this life, we will never achieve all they ask.
We might briefly contrast these clear commands with the idea of a Christian Sabbath-day command. The New Testament has space for all sorts of commands, from obvious things to subtle things, but it never commands the Sabbath. This would be odd if the Sabbath were an important command. We find sweeping statements that make the old covenant law obsolete, but unlike other commands, we never find the Sabbath commanded again or made an exception to the rule. Paul and John say a lot about the godly behavior that springs from Christian faith and love, but the Sabbath is simply never commanded.
Paul dealt with numerous problems of Christian living, and he listed numerous sins that characterize people who will not inherit the kingdom of God, but he never mentions Sabbath breaking. In describing sins of the gentiles (Rom. 1), he says nothing about the Sabbath. If the Sabbath is essential, it is certainly surprising that no one is ever criticized for ignoring it.
In the first-century Roman Empire, slaves would have found it particularly difficult to keep the Sabbath. Some of them had unconverted, harsh masters (1 Pet. 2:18). Some parts of the Roman Empire didn't even use a seven-day week. But Peter and Paul did not have to answer questions about how slaves could keep the Sabbath. Why not? Because slaves didn't have to keep the Sabbath. For one thing, first-century Jews did not believe that gentiles had to keep the Sabbath. For another, the decision at Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15, was that converted, Spirit-filled gentiles were not required to become circumcised and keep the law of Moses. Little is said about the Sabbath because it was not a problem.
Instead, the Sabbath was a neutral matter, neither commanded nor forbidden. People were free to rest on that day if they chose, or to use the day in other ways, as long as they did what they did to the Lord (Rom. 14:5-6).
Likewise, the New Testament does not say that any other day ought to be a day of rest. There is no command to keep the first day, either as a day of meeting or a day of rest. It is neither commanded nor forbidden. Christians are free to work these things out for themselves. We are commanded to assemble together for worship, but we are not commanded when (Heb. 10:25).
The important thing is not which day we observe, but whether we have faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is the test commandment, the center of faith, the standard by which we will be judged.
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
Posts: 3978 | From: Council Grove, KS USA | Registered: Jun 2002
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becauseHElives
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I always find it good to take Bible scripture in the context of the whole passage of scripture or at least the verses surrounding. It is also good to take the bible as a whole and to study and find other related scripture to get the whole picture. When looking at Colossians 2:16 it is good to take note of the verses before and after.
Some people argue that it was the Ten Commandment law that was nailed to the cross rather than the law of ordinances, sometimes referred to as the ceremonial law as the Strong dictionary translates the word ordinances to ceremonial law. I believe Colossians 2:14-17 to be talking about the ceremonial law. As Colossians 2:14 says “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances.” I have looked at Old Testament scriptures of where the Ten Commandment law was given and where the ceremonial law was given. As you can see the Ten Commandment law was “written with the finger of God.” where the ceremonial law was written in Moses handwriting.
Exodus 31:18 “And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”
Deuteronomy 31:9 “And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.”
When you take Colossians 2:16 in light of the context of the passage you can see that Paul is referring to meat and drink offerings, holydays, the new moon festivals and the Sabbath days of which there where many in the ceremonial law. Leviticus 23:3 onwards is a good example of this. Also this law of ordinances (ceremonial law) was a temporary law “Which are a shadow of things to come” where as the Ten Commandment law is an eternal law that defines what sin is 1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” We will be keeping the Ten Commandment law for all eternity as God cannot stand sin and there will be no more sin in heaven. I do not think that the scriptures would contradict each other if these verses were really referring to the Ten Commandment law being nailed the cross it would contradict the very words of Jesus himself in Matthew 5:17-19
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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Caretaker
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This is a pretty comprehensive study:
http://www.wcg.org/lit/law/otl/default.htm
quote:
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Introduction from Joseph Tkach, Executive Editor
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1. Christians Obey God
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2. Old Testament Laws Before Moses
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3. Moses and the Old Covenant
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4. Jesus and the New Covenant
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5. The Early Church and the Law of Moses
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6. Paul and the Old Covenant
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7. A Few Examples of Obsolete Laws
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8. Seven Annual Sabbaths
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9. Dietary Laws and Uncleanness
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10. Jesus and the Old Covenant Laws
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11. The Weekly Sabbath — Jesus' Example
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12. The Sabbath in Acts and the Epistles
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13. New Covenant Commands
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14. Salvation by Faith
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
Posts: 3978 | From: Council Grove, KS USA | Registered: Jun 2002
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