Yehovah's Perfect Torah
It is Sunday morning. Minister Johnson climbs onto the podium, turns to
Romans 10:4, and proclaims good news by announcing, "The Savior paid it all. We are
free from those Old Testament regulations and now are under grace through faith
alone!"
Many in nominal worship today believe and proclaim this same message — that Yeshua the Messiah has "nailed the Law to the cross." How much of this belief is true, however? Has the Law been nailed to the stake or does Yehovah’s Torah remain in effect for His New Covenant believers?
Let us examine some popular New Covenant passages cited by those who would abolish Biblical Torah.
What Was Added?
Many point to a passage in Colossians as proof that Yeshua did away
with the Torah. Here Paul writes, "Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his stake" (Col. 2:14). With an understanding of the Greek word "ordinances" in this
verse, we find another meaning. The Greek word here is No. 1378, dogma.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Greek Dictionary defines dogma as: "from
the base 1380; a law (civil, cerem., or eccl.): — decree, ordinance." Dogma is
found seven times in the New Covenant and refers to man-made decrees. One authority
writes, "As the form of error at Colosse was largely Judaic, insisting on Jewish
ceremonial law, the phrase is probably colored by this fact," Word Studies in the New
Testament, p. 908. Thus, dogma here is not signifying Yehovah’s Torah, but man-made
decrees or ordinances. Paul was referring to the added law, which the Jews tacked on to
Yehovah’s Torah. We find the Apostle Paul warning Titus of this added law in Titus 1:14:
"Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the
truth." Yehovah was not always pleased with these added laws. Yeshua chastised
the Jews in Matthew 15 and Mark 8 for their "commandments of men," which here
meant eating with unwashed hands. The Jews made many physical commandments, but they
neglected the spiritual aspect of Yehovah’s Torah, and that is what displeased
Yeshua. The Telos of the Torah In Romans 10:4 we have a passage that is misconstrued by a
majority of preachers today. "For Messiah is the end of the Torah for righteousness
to every one that believes." On the surface it may appear as if Yeshua ended the law for everyone
when He died on the stake. Does that harmonize with the rest of Yehovah’s Word,
however? Are we now living lawlessly? If so, then we have no sin because "sin is not
imputed when there is no law," Romans 5:13. But that cannot be, because Paul also
wrote, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of Yehovah," Romans 3:23. Is
something missing here that most don’t see? The Greek word for "end" in this passage is telos, and
telos is defined in Strong’s Greek Dictionary as: "to set out for a
definite point or goal, the point aimed at as a limit" — No. 5056. This word "end" found in Romans 10:4 could also be translated
"goal." We find a better rendition of this verse in the Jewish New Testament,
which reads, "For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah who offers
righteousness to everyone who trusts." The same Greek word telos is translated "end" in James
5:11: "…you have seen the end [telos] of Yehovah." Has Yehovah come to
an end? Of course not, and neither has the law. Both Yehovah and the Torah have goals, not
ending points. We will now look at an important goal of the law. Galatians is one of the most troublesome books for many
in today’s religious circles. In Galatians 3 we have a passage that has been
misunderstood by the major populace today. "Wherefore the Torah was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is
come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:24-25). Paul is saying that through the Torah we know Messiah, but after we have
come to the knowledge of Yeshua we no longer need a schoolmaster, because the Torah is part
of us now, as is the Messiah. In the Greek culture a schoolmaster was a paidagogos, a
trustworthy slave who had the guardianship of the boys of a household. They needed him for
guidance and instruction while they were young. But after they grew up, they lived by the
precepts he taught them. It became second nature to do what they had been taught. They
would no longer need the schoolmaster once they learned "the rules." This is the
point Paul was making with the Torah. Through faith we comply with Yehovah’s will automatically. His
precepts and teachings are now part of us. We no longer need a strict schoolmaster guiding our
every thought and action because doing the right thing is second nature. Torah keeping in the New Covenant Yeshua and many of His faithful disciples not only show that the Torah
has NOT been annulled, but they also express for it a deep love. In Matthew 5:17-19 Yeshua says that those who keep and teach
Yehovah’s Torah will have great treasures in Yehovah’s Kingdom: "Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to
fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one
of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the
kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great
in the kingdom of heaven." Yeshua came not to destroy the Torah, but to fulfill or complete it, as
the Greek indicates. Yeshua said those who uphold and teach the Torah will be blessed with
honorable positions in the Kingdom, but those who refuse to keep it and teach others the
same fallacy of non-obedience will not be blessed and will not inherit any position. Yeshua was not the only advocate for Yehovah’s Torah. We find the
Apostle Paul, who is usually cited as being against the Torah, in Romans 3:31 in fact
promoting Torah-keeping: "Do we then make void the Torah through faith? Yehovah forbid:
yea, we establish the Torah." Paul never said that Yehovah’s Torah wasn’t
important. Many will say that all we need is faith. Paul says that we need both faith and
Torah. We are not to throw out the Torah because of faith, but as Paul says we are to
establish it within our lives. In Romans 7 we find the Apostle Paul again promoting Yehovah’s Torah:
"Know you not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the Torah,) how that the
Torah has dominion over a man as long as he lives?...What shall we say then? is the Torah sin?
Yehovah forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the Torah: for I had not known lust, except
the Torah had said, Thou shalt not covet...Wherefore the Torah is holy, and the commandment
holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:1, 7, 12). Paul Advocates Torah Paul says that the Torah has dominion or authority over us till death,
just as marriage does between two people. He also says that without the Torah we would not
know sin. Paul concludes this passages by not diminishing the Torah, but by giving it the
highest honor. In one New Covenant Passage we find the Apostle Paul using the Torah of
Moses to convey his own message to young Timothy. "For the scripture says, You
shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his
reward" (1 Tim. 5:18). His using such an example indicates that Paul taught and
promoted the Torah as authority, meaning the basis for his
teachings. Both of these instructions can be traced back to the Torah: · "You shalt not muzzle the ox when he treads out the
corn" (Deut. 25:4). · "The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with you
all night until the morning" (Lev. 19:13). In Acts 24 Paul is standing before Felix, the governor of Judea. Paul
is being accused of following and even promoting a division among the Jews. In truth, Paul
never rebuked the Jewish faith, but proclaimed that he followed all that his ancestors
taught. "But this I confess unto you, that after the way which they call heresy,
so worship I the Elohim of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Torah
and in the prophets" (Acts 24:14). In the governor’s attempt to condemn the Apostle, Paul not only
says that he believes, but also unmistakably advocates the Torah and the Prophets. If he
believed in the Law and the Prophets, he clearly would have been observing both. The Torah
here includes all five books of Moses, while the Prophets indicates the entire
collection of the prophets and all that they taught about Yehovah’s will
through His Torah. Obviously, Paul never uprooted the Torah, but had great respect and love
for it. He realized its benefits. He knew that the only way to know right from wrong was
by Yehovah’s holy standards inspired in the first five books of His Word. What would
we use for knowing right from wrong if Yehovah’s Torah was annulled? A Litmus Test for Righteousness The Torah was not given to mankind to save us, but simply to show us
right from wrong. In Romans 3:20 we see that without these standards we would live in a
world with utter chaos. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh
be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." We are also warned of breaking Moses’ Torah in Hebrews 10: "For
if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains
no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ Torah died
without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you,
shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of Elohim, and has counted
the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done
despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto
me, I will recompense, says Yehovah. And again, Yehovah shall judge his people"
(Heb. 10:26-30). Notice that the writer of Hebrews very plainly says that once we have
come to the knowledge of the truth, there is no more remedy for sins committed thereafter.
This is a dreadful thought. The writer of Hebrews continues by stating that those who break
Moses’ Torah, which was received through Yehovah, will have a greater judgment than
those of the Tanach. This contradicts the man-made notion of a New Covenant based
on grace and faith alone. Salvation involves more than a simple proclaiming faith and
grace to all those who believe. Salvation requires an action — obedience. We find this confirmed in Hebrews 5:9: "And being made
perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."
Yeshua, the author of salvation, offers the gift of salvation only to those who obey
Yehovah’s Word. We cannot just believe or say that we have faith, but must act on our
faith by obedience. By observing His Torah we demonstrate to Yehovah that we want to obey and
serve Him. In 1John 5:3 we read that if we love Yehovah we will obey His commandments.
"For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments
are not grievous." This passage is important to understand because the message goes much
deeper than most realize. We not only show love by keeping Yehovah’s commandments, but
we must also keep them out of a deep-down desire to serve Him. His commandments must be so
desirable that they never seem grievous to us. If they are grievous, then we have defeated the purpose of observing
Yehovah’s Torah. Yehovah’s Torah is to shape and mold us into Yehovah’s own
character. Any negative feelings toward His Torah amount to resistance of that goal.
Yehovah’s standards are a reflection of His own morals and ethics. Why should He not
want us to have the same nature as He does? Faith Alone Is Not Enough In the Book of James we find Yeshua’s brother unequivocally
promoting Torah keeping for Yehovah’s people. "What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has
faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be warmed and
filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what
does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may
say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will
show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one Elohim; you do well: the
devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:14-19). James asks a crucial question for any believer: What good is it if we
have faith but no works? It’s like a vehicle with no gasoline, it travels nowhere.
Our salvation works the same way. With faith and works we are promised Yehovah’s
kingdom; however, without either of the two our salvation comes to a halt, with no
gasoline to continue. James also said that even the demons believe in Yehovah’s and
Yeshua’s existence, but just having this belief does not make them worthy of
Yehovah’s Kingdom. They have neither works nor an obedient heart, Obedience as Well as Faith Three noteworthy passages are found in the Book of Revelation. The
first is the prophecy of the woman, meaning the Assembly, being taken into the wilderness
for protection from the adversary. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of Elohim, and
have the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah" (Rev. 12:17). Notice what distinguishes Yehovah’s people. Two characteristics
define Yehovah’s saints: keeping of Yehovah’s commandments, and having faith in
Yeshua. By these two characteristics Yehovah’s expectations for His people are
defined. We find these two attributes again in Revelation 14:12. "Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Elohim, and the
faith of Yeshua." Yehovah defines His Saints as those that are keeping His commandments
and having a faith in Yeshua the Messiah. Very simply, these two elements are essential
for a believer, for without them we will not have access to Yehovah’s Kingdom. In the last chapter of the Bible Yehovah warns us once again of the need
for keeping His commandments. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that
they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city" (Rev. 22:14). Here at the end of the Bible Yehovah clearly says that keeping His
commandments is a requirement for entering His glorious Kingdom. Yehovah will only accept
those with an obedient and humble heart. A heart that never wavers from Him, but stays
true to the end. Every word in the entire Bible is for our benefit. Paul explains this
in 2 Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
Every utterance that Yehovah has given is profitable in some way.
Whether it be reproof, correction, or instruction, Yehovah’s Word has a place in each
of our lives. It instructs us to righteousness, which is defined by observing
Yehovah’s Torah. Forget Not the Law of Yehovah Within the prophets we can find an abundance of prophecies for the New
Covenant believer. One prophet specifically educates us concerning the Torah of Moses. His
prophecy is a reply from Yehovah. In Malachi chapter 4, Malachi prophesies of the distant future. He
tells of a time when the whole earth shall burn like a furnace, and the wicked shall
become stubble. Malachi’s message is vital, for the message does not stop with those
in the Tanach, but continues on for those in the latter days. He warns that we must not forget the Torah of Moses: "Remember
the Torah of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the
statutes and judgments" (Mal. 4:4). This is important to understand. We in the
21st century learn here that the saints are told to keep ALL the Torah, with statutes and
judgments. We must not neglect any of Yehovah’s Torah, but observe every
inspired commandment as Yehovah so wishes and instructs us, His people.
No Longer Under a Schoolmaster
This verse is not difficult to understand if we consider some key facts.
We saw in Romans 10:4 that the Messiah is not the end of the Torah, but the goal at which
the Torah aims. Messiah is the object or purpose for the Torah. Only through the Torah can we
know Messiah, because Yeshua literally represents the Torah in flesh. He lived the Torah in
every aspect. If we do the same, we will be like the Messiah.