Role of Torah

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Did God do away with the law in Romans?

Did God “Do Away” With the Law in Romans?

Q and A with Dr. Michael Brown. How do you reconcile the seemingly contradictory messages from Romans 10:4 and Romans 3:31? [Read more]

Matthew 5:17-20 by JK McKee

Matthew 5:17-20 – A Thorough Investigation

According to Yeshua the Messiah’s words here in Matthew 5:17, delivered within His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chs. 5-7, the Savior clearly states what His views are regarding the Torah of Moses. Along with Psalm 23 and the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), Matthew 5-7 includes the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12) and the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), the four passages together composing the most frequently read and valued sections of the Bible for most evangelical Christians. Yeshua’s statements about the Torah are not at all hidden away in some obscure place. Jesus says very plainly that His purpose was not to “abolish” the Torah or Law of Moses, but to “fulfill” it. Gain a deeper understanding of Matthew 5:17-20 from a pro-torah perspective. [Read more]

Matthew 5:17-20 Tim Hegg

Matthew 5:17-20 Yeshua’s View of the Law

What did Yeshua (Jesus Christ) have to say about God’s Commandments? Was it His intention to abolish the Law of Moses? Investigate Matthew 5:17-19. [Read more]

The Messiah is Pro-Torah By Richard Chaimberlin

The Messiah is Pro-Torah

Think not that I have come to destroy (abolish) the Torah (“Law”), or the Nevi’im (“Prophets”): I have not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law, until 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. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)

The above statements of Yeshua are very troubling for many Christians, primarily because they contradict their theology. Many Christians divide the Scriptures into Dispensations. There was the Dispensation of Law in the “Old Testament,” and now we have the Dispensation of Grace in the “New Testament.” These words of Yeshua are in direct opposition to this theology. Therefore, many resort to twisting His words His words in verse 17 to mean just the opposite of what He said. I have heard it said, “Jesus kept the Law so I don’t have to.” Since Jesus fulfilled the Law, we can safely ignore it. However, after doing some verbal gymnastics with verse 17, there remain further problems with verse 18. [Read more]

Galatians 5:2-3 Is the Torah for the Jews Only?

Galatians 5:2-3 | Falen From Grace?

It is true that in various sectors of Messianic Judaism, particularly those which promote a bilateral ecclesiology of the Kingdom of God composing two sub-groups of elect, Israel and “the Church,” that it is believed that only Jewish people are really supposed to follow the Torah. Non- Jewish Believers can keep the Torah if they wish, but it is not required or really expected of them. Galatians 5:2-3 is offered as a proof text in support of this position, as the non-Jewish Galatians who would be circumcised in the First Century, would apparently make themselves obligated, the same as any Jew, to keep the Torah. [Read more]

Galatians 3:23-25 Meaning of ‘Schoolmaster’ or ‘Pedagogue’

Galatians 3:23-25 Meaning of ‘Schoolmaster’ or ‘Pedagogue’

Daniel Botkin provides an understanding definition of ‘pedagogue’ as contained in Galatians 3:23-25: “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 Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” [Read more]

Galatians 3:23-24 How the torah leads us to Christ

Galatians 3:23-24 How the Torah Leads Us to Christ

The pastor we are examining is correct when he asserts, “The Law is our tutor to lead us to Christ,” citing Galatians 3:24 as evidence. The challenge with his assertion, though, is not in the need for the Torah’s instruction—and our widespread human inability to keep it—to reveal our sin and point us to the Messiah and the eternal redemption He provides (i.e., Romans 10:4, Grk.). The problem is that (1) when the good news is declared in much of Christianity today, people are only told about the love of God but are often never told about the judgment that is pronounced upon them as sinners, precisely because they are condemned as Torah-breakers (cf. Isaiah 24:5-6). And, (2) it has become far more commonplace in examination of Galatians to read Galatians 3:22- 25 from the perspective of it not speaking of individuals on the road to salvation, but instead of it speaking historically of the Jewish people keeping the Torah prior to the arrival of the Messiah— with the Torah only in temporary effect to be obeyed until His arrival. [Read more]

Apostle Paul from a pro-torah perspective

What do Paul’s Letters Really Say?

Marcion was an early Christian bishop who taught that the entire Old Testament should be rejected, and that Paul was the only apostle that could be trusted. Is the ghost of Marcion still at large in the Church today? [Read more]

A Torah Positive Summary of Galatians

A Torah Positive Summary of Galatians

Any discussion on the subject of Torah almost always mentions Sha’ul’s Letter to the Galatians. Many assert that this letter absolutely prohibits the practices of the first five books of the Bible by believers in Yeshua or that the Torah can have a meaningful place in the everyday life of the believer. Because of this thinking we thought it would be helpful to present a different approach to the Book of Galatians, one which we think is more in tune with the tenor of the rest of Scripture. [Read more]

Investigating Galatians: A four part series

Investigating Galatians: A four part series

This four-part series provides an excellent in-depth investigation into the book of Galatians from a pro-torah perspective. Several questions are addressed to include: Was the apostle Paul against the Law? What was the point of God’s Law? Is there to be a different law for Jew and Gentile? [Read more]