Ronald Gilden: Why I Keep Torah
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Why I Keep Torah
Hello dear friends.
It's been on my heart for a while to write concerning my beliefs. This is by no means something I do often, nor with great confidence. That being stated, I'm praying constantly for God to give me words to write. I'm going to try and do this in parts, so as to maintain readability (that is to say, there shall be sequels!).
As many of you know (though quite possibly not all of you), I am a Christian, but with sometimes vastly different beliefs than that of the Christian body (more precisely, the commonly accepted Protestant traditions). Now, many people already know this about me, but rarely do people inquire as to why. Some people assume I'm confused, or simply because of my (Jewish) heritage, others have asked and I've outright brushed off their questions out of fear of rejection (a choice I greatly regret). Therefore I'd like to take this time to clarify these fun oddities about me.
Wait… let us establish common ground…
I am saved by grace through Jesus. There is nothing that I did to acquire this, except simply accepting the gift that was offered to me by God (Eph. 2:1-13 , 2 Tim. 1:8-10). I believe that as a redeemed person, I ought to live my life in a way that is honoring to God (Rom. 12:1-2) as laid out in God’s word (2 Tim. 3:14-17). So then… where do I part ways with mainstream Protestant teaching?
To be absolutely clear (if anyone is unsure what differing beliefs I have), I am speaking about my eating only kosher foods (Lev. 11), my not working or buying on Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11 - Oh, and I mean specifically Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset), keeping the Biblical feasts (Lev. 23), and all the other quirky things from God’s Law (a.k.a. the Torah, a.k.a. the first five books of the Bible) which most Christians neither do nor preach. I do absolutely none of these because of my Jewish heritage, but because I am saved in Christ and in love with God.
In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus said,
Did Jesus come to abolish God's Law? Was His purpose to drive a dividing line between the 'Old Testament' and the 'New'? By His very words, no. He came to fulfill, and not just to fulfill the prophecies, but also give true purpose to the Law. In other words to 'fill full'. What am I saying by this? That Christ Himself professed the importance of the Old Testament; and not just the importance, but the relevance, the lasting relevance. After all, has either heaven or earth passed away?
So then, if I'm saved by grace through Jesus, why then do I associate following God's Law with loving Him?
In Matthew 22:37-40, when asked what the greatest commandment (from the Torah) was, Christ answered,
Let me ask a question: How am I to act out love towards God? I know Christianity is all about love; loving one another, loving God- being caring. But is loving God just caring for Him? Is it simply feeling emotions toward our Creator? Is it as easy as talking to Him every day, if I can even manage that much? How do you love God?
The apostle John wrote,
The New Testament says we show God we love Him by keeping His commandments. 1 John 5:2 says that this is also how we love one another- by keeping God's commandments. There's a reason why every bit of the Law and the Prophets hang on love; because by doing the commandments we're showing our love for God and one another. How is this not legalism? Because every bit of the Law is a matter of the heart. Paul himself clarifies this in Romans 7:14 when he says that the Law is spiritual. It comes from within. It is not some regulations God chose to merely be acted out physically, but to emerge from the inside out. I am not introducing a new concept here; neither was John nor Paul. It is written all over the Torah.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
2 John 1:5-6
Beautiful, no? The commandments of God are always in tandem with love. Did God intend for us to view His ways as arbitrary? Legalistic? Or did He want us to follow after Him with everything that we have, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. From the very innermost depths of my heart, that part of me that yearns to be nearer to God- that's where obedience comes from. Every part of our being is supposed to passionately desire to keep God's commandments (if you still don't buy into this idea, please read, Ex. 25:2, 35:5, 35:21-22; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 4:29, 6:5-6, 11:1, 30:6, 30:15-16, 30:19-20- actually, just read all of Deuteronomy 30 - John 14:15, 14:21, 14:23-24, 15:10, Rom. 13:9, 1 John 2:3-6, 5:2-4, and 2 John 1:5-6).
The commandments of God are not burdensome (though we may not always agree). They are not a matter of legalism, and by no means are they to be acted out in hopes of salvation. I don't follow the commandments to become saved but because I'm saved. They are not how we become saved, but how we become sanctified.
What do I mean exactly by sanctified? Set apart (w)hol(l)y unto God. If we are to be like Jesus (1 John 2:6) who He Himself kept God's commandments (John 15:10) and was therefore without sin (2 Cor. 5:21), should we not as well?
Let me put it another way- if you are redeemed by Jesus Christ and belong to God, why wouldn't you want to keep His commandments?
-Ronnie
It's been on my heart for a while to write concerning my beliefs. This is by no means something I do often, nor with great confidence. That being stated, I'm praying constantly for God to give me words to write. I'm going to try and do this in parts, so as to maintain readability (that is to say, there shall be sequels!).
As many of you know (though quite possibly not all of you), I am a Christian, but with sometimes vastly different beliefs than that of the Christian body (more precisely, the commonly accepted Protestant traditions). Now, many people already know this about me, but rarely do people inquire as to why. Some people assume I'm confused, or simply because of my (Jewish) heritage, others have asked and I've outright brushed off their questions out of fear of rejection (a choice I greatly regret). Therefore I'd like to take this time to clarify these fun oddities about me.
Wait… let us establish common ground…
I am saved by grace through Jesus. There is nothing that I did to acquire this, except simply accepting the gift that was offered to me by God (Eph. 2:1-13 , 2 Tim. 1:8-10). I believe that as a redeemed person, I ought to live my life in a way that is honoring to God (Rom. 12:1-2) as laid out in God’s word (2 Tim. 3:14-17). So then… where do I part ways with mainstream Protestant teaching?
To be absolutely clear (if anyone is unsure what differing beliefs I have), I am speaking about my eating only kosher foods (Lev. 11), my not working or buying on Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11 - Oh, and I mean specifically Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset), keeping the Biblical feasts (Lev. 23), and all the other quirky things from God’s Law (a.k.a. the Torah, a.k.a. the first five books of the Bible) which most Christians neither do nor preach. I do absolutely none of these because of my Jewish heritage, but because I am saved in Christ and in love with God.
In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus said,
'Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.'
Did Jesus come to abolish God's Law? Was His purpose to drive a dividing line between the 'Old Testament' and the 'New'? By His very words, no. He came to fulfill, and not just to fulfill the prophecies, but also give true purpose to the Law. In other words to 'fill full'. What am I saying by this? That Christ Himself professed the importance of the Old Testament; and not just the importance, but the relevance, the lasting relevance. After all, has either heaven or earth passed away?
So then, if I'm saved by grace through Jesus, why then do I associate following God's Law with loving Him?
In Matthew 22:37-40, when asked what the greatest commandment (from the Torah) was, Christ answered,
'“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” [quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5] This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [quoting from Leviticus. 19:18] On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.' (see also Mark 12:29-31 and Luke 10:26-28)
Let me ask a question: How am I to act out love towards God? I know Christianity is all about love; loving one another, loving God- being caring. But is loving God just caring for Him? Is it simply feeling emotions toward our Creator? Is it as easy as talking to Him every day, if I can even manage that much? How do you love God?
The apostle John wrote,
'For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.' (1 John 5:3)
The New Testament says we show God we love Him by keeping His commandments. 1 John 5:2 says that this is also how we love one another- by keeping God's commandments. There's a reason why every bit of the Law and the Prophets hang on love; because by doing the commandments we're showing our love for God and one another. How is this not legalism? Because every bit of the Law is a matter of the heart. Paul himself clarifies this in Romans 7:14 when he says that the Law is spiritual. It comes from within. It is not some regulations God chose to merely be acted out physically, but to emerge from the inside out. I am not introducing a new concept here; neither was John nor Paul. It is written all over the Torah.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
'And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command to you today for your good.' [Emphasis mine]
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
'This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken.' [Emphasis mine]
2 John 1:5-6
'And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. [Emphasis mine]
Beautiful, no? The commandments of God are always in tandem with love. Did God intend for us to view His ways as arbitrary? Legalistic? Or did He want us to follow after Him with everything that we have, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. From the very innermost depths of my heart, that part of me that yearns to be nearer to God- that's where obedience comes from. Every part of our being is supposed to passionately desire to keep God's commandments (if you still don't buy into this idea, please read, Ex. 25:2, 35:5, 35:21-22; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 4:29, 6:5-6, 11:1, 30:6, 30:15-16, 30:19-20- actually, just read all of Deuteronomy 30 - John 14:15, 14:21, 14:23-24, 15:10, Rom. 13:9, 1 John 2:3-6, 5:2-4, and 2 John 1:5-6).
The commandments of God are not burdensome (though we may not always agree). They are not a matter of legalism, and by no means are they to be acted out in hopes of salvation. I don't follow the commandments to become saved but because I'm saved. They are not how we become saved, but how we become sanctified.
What do I mean exactly by sanctified? Set apart (w)hol(l)y unto God. If we are to be like Jesus (1 John 2:6) who He Himself kept God's commandments (John 15:10) and was therefore without sin (2 Cor. 5:21), should we not as well?
'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.' (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
Let me put it another way- if you are redeemed by Jesus Christ and belong to God, why wouldn't you want to keep His commandments?
-Ronnie
you mentioned a lot of references, so when i looked up one (zechariah) i was disappointed because you seemed to have missed something. i use the NIV, so maybe i'm missing something. but let's gather the nutrients, eh? in context, we see that in these days Jerusalem, god's city, will be exalted above its' surrounding enemies. more importantly, it says the ones who have attacked her will celebrate the feast of tabernacles. we would be making a bad assumption if we were to assume these enemies were merely there to sacrifice anything simply for the sake of partaking in the ceremony, or holiday. a better analyzation would be that the enemies would be adhering to the god of the universe, thus, it wouldn't matter WHAT they were doing in Jerusalem, it would have to be WHY they were there. they would be there to simply praise him. this series of statements zechariah uses is powerful but symbolic. for instance, he mentions that all who fought jeruselem would rot while standing. we would be foolish to get caught up in descriptions instead of understanding the implication of fighting with god's people.
you refer to old testament prophesy, but for me (not everybody) this is an easy argument, mainly because i can understand how prophets (minor and major) could not fully understand what the day of the lord would be like entirely. their prophecy (which remember, prophecy is sometimes not specific or literal) paints a picture. when you paint a picture, you normally only cover a vague illuminated resemblance of what is actually being conveyed. with prophecy, no prophet could have FULLY understood how god would come as a man and sacrifice himself on a cross, specifically as it happened, then rise again, only to come back gloriously in a 2nd coming (aka the day). in the same way, i don't imagine that any man or woman prior to christ could imagine NOT sacrificing with their hands in order to be holy unto the lord. thank god for clarifying these details, i say, and for reconciling all misunderstanding by making one ultimate sacrifice that would cleanse us for eternity. this was only made possible by a high priest, who's priesthood would never die, and came from the father. this priest, this king, has also prepared for us a place in the most holy of holy places, so we now have DIRECT access to the holy god of all time. this direct access, via his spirit, could never require any ordinances (even his own) or else it wouldn't be direct access. hmm...... Read More
and i admire the law for it's ability to keep a man or woman kosher. that's not to say its necessary, for there is a more necessary and sometimes more difficult road we must now take. i am always quick to question you, again and again, with what this style of living has produced IN you. and also ready for any argument for how, by being under the torah, you have been made any more holy that the person who only listens to what the spirit may have for them. oh, and what about me? would i be making progress to submit to the law and therefor become subject to it?
meet sammy. growing up in that old fashioned home with lots of chores, sammy kept getting in trouble and could never keep up with all the rules. sammy, we can say, was a little punk, and even a little dumb, but nonetheless his dad was strict on teaching him to be obedient.
then one day sammy and his dad moved.... Read More
thankfully, at this new suburban home, dad decided to strike a new deal with sammy since he was now 12 years old. this age seemed reasonable, having taught sammy all he could with duties and restrictions. the new deal was this: sammy was free to do whatever he wanted, under one condition... love his father, keeping in mind all that he had learned, or else be kicked out. but sammy was stumped, for this new house had all new hallways and a much different backyard. dad had refurnished and there were also new rules to break. this was tricky, but with the spirit shed from his father of freedom he felt a sense of power in order to stay good. so sammy, getting taller and becoming smarter and smarter every day, did what his father asked even though times had changed. his dad, meanwhile, nodded his head and even helped him when he messed up. sammy, you could say, was growing up.
up, up, and away
by jeff walters, haha
you (and those with your same ideology) claim to just be "following rules" and back it with scripture, but the entire bible seems to back the idea that in christ all things are new. this is a NEW covenant, not a reshaped, reverberated, or revamped one. this new covenant is also one that emphasizes a more powerful and more efficient "rule", and that is, sacrifice your life. it is, abide by the spirit, who will counsel you, convict you, and empower you. each decision, in this new life, then becomes a moment by moment commitment instead of a
"oh, let me check to make sure i'm not wearing clothes knit with 2 kinds of material."
Law = mirror. Sin = dirt. Jesus = soap. We = face. The dirt is on our face. We need the mirror to see the dirt on our face. The mirror is useless without soap. Soap is misguided without the mirror. The soap is also like the spirit. You cannot have one without the other.
Ronnie is then right, if we truly love Jesus then we will follow or apply all of the laws and do them out of love!
Jeff, we have to submit in faith and follow all of the rules like Ronnie is saying.
It's been on my heart for a while to write concerning my beliefs. This is by no means something I do often, nor with great confidence. That being stated, I'm praying constantly for God to give me words to write. I'm going to try and do this in parts, so as to maintain readability (that is to say, there shall be sequels!).
As many of you know (though quite possibly not all of you), I am a Christian, but with sometimes vastly different beliefs than that of the Christian body (more precisely, the commonly accepted Protestant traditions). Now, many people already know this about me, but rarely do people inquire as to why. Some people assume I'm confused, or simply because of my (Jewish) heritage, others have asked and I've outright brushed off their questions out of fear of rejection (a choice I greatly regret). Therefore I'd like to take this time to clarify these fun oddities about me.
Wait… let us establish common ground…
I am saved by grace through Jesus. There is nothing that I did to acquire this, except simply accepting the gift that was offered to me by God (Eph. 2:1-13 , 2 Tim. 1:8-10). I believe that as a redeemed person, I ought to live my life in a way that is honoring to God (Rom. 12:1-2) as laid out in God’s word (2 Tim. 3:14-17). So then… where do I part ways with mainstream Protestant teaching?
To be absolutely clear (if anyone is unsure what differing beliefs I have), I am speaking about my eating only kosher foods (Lev. 11), my not working or buying on Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11 - Oh, and I mean specifically Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset), keeping the Biblical feasts (Lev. 23), and all the other quirky things from God’s Law (a.k.a. the Torah, a.k.a. the first five books of the Bible) which most Christians neither do nor preach. I do absolutely none of these because of my Jewish heritage, but because I am saved in Christ and in love with God.
In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus said,
Did Jesus come to abolish God's Law? Was His purpose to drive a dividing line between the 'Old Testament' and the 'New'? By His very words, no. He came to fulfill, and not just to fulfill the prophecies, but also give true purpose to the Law. In other words to 'fill full'. What am I saying by this? That Christ Himself professed the importance of the Old Testament; and not just the importance, but the relevance, the lasting relevance. After all, has either heaven or earth passed away?
So then, if I'm saved by grace through Jesus, why then do I associate following God's Law with loving Him?
In Matthew 22:37-40, when asked what the greatest commandment (from the Torah) was, Christ answered,
Let me ask a question: How am I to act out love towards God? I know Christianity is all about love; loving one another, loving God- being caring. But is loving God just caring for Him? Is it simply feeling emotions toward our Creator? Is it as easy as talking to Him every day, if I can even manage that much? How do you love God?
The apostle John wrote,
The New Testament says we show God we love Him by keeping His commandments. 1 John 5:2 says that this is also how we love one another- by keeping God's commandments. There's a reason why every bit of the Law and the Prophets hang on love; because by doing the commandments we're showing our love for God and one another. How is this not legalism? Because every bit of the Law is a matter of the heart. Paul himself clarifies this in Romans 7:14 when he says that the Law is spiritual. It comes from within. It is not some regulations God chose to merely be acted out physically, but to emerge from the inside out. I am not introducing a new concept here; neither was John nor Paul. It is written all over the Torah.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
2 John 1:5-6
Beautiful, no? The commandments of God are always in tandem with love. Did God intend for us to view His ways as arbitrary? Legalistic? Or did He want us to follow after Him with everything that we have, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. From the very innermost depths of my heart, that part of me that yearns to be nearer to God- that's where obedience comes from. Every part of our being is supposed to passionately desire to keep God's commandments (if you still don't buy into this idea, please read, Ex. 25:2, 35:5, 35:21-22; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 4:29, 6:5-6, 11:1, 30:6, 30:15-16, 30:19-20- actually, just read all of Deuteronomy 30 - John 14:15, 14:21, 14:23-24, 15:10, Rom. 13:9, 1 John 2:3-6, 5:2-4, and 2 John 1:5-6).
The commandments of God are not burdensome (though we may not always agree). They are not a matter of legalism, and by no means are they to be acted out in hopes of salvation. I don't follow the commandments to become saved but because I'm saved. They are not how we become saved, but how we become sanctified.
What do I mean exactly by sanctified? Set apart (w)hol(l)y unto God. If we are to be like Jesus (1 John 2:6) who He Himself kept God's commandments (John 15:10) and was therefore without sin (2 Cor. 5:21), should we not as well?
Let me put it another way- if you are redeemed by Jesus Christ and belong to God, why wouldn't you want to keep His commandments?
-Ronnie
I don't mind you being involved in this discussion, but I'd like it if you'd be a little more coherent and used less words- as I said, try only saying what you mean. I'm not trying to come down on you buddy, but whether you meant it like that or not, you did more or less imply through your words that God wants to rape my friend. I have to put my foot down somewhere.
First of all, God was setting up a judicial system for Israel. 'An eye for an eye/Tooth for a tooth' ruling for example was given so that if someone wrongs you the Sanhedrin or courts would know just how severely they could punish someone who wronged another. That is to say, the wrong that has been done to you is the maximum punishment that could be doled out on the person who wronged you. Does that make sense?
(A side note, Eye/Tooth principle was never considered a physical extraction so much as a monetary one. Regardless of whether or not this is exactly how the Scripture reads, that's how it was acted out. The argument goes something like: if someone breaks your arm and it takes six weeks to heal, how could the offender's arm be broken to the exact same fracture so that it's just as bad, but no worse? Whereas the Sanhedrin could look at the monetary damage done- via loss of work and doctor's fees- and extract that from the offender.)
That being noted, Jesus brought clarity to the Torah- and at times He even made it more stringent. For the at hand example, see Matthew 5:38-42. Jesus didn't just tell us to take our punishment from the court, but for the sake of an evil person, we shouldn't resist and freely give more than we owe them. In fact when it comes to the Torah, Jesus rarely, if ever, loosened it- generally he does quite the opposite.... Read More
God didn't plan on us never sinning when He gave us His Torah. It was given so that we could DEAL with our sin. That's why the sacrificial system was instituted. If God always expected us to be 100% perfect, then why'd He give us a system to deal with our sin?
That said, the commandments about dishonoring your parents, about adultery, breaking Sabbath- those have to do with unrepentant hearts. Using modern language, repeat offenders who don't learn from their mistakes. So as this continues, eventually these people get brought before the court or even the Sanhedrin who exact a sentence upon them, based on a certain minimum number of witnesses who they themselves had to meet certain qualifications- the maximum penalty which is death by stoning. But again, that is the MAXIMUM.
Another thing to remember is that we're not in Israel under their Torah-observant judicial system. Actually, neither is Israel. Nor was Israel back when Jesus was around- which is why they had to appeal the Roman authority to try and kill Him. This, subsequently, is why Paul had to ostracize people in 1 Corinthians 5-6. He didn't have the governmental authority to stone them. There wasn't a full Sanhedrin he could take them before. What I'm trying to get at here, is that those laws were for a judicial system. No one person could rise up and legally stone someone. Paul was working around his lack of a Torah-observant government.
Under the right context though (Israel or an Israel-governed nation that is completely Torah observant, with a Sanhedrin and all the bells and whistles), is death by another means changing Torah? I suppose I would say yes, it is. Stoning was a genius practice, because it was a mass killing a person, so that no one person would have to feel guilty for 'throwing the switch'. However! If someone is wrongly executed, the person (or persons- I'm not in full understanding of this yet) who initiated the stone throwing procession is to have the same sentence dropped (thrown) on his own head.
So justice versus grace... Let's tie this all together with John 8- the woman who is allegedly caught in adultery. Read John 8, then read Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 17:5-7 and 19:15-20 (and for bonus points, Jeremiah 17:13). Then get back to me if it was grace or the Torah that set that woman free.
I honestly was terrified of following the Torah because of these exact concerns- but once you understand the context of these commandments, stuff starts to make way more practical sense. I might note- the less you understand about Torah, the less you understand about the New Testament. And I don't say that in a mean way at all.
Deuteronomy (law, again) emphasized justice. But John 8, oh no, that is not directly justice.
If you were to build a house, you would start with the foundation. If... Read More you were doing music, go back to the classical music. If you want to know how to live, you must first understand (following salvation) the Old Testament!
I have to admit that I may never have time to read all the comments her, but I read your post and a selection of the comments.
Just to sum up what I think you are saying...... Read More
We are to follow the law. We do this as an outward expression of an inward conviction we hold to love and honor God. The law hasn't changed, but we have been redeemed of it's cost. We now follow it out of a desire to express our love and gratitude for the Savior and Creator, not out of fear of death. Is that it?
Btw, I am really appreciative that you took the time to post and comment here about this. Your perspective is great. I think it is an excellent opportunity for each of us to think about what we believe, and how we show love for God.
Great job, and thanks.
Jeff
First, let's clear up some misunderstands...
Rabbi Shaul never changed his name. His Jewish name was Shaul, but when he wrote and spoke with Gentiles he was known as Paul. Similarly, Yeshua (Jesus) was called Iesous when written in Greek. Shimon (Simon) was also called Kefa (Peter). But they didn't change their names (I've heard that Shaul's Jewish name would translate something like 'the haughty walk of prostitutes' which might explain why he wisely went by Paul when addressing Gentiles...).
Acts 23:6 Paul says, 'Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee...' He never stopped being a Pharisee. But you are correct! He didn't belong to the same sect. Pharisees had different beliefs. In fact, Acts 15:5 points out a sect of Pharisees who were 'Christians' (meaning they believed in Yeshua). Pharisees weren't a bad thing. In fact, their beliefs were closer to our beliefs than the rest of Judaism at the time. Not to add fuel to the fire, but I'll even say that Yeshua was a Pharisee.... Read More
As for Galatians and Romans. When you quote about Circumcision, it's imperative to recognize that Paul was speaking about a conversion policy- that is, Jews believed only Jews were saved, therefore you had to convert to Judaism to become saved. This is what Paul was opposing. He essentially was coming down on them for trying to earn salvation through conversion. Were that possible, then Christ died for nothing. In that Romans passage, he's comparing that a righteous Gentile can act like a Jew without converting, but an unrighteous Jew becomes more like a (unsaved) Gentile through his sinful actions. His point in both Galatians and Romans is that if you're earning your salvation by conversion, then you are rejecting Christ, and therefore you are still under the condemnation of the Law.
Can you explain what it means to not be under the Law? If you're 'free' from it, then why are you still keeping some of it? You don't murder, you don't lie (I imagine), you don't endorse or commit adultery, and all the other ten commandments (Ex. 20:1-17). I imagine you don't practice sorcery or bestiality, right (Ex. 22:18-19)? Even by assembling to worship you're still observing part of the Torah. And if you're free from the Torah, why would you love God with all your heart and soul (Deut. 6:5)?
We aren't under the condemnation of the Law. But we are under grace. Meaning that we aren't going to hell because we sin. The wages of sin is death correct? But Jesus already atoned for that, didn't He?
'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?' (Rom. 6:1-2)
This is the newness! We don't have to fear the condemnation, and we are free from it.
So let me ask, what exactly are you free to do?
Love you friend.
Jeff K.
Thank you. I would say, more or less, that you nailed it on the head. God told us how to be a holy people, and yet we're all trying to grasp at it like it's some impossible thing. It's only impossible because we don't actually look to where He said 'be holy for I am holy' (Lev. 11:44, 19:2, 20:7, 20:26). How cruel was Peter when he said to his readers to be obedient and holy without explaining exactly what that entails (1 Pet. 1:14-16). We view it as some distant concept that we're all striving for, without realizing it just means to be 'set apart'. And God told us exactly how to do that.
... Read More
But I thank you for your kind comment and for taking time to read the post (don't worry about the comments... most of them are nonsense...).
Much love brother.
Why keep the Torah: http://www.tallitministrie
Jn.5:10: "So the Jews said to the man who was cured, 'It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat?'" But was it still ok for Jesus to heal that cripple or did he break the Sabbath (v.16)? http://www.usccb.org/nab/b
A List of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments in Hebrew):
Here is what we must keep: I mean, shouldn't we keep all 613 of these rules or laws? http://www.gospeloutreach.
I was still looking for a video that would talk about how Christians would follow all 613 laws. I am still looking for that. I mean, if we really love God then we should all follow every single one of them, point blank.
paul's aramaic, hebrew, chinese, russian, and american name is irrelevant. paul, when calling himself a pharisee in acts he isn't claiming that sect, but rather using his former identity as a tool for reasoning. i won't discuss that further because that too is irrelevant. i just wanted to clarify who paul was, being not a pharisee in his new life but a disciple of christ, not a disciple of another pharisee.
and ron, you are right about conversion. be careful how you refer to my writing though. when i quoted that verse it was to make it clear that if you live under the law you will be judged BY the law. so when paul says we are free from the law, there is now light shed on the issue. you ask about being "free" from the law, and my response is "which law?". by no means am i set apart any more by following the dietary or "clean" laws or even sacrificial ordinances that were practiced thousands of years ago. but i AM set apart by the spirit of god, by following god's commandments, the law, i say, specifically referring to the 10, which are summed up into 2.... Read More
this is why i brought up the different uses of the word law, but you guys toss that around. it makes a big difference on how you use the word. if by law you mean torah, than it is hard to say i am free from it because the commands that jesus taught verbatim are also concealed in those books. you see?
i've noticed that a man (or woman) who is passionate about following the torah is just as hypocritical as i am, if not more. thank god i am not judged by those things.
and this. deception is widespread. i pray it hasn't consumed me. my point is that i see a lot of the books davey shep was reading and even read them, and think "is the world really coming to this?" as in, wow, the last thing the the body needs is more rules. this is my opinion, and i hope my experiences are enough to make you think. some of you might be like "wow, he just dissed on everything i believe" but i only comment on these blogs because it worries me. my heart pounds and i sweat like a pig when i see or hear people preaching this. i hate to see us (as christians) not developing in christ but stagnant, and the world is watching. i also know what it is like to be on the outside and to view the ritualistic and legalistic christian as a fool.... Read More
if i should follow the levitical laws, i have yet to hear a sound argument for why. maybe this is a problem, maybe not. i try to eat clean foods (leviticus says nothing about MSG, haha) and am sure to stay clear of a woman on her period, so tell me something i don't know. i will never sacrifice an animal, and the spirit is by far sufficient in every way. EVERY way. he tells me secrets, like ....
"comment on that there blog..."
2. But on the other hand, when I read in James about the emphasis in Revolution Hawaii, I mean, in really reaching out, in really loving God ... Read Morethrough loving others (which is the greatest commandment), that just makes me want to go wild, makes me want to scream, makes me want to get out there and be Jesus to the elderly, to the broken, to the children (New Testament's love's grace's party emphasis): moreover!
But now we honor parents out of faith. Jesus would even say "Blessed are those who have not seen but still do follow."
But even as we keep an Old Testament law "Obey your parents," we do so in different ways, depending on the situation. We do not treat our parents like they are from 800 BC. They are not Jewish. But we still apply it.
I understand if you don't have the time to carry on in this conversation. But I do want you to know that I'm absolutely appreciating your participation in it. Regardless of our differing views, you absolutely hold my respect and friendship. I'm not trying to wear you out, I'm just trying to work out my beliefs with you. Iron sharpens iron and all that. Please believe I'm saying none of this out of frustration or anger.
(While I disagree with you about whether Paul was a Pharisee or not, you're correct- it's besides the point. Let's move on...)... Read More
You make a distinction in the Law that is not found in the New Testament. I say 'Torah' because that's what the Apostles were calling the Law- all of it, without distinction. Paul considered the ENTIRE Torah good and holy (Rom. 7:14) and he delighted in it (Rom. 7:22) just as King David did in Psalm 119. My point is this- he didn't throw it away the moment he met Jesus, nor any time after that. That would make Jesus a false prophet and Paul as well.
Is Jesus not the Word that became flesh? Is that same Word not the Word of God which spoke to Moses, giving him the Torah? Moses didn't make up the commandments- God, via Jesus did. So how is it that Jesus would contradict Himself? Is Jesus not the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8)? Better yet, why would Jesus establish His precepts and righteous ways only so that He could later come and go through all that death and suffering simply to get rid of the rules He Himself created? Why does it seem like God is at war with Himself by this view?
Before the New Testament had even been fully written (and certainly not circulated), Paul wrote to Timothy telling him, 'you must continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete. thoroughly equipped for every good work.' (2 Tim. 14:17)
What Scripture is it that can instruct us in righteousness? They only had the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings- what we call the Old Testament. And yet most of us disregard it as useless.
Do I put the Torah on a pedestal? Shouldn't God's ways be respected? Am I above Moses' feelings towards God's Torah? (Deut. 4:5-8)? Joshua's (Joshua 1:7-9)? King David's feelings for it (for humor's sake, read all of Psalms 119)? Or what about Paul's absolute love for it (Acts 24:14, 25:8, Rom. 7:12, 7:22, 7:25, 2 Tim. 3:14-17)? I will openly oppose Biblical scholars on this matter any day, but when it comes to the aforementioned people? Who am I to say I know better than them?
Out of curiosity, what is your personal understanding of Matthew 5:17-19? What about when the prophet Isaiah prophesied about Gentile believers keeping Sabbath, sacrificing at the Temple, and the being part of the covenant in a time still to come (Is. 56)? Isaiah prophesied about Jesus dying for us just three chapters prior- so either he's a true prophet of God, or...?
Or what about the prophet Zechariah who said that in a time to come (presumably the Messianic Kingdom age) all nations will have to go to Jerusalem with their offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles, otherwise those nations won't receive rain (Zechariah 14:16-21)?
Not to mention the Feasts the apostles kept (Acts 2:1, 18:21, 20:6, 20:16, 1 Cor. 5:8, 16:8) all of which involved some kind of animal sacrifice. Paul specifically attempted to make a sin offering in Acts 21 (:26-27) upon the completion of his Nazarite vow (Num. 6) before getting attacked by a mob.
I know I'm being heavy handed, but I'm trying to illustrate how much the Bible doesn't permit the dismissal of either the Torah, or the Prophets- or the Old Testament as a whole. Upon Jesus' resurrection, none of the Apostles pulled out their Torah scrolls and threw them into a fire saying, 'Guess we don't need these anymore...'
So what would cause you to do that with your Bible?
I really do hope you continue in this conversation. If you'd rather do it via message, I'd be more than happy to do that just as well. But once more, I completely understand if you haven't the time. You are loved regardless.
Now, I still have to wonder why God didn't give Adam and Eve the law? What was the point of waiting several hundreds of years? Why did ... Read MoreGod have to wait for Abraham? Why couldn't God give Adam His covenant, His promise? Why did God have to wait until Moses was old to give out the law? And better yet, why did God let Israel have kings when God was suppose to be their king? Why did God, through Moses, permit divorce in that law when God hates divorce? Why was there a world flood when the world was going to end up just as evil as before the flood, if not more evil, anyways? Why did Jesus, God's son, have to die for us if they already had the law, they already had burnt offerings, sin offerings, that were to cover up their sins for a year at a time? And why would God let Israel fall 70 AD?
first off, i have made it clear in an earlier post that the torah, law, etc, is good and holy. when i mention putting the law on a pedestal, notice how i use it in context of how i feel. i am quick to notice how man can make law god, and not god, god. law has a purpose-to make me conscious of my sin. the more aware i am of my sin, the better my persistence becomes in being holy, or set apart.
now, about these posts. ron, you make valid points, but it seems like your asking me the questions now. i'm not sure if i like that because i don't care about this as much as you do. i will try and answer some, or at least the relevant ones that can maybe change some opinions.... Read More
this matter is and was never about whether the law is good, or even if jesus, paul, or santa clause was under the torah. this is about hebrews 10:18. this is about not being under the law for a million reasons. for me because i am not a jew (1) and (2) because i am under the spirit, which does not lead me to follow the torah. in fact, the spirit seems to lead me to even better dietary methods and even more efficient bodily sacrifices that those ancient ones in leviticus. this is my opinion, and god comforts me in that. i am also comforted to know that since i am not under the law, i am not judged by the law. i am judged according to the spirit. these are scriptural concepts, and they are in turn with life, today, even now...
you mentioned a lot of references, so when i looked up one (zechariah) i was disappointed because you seemed to have missed something. i use the NIV, so maybe i'm missing something. but let's gather the nutrients, eh? in context, we see that in these days Jerusalem, god's city, will be exalted above its' surrounding enemies. more importantly, it says the ones who have attacked her will celebrate the feast of tabernacles. we would be making a bad assumption if we were to assume these enemies were merely there to sacrifice anything simply for the sake of partaking in the ceremony, or holiday. a better analyzation would be that the enemies would be adhering to the god of the universe, thus, it wouldn't matter WHAT they were doing in Jerusalem, it would have to be WHY they were there. they would be there to simply praise him. this series of statements zechariah uses is powerful but symbolic. for instance, he mentions that all who fought jeruselem would rot while standing. we would be foolish to get caught up in descriptions instead of understanding the implication of fighting with god's people.
you refer to old testament prophesy, but for me (not everybody) this is an easy argument, mainly because i can understand how prophets (minor and major) could not fully understand what the day of the lord would be like entirely. their prophecy (which remember, prophecy is sometimes not specific or literal) paints a picture. when you paint a picture, you normally only cover a vague illuminated resemblance of what is actually being conveyed. with prophecy, no prophet could have FULLY understood how god would come as a man and sacrifice himself on a cross, specifically as it happened, then rise again, only to come back gloriously in a 2nd coming (aka the day). in the same way, i don't imagine that any man or woman prior to christ could imagine NOT sacrificing with their hands in order to be holy unto the lord. thank god for clarifying these details, i say, and for reconciling all misunderstanding by making one ultimate sacrifice that would cleanse us for eternity. this was only made possible by a high priest, who's priesthood would never die, and came from the father. this priest, this king, has also prepared for us a place in the most holy of holy places, so we now have DIRECT access to the holy god of all time. this direct access, via his spirit, could never require any ordinances (even his own) or else it wouldn't be direct access. hmm...... Read More
and i admire the law for it's ability to keep a man or woman kosher. that's not to say its necessary, for there is a more necessary and sometimes more difficult road we must now take. i am always quick to question you, again and again, with what this style of living has produced IN you. and also ready for any argument for how, by being under the torah, you have been made any more holy that the person who only listens to what the spirit may have for them. oh, and what about me? would i be making progress to submit to the law and therefor become subject to it?
meet sammy. growing up in that old fashioned home with lots of chores, sammy kept getting in trouble and could never keep up with all the rules. sammy, we can say, was a little punk, and even a little dumb, but nonetheless his dad was strict on teaching him to be obedient.
then one day sammy and his dad moved.... Read More
thankfully, at this new suburban home, dad decided to strike a new deal with sammy since he was now 12 years old. this age seemed reasonable, having taught sammy all he could with duties and restrictions. the new deal was this: sammy was free to do whatever he wanted, under one condition... love his father, keeping in mind all that he had learned, or else be kicked out. but sammy was stumped, for this new house had all new hallways and a much different backyard. dad had refurnished and there were also new rules to break. this was tricky, but with the spirit shed from his father of freedom he felt a sense of power in order to stay good. so sammy, getting taller and becoming smarter and smarter every day, did what his father asked even though times had changed. his dad, meanwhile, nodded his head and even helped him when he messed up. sammy, you could say, was growing up.
up, up, and away
by jeff walters, haha
you (and those with your same ideology) claim to just be "following rules" and back it with scripture, but the entire bible seems to back the idea that in christ all things are new. this is a NEW covenant, not a reshaped, reverberated, or revamped one. this new covenant is also one that emphasizes a more powerful and more efficient "rule", and that is, sacrifice your life. it is, abide by the spirit, who will counsel you, convict you, and empower you. each decision, in this new life, then becomes a moment by moment commitment instead of a
"oh, let me check to make sure i'm not wearing clothes knit with 2 kinds of material."
Actually, that's redemption.
With love,... Read More
Rhonda
I appreciate your desire to see personal results from following the Torah. What has Torah observance produced in me? Wow. It's honestly something I'm not even sure how to formulate. It's created an incredible love and appreciation for God's Word. And I mean that. I am at peace knowing the Bible's not at war with itself. Knowing that there's not irrelevant books of the Bible that are simply 'just for the Jews'. Instead I can read it knowing that it all flows together consistently, and that it's all for me. So within me, it's given me a feeling of closeness with God because I'm not rejecting His written Word. Peace, in a word.
But outward? What are visible fruits? I believe that God's really clever. I don't believe for a moment He intended His children to hide their faith by simply keeping their mouths shut. So apart from the obvious things like helping people (needy or otherwise), God didn't leave room for people to guess at whether or not we were His. And I mean this physically. People strive for ministry opportunities, some even go as far as to get tattooed so that they can share their faith (I'm not coming down on you by the way for yours, nor am I implying that's why you have some... though I wouldn't mind learning about them sometime). But as I started eating kosher, as I started to keep Sabbath, as I started to wear tzitzit (Num. 15:38-40)- as I started doing all these various things, I realized there was no possible way I could hide my faith. Meals with unbelievers turn into conversations about God. My reason for not being able to work on Saturday turns into a conversation about God. My daily apparel turns into a conversation about God.
People are trying to figure out ministry opportunities, meanwhile God laid out ahead of time how He wanted His children to look- to be set apart for the rest of the world to know that we (us, you and I) belong to God. God didn't want us to blend in, and He didn't want us to conform to the ways of this world. God wanted us to be distinct 24/7, and wearing a 'Jesus' shirt doesn't even come close.... Read More
I don't follow God's commandments because I believe they'll benefit me physically. I don't believe by eating kosher that I'm more healthy than someone else- I do not do it for physical health. And I certainly don't do it simply to be different- I do it because God says to, and God planned on it making His children different. I do it to walk in God's ways. I do it because I love God, and we love God by following His commandments. But you asked if that makes me any more holy than a person who only listens to the Spirit. If God says that by eating kosher it is making us holy as He is holy (Lev. 11:44), who am I to deny what God calls holiness? I thought you already said (which I agree) the Spirit would never lead us away from the Law? If we are following the Spirit, it (He?) would be leading us to following God's commandments. If someone is led away from God's commandments (which we all agree are holy and good), wouldn't that mean that person is rejecting God's holy ways, and therefore holiness?
Following 'the Spirit' led the Catholic church to declare their authority takes precedence over the Bible. This led them deep into pagan practices and idolatry- which still consumes the Catholic church whether they're aware of it or not. Mormonism and Jehovah's Witness are other off-shoots born from following 'the Spirit' (or 'a spirit' if you'd prefer) which led them to place their own writings above God's Word. Rabbinic Judaism has done this in a fashion, as has (oddly enough) Islam. I'm just trying to show what happens when 'the Spirit' leads a person away from the authority established by the Scriptures.
I am not under the Law, nor am I telling others to place themselves under it. But I do (try to) follow it. I am under God- I am under grace. We're subject to God, we belong to Him- we're not our own and we were bought at a price. So I would absolutely tell you to subject yourself to God, and FOLLOW His ways.
The Torah wasn't ever just for the Jews alone. As I pointed out in an earlier comment, it was given to the people God saved from Egypt- both the descendants of Jacob AND the mixed multitude. After God saved them, THEN He gave them His commandments and they became known as 'Israel'. Jethro was a Gentile. Rahab was a Gentile. Ruth was a Gentile. If you believed in God then you became a part of Israel.
'One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger [Hebrew word is 'ger'- pretty much the exact equivalent for 'Gentile believer'] who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger [ger] be before the LORD. One law and one custom shall be for you and the stranger [ger] who dwells with you.' (Num. 14:15-16... for further reading, see Ex. 12:49, Lev. 19:18, 19:34, 24:22, Num. 9:14, 15:29, 19:10, 35:15, Deut. 16:14, 24:17-18...)... Read More
Timothy was a Gentile and yet Paul circumcised him. Why would Paul do that to him I wonder?
'Indeed, I Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.' (Gal. 5:2)
Poor Timothy... Paul must have had it out for him.
Humor aside, God intended everyone, once they were saved by grace to keep Torah. This is true throughout the entire Bible. Isaiah prophesied about this.
'Do not let the son of the foreigner [Gentile] who has joined himself to the LORD speak saying, “The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”' and he continues to say 'Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and holds fast to My covenant- even them I will being to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer... For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.' (Is. 56ish)
By the way, as Jesus noted in Matthew 21, this hasn't happened yet.
Speaking of covenants...
I completely agree with your take on having direct access to the everlasting God. But you're wrong. It did require something. We all sacrificed our Messiah for that benefit. So no- direct access didn't happen without an ordinance.
The problem with the old covenant is with us, the people, not with God and not with His commandments. If Christ died to set us free from the Law that He created, then why did He institute it in the first place? Why would He lay down His own life just to undo something He could have just NOT done in the first place. Did God screw up? And if by dying on the cross Christ did annul the Law, then that makes Him a liar and a false prophet. He already stated that it wasn't going away 'til heaven and earth pass away, and we've already established that it's not just for the Jews, so then why, by Jesus' own words, is it still around? Gentiles already had access to God beforehand.
Finally, why, throughout the entire Torah, did God keep using the words 'lasting ordinance', 'statute forever', 'throughout all your generations', etc..., if He didn't mean it?
Since this is all I got, I really must be a nobody. My talent is in my writings. I am no Michael Jordan. I am no Michael Jackson. I am no Bill Gates. I am no Jesus. I am just ... Read Moreoatmeal. But even that is pure destruction. Never mind how it makes me feel, my whole life, to be described as an alien, just a bog joke. I am just one big offensive terrorist. And if my very best is your garbage.
Then I really need to end me.
Cause if I were in fact in tune, I'd be following the law.
And, if in fact I'm not being led by The Spirit, what am I being led by?
So, essentially, it feels like maybe you would be thinking that perhaps what I'm doing & living is actually not good enough. Which makes me wonder with your logic here, where does that put me when time runs out?
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I think I know that you know that my relationship with the big guy is solid. But your logic doesn't necessarily seem logical.
Ronnie is then right, if we truly love Jesus then we will follow or apply all of the laws and do them out of love!
Jeff, we have to submit in faith and follow all of the rules like Ronnie is saying.
I'm not debating your salvation. We're not saved by our actions or good deeds. To be perfectly clear- and I think you already know this- I'm bumping obedience out of love BECAUSE we're saved. We're already good to go. Faith=salvation. Salvation then produces faithfulness. Due to Abraham's faith God declared him righteous (saved), and AFTER that told Abraham to circumcise himself as a sign of his salvation. God saved Israel from Egypt THEN gave them the covenant as a sign of their salvation. Like a wedding ring. If you're not wearing the ring, it doesn't mean you're not married- but wouldn't your Husband want to see you wearing the ring He gave you?
Acts 15 deals with this. The problem in that chapter is 'must the Gentiles convert and keep the Torah to be saved?' - both you and I know the answer to that. The council's resolution? 'Give them these four basic requirements (3 of which are kosher laws- hmm...) so they can have fellowship with us...'... Read More
But how will they learn the rest of the commandments?
'For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.' (Acts 15:21)
In short, they'll figure it out as they go along, because that's what's being preached at their churches. I would imagine most of them didn't feel led to do any of it right away, but as the council agreed, eventually it'll happen. It's a growing process.
Love you.
- in our case, the spirit is "the bomb, baby"
- the law is more "aw, that's nice"
-the spirit makes us perfect, and IT is now what sets us apart, or what especially distinguishes christians from anybody else, from the world (where the law served this purpose prior to christ.) christ is the fulfillment of that law, and his priesthood lasts forever. so it is by his sacrifice we are made perfect, while the spirit plays the part of the law. weirdly enough, the spirit doesn't lead me to ordinances but instead leads me to moral goodness, a better understanding and prayer life with god, and a desire for more... and more. the truth, the light, is hard to resist. the law was to serve this purpose with christ in mind, for he exemplified it and walked it. the spirit produces what the torah by itself could not. christ, being the embodiment of the law, teaches us that what's important is faith, love, and joy, etc. he teaches that he didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (meaning that the law prophesied his coming, and he is the answer, the source, and the in between).... Read More
hebrews 10:1 "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship."
in my eyes and after studying it, it just all adds up to me, even when you show me your scripture references. i stand by the notion that someone's eyes are bad, and i guess in time one of us will learn (supposing we both stay on the path of learning his word).
It is a shadow of the GOOD things to come. Just as the Temple was only a type and shadow of the Heavenly one. But the type and shadow is where Jesus hung out while here on earth. Strange that Christ, with a direct link with God, would even bother with the shadows.
Jesus continually spoke out against men following their own made-up goodness and not the commandments of God. Oddly enough, the Torah also cautions against this...
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'You shall not at all do as we are doing here today- every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes.' (Deut. 12:8)
On a side note, it's funny that you mention that truth and light are hard to resist... King David called the Torah truth and light as well, and found it very hard to resist.
I've mentioned I love you, right? I didn't mind your unedited post at all.
Dear Jeffrey Walters, now......
Or Blake Webb,... Read More
Or Santa Clause,
Or Jesus, or Ronnie,
By the way, is there a difference between doing or following all of the Torah, God's Word, line by line, exactly as it says, point blank........
........with application?
I honestly don't know how to keep all of Torah. Fortunately every time I read through it, the Spirit gives me a new revelation.
I try to discern what applies to me, not as a king, not as a woman, without the Temple, without a Torah-observant government... essentially I read it trying to figure out what I CAN do. ... Read More... Read More
If you really want to talk more about which commandments I specifically have 'figured out', by all means send me a message and we'll discuss it.
As for a website? What do you think I'm working towards here? (just kidding... I think...)