The Importance of HIS Law
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
INDEX:
INTRODUCTION:
This page focuses on Scriptural references with regards to the Law (Torah)
Torah is based on shalom and harmony among YHWH's people. A commitment to the totality of Torah is impossible on an isolated, individual level. There are mitzvot that only a Kohen can perform and others that require a Yisrael. There are mitzvot that apply only to men and other mitzvot that apply only to women. Torah in its totality requires the united community of YHWH's people. Only as one individual with one heart can we accept the Torah and fulfill it.
WHAT IS THE LAW?
1. The Law blesses (obey) and curses (disobey).
(Deut 11:26-27)(Ps 112:1)(Ps 119:1-2)(Ps 128:1)(Prov 8:32)(Is 56:2)(Mat 5:6)(Mat 5:10)(Luke 11:28)(Jam 1:25)(1 Pe 3:14)(Rev 22:14)
2. The Law defines sin.
(Jer 44:23)(Ez 18:21)(Dan 9:11)(Ro 3:20)(Ro 7:7)(1 Jo 3:4)
3. The Law is perfect.
(Ps 19:7)(Jam 1:25)
4. The Law is liberty.
(Ps 119:45)(Jam 1:25, 2:12)
5. The Law is the way.
(Ex 18:20)(Deut 10:12)(Josh 22:5)(1 King 2:3)(Ps 119:1)(Prov 6:23)(Is 2:3)(Mal 2:8)(Mark 12:14)(Act 24:14)
6. The Law is the truth.
(Ps 119:142)(Mal 2:6)(Ro 2:20)(Gal 5:7)(Ps 43:2-4)(Jo 8:31-32)
7. The Law is life.
(Job 33:30)(Ps 36:9)(Prov 6:23)(Rev 22:14)
8. The Law is light.
(Job 24:13)(Job 29:3)(Ps 36:9)(Ps 43:2-4)(Ps 119:105)(Prov 6:23)(Is 2:5) (Is 8:20)(Is 51:4)(2 Cor 6:14)(1John 1:7)
9. The Law is Jesus, the Word made flesh. (PERFECT-LIBERTY-WAY-TRUTH-LIFE-LIGHT).
(Ps 27:1)(Jo 1:1-14)(Jo 14:5-11)(1 Jo 1:7)
10. The Law is also for the Gentiles (foreigner/alien) who are grafted in.
(Ex 12:19) (Ex 12:38) (Ex 12:49) (Lev 19:34) (Lev 24:22) (Num 9:14) (Num 15:15-16) (Num 15:29) (ie: Ruth) (Is 42:6) (Is 60:3) (Mat 5:14) (Eph 2:10-13) (Ac 13:47) (Ro 11:16-27) (Jer31:31-34) (Ez 37) (1 Jo 2:10) (1 Jo 1:7)
11. The Law is God's instructions on how to love God, how to love others, and how to not love yourself.
(Ex 20:6)(Deut 5:10)(Deut 7:10)(Deut 11:13)(Deut 11:22)(Deut 30:16)(Deut 6:5)(Lev 19:18)(Neh 1:5)(Dan 9:4)(Mat 22:35-37)(Matthew 10:39)(Mat 16:25)(Jo 14:15)(Jo 14:21)(Ro 13:9)(1 Jo 5:2-3)(2 Jo 1:6)
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES VALIDATING THE LAW
22'And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.' (KJV)
8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?(KJV)
21"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. " (KJV)
13And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:(KJV)
14For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.(KJV)
If someone believes that the law, the temple and the altar sacrifices have been done away with, they believe in the testimony of the FALSE WITNESSES at Stephen's so called trial. Does your doctrine agree with these false witnesses? If Stephen believe in torah theses are false witnesses, if he believed like mainstream Christianity, he believes in the testimony of the FALSE WITNESSES. HOW CAN THEY BE FALSE WITNESSES when the claim is to do away with the law, the altar sacrifices and the temple?
14'What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?'
Faith alone does not save.
15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Lip service alone does no good.
17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
If faith has no works it is dead faith.
18Yea, 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.
You demonstate your faith by your works. If you have no works, you have no faith.
19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Mere belief is not enough. Demons have belief but they will not be saved.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Dead faith is no good.
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Works prove you have faith. Faith alone is NOT enough.
25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Even a harlot was justified.
26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.(KJV)
31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.(KJV)
5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,(KJV)
WHAT IS SIN?
17Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.(KJV)
The definition of sin: Sin is the transgression of the Torah.
THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS:
5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?(KJV)
law/nomos (Greek) - from a primary nemo (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):--law.
Contrast with John 13:34 where the word 'Entole' is used.
34'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ' (KJV)
commandment/entole (Greek) - from entellomai - entellomai 1781; injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription:--commandment, precept.
Contrast with John 8:5 where the word 'Nomos' is used.
7'Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.' (KJV)
commandment/entole (Greek) - from entellomai - entellomai 1781; injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription:--commandment, precept.
Contrast with John 8:5 where the word 'Nomos' is used.
HAS THE LAW BEEN DONE AWAY WITH?:
A commonly heard statement in the Christian community is that the law has been fulfilled and therefore done away with or no longer applicable. In the references below, I will try to dispel that notion.
15'One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.' (KJV)
Verse 15 states that ordinance is for ever.
16'One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.' (KJV)
Verse 16 states that the law is for Hebrews and strangers. This would seem to indicate that the law is for everyone and for ever.
16"The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. " (KJV)
Jesus was simply stating a fact, that the Old Testament scriptures alone were preached until the coming of John the Baptist. They were the only writings and information that they had. The New Testament had not been written yet. Now they would also have the good news of the kingdom of YHWH to preach.
17"And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. " (KJV)
15"If ye love me, keep my commandments. " (KJV)
21"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. " (KJV)
23"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. " (KJV)
24"He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. " (KJV)
8"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:" (KJV)
9"But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." (KJV)
10"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (KJV)
11"For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." (KJV)
12"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." (KJV)
2"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. " (KJV)
3"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. " (KJV)
14"But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:" (KJV)
Paul is saying here that the TeNaKh is still relevant.
Paul makes a distinction between what is WRITTEN in the law.
This verse shows that Paul still believed all things which are written in the law and the prophets after the Messiah's crucifixion.
"23And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening." (KJV)
What Scripture is Paul teaching?
31'Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.' (KJV)
17'For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.' (KJV)
If fulfil means to complete or do away with, then YHWH has completed or done away with His will and His Words.