Torah Observant Messianic Congregations - Biblical or Not?

Moshe | 08.06.2009 | 02:00:53 | Views: 6581

Introduction – For the last twenty years or so we have seen numerous believers in Yeshua Ha Mashiach follow the Torah or we should say more exactly certain aspect of the law. We will examine this in the light of the Old and New Testaments to see if this is scriptural of not. Expect this to not be subtle, it hits hard and to the point using the at least two scriptures to make each point.

Matthew 18:16 - But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

This work is just one part of the entire work found on the website. It is best to study all the components of the website and see how they integrate together to give one a clear understanding of the scriptures. Most of us started out in Churchianity with all the false teachings and doctrines of devils. It became necessary for us to unlearn these false teachings and learn to let the scriptures speak for themselves and to stop using the teachings of man to filter the scriptures. Everything said is backed up by scriptures.

Can One Follow the Law Fully Today? - The answer to this is of course not. There is no temple, no sacrifices, no Cohen Gadol (High Priest), no Levites (priesthood), and so forth. It is an objective statement that the Law cannot be followed in its entirety. There are scriptures that indicate that if one does not do the whole law, leaving out nothing, then he is guilty of breaking the entire law.

Galatians 5:3 - For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

James 2:10 - For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

James makes the point clearly. So without a temple, the sacrifices, the priesthood etc one cannot keep the law. It is impossible to follow the law today.

Is Salvation Based on Following the Law Biblical? – No it is not. For starters you 100% cannot follow the law today thus one would be doomed to failure. No one ever was successful in following the law but Yeshua. Let us read:

Galatians 5: 1-7

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Vs. 3 drives the point home. If you are going to rely on the law then you are debtor to do the entire law. Can’t be done. Failure is eminent.

Vs.4 Shows the false church and false believers at work, it says that Christ is become of no effect to those who chose to be justified by the law. The goal of the false teachers is to get New Testament believers to follow the law at first. It is tradition; it is in the bible etc. Then the emphasis shifts to one of it is mandatory to do so. Your salvation is at stake if you do not follow the law is what they say or teach. What the false believers are trying to do is to get you to trust in the works of the law, not faith in Yeshua and thus vs. sets in and you become fallen from grace. You cannot become justified by doing the works of the law.

Galatians 2:16 - Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3:11 - But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Division - This Torah Observance of course assists greatly with division in the body of believers, which is something Satan strives for.

Mark 3:25 - And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

When we have some believers running around bragging about how they follow the law (well some aspects of it to be accurate) and insisting other believers do so as well it becomes division. If the other believers do not do so then they are no longer welcome. This is classical division based on non-biblical precepts. A doctrine of devils has occurred.

Did Paul Follow the Law? – He did in many ways. But let us also look at what he said.

Galatians 5:11 - And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased.

Paul is saying if he was preaching the observance of the law why would the followers of the law persecute him? See what he himself said.

Colossians 2: 20,21 - Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not

2 Corinthians 3:6 - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Paul was observing the law for this reason, see scripture below.

I Corinthians 9:20 - 22 - And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Paul was not following the law for salvation. He did not ever mandate this for the believers. Paul in his office as an Apostle even said this:

Colossians 2:16 - Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:

Is it a Sin to follow the Law? – NO! Paul did it. It would be sin to follow the law because you advocated this to be necessary for salvation. This is what Satan and his false believers want you to believe, practice and teach. You are saved by faith and they want to get you to abandon salvation by faith and go back to works.

Romans 4:14 - For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

I Corinthians 1:17 - For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

We are saved by faith not by attempting to do the works of the law. When one trusts in his works for salvation then the work Yeshua did on the cross becomes of no effect. To put it simply what the false believers are doing is trying to get you to walk away from your faith and salvation by following the law and relying on it for salvation. Subtle. I would say any congregation leader who insists on following the law as necessary for justification with the Lord should not be followed to say the least. I would not be a member of any congregation that believes such as well. If a congregation insists that its members be Torah observant as they call it for any reason I would depart from them. This is impossible – no temple, no priesthood, etc. This at the very least is decisiveness in that it is enforcing a practice that is not consistent with the New Testament. Error.

Galatians 5: 18 - 21 -But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The words that would cover this sort of behavior include: Variance (pitching believers against one another), Strife (getting believers to disagree and fight), Seditions (divisions into parties or factions) and heresies (false teachings). The punishment for this sort of behavior according to the Bible is not inheriting the Kingdom of God (think lake of fire). Look how strongly talks about divisions below. Note he says they were coming together in the congregations for the worse not the better.

1Corinthians 11: 17-19 - Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Wearing a Kippa or Yarmulke - This is not a biblical practice. We never read of this in the New Testament nor in the Old Testament. Covering the head was a sign of mourning. We are born again, Yeshua lives now. Why in the world do we want to go around acting as if we are in mourning all the time? Maybe the orthodox who are waiting for Ha Mashiach are acting as though in mourning because they have the veil over their face Moses spoke of and cannot see Yeshua as the Ha Mashaich.

2 Corinthians 3:14 - But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:15 - But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

See the subtleness of the trickery to beguile you. Now wearing the Kippa can cause a problem if you pray while doing so, see what Apostle Paul has to say about this.

I Corinthians 11:4 - Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

Luke 18:1 - And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Luke 21:36 - Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

So why would you want to go and pray wearing a kippa. If you dishonored your head by doing so against the scriptures do you think your prayers will be answered? See their guile in deceiving you to go astray off the scriptures while making you feel very Jewish at the same time. Did not Yeshua tell us to pray always? I do not think one can pray 24/7 but the point is that wearing a kippa would be inconsistent with these commands of Yeshua to pray always since it would cause you to dishonor yourself while praying. Not good. There is no example of anyone wearing a kippa in the scriptures, especially when going into prayer. The false believers beguile people into sin and error by making one feel very Jewish while committing the error. Want to feel very Jewish for real? Do as Yeshua and the Apostles did.

Decide whom are you going to believe the New Testament or the teachings of others that contradicts the New Testament. I would say stick with the New Testament, always. It is really easy, just believe the New Testament and walk in these beliefs.

Tzitzit (Tassles with blue thread)– This is based on the biblical commandment to wear fringes on the corners of their garments with a blue thread in it.

Numbers 15:38 - Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue

Now they debate as to the color of blue and the sources of the blue dye. Some wear only white cords due to not being sure of the blue color or source of blue dye. See it has no limits. If you want to wear Tzitit go for it. If you want to tell people they must also do likewise to be justified before God then you are in error. I would use ones with a blue thread versus no blue thread because you do not know what color blue to use. Blue is blue.

Dietary Laws – Does the New Testament doom you to the lake of fire if you do not follow Moses dietary laws. No! I would say for jewish believers it is best to follow the dietary laws. Read the laws in the bible. The Rabbis build on Moses laws making them amazingly complex so of course you need them and their commentary (the Talmud) to understand the laws which really are not so difficult.

Wearing Black Clothing – This is a practice not found in the Old or New Testament. This has no scriptural validity. The practice of wearing clothes to make one easily identifiable as a Jew, is not found in the scripture with the possible interpretation of the Tzitit as being used for this purpose although the scripture clearly says this is not its intended purpose. One familiar with the scriptures could deduct that those wearing Tzitit are probably Jews. The black seems to be a sign of mourning and why should we be mourning – he lives.

What about Grey Suits and Fedora Hats – Again this is just extra biblical teachings not found in the Old or New Testaments. No need to wear any such uniform.

Tallit (Prayer Shawl) – This is not found in the old or new testament. Many users of the Tallit use it to cover their head when praying. This is against the scriptures, see:

I Corinthians 11:7 - For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

The fringes with the blue thread were supposed to be on all the garments the Children of Israel wore all the time, not just on some special prayer cloth.

Shabbat – Keeping the Sabbath is the big topic. By faith you are saved, not works. This scripture sums it up. I would say you are better off observing the Shabbat than not and if you are jewish especially so. It is simple, read Moses. Do not do what the Rabbis suggest in that it is way more than what the bible says.

Colossians 2:16 - Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

A word on Lighting a Fire or Making a Spark -

Ex. 35:3 - Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

In my opinion this was so the women would not have to cook in my opinion. Does this apply to turning on a stove? If you want someone to cook or you decide to cook then I think it breaks sabbath. No cooking. It is easy to make a big meal Friday afternoon just before sabbath and then eat in on sabbath. Throw the dishes in the sink and clean them when sabbath is over. It says kindle a fire, not make a spark.

Can you turn on lights? I would say yes. Can you use a TV, room heater, radio, DVD, etc. I would say yes. You are not directed to give machines rest, just living things like animals. The idea is to give the plow horse a sabbath rest, not the plow. Same with the tractor. The idea is to give yourself a rest, not to worry about some inanimate machine.

Driving the car on Sabbath – Well I would not use the light a fire and apply it to the car with an internal combustion engine. Then we could get into solar and electric cars. What I think is relevant is the travel distance prohibition.

Now faith and works are also tied together but one cannot justify himself through attempting to follow the law. See these scriptures:

James 2:18 - Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

James 2:20 - But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Yeshua himself was accused of breaking the Sabbath.

John 5:16 - And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

John 5:18 - Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

John 7:22 - Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man.

John 7:23 - If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?

Yeshua also said:

Matthew 12:8 - For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

The Sabbath Goy Question– This is an entirely false teaching in direct contradiction with Moses and what he taught. Here is what the bible says.

Ex. 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Stranger that is in thy gates. You do not go around hiring non observant people to have them work on sabbath on your property. No lawn mowing service, no exterminator, etc. The postal service, UPS, Fed Ex are not your responsibility. If they wish to leave a package or mail in your box or at your door, fine. Leave it there until sabbath is over. I would not sign for it on sabbath.

Lev. 23: 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

In all your dwellings your house and any house your workers may reside in on your property. Animals on your property do not work on sabbath.

Deut.5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

So it is safe to say do not hire any non observant person to work on the sabbath in your home or on your property.

Sabbath Day Journey – We read of this in

Acts 1:12-Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

It is supposed to be about one half mile. This is a rabbinical treatise not really found in the Old Testament. What we do find in the bible is this:

Ex. 16: 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

The idea according to Moses is to stay home (in his place). Can you go outside into your yard – of course you could. The idea is not to travel. So here is where we get the basis for leaving the car alone on sabbath, not the fire or spark. If you are going to stay in your place why would you need to drive a car, ride on a bus, take a taxi, etc. Same for the bicycle. No travel. The rabbis came up with the sabbath day journey I guess so the people could walk to synagogue on sabbath. I would say the best is to just hang out at home. If you want to sleep a lot go for it. Read a book go for it. Jogging – skip it. Lay in the sun – go for it. Watch TV, go for it. Study the bible – go for it. Pray – go for it. Sit under your tree and stare at the clouds – go for it.

It is easy to observe sabbath if you are in a community that does so. Of course Jerusalem is ideal being the only city in the world that observes sabbath. You can go sit outside in front of your house or apt. and hang out with the other sabbath observant folks.

Yom Kippur – This is an example of observing an Old Testament holiday to be a sin. This is the day where all the sins of the observers are to be atoned for. The conflict is the work Yeshua did on the cross is where our sin atonement comes from, not from observing the holiday which is a work. It does not come from Yom Kippur. Here are scriptures.

Leviticus 23:27 - Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Leviticus 23:28 - And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.

The problem here is that Yeshua paid the price for our sins. If we start observing Yom Kippur to atone for our sins we are disregarding the work Yeshua did on the cross and walking away from our forgiveness of sins through faith in Yeshua Ha Mashaich. To observe Yom Kippur to atone for your sins would be sinful and denying Yeshua Ha Mashaich and the salvation he graciously provides to us. Yes to the unsaved it is a most important holiday but that does not mean it makes it right for us to observe it the way the unsaved do.

Tefillin and Mezuzah – The mezuzah is affixed on the entrance way to a dwelling usually a home but often a commercial building as well. It is a small container that contains some scripture verses. The origins of this stem from scripture and in the same passages is the root for Tefillin (phylacteries). These are blocks or boxes made of leather that contain Old Testament passages inside them. The sides of the block are inscribed with letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The Tefillin have leather cords attached to them so the blocks can be wrapped around the head and the right arm. Now we will see the source scriptures and see how closely this follows the scripture.

Deuteronomy 11;18 - 21

18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

First of all the followers of the law are not emphasizing the commandment to lay up the words of God in their heart which is how these passages begin. See it is always works with them. Then it says bind them for a sign upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. It never said put a closed box containing some scriptures passages that no one can read on your head between your eyes. The scripture passages contained inside a closed box where no one can read them misses the point of these passage big time. The passages say to write the scriptures on the doorposts and on the gates of the homes they occupy. This is so they and others could see the verses and be reminded of them. This way the verses may actually do some constructive good. If there were no scripture verses contained inside of a closed leather box or inside a closed mezuzah would it ever make a difference since no one can read them anyway? It appears to be the devil mocking the people trying to follow the law with more doctrines of demons. Notice the commandment to write scriptures on the doorposts and gates where people could read them and thus do some constructive good in this way, is conveniently ignored. The emphasis about using these scripture writings as a teaching tool is also being ignored. Yes the devil strives hard to keep the unsaved Jews deceived and in bondage and keeping them away from the word of God is of course a goal the devil has. Remember the Talmud is what the unsaved Jews spend most of their time reading, not the scriptures.

Two Sinks in the House – This is an outgrowth of Rabbinical Judaism building a wall around the Mosaic Law to keep one from breaking it. Not a biblical concept even by Old Testament standards. There is no direct biblical link to this. The most likely explanation for separating milk from meat comes from this scripture:

Exodus 23:19 - The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

Obviously the emphasis is the cruelty of cooking a baby animal in the milk coming from its mother than was its nourishment. God does not appreciate cruelty to animals.

Will there be Observance of a Modified Law When There is a New Temple Built and Operating – Yes. We are not there yet. Read Ezekiel chapt. 40 to end of book.

Summary – Without a Temple and Priesthood observing the law cannot be accomplished. We are saved by faith and we must walk in faith. Salvation is not accomplished by observing the law, it is by faith. I think observing sabbath and dietary laws is a good practice. But why are you doing it? By itself it is not going to result in salvation just to be clear. Following the law today is also impossible – no temple, no sacrifices, no priesthood, etc. Do not follow parts of the law that are in conflict with the New Testament.

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