Because you are Obedient to Torah (Part 1)
Greetings Saints,
My Daily Torah studies took me to D’varim 7 (Deut 7). Beginning at verse 12, we find Moshe speaking to the nation of Israel from a reassuring perspective. He’d already established the need for them to keep Torah. Because Israel had been obedient to Torah, now it was time to speak to the benefits to be had with the keeping of Torah.
Fundamentalists Hate Torah
One of the prevailing admonishments the “fundamentalists” throw at us is this rule that believers in Jesus Christ (aka Christians) must not adhere to Torah. In fact, any Christian who finds themselves observing Torah in any form or fashion is considered back-slidden or completely a non-Christian. The irony in this situation is that those who choose to live without rules or laws (i.e., Christians) are insisting that we (Messianic Believers in Messiah) live by a rule or law that says no Torah. The Christian contends authority to enforce this edict through a denominational understanding of the writings of the Apostle Paul. Sadly, the same Christian who stands by a biased interpretation of the Apostle Shaul on the subject of Torah-Keeping ignores the very teachings of The Living Torah–Yeshua Messiah–who said that He absolutely had not been sent to abolish Torah but to elevate Torah to its greatest potential and that Torah would remain in effect to the end of time (Matt. 5:17-20). The Christian who rails against believers keeping Torah will by default ignore this teaching or outright distort it as he/she has done with the teachings of Shaul.
We, the redeemed of the Most High choose to live Torah for a number of reasons: (1) we realize that we have been grafted in to the heritage of Israel (Romans 11); (2) Yehovah does not change (Mal. 3:6) and since the Creator does not change and has not signaled a termination of Torah in His Word, we have no license to toss it to the side or worse, no license to teach others to disobey or violate Torah; (3) we cannot effectively know sin without Torah; (4) we cannot effectively worship and have a true relationship without Torah, otherwise we presume that we are pleasing Yehovah when we have no true indication that we are. Yehovah has provided a prescription for how He is to be honored and worshiped and obeyed. There are many other reasons. But one other reason the believer in Yeshua Messiah keeps Torah is contained in this passage of Torah which reads:
13 He will love you, bless you and increase your numbers; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground – your grain, wine, olive oil and the young of your cattle and sheep – in the land he swore to your ancestors that he would give you.14 You will be blessed more than all other peoples; there will not be a sterile male or female among you, and the same with your livestock.15 ADONAI will remove all illness from you – he will not afflict you with any of Egypt’s dreadful diseases, which you have known; instead, he will lay them on those who hate you. (Deu 7:13-15 CJB)
Many a fundamentalist will say that this promise was specific to the nation of Israel as they wandered the Sinai, preparing to enter the promised land. Indeed, there is absolute credence to such a contention. The true believer in Yeshua Messiah, however, believes that being grafted in affords him/her the same benefits as the children of promise in the day. Shaul expounded upon this best in Romans 11– 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you – a wild olive – were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, (Rom 11:17 CJB) Thus the believer in Yeshua Messiah has become an equal sharer in the rich root of the olive tree and that richness naturally comes from the fertile ground that is Torah–the Word.
Let no one judge you in your walk with Yeshua Messiah nor feel shame, for by keeping Torah we have taken up the mantle that was to be Israel’s greatest purpose and potential–
5 Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine;6 and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.’ (Exo 19:5-6 CJB)
It’s Not About Being Saved
Sadly, the fundamentalist has completely ignored this fundamental purpose of the Creator’s overall plan for mankind. Why? Because the focus has become that of an idealized Greek-philosophic form of the Faith that was once delivered, and that refocus and intent of the true Faith once delivered now promises eternal life in heaven. That focus is entirely self-serving. We’ve all heard the classic evangelical question posed to potentially new converts: if you were to die tonight, where will you spend eternity. Interestingly, this question was never asked by Yeshua during His earthly ministry. Yet it has become the essential “call to action” for anyone seeking redemption.
The focus of the Messianic on the other hand is indeed future-centric, but also focused on serving the Father and humanity–especially the brotherhood and sisterhood. A convert must always be cognizant as to how he or she will serve the Creator in the here and now, as well as what one’s role will be in the coming Kingdom of Yehovah here on earth. It is not about being “saved” and gaining eternal life. Eternal life is a benefit to becoming His sons and daughters. It’s all about serving the King fellow Saints in Training. Shalom.