The Law and The New Covenant
There seems to be some confusion between certain Christian sects today. Confusion about what the scripture teaches the faithful of YHWH need to do to see eternal life. Some demand full observance of the 613 Mitzvoth, and others simply say faith in Yahushua alone saves. This article contains what I believe the bible says about the matter...
John 3:16 - "For Elohim so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 6:40 - "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
The Gospel seems to be suggesting in these two verses from John (and in other places) that faith in Yahushua will grant the believer eternal life. But James says here....
James 2:17 - "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
James 2:20 - "But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?"
James 2:26 - "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
This suggests that true faith in Yahushua merits works. If one really believes upon Him that believer will try to be pleasing to his Creator. When James is writing about works one might ask what works exactly is James referring to. We can reference Matthew to perhaps shed some light on that question....
Matthew 19:16 - 20 - And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"
The man approached Yahushua and asked Him how he could obtain eternal life. Yahushua replied that the man should keep the commandments, and then started reciting them. Reference Exodus 20:2–17. Although some would argue that believers in YHWH who through their faith may be Israel today should follow The 10 Commandments but also the 613 Mitzvoth. Among Christians this is rare, but there are Christian sects that insist this is the case, along with Messianic Jews. As a whole I believe the scripture teaches that true followers are told to keep the 10 Commandments (including Friday night Sabbath, but that discussion is for another time) if they wish to enter life. By keeping them they are displaying their faith in Yahushua Messiah which grants them eternal life. The will of YHWH be done. Nothing can stop His will. As far as the 613 Mitzvoth goes lets reference acts to gain some insight....
Acts 15:10 - 20 - "Now therefore why do you put Elohim to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Master Yahushua, in the same way as they also are." All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders Elohim had done through them among the Gentiles. After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me. "Simeon has related how Elohim first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His Name. "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, `AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK YHWH, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' SAYS THE YHWH, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to Elohim from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.
When we bring together the teaching in Matthew 19:16-20 and Acts 15:10-20 it seems the bible teaches that a believer in Yahushua should (because of the faith in him) follow the 10 commandments, not eat meat that was strangled, and refrain from blood. There is a theory that the 613 Mitzvoth was used in ancient times for certain reasons such as the separation of Israel from the customs and traditions and styles of the pagan nations, but those reasons had been accomplished with Messiah.
John 3:16 - "For Elohim so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 6:40 - "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
The Gospel seems to be suggesting in these two verses from John (and in other places) that faith in Yahushua will grant the believer eternal life. But James says here....
James 2:17 - "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
James 2:20 - "But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?"
James 2:26 - "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
This suggests that true faith in Yahushua merits works. If one really believes upon Him that believer will try to be pleasing to his Creator. When James is writing about works one might ask what works exactly is James referring to. We can reference Matthew to perhaps shed some light on that question....
Matthew 19:16 - 20 - And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"
The man approached Yahushua and asked Him how he could obtain eternal life. Yahushua replied that the man should keep the commandments, and then started reciting them. Reference Exodus 20:2–17. Although some would argue that believers in YHWH who through their faith may be Israel today should follow The 10 Commandments but also the 613 Mitzvoth. Among Christians this is rare, but there are Christian sects that insist this is the case, along with Messianic Jews. As a whole I believe the scripture teaches that true followers are told to keep the 10 Commandments (including Friday night Sabbath, but that discussion is for another time) if they wish to enter life. By keeping them they are displaying their faith in Yahushua Messiah which grants them eternal life. The will of YHWH be done. Nothing can stop His will. As far as the 613 Mitzvoth goes lets reference acts to gain some insight....
Acts 15:10 - 20 - "Now therefore why do you put Elohim to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Master Yahushua, in the same way as they also are." All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders Elohim had done through them among the Gentiles. After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me. "Simeon has related how Elohim first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His Name. "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, `AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK YHWH, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' SAYS THE YHWH, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to Elohim from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.
When we bring together the teaching in Matthew 19:16-20 and Acts 15:10-20 it seems the bible teaches that a believer in Yahushua should (because of the faith in him) follow the 10 commandments, not eat meat that was strangled, and refrain from blood. There is a theory that the 613 Mitzvoth was used in ancient times for certain reasons such as the separation of Israel from the customs and traditions and styles of the pagan nations, but those reasons had been accomplished with Messiah.
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FounderPermalink Reply by Cyprium on -
Thank you for posting this Matthew...i think there's a strong divide between believers in this. There's a potential trap laying in wait for both the view that every ordinance of Moses still applies and the view that profession of faith and grace is sufficient. On one hand, it is very easy to be bogged down in details of ordinances to the point of making that synonymous with righteousness... the individual ends up "straining gnats and swallowing camels" while developing a sense of self righteous pride. It is also possible to begin to view "grace alone" through eyes half clouded by a pattern of willful sin that is self-excused by that very grace.
There is a very good reason that faith without works is dead. The faith that does not prove itself out in action may as well not exist...and probably doesn't. To have faith is to be faithful, and like so many other commandments, like the commandment to love each other as we love ourselves...it is continually misunderstood as commands dealing with feelings. It's helpful to remember that YHWH has never given anyone a commandment to Feel anything. Faith is not a feeling, it's a rational and willful process of trust, and the will that trusts YHWH acts on it. Likewise love that does not manifest in action may as well not exist..and really does not. Affectionate feelings can't take the place of genuine good will Done to another.
Faith with no manifest action is worthless and the end result of manifested faith is love toward Elohim. As He said..to love Him is to obey Him. This is precisely why all commandments boil down to two...to love Him with all one's being and to love each other as we love ourselves.
Whatever we are convicted to do and carry out through His Holy Spirit is an act of love towards Him. That is the only way to worship Him...to do all things as to Him and for Him. It is very possible to be persuaded of ordinances by men's teachings and carry those out to no other end but one's own pride. I believe in the end, we all know exactly what He wants from us in our own conscience and it's a matter of honestly dealing with that conviction and coming to a simple conclusion.
I think most believers know that the ten commandments are Still the ten commandments....that one of those deals with honoring a sabbath which never changed and yet they may have never honestly questioned themselves over a refusal to honor it themselves.
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