Torah of the Apostles
Part 4 of 7
Some of the arguments I've heard within threads of many subjects, including anti-Torah sentiment, are truly amazing. A premise can be thoroughly and adequately asserted through the prophets, and some enlightened person will say, “But, Paul said...” A premise can be solidly supported through the teaching of Yeshua, and some “full of himself” theologian or 90-day wonder Bible student will say, “But, Paul said...”
Salvation is a huge part of apostolic doctrine. Without it there would be no hope for our eternal souls. However, salvation seems to be the focal point of our modern “enlightened ones”—TO THE EXCLUSION OF TORAH. Because I will largely cite Paul in this section, I begin by citing Peter, regarding Paul, in 3: 14-16 of his second epistle.
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things (hope of salvation), be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless; and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (pervert), as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Before considering Paul, let me flash back to the prophets for a moment. They not only spoke of the future, they spoke of the future in regards to past actions of the Hebrew people—and inactions as well. They repeatedly spoke of the demise of YHVH's people because they failed to obey His Torah. YHVH says through Ezekiel in 18: 4, “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die”.
Sin is simply defined as transgression of YHVH's Torah. For Ezekiel, sin was violating Torah. Statements following v. 4 are all included within the Torah. Because of Adam, the “law of sin and death” reigned supreme in the lives of men. That the children of Abraham failed miserably in keeping Torah is not in question. What is in question is the equating of the “law of sin and death” with the whole of Torah.
In agreement with Ezekiel, Paul said to the Romans in 6: 23. “For the wages of sin is death...” He wrote to the Corinthian church in 15: 56 of the first epistle, “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law”. These two statements and the one by Ezekiel do not represent the whole of Torah. But, rather, they represent only ONE law, one that is part of the Torah and dates back to Adam in the garden.
Since Adam, men have continually manifested an uncanny propensity to follow their own desires. Providentially for them, and us, YHVH had a plan even before Adam sinned, even before He made Adam. Paul concluded 6: 23 for the Romans by saying, “but the gift of YHVH is eternal life”. He concluded 15: 56 for the Corinthians with, “But thanks be to YHVH, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah”.
Paul told the Romans in 8: 1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Messiah Yeshua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”. He goes on to say in v. 2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has made me free from the law of sin and death”.
Each law in v. 2 reflects a single law within the total of Torah. We are, therefore, free from the SINGLE law of sin and death and made beneficiary of the SINGLE law of life in the Spirit. This is a concept clearly acknowledged by Paul to the Ephesians. He writes in 2: 8-9, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of YHVH; not of works, lest any man should boast”.
What the children of Abraham could never do, even in meticulously keeping the law (Torah), Yeshua did with one selfless act on the cross. Yet, that act DID NOT absolve us from keeping and learning from the rest of Torah to the best of our ability. Paul concluded his statement for the Ephesians in v. 10 with, “For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua unto good works, which YHVH before ordained that we should WALK IN THEM”. (My emphesis added)
What then shall we do, my friends? Should we continue with the “sloppy agape” tenets of the christian grace doctrine? Or, should we heed the instruction of this “hard to understand” apostle, Paul? Quite frankly, I think he is rather easy to understand. Only those in blind bondage to modern “doctrines of men” might disagree with me.
I close this section with an answer to the above questions through the witness of two other apostles—James, the elder brother of Yeshua and John the Beloved. James wrote in 1: 22, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”. John writes in 2: 4 of his first epistle, “He that says, I know Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”. How neat is that...two examples of a New Covenant “Shema”—hear and obey!!
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