Salvation: Critique of Torah Critics
This post is aimed toward the countless people who have been critical on my teaching keeping the Torah by Remembering the Sabbath and avoiding unclean foods such as pig. My heart is heavy because as much as I have attempted to clarify my position, they respond with straw-man arguments. A straw-man argument is when someone misrepresents and opposing argument to make it easier to attack. Some do this unintentionally because they simply did not understand the original argument, but others do this willfully as a shortcut to avoid confronting difficult truths. In the process many are led astray and truth is obscured.
He Thinks He is Perfect
Anyone claiming I think this implies I have no brain. I cannot image a single person in the world, however arrogant, that could honestly believe they are perfect at anything 100% of the time. To make this claim in a comment on a video where I admit faults by indicating that I too have broken the sabbath, eaten pigs, and otherwise been willfully ignorant of His laws appears fundamentally dishonest. At best such a person jumped to conclusions and commented and condemned without actually watching the video.
No One can Keep the Law
This is true, while we are in the flesh. I even quoted the biblical truth that “all have sinned” in the video. I have never claimed the contrary. This is just another way of presenting the straw-man of a requirement of perfection. Anyone presenting “perfection” as the standard of salvation is illogical and implying someone else has put forth that argument is tantamount to calling them an idiot devoid of logic. Therefore, an honest person must assume that this is not the basis of another’s position when seeking to understand what they are saying.
This argument is sometimes presented by stating the obvious, “break any point in the law is breaking the whole law” which is an indirect way of invoking the straw-man of perfection.
In fact, I would be surprised to find anyone who actually teaches keeping the law to perfection as a requirement for salvation. It is just so fundamentally illogical and self-defeating that even so-called “Torah Tyrants” don’t teach perfection. Therefore, the individuals invoking this argument are either willfully ignorant or grasping at straw-men to hide the weakness in their own position.
Saved By Faith Alone
What is “faith”? The meaning of words such as “faith” and “belief” in the context of the Hebrew language and mindset is critical. “Faith” and “belief” are actions not thoughts in Hebrew.
By faith Abraham, when called…, obeyed and went” — Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. — Hebrews 11:17
Would you have considered Abraham to have had “faith” if he had not obeyed? You may claim you believe you can fly and all you need to do is think happy thoughts, but only when you jump out of an airplane without a parachute do you prove your faith. How does God test our faith? By asking for obedience.
So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. — James 2:24
This is as clear as can be, but people have different definitions about what acts count as “doing”. Anyone who says faith alone denies plain scripture. Faith plus doing something as a result of said professed faith is required to be right with God. The only thing left to debate is what commands has God given us to obey to test and prove our faith.
The Law and Prophets were Until John
“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” — Luke 16:16
This verse has been presented to argue that the law and the prophets ended with John, and now something new, “The Kingdom of God”, has taken its place. Entering into it is not “easy” but requires effort to “press into”. Saying you “believe” something is easy, acting on that belief through obedience is pressing/leaning into.
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will by any means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. — Matthew 5:18
So unless everything in the law and the prophets has been fulfilled nothing will pass or be removed from the law by any means.
Whoever then shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach others the same, he will be called least (nothing) in the kingdom of the heaven; but whoever shall keep and shall teach them, he will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. — Matthew 5:19
So the Kingdom of Heaven that is being preached since John ranks people by how well they keep and teach the least of the commands. Anyone teaching that the law has been done away with is on the opposite end of the spectrum and and pressing/leaning out of rather than leaning into the kingdom. Some accounts record “least” as meaning “like nothing” or “as nothing”.
Jesus Kept the Law so I don’t Have To
For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. — Romans 5:17
This verse has been presented as evidence that all the “righteousness” we need comes from Jesus, and that Jesus’ keeping of the law is all that was required. The rest of us cannot add anything. They claim the “law is no more”.
I have already presented the verses that say the law will not pass until heaven and earth pass, and that teaching the least of the law makes you the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. — Luke 6:40
So if we are “following Yeshua” and asking “WWJD” then we will be like our teacher. If Yeshua kept the law, and we are his disciples then we should be “learning to keep the law”. We will never be perfect in the flesh, but at the rapture we will be like him.
Original Sin
Surely there is nothing new under the sun. The original law was a dietary command, “thou shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. Satan’s original lie was “Did God really say?”. Eve’s original temptation was that “it looks good/enjoyable”. Satan’s promise “you will not die, but be like God”. And the original sin that caused the fall of man was the breaking of a “dietary law”.
Fuzzy Definitions of Words
The word “righteousness” is not a word most people use every day and its meaning in scripture is easily twisted. One person dropped the following quote implying it countered the argument to keep the law. In reality it says the exact opposite of what they thought.
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. — Romans 10
Let me define “righteousness” as “right way of living” or “right law”, which is practically straight out of the dictionary. Now lets substitute it into the sentence.
For they being ignorant of God’s “right way of living”, and going about to establish their own “right way of living”, have not submitted themselves unto the “right way of living” of God. For Christ is the end (extent, extreme, limit) of the law for “right way of living” to everyone who believes. — Romans 10
Then if you expand the context of Romans 10 which opens with “my hearts desire and prayer to God **for Israel** is that they might be saved” and ends with…
But Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands
To a disobedient and contrary people.” — Romans 10:21
So Paul’s point is that he prays that Israel might be saved, but they are not because, just as Isaiah prophesied, “Israel is a disobedient and contrary people”.
Consider the following from the same chapter, often quoted as against the law.
For Moses writes about the righteousness (“right way of living”) which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live (be saved) by them.” — Romans 10:5
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness (“right way of living”), and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes (unto right way of living) on Him (as He taught) will not be put to shame.” — Romans 10:10
Conclusion
I am certain there are many other verses that have been twisted out of context and made inconsistent with the teachings of Yeshua. Check out 119 Ministries and see what they have to say about those verses. There are ample explanations for those who are willing to investigate and seek the truth.
Sadly, wide is the way that leads to destruction and most people would prefer the “easy path” of defining their own “right way of living” and declare that the law, which is God’s righteousness, has been done away with and that we can each define our own “right way of living” because we have eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They assume God will impute and credit his “right way of living” on to you just because you have an intellectual belief that He exists and died for your sins.
If we want his “righteousness” we have to declare that “his right way of living” is good and desire to follow it. Otherwise, by your own mouth you profess that you do not want his “righteousness” and declare that it has been “done away with”. If God’s law has been done away with, then there is nothing for Him to impute righteousness to you with, there is nothing for you to be forgiven of, and there is no need for you to change anything when you enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Kingdom of Heaven all will keep his law, so why are so many so adamant that keeping his law is not a standard to be sought to the best of our ability here and now?
