[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
|
Religion See other Religion Articles Title: YAH'S LAWS: ARE THEY FOR TODAY? Many modern Christians would view an article entitled "Yah's Laws" as irrelevant, since they believe that the laws of God as found in the Old Testament no longer pertain to us under the New Covenant. Some preachers today go so far as to declare that Yah's laws have been abolished and thus we are no longer obligated to keep them in any way, shape or form. Why should we not believe such ministers, after all the Apostle Paul declared: "… [We] are not under law, but under grace…." (Romans 6:14) and "…Christ is the end of the law…." (Romans 10:4) At least 27 additional New Testament Scriptures declare essentially the same thing. With so much Scriptural evidence testifying against the perpetuity of Yah's laws, how could anyone fail to come to the same conclusion? Why would anyone even dare debate otherwise? First Appearances Can Deceive The evidence appears to support a cut and dried case for the abolishment of God's laws under the New Covenant - until - one realizes that he has been indoctrinated with only one side of the story. Psalm 119:160 (NASV) instructs us that the sum of God's Word is truth. In other words, one cannot fully understand God's will on any particular subject or doctrine until he has examined all the evidence. The same holds true when it comes to the question as to whether Yah's laws are for today. Most of modern Christendom has only heard half the story from their ministers, that is, only the scriptures that appear to teach the dissolution of Yah's laws. It is tragic that those who should be the champions and defenders of God's laws are silent regarding the greater number of New Testament passages that promote Yah's laws for today, scriptures such as: "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but [what matters is] the keeping of the commandments of God." (1 Corinthians 7:19) and, "...we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully." (1 Timothy 1:8) There are at least 35 additional New Testament Scriptures testifying to the perpetuity of Yah's law under the New Covenant. Faced with a Dilemma Are we to believe the 29 New Testament Scriptures that appear to say that Yah's laws are not for today or the 37 New Testament Scriptures that declare that Yah's laws are for today?(1) If we begin with the premise that God's Word is inspired and does not contradict itself, then all 66 passages must be accepted and integrated. Those who declare that Yah's laws are no longer pertinent under these New Covenant times often use the Apostle Paul's epistle to the Galatians to "support" their position: But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto [the] Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:23-35) Standing upon this passage, anti-law Christians are quick to announce, "See, the law is no longer for today!" And they are absolutely right! However, it must be asked, "Which law is no longer for today?" The Greek word "nomos," from which the New Testament word "law" is translated, has a variety of New Testament applications: Any law whatsoever. The law of Yashua (2) the Christ. The entire Old Testament, including the Psalms and the Prophets. The Pentateuch, that is, the first five books of the Old Testament. The Mosaic Covenant, including its sacrificial and ceremonial laws. The sacrifices and/or ceremonial components of the Mosaic Covenant. The laws of God as contained in the commandments, statutes and judgments. One aspect of the laws of God: the commandments or the statutes or the judgments. Christians who teach that Yah's laws are no longer applicable usually choose some combination of numbers 6 and 7 for that which is referred to by Paul in Galatians 3. They make the same application to the 28 New Testament passages that also appear to do away with Yah's laws. Seldom, if ever, do they consider the other options. In fact, in most instances, they have not even been taught that there are other options. The Correct Choice Do Galatians 3 and the other 28 New Testament Scriptures declare that the commandments, statutes and judgments have been abolished? In verses 16 and 17 of Galatians 3, Paul identified which law he was addressing. He first referenced the promises given to Abraham and then contrasted them with "…the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after…." In verse19, Paul continued, "Wherefore then … the law? It was added because of transgressions…." Paul identified the law he referred to in Galatians 3 as a law that was added four hundred and thirty years after the promises were given to Abraham. Consequently, only that which was added at Mt. Sinai was abolished when faith came. In other words, anything that was in existence prior to the covenant that was consummated at Mt. Sinai cannot be that which was abolished by Yashua. Most Christians are unaware that Yah's law, specifically His commandments, statutes and judgments, existed before their codification at Mt. Sinai. Although there is no evidence that they existed in written form, nonetheless, they were verbally passed on from father to son among the Hebrews and Israelites. Prior Existence of Yah's Laws There is evidence for the existence of Yah's laws before Mt. Sinai in several places. For example, Abraham kept the same laws later codified by Moses: …Abraham obeyed my [Yahweh's] voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. (Genesis 26:5) The book of Jasher(3) further verifies and expounds upon Abraham's law observance: "…Abram served the Lord his God all the days of his life, and he walked in His ways and followed His law." (Jasher 12:42) Later in the same book, Abraham is found reminding his son, Isaac, of God's instructions and then elaborates upon what should be understood by law: "…He [Yahweh] said unto me [Abraham], to thy seed I will give all these lands, and they shall inherit them when they keep my commandments, my statutes and my judgments that I have commanded thee, and which I shall command them." (Jasher 26:24) Note the breakdown of the law into three integral components - commandments, statutes and judgments - the same breakdown of Yah's laws that Moses provided in Deuteronomy 4:13-14. Abraham (in the book of Jasher) continued to instruct Isaac: "Now therefore my son, hearken to my voice, and keep the commandments of the Lord thy God … that it may be well with thee and thy children forever. …teach then thy children and thy seed the instruction of the Lord and His commandments." (Jasher 26:25-27) Although Yah's laws were not yet written on stone, obviously they were written on Abraham's mind and heart, and he verbally passed them on to his progeny. Moreover, the law identified in Galatians 3 was "added because of transgressions." Transgression of what? The Apostle John defined sin as a violation of God's law: …whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4) Consequently, the sin alluded to by Paul, in Galatians 3, must have been transgression of the unwritten laws of Yahweh already in existence. In order for there to be transgression, there also has to be law. Therefore, the laws of Yahweh existed prior to that which was added at Mt. Sinai, since where there was no law there could be no transgression. Yahweh's commandments, statutes and judgments were in existence prior to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt; therefore they were not the law that was added at Mt. Sinai. Accordingly, neither the commandments, the statutes nor the judgments were abolished at the time of Yashua the Christ.(4) The Added Law Since Yahweh's Divine Law, codified by Moses, was not the law that the Apostle Paul was alluding to in Galatians 3, then to what law was he referring? Hebrews 7:19-22 uses the words "covenant" and "law" interchangeably. Thus, it was the Mosaic Covenant that was added and later abolished. The Covenant and all things included in the Covenant that were not in existence prior to its inauguration was the law that was added at Mt. Sinai. Thus the Mosaic Covenant was also the law that was abolished with the coming of Yashua. What exactly was added to the existing oral law four hundred and thirty years after the promises were given to Abraham? The Mosaic Covenant including the Levitical Priesthood, sacrifices for justification and forced compliance to Yah's laws for righteousness. The Apostle Paul, once again, wrote: Wherefore the [Mosaic] law [Covenant] was our schoolmaster to bring us unto [the] Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [the Mosaic Law Covenant]. (Galatians 3:24-25) Why? Because, under the New Covenant, Yashua became our high priest and His body (the ekklesia) became His priesthood, Yashua became our sacrifice and through His sacrifice, Yashua became our justification. Forced Compliance versus Voluntary Compliance The major difference between the Mosaic and Abrahamic Covenants was forced compliance versus voluntary compliance. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians that the law, that is the Mosaic Covenant, was added because of Israel's transgressions. In other words, since the Israelites did not love Yahweh and their fellow man enough to freely comply with His oral laws that were in existence under the Abrahamic Covenant, God put them under forced compliance or custody (Galatians 3:23 NASV) by way of the Mosaic Covenant. Under that Covenant, the Israelites were forced to keep His laws in order to be justified before God. Moses put it in the following fashion: …it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before Yahweh our God, as he hath commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:25) The Apostle Paul declared that it was this forced compliance for righteousness that Yashua abolished: …Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4) Paul did not say that Yashua "is the end of the law" period, but that Yashua was "the end of the law [or covenant] for righteousness." Contrast Deuteronomy 4:13 with Hebrews 8:8-10: And he [Yahweh] declared unto you [Israel] his [old] covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. (Deuteronomy 4:13) …Behold, the days come, saith Yahweh(5), when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Yahweh; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts…. (Hebrews 8:8-10) Under the Mosaic Covenant, the Israelites were forced to keep the commandments, statutes and judgments written on stone. Under the Abrahamic and Christian Covenants (which are essentially the same), those same commandments, statutes and judgments, written on our minds and hearts, were and are obeyed voluntarily. Through Yashua the Christ and His sacrifice, we who are living under the New Covenant have been brought back to how Yahweh's law was to have been observed under the Abrahamic Covenant. Yahweh's intention all along has been for his people to voluntarily keep His commandments, statutes and judgments that He has written on our hearts. The Mosaic Covenant was added because of Israel's failures "til the seed [Yashua] should come." He has come, thus it is the Mosaic Covenant that has been abolished, not the Divine Law itself. Let me conclude with the words of the Apostle Paul: Do we then make void the law [the commandments, judgments and statutes] through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (Romans 3:31)
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 4.
#1. To: richard9151 (#0)
(Edited)
Good heavens...where are you getting this stuff? Read Romans 7..and the book of Hebrews why would anyone purposefully go back to living under a 'taskmaster'.. does not going back to the Law then say that Jesus' death meant zero? For He Himself said that He's the fulfillment of the Law.. if you keep Him you keep the Law.
To bad you did not read the post. Would have answered your questions. Esp. about Romans 7. And by the way, if you have any questions about it, why do you not look at the world around you and ask yourself WHY it is as it is.... perhaps then you would have another answer to your question. Perhaps. Of course, since the entire story of His Law is First, do no harm, I can understand why you would object to it.
I have no clue what youre talking about.. I have no questions ... I know why the world is as it is..
#5. To: Zipporah (#4)
Of course, since the entire story of His Law is First, do no harm, I can understand why you would object to it. I understand that you have no clue. That was my point.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest |
||
|
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|
||