Subject: How do we attain righteousness? |
Bible Note: Dear Dave, This is a question I have been asking myself, and studying at length lately. Some of the things I've had to overcome before even starting to look at this questions is some of the teaching and doctorine that I have been exposed to over the years. I have had the pleasure over the last few years to learn under Messianic Rabbi, this has helped me to understand the "Law" in light of the Hebraic teaching and understanding, and not the Greek Hellenisitc slant that started to creep into the early church, starting in the second century. The one thing that I learned is that the word "Law" is a mistranslation of the Hebrew word Torah which means teaching or instruction,quite a contrast to "Law" which carries many negative overtones. The Rabbi pointed out to me it never was G*ds intention to write his "Laws" on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of his children. Notice in Exodus 20:18-20 in verse 19 they said to Moses, "You, speak to us; and we will listen. But don't let G*d speak with us, or we will die." Notice that people didn't want to hear directly from G*d, that way they, If they heard it second hand so to speak they had an excuse for not obeying. And so it is today when people teach against being obedient to G*ds "Law" today. We should want to obey G*d because we love him, not because we have to (Legalism) Jesus never taught against the Torah, quite the opposite he was Torah observant, and came not to fulfill the "Law" but to fill it with his spirit. In Matthew 5:19 Jesus says "So whoever disobeys the least of these commandments(mitzvot/good deeds)and teaches others to do so will be least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven." notice that your salvation is not in jeopardy for not obeying, just your standing in the Kingdom. We don't follow the Torah for salvation,it was never for salvation, G*d has always saved by Grace and Faith(Trusting in him.) The Torah is that mirror we look into, if we dare, to see the areas in our life that we need the help and power of the Holy Spirit to mold and change us into a more Christ like believer. In Yeshua (Christ) Magnum |