The Circumcision – Outdated Legalism, or Loving Obedience?

The Word of the Almighty (Torah) is such a beautiful creation that is perfect and good in every way. It teaches us how we are to love Him and draw close to Him and also how to love and care for our neighbors too. But there are religions, like Christianity/Messianic, Hebrew Roots and even Islam, who believe and teach that it is old and outdated to some degree or another. Such people see the Torah as a list of do’s and don’ts. These are the people who do not know or understand the heart of the Torah or the Almighty at all.

These people also only see the Scriptures in a very shallow way and cannot see or recognize the true depth, meaning and value of the Scriptures. What that leads to, is simply a lack of understanding of many teachings and, therefore, the belief that many of the ancient customs are outdated and no longer necessary today. But to someone who dedicates his life to the pursuit of truth and understanding and the deeper study of the Torah, this idea of being outdated is absolutely ludicrous. What some might perceive as redundant, to another person it is a great treasure and overwhelming wealth.

Maimonedes (Rambam) explains, so clearly, the differences between the Torah Jews and other religions, that might seem to resemble that of Torah Judaism. It is this that he wrote to the Jews who were living in Yemen, who, at that time, were being persecuted and was facing forced conversion to other religions, in that case it was to Islam. Rambam wrote these letters to support the Jews and encourage them to stay strong in their beliefs. In one of his letters, he wrote the following:

  “Our religion differs as much from other religions as a living person differs from a lifeless statue, which is ever so well carved out of marble, wood, bronze or silver. When an ignorant person sees a statue that superficially resembles man in contour, form, features and color, he thinks that the structure of its parts is similar to that of a human being. But the informed person, who knows the interior of both, is aware of the fact that the internal structure of the statue shows no skillful workmanship at all, whereas the inner parts of man are marvelously made.

So too, a person ignorant of the deep meaning of the Bible, and of the deeper significance of the Torah, would be led to believe that our religion has something in common with another. True, both contain a system of religious observances; but the tenets of other religions, though resembling those of the Bible, are merely superficial imitations. People have modeled their religions after ours in order to glorify themselves”

One of the biggest controversies surrounding the Scriptures is that of the circumcision. Many teach that it is

If your argument is, “but I am too old,” Then please spare a thought for Avraham who was 99 years old when he circumcised HIMSELF. He did so because of his love and devotion to the Almighty Creator, without any hesitation at all.

Now, let us look at the different views and understandings of this commandment and see which view is shallow and deceitful and which is the one who knows the deeper rooted understanding of this commandment.

As noted above, Christianity/Messianic believe that it is redundant and not necessary to perform anymore. Some do it because they want to, for health benefits etc, and not because it is a commandment. Some may do it because the Torah teaches so, and often because their friends are doing it too, but they are few and far between. They claim that Sha’ul (Paul) taught that circumcision is not longer necessary and that in Acts 15 it was done away with. We will discuss this case further below.

Now let us see what Judaism teaches on this subject. This section was taken from Jewish commentary of the Torah from the Torah portion mentioned:

”Regarding the commandment of the circumcision (Gen 17:9-14).

From the sequence of this chapter, it is clear that the blessings of the children and possession of the Land depended on circumcision, a connection that is also implied in the second blessing of the Blessing after Meals.

The symbolic significance of this commandment is indicated by the name of the flesh that is removed in performance of the commandment – “orlah,” commonly translated as ‘foreskin,’ but more accurately, as it is used in Scripture, ‘a barrier’ standing in the way of a beneficial result. For example, the sinful habits that predispose a person not to change his lifestyle are called the ‘orlah’ of the heart (Lev26:41; Jer 9:25; Eze 44:7).

Thus, although this concept is beyond human understanding, circumcision is a means to help the Israelite ennoble himself and return to the spiritual state of Adam before his sin. As the Sages teach, Adam was born circumcised, but after his sin his foreskin was extended and covered the organ (Senhedrin 38b), as a symbol that he had created a barrier between himself and set-apartness.

By removing the superfluous skin covering the organ of continuity, circumcision teaches that man must eliminate the natural barriers blocking his advancement. But circumcision’s capacity to accomplish this is not a logical outcome of the physical act; to the contrary, it is metaphysical. This aspect of circumcision is symbolized by the commandment that it be done on the eighth day of a boy’s life. As Maharal teaches, the natural order of Creation involves cycles of seven, such as the seven days of the week and the seven years of the Shemittah agricultural cycle. The number eight represents the concept that one can rise above limitations of nature. By commanding Israel to circumcise its male children on the eighth day, Elohim taught that the Israelite’s ability to remove the barriers to his spiritual ascent transcends the natural order of life. Nevertheless, Elohim gives man the ability to do it – and since he can, he must.

A commandment consists of two parts: the physical act and its underlying moral or spiritual teaching – and neither is complete without the other. Just as it is not enough to perform the commanded deeds if they are denuded of intellectual and moral content, so it is not enough to philosophize on the commandments and seek moral improvement without actually performing the commandments. Hence, the physical act is the covenant, but it is also a sign of the covenant’s deeper meaning.”

Can you see the difference? The one sees the commandment as a redundant obligation whereas the other sees its true value which is removing the barrier so that we can come closer to the Almighty. The one view is humanistic and the other is recognizing the love for YHWH. Also notice how valuable and important it is to analyze the Hebrew text for the absolute truth. You will not find this information in any English translations at all.

So what about Acts 15… does that not teach that circumcision is not necessary for Gentile believers? Well, lets analyze it a little bit together.

”And certain men came down from Yehudah and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised, according to the practice of Mosheh, you are unable to be saved.”” (Act 15:1). Here we see that certain Y’hudim were teaching that new believers must submit to all the Torah straight away, including the Circumcision. But this is not possible for new believers as it takes a lot of study to know the whole Torah.

”So when Sha’ul and Barnabah had no small dissension and dispute with them, they arranged for Sha’ul and Barnabah and certain others of them to go up to Yerushalayim, to the emissaries and elders, about this question.” (Act 15:2). Sha’ul and Barnabah were not disagreeing with the Y’hudim with regards to the circumcision, but rather when it was to be introduced to the new believers. This is so that the new believers would not be frightened off. So they went and sought counsel.

“Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the gentiles who are turning to Elohim, but that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled, and from blood.” (Act 15:19-20). Here it is clear that only new believers from other nations (non-Jews) who were turning to Elohim (Torah Judaism). They were taught that there are a few things that they have to immediately obey without question. These things are:

1) Abstain from Idols:

           

a)      Eating meat offered to idols

b)      Speaking in the names of idols (Exodus 23:13)

c)      Having an idols image or statue in your home

d)      Riches and popularity etc.

2) Whoring:

            a) Do not commit adultery

            b) Do not have any sexual relations with anyone other than your husband or wife

            c) Do not follow the teachings of men

            d) Do not turn away from the Word of the Almighty to follow other false teachings

3) What is strangled:

            a) Any meat that comes from an animal that has been strangled, which is a kosher law

4) Blood:

            a) No blood is allowed to be eaten, for the soul is in the blood (Kosher law)

            b) Do not murder

            c) Women’s monthly cycle laws

These things are absolute no-no’s for anyone who turns to the faith of the Messiah, and have to stopped immediately if they are still being performed. But that is not where it ends. The chapter goes on to say:

“For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him – being read in the congregations every Sabbath.” (Act 15:21). Here is the key to the entire chapter. Because the new believers do not know the whole Torah, they need to go to the Jewish congregations on every Shabbat to learn Mosheh (Torah) so that they can know how to live their life in righteousness and serve the Almighty in truth.

As one learns the way of righteousness, he is then required to live accordingly. That is why the new believers went to learn Mosheh, so that they can learn righteousness and changed their old practices and habits in favor of the teachings of the Torah. So when it came to the section in the Torah which speaks of the Circumcision, the new believers then, out of their own desire to obey and serve YHWH, became circumcised, because that is what the Torah teaches. In fact, the Torah makes it very clear that no person can partake in the Passover if he is not circumcised in the flesh.

It is very clear that, neither Sha’ul, nor any other disciple ever taught that it was not necessary to be circumcised. Only through the twisting of Scripture and trickery, do the Christian/Messianics teach this false theology.

Let us end with the following Scripture of a prophecy:

”‘Thus said the Master יהוה (YHWH), “No son of a foreigner, uncircumcised in heart OR uncircumcised in flesh, comes into My set-apart place, even any son of a foreigner who is among the children of Yisra’ĕl” (Eze 44:9).

Do you want to go into the Set-Apart place of the Almighty, or do you want to be rejected and denied entrance because you did not want to become circumcised, and chose to keep the barrier between yourself and the Almighty Creator of the heavens and the earth?

Romans 3 with comentary

This chapter of Romans is twisted so much to suite many false doctrines that the Church teaches. So I am revealing the true context for people to see the Truth. we are not to follow what we think or believe the Scriptures are saying but rather follow what the Scriptures really are saying.


“What then is the advantage of the Yehuḏite (Jew)? Or what is the value of the circumcision? Much in every way! Because firstly indeed, that they were entrusted with the Words of Elohim” (Rom 3:1-2). What Shaul wrote here totally disproves what is called the “replacement theology” that is taught by the Church. You see, the Church teaches that the Jews gave up their right to be called “God’s people”, so that the Church can take their place. This is done so that they can blackmail the population into joining the Church (Christian faith) or else they cannot be saved. This is also where anti-Semitic propaganda comes from, teaching the masses that the Jews killed “Jesus”. This is a very dangerous and evil thought. Shaul makes it very clear that the Jews are truly the chosen people, even until today.

“For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief nullify the trustworthiness of Elohim? Let it not be! But let Elohim be true, and every man a liar, as it has been written, “That You should be declared right in Your words, and prevail in Your judging.”” (Rom 3:3-4). Now the majority of Judaism denies that Yehoshua is the Messiah and they are still waiting for “the Messiah” to come for the first time. There are however, many Jews that believe in Yehoshua as the Messiah, and keep their belief in silence. There are also many Jews who are totally “non-religious” but the majority of the Jews follow after religious traditions, namely, the Talmud and Oral Law, which Shaul refers to as ‘under the law’.

Now what Shaul is saying here is that just because some of the Jews do not believe in the truth, does in no way make the truth false. The Word of YHWH is truth which is the Torah and the prophets. Any man that speaks words of his own, is a liar. But if a man speaks the Word of YHWH, then his words are true.

If anyone lives according to the Torah of YHWH, then that person will not be found guilty in the time of judgment.

“But if our unrighteousness establishes the righteousness of Elohim, what shall we say? Is Elohim unrighteous who is inflicting wrath? I speak as a man. Let it not be! Otherwise how shall Elohim judge the world? For if the truth of Elohim has increased through my lie, to His esteem, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil so that the good might come”? – as we are wrongly accused and as some claim that we say. Their judgment is in the right” (Rom 3:5-8). Here is a piece of text that the Church twists to justify their false doctrines. It is a common thought among the Christian faith that it is impossible to keep the Ten Commandments. The problem with that statement is that it is not supported by the Scriptures. One can see this as soon as you start reading the Scriptures and noticing that the whole theme of the Scriptures is to obey the Word of YHWH. Even the Messiah made this clear when he quoted the Scriptures and said, “But He answering, said, “It has been written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of יהוה (YHWH).’ ” (Mat 4:4). And what is the Word of YHWH? It is the Tanakh (Torah and the Prophets) of course.

The teachings of the Church are humanistic teachings and not the teachings or Words of YHWH. In the days of Shaul, the Christian Church had not been founded yet and Shaul had never heard the word Christian or the word Church, which are both from pagan origin.

Shaul was saying that righteousness cannot be established on unrighteousness. You see, Elohim afflicted and still does afflict wrath on unrighteousness. So the question was that if we established righteousness by our unrighteousness, how can Elohim be righteous if he afflicts us? The answer to this is that righteousness is established on righteousness, NOT unrighteousness.  We are to live by the spirit and not by our flesh. In other words, we are to die to our unrighteous humanistic flesh so that we can live by the righteous Spirit of Elohim who writes the Torah on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all, for we have previously accused both Yehuḏim (Jews) and Gentiles that they are all under sin. As it has been written, “There is none righteous, no, not one! “There is no one who is understanding, there is none who is seeking Elohim. “They all have turned aside, they have together become worthless. There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Rom 3:9-12).
Now here is one of the favorite arguments that the Christian Church uses to justify their sinful way of living. But in order to justify that no one can be righteous by this piece of Shaul’s letter, one must either be twisting Shaul’s writings or just be untaught in the Scriptures. Peter himself said that this would happen, “and reckon the patience of our Master as deliverance, as also our beloved brother Sha’ul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, as also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these matters, in which some are hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the other Scriptures. You, then, beloved ones, being forewarned, watch, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the delusion of the lawless” (2 Peter 3:15-17).

What Shaul is saying is that no man is righteous if he lives according to his own instruction. But as soon as we live according to the Instruction of YHWH (the Torah), then we live righteously as the Torah of YHWH is righteous. It is evil to believe that it is impossible to live according to the Torah of YHWH, or that no one has or can achieve this. As soon as you believe that to be true, then you believe the Scriptures to be untrue.

Let me point out a few examples. Noah was righteous and perfect (Gen 6:9, 7:1), Abraham was righteous (Gen 15:6), Yoseph (Joseph), the step father of Yehoshua was righteous (Mat 1:19), Yehochanan (John the Baptist) was righteous (Mark 6:20), the parents of Yehochanan were both righteous and walking in all the Commands of YHWH (Luke 1:5-6), a man called Shim’on was righteous (Luke 2:25) and there are MANY more places in the Scriptures that tell of righteous people walking in the Torah of YHWH. Yehoshua the Son of YHWH said that He did not come for the righteous, but for the sinners to come to repentance (Luke 5:32). Repentance is turning away from sin and following righteousness.

What does it mean to be righteous? “And it is righteousness for us when we guard to do all this command before יהוה (YHWH) our Elohim, as He has commanded us” (Deut 6:25)

Also another important point that Shaul makes is that those who are righteous are no more important than the unrighteous. This is because everyone was unrighteous before repentance and only by the favor of YHWH have the righteous found the truth of righteousness.

“Their throat is an open tomb, with their tongues they have deceived, The poison of adders is under their lips, Whose mouth is filled with cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and wretchedness are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of Elohim before their eyes.” (Rom 3:13-18). Shaul writes of the human nature of men, explaining that no person is good as long as we do not follow the Instruction of YHWH (His Torah). Notice that everything that Shaul mentions here is 100% against the Torah of YHWH. Naturally, man is not good and reverts to all these evil deeds that are written here. As soon as we start seeking the reign of YHWH and His righteousness, then these evil deeds will be disgusting in our eyes, just as they are disgusting in the eyes of YHWH and we will turn away from them.

“And we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those who are in the Torah (here the Aramaic Peshitta says, “under the Torah”), so that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world come under judgment before Elohim. Therefore by works of Torah no flesh shall be declared right before Him, for by the Torah is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:19-20). Now here is a confusing section for those who are untaught or unstable in the Scriptures. This is also one of the favorite sections that the Church use to justify the false doctrine that they do not have to follow the Word of YHWH anymore. They use it to judge the righteous people who are following the Instruction of YHWH, by calling them legalists, as they are ‘under the Law’. This however is a very evil teaching. The term ‘under the Torah’ refers to being under a religious organization like Rabbinical Judaism and even Christianity, etc. (This fact actually proves that the Christians are the ones who are the legalists!)

Only the mouths of the unrighteous have to be shut as they speak evil things. But if a person speaks the words of Torah, then he does not speak his own words, but rather the Words of YHWH by which we live.

‘Works of the Torah’ means exactly the same as ‘under the Torah’, see commentary on verse 28. No one can be saved through works on their own. The Scriptures also teach that those who do not do the Torah of YHWH will be cast into the fire and will not be granted entrance into the kingdom of YHWH (Rev 22:14). The Torah is the Instruction of YHWH for us that leads us to righteousness.

It is crazy how the Church teaches that we should not sin anymore, and then in the same breath, teaches us that we do not have to obey the Torah of YHWH anymore! Is there a contradiction anywhere that is greater than this? The Torah teaches us how to love YHWH and how to love our neighbor too, it teaches us how to care for our animals and how to farm and care for the land too, it also teaches us how to care for the fatherless, the widow and the poor, it teaches us to stay away from evil and idolatry, it teaches us how to look after our bodies and how to stay healthy (all of which the Church totally ignores). The Torah is also the knowledge of sin! Have you ever thought what this means? It means that if you break any of the instructions of YHWH (the Torah), then it is sin.

“But now, apart from the Torah, a righteousness of Elohim has been revealed, being witnessed by the Torah and the Prophets” (Rom 3:21) Yehoshua qualified as Mashiyach because He fulfilled all Torah and Prophetic requirements, and He became Torah. Torah is written upon the heart by the Ruach haKodesh; the Spirit of Mashiyach is Torah which is the Spirit of Mashiyach, or the Manifestation (Word) of YHWH which became flesh and dwelt among us. Therefore, if we live “in” Yehoshua, we will also follow the Torah. It is evil to posture that Shaul brought Torah down, when in fact Yehoshua and Shaul restored and elevated Torah to be the foundation of a spiritual dialogue with Heaven.

If Yehoshua followed the Torah 100%, and we are to follow in His footsteps, does that mean we also have to follow the Torah? (1 Peter 2:21).

“and the righteousness of Elohim is through belief in יהושע (Yehoshua) Messiah to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the esteem of Elohim,” (Rom 3:22-23). Do the demons also believe (James 2:19)? Is believing in the Messiah and continuing in sin acceptable to the Almighty? Are those who believe in “Jesus” but do not keep the Commands of YHWH the true believers? Let us see, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of יהושע (Yehoshua) Messiah” (Rev 12:17), “Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of יהושע (Yehoshua)” (Rev 14:12). One cannot believe in the Messiah and not observe the Torah, it is just impossible.

“being declared right, without paying, by His favour through the redemption which is in Messiah יהושע (Yehoshua), whom Elohim set forth as an atonement (a covering), through belief in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His tolerance Elohim had passed over the sins that had taken place before, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He is righteous and declares righteous the one who has belief in יהושע (Yehoshua)” (Rom 3:24-26). There is a teaching in the Church that because “Jesus’” blood covers sin, we can now ignore the Instruction of YHWH. Notice here that that is the exact opposite to what Shaul is saying. Yes Yehoshua became the Lamb that was sacrificed as a sin offering and that He is the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) who presents His blood to YHWH for the covering of sins. But notice also how it says “for sins that had taken place before”. All the sacrifices that were done from the beginning of time were all representative of the Messiah and that the blood of Yehoshua covered all the sins past, after repentance, from Adam to the death of the Messiah. It in no way means that we are now ‘allowed’ to sin or that anything has changed from the Word of YHWH. Is not the Torah everlasting (Mat 5:18)?

One thing we need to remember is, how can the Almighty declare someone, who continues to disobey His Instruction, to be righteous? That is impossible. The people who have belief in Yehoshua are all Torah observant and are then declared righteous.

“Where, then, is the boasting? It is shut out. By what Torah? Of works? No, but by the Torah of belief” (Rom 3:27). The Pharisees taught that new believers needed to immediately adhere to all the laws of the Torah, then afterward find belief, however, the Good News teaches otherwise, we first need to believe and have faith, then the Torah will be written on our hearts and we will desire to learn and do the whole Torah of YHWH. We see this when James proclaimed that new believers need not be circumcised immediately in Acts 15 as they needed to believe first and find that out as they study the Torah for themselves. New believers did however need to immediately refrain from certain things, “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the gentiles who are turning to Elohim, but that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled, and from blood” (Act 15:19-20). Sadly there is no Christian church that teaches or even abstains from any of these things written in Acts 15.

“For we reckon that a man is declared right by belief without works of Torah” (Rom 3:28) The terms “works of Torah” and “under Torah” predate Shaul by hundreds of years. These terms were discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls (A Sectarian Manifesto 4QMMT:4Q394-399); while originally referring to the ultra religious halakha of the Essenes, the same principles apply to the Pharisees’ halakha. These two phrases are also mentioned in Romans 6:14, 15, 9:32, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 21, Galatians 2:16, 3:2, 5, 10, 23, 4:4, 5, 21, 5:18. “Under Torah” refers to the orthodox/traditional interpretation and observance of Torah. Religious halakha is clearly NOT what Yehoshua or Shaul followed in their observance of Torah. The Renewed Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:33 is to write the Torah of YHWH upon the hearts of His people, not the “Torah of men.” The idiomatic expression “works of Torah” provides insight to those of a “traditional” Jewish upbringing. Shaul references Jews at the beginning of this chapter; in verse 19 he states “Now we know” referring to those who understand Torah and halakha.

“Or is He the Elohim of the Yehuḏim (Jews) only, and not also of the gentiles? Yea, of the gentiles also, since it is one Elohim who shall declare right the circumcised by belief and the uncircumcised through belief” (Rom 3:29-30). Once again we see that Shaul is speaking of the Jews and Gentiles when referring to the circumcision and the uncircumcision respectively. Gentile believers (wild olive) can be engrafted into the true belief (good olive) and hence, YHWH is the Elohim of the Jews and the Gentile believers too. Shaul did not in any way teach that Gentile believers need not be circumcised in the flesh as required in the Torah, but rather that they need to believe before blindly doing Commands without belief.

“Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief (faith)? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah” (Rom 3:31) As we can see here, faith or belief does not in anyway nullify the Torah, in fact, we cannot have faith or belief without the observance of the Torah. On the other side, the observance of Torah without faith or belief is also not possible.

Tzitzit

Now here is a topic that is usually a conversation starter for my wife and I. The reason for this is because it is visible to other people. The wearing of Tzitzit (Tassels) is actually the only evidence to other people, who have never met you, about your faith. The Idea of wearing Tzitzit is a very simple, yet powerful idea. That is why the Creator commanded us to wear them. It is a Command, not a suggestion.

 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them to make tzitziyot on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord in the tzitzit of the corners. And it shall be to you for a tzitzit, and you shall see it, and shall remember all the commands of יהוה (YHWH) and shall do them, and not search after your own heart and your own eyes after which you went whoring” (Num 15:38-39). The whole idea of wearing the tzitzit is to remind us of all the Torah of YHWH and not only for us to remember but also to do all the Torah.

The wearing of tzitzit in the Christian Church is non existent for the simple reason that the Christians follow the Church rather than the Scriptures themselves. The Church teaches that the Word of the Almighty does not apply to Christianity anymore but rather the man-made religious doctrines, and therefore, anyone who is obedient to the Creator and not to the Church, by wearing tzitzit is totally frowned upon and labeled as a legalist.

The word “Christian” means “to be Christ like” but Christianity does in no way look anything like “Christ-like.” The Scripture itself teaches us that we are to walk as the Messiah walked, “The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked” (1 John 2:6). The Church even at a stage came out with “WWJD” arm bands that were a huge hit among the youth. What does “WWJD” stand for? “What Would Jesus Do.” This was a ploy to get the youth more devoted to the church and not really teaching them what the Messiah really did or would do if He were here with us now.

Let us for a moment consider what the Messiah would do if He were here with us today; He would firstly not be called “Jesus”, He would keep the Seventh Day Sabbath and not go to church on a Sunday, He would also eat only kosher foods and He would most definitely wear tzitzit among other things. He would basically keep the whole Torah of His Father who is in heaven. Did the wearing of the wrist band that said “WWJD” teach anyone to do these things? Certainly not. If we are to be believers in the Messiah and follow Him, then we are to walk as He walked.

Now as we saw, from above, that the Messiah would be wearing Tzitzit if He were walking among us today and did wear Tzitzit when he did walk upon the earth, some 2,000 years ago. We see this in the following verses: “And see, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I shall be healed. But יהושע (Yehoshua) turned, and when He saw her He said, “Take courage, daughter, your belief has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that hour” (Mat 9:20-22). Here is the record of the same event by the testimony of Luke, “And a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who, having spent all her livelihood on physicians, was unable to be healed by any, came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped” (Luke 8:43)

Here are some other passages also speaking of tzitzit being worn by the Messiah, “And having passed over, they came to the land of Gennĕsar. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding country, and brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him to let them only touch the tzitzit of His garment. And as many as touched it were completely healed” (Mat 14:34-36). “And wherever He went, into villages, or cities, or the country, they were laying the sick in the market-places, and begged Him to let them touch if only the tzitzit of His garment. And as many as touched Him were healed” (Mark 6:56)

So as we can see by what the Scriptures teach us, if we are to be followers of the Messiah, we too have to wear tzitzit on the four corners of our garments.

Now I have read an article claiming that only the men have to wear tzitzit as the Torah taught the Almighty was speaking to the men only. They get this from the following verse, “Speak to the children (bein) of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them to make tzitziyot 1 on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord in the tzitzit 2 of the corners” (Num 15:38). The word used for children is from the Hebrew word “bein” which ultimately means son, however, when used in this context, the whole of Israel was being addressed as it can also refer to a nation, as there are more meanings to the word "bein", namely, "grandson", "child" or "member of a group", as is the same case in many other instances, when only the men are being addressed then the Scripture would more specific to that idea by using the word "ish" which means "man" or "husband".

So it is clear that we all have to wear tzitzit, whether man or woman, if we are to be called the followers of Y’hoshua the Messiah. It is also not a matter of achieving a certain level before one is able to wear tzitzit, but rather it is about obeying the Instruction of YHWH as it is commanded us to do.

The Voice of YHWH

This past weekend that just past was a double rest day, the weekly Sabbath and then Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) the next day. It was so lovely to gather with fellow believers and to learn out of the Torah of what YHWH has given us. I would like to share with you something that really shook me. Let us read some of the Scripture to see what I am talking about (I have highlighted the parts that are relevant to this article):

“And now, if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples – for all the earth is Mine

and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”

And Mosheh came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה (YHWH) commanded him.

And all the people answered together and said, “All that יהוה (YHWH) has spoken we shall do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to יהוה (YHWH).

And יהוה (YHWH) said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה (YHWH).

And יהוה  said to Mosheh, “Go to the people and set them apart today and tomorrow. And they shall wash their garments,

and shall be prepared by the third day. For on the third day יהוה  shall come down upon Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.

 “And you shall make a border for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.

 ‘Not a hand is to touch it, but he shall certainly be stoned or shot with an arrow, whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, let them come near the mountain.”

And Mosheh came down from the mountain to the people and set the people apart, and they washed their garments.

And he said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not come near a wife.”

And it came to be, on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain. And the sound of the ram’s horn was very loud, and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

And Mosheh brought the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

And Mount Sinai was in smoke, all of it, because יהוה (YHWH) descended upon it in fire. And its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.

And when the blast of the ram’s horn sounded long and became louder and louder, Mosheh spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.

And יהוה  came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And יהוה  called Mosheh to the top of the mountain, and Mosheh went up.

And יהוה  said to Mosheh, “Go down, and warn the people, lest they break through unto יהוה  to see, and many of them fall.

And let the priests who come near יהוה (YHWH) set themselves apart too, lest יהוה  break out against them.”

And Mosheh said to יהוה (YHWH), “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Make a border around the mountain and set it apart.’ ”

And יהוה  said to him, “Come, go down and then come up, you and Aharon with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest He break out against them.”

And Mosheh went down to the people and spoke to them.

And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying,

 “I am יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery.

 “You have no other mighty ones against My face.

 “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth,

you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.

 “You do not bring the Name of יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim to naught, for יהוה (YHWH) does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught.

 “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.

 “Six days you labour, and shall do all your work,

but the seventh day is a Sabbath of יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

 “For in six days יהוה (YHWH) made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה (YHWH) blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

 “Respect your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged upon the soil which יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim is giving you.

 “You do not murder.

 “You do not commit adultery.

 “You do not steal.

 “You do not bear false witness against your neighbour.

 “You do not covet your neighbour’s house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”

And all the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain smoking. And the people saw it, and they trembled and stood at a distance,

and said to Mosheh, “You speak with us and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.”

And Mosheh said to the people, “Do not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and in order that His fear be before you, so that you do not sin.”

So the people stood at a distance, but Mosheh drew near the thick darkness where Elohim was.

And יהוה  said to Mosheh, “Say this to the children of Yisra’ĕl: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens.

You do not make besides Me mighty ones of silver, and you do not make mighty ones of gold for yourselves.

Make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall slaughter on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause My Name to be remembered I shall come to you and bless you.

And if you make Me an altar of stone, do not build it of cut stone, for if you use your chisel on it, you have profaned it.

Nor do you go up by steps to My altar, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.” (Exo 19:5-20:26)

This is a very powerful piece of Scripture. The things that really got my attention is that the Almighty Creator YHWH descended from Heaven and came to earth and spoke in an audible voice to the people. These things that YHWH spoke to the people must have been important that He would verbally speak to the entire male population of Israel. These words just happen to be the Ten Commandments.

Another important thing to point out is that the men who were to come within a certain proximity to YHWH had to cleans themselves and set themselves apart, they were not even to be with their wives for these few days. This is because no uncleanness can EVER come near to where YHWH is. That in this time and day we have to do a daily evaluation of ourselves and repentance for any transgression of the Commands of YHWH so that we too can be clean.

Also notice that the men of Israel agreed to do all that YHWH told them before YHWH told them what it is that He Commands. This is because they understood that it was not about them, but rather all for the esteem of YHWH. What ever YHWH said, they would do.

Now this was an awesome sight. The mountain was rumbling, there was a thick cloud over the mountain with thunder and lightning coming from it. YHWH descended onto the mountain like fire and there were rams horns sounding from the heavens. And then YHWH spoke. Now try and picture this and think for yourself if you too would tremble in your boots just like the Israelites did on that day. Now YHWH did this in order to install fear into the peoples so that they do not sin. Do we have this same fear of YHWH as we should so that we do not sin either? Or has this been driven out of us by religious bullying?

Now the Ten Commandments are very important and still just as relevant today as it was when YHWH spoke these words and wrote them down on stone tablets. What then about the rest of Torah? Well, the rest of Torah teaches us how we can keep to the Ten Commandments. Without the rest of the Torah, we would not understand or be able to keep the Ten Commandments. So we are to diligently guard to do all of the Torah which is the Instruction of YHWH.

Now if we are to be part of YHWH’s treasured possession above all other peoples. Then we are to diligently obey his voice and guard His covenant.

You have to decide for yourself if you are going to do what YHWH requires from you so that you may be saved, or to do what you want to do and not guard to do the Commandments of YHWH unto death.

As in the days of Noah

 “And as the days of Noaḥ, so also shall the coming of the Son of Aḏam be.

 “For as they were in the days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noaḥ entered into the תּבה (têvâh or boat)

and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also shall the coming of the Son of Aḏam be” (Mat 24:37-39) (see also Luke 17:26-27)

We have all read or at least heard the story of Noah and the flood that destroyed the earth and all its inhabitance, where only Noah and his wife and his sons and their wives were saved, along with all the kinds of animals in the world. This was an awesome event.

Now Y’hoshua the Mashiyach prophesied and revealed to us that the day of his return, it will be as the days of Noah. Now what does that really mean and is the world as in the days of Noah now, just before the return of the Mashiyach?

Let us see what it was like in the days of Noah. “And יהוה (YHWH) saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen 6:5). We can also see from the verse at the top that they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage! Does this sound evil to you? You see, we have grown up with the wrong idea of what is evil. When we hear the word “evil” we usually think of magic, Satanism, idol worship, slaughtering cats, drinking blood, witches etc. yes these are all evil, but those are the obvious ones. But that is clearly not what everyone was doing in the time of Noah, but still they were looked at as being evil continually. So what does the Almighty consider as evil?

“But the men of Seḏom were evil and sinned before יהוה (YHWH), exceedingly so” (Gen 13:13)

 “No one is greater in this house than I, and he has not withheld whatever from me but you, because you are his wife. And how shall I do this great evil and sin against Elohim?” (Gen 39:9)

“And He said to them, “Is it right to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent” (Mar 3:4)

So as we can see, Evil is the opposite of good, and also defined as sin. So it is very clear that sin is evil. What is sin? Sin is the transgression of the Instruction of YHWH. So if we disobey the Torah of YHWH, we are doing evil in His eyes. Now in the days of Noah, those who were doing evil continuously, were not keeping the Instruction of YHWH.

Now let us compare this to the people of today. Are they keeping the Instruction of YHWH or are their inclinations of the thoughts of their hearts only evil continually? I will break it up in groups of peoples. I am not going to mention Satanists, pagans, spiritists, Freemasons etc. which are the obvious ones.

Atheists:

Now this is an interesting group. I started with atheists as this will also build the foundation for the rest of the groups. Now one thing that is to be remembered is that anything that is not done to the esteem of YHWH is evil. With this in mind, we can see that an atheist does not give any esteem to YHWH as he does not believe in YHWH. All the esteem goes to the atheist, which is evil.

Now even if an atheist is kind, helps an old lady across the street or even dedicates their entire lives caring for orphans, it is evil in the eyes of YHWH as the esteem they do it in is their own, NOT YHWH’s

So as we can see, an atheist’s inclination of his thoughts of his heart is evil continuously.

Hindu’s:

Here is a religion that has many “gods”, does the Instruction of YHWH not speak against this? “You have no other mighty ones against My face.

You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth” (Exodus 20:3-4). Clearly Hinduism is a great example of what the Instruction of YHWH was talking about. Hinduism is full of images and likenesses of things from this world.

So we can clearly derive from this that the Hindu’s are also doing evil continuously.

Buddhists:

Buddhism is not so much a religion, but more like a way of life. Although, they try live a peaceful life doing what is good in their own eyes, it is not good in the eyes of YHWH. Once again, they do not give any esteem to YHWH.

So Buddhists too are doing evil continuously.

Muslims:

Now Muslims are mostly Arabs. The Arab nation is also know as the Yishmaelites. This is because the father of the nation is Yishmael, who is the first born son of Abraham. The Muslim religion, which is the second largest religion in the world, comes from Mohammed, who originally was a student of Torah, but was later kicked out of his assembly because of his violent tactics for conversion. He held a grudge against the Jews and started his own religion, under the watchful eye of a Catholic nun whom he married. Mohammed claimed to see “Alah” in a vision who narrated the Koran to him. Now Mohammed was illiterate, so he hired scribes to write it down for him.

Now because Mohammed turned away from the Instruction of YHWH and made his own laws, he did evil in the eyes of YHWH.

So those following the Muslim faith (Islam) are doing evil in the eyes of YHWH continuously.

Christians:

Christianity is the largest religion in the world and is one of the most controversial. Just like the Jews, they believe that theirs is the true faith of the Scriptures. But the fact of the matter is that the Christian Bible comes from Scriptures that have been mistranslated, changed and other doctrines inserted into it. The Christian church has been built upon the personal doctrines of the people who built the church. It was also infused with paganism to attract the pagan worshipers too. Basically what Christianity of today is, is ancient paganism mixed with peoples opinions of the Bible. Almost ALL the traditions and practices in the Christian church originates from ancient paganism, which is still practiced today. This has caused that the Instruction of YHWH has been thrown out of the window. The sad part about this is that the majority of the followers of 

Christianity believe that what they believe is the true faith of YHWH because they have been so brainwashed into believing it. Many Christians who seek the truth for themselves realize that the teachings of the church are not Scripturally correct and leave the church. many fall into other groups that seem to know the truth but in fact is just following another mans doctrines. One must seek for yourself in Scripture, even go as far back to the original writings as possible, and not listen to any man. If any doctrine does not fall in line with the Torah, then you can be very sure that it is a false doctrine!

So we can see that the Christians are also doing evil in the eyes of YHWH continuously.

Judaism:

Now this is an interesting religion. There are also different sections of this religion, just like Christianity. Judaism is one of the most persecuted religions in the world. Israel is known to be the nation of YHWH. The Instruction of YHWH (Torah) was given to them. However, the fact of the matter is that Judaism is a religion. Even though they learn Torah very strictly from childbirth, later they also go into the study of the Talmud which adds thousands of rabbinical laws that overrules the Torah. Also a lot of sections also add Kabala, which is the Jewish esoteric mysticism. They also do not believe that Y’hoshua was the Messiah. This poses a big problem: “and every tongue should confess that יהושע (Yehoshua) Messiah is Master, to the esteem of Elohim the Father” (Phil 2:11)

 “Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of יהושע (Y’hoshua)” (Rev 14:12). You see, those who are the Set Apart Believers are those who guard to do the Instruction of YHWH and believe in His Son Y’hoshua the Mashiyach.

So as we can see, most of the Jews, if not all, are doing evil in the eyes of YHWH.

We have now covered Satanism, Atheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism. That covers everyone one the earth. Or does it? Who is left? “Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in through it.

“Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mat 7:13-14). The path of the righteous is the most difficult path and there are only a few that find it. Those that guard to keep the Commands of YHWH and have the testimony of Y’hoshua are the Set Apart Believers. The reason that they are the most persecuted people, is because they are labeled as “legalists” by the Christian church, and also because they have the testimony of Y’hoshua, the Jews reject them too. They are also rejected by the rest of the world and its religions. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). “And you shall be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved” (Mat 10:22). “Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall cut you off, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as wicked, for the sake of the Son of Aḏam” (Luke 6:22).

So as you can see, it is the same today as it was in the days of Noah. And there remains a small remnant of the true faith in YHWH. “Unless יהוה (YHWH) of hosts had left to us a small remnant, we would have become like Seḏom, we would have been made like Amorah” (Isa 1:9). “And in that day it shall be that the remnant of Yisra’ĕl, and those who have escaped of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ, never again lean upon him who defeated them, but shall lean upon יהוה (YHWH), the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl, in truth” (Isa 10:20)

Noah, who was righteous, was warned and told what was going to happen. He also had a very good idea of when it will happen. Just like Noah knew when, The Set Apart Believers have been given signs to look out for to know when the end will be. We are commanded to stay awake and watch for the return of the Mashiyach ben Dawid. “See, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who is staying awake and guarding his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)

“By belief, Noaḥ, having been warned of what was yet unseen, having feared, prepared a boat to save his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to belief” (Heb 11:7). “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Master is coming. And know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Because of this, be ready too, for the Son of Aḏam is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Mat 24:42-44) 

(See: http://scripturaltruth101.blogspot.com/2011/06/false-doctrine-no1-when-is-start-of-new.html)

Legalism

Legalism is a theological term that was coined circa 1830 – 1840. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines legalism as: (a) preference of the Law to the Gospel, (b) doctrine of justification by works, (c) exaltation of law, (d) formula, or (e) red tape. “Legalism” is a Christian term that Christians apply to Christians, Jews, Muslims and others who promote the function of “Law” as it pertains to righteousness and salvation. The Oxford definition postures that some individuals prefer the Law over the Gospel, pitting the two concepts against each other, when in reality the Gospel was given in conjunction with “Law.” The Law specifies what is good and acceptable conduct according to YHWH, and provides guidelines for righteousness and repentance, which are integral components of “the Gospel.”

From the ancient Hebrew letters that spell Torah (mistranslated as “the Law”), a word picture emerges that means, the “Seal or Covenant-Head of Man-Revealed.” Torah is the Covenant and Seal that YHWH progressively revealed to mankind through Adam, Noach, Awraham and all His chosen prophets and people. The word Torah contains the Hebrew sound “owr” which means light. YHWH declared through Isaiah: “to the Torah (Law) and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). The Psalmist teaches that the Word of YHWH (Torah) is a Light unto our paths.

Torah means instruction in righteousness and is likened to a person aiming and shooting at a target. Unfortunately, sometimes we miss the mark and “sin.” A child is not expected to hit the mark as well as an adult, but when YHWH gave Torah He did not make His instructions impossible to “hit” as many have been led to believe.

The instructions (Torah) of YHWH have been progressively revealed from Adam and Chawwah (Eve) right through to Mashiyach. However, many Christians muse that Torah is “legalism” and something that is supposedly impossible to keep and, consequently, they have replaced Torah principles with the more popular Christian traditions of the post-apostolic Gentile Church founders.

We are introduced to the consequences of breaking “the Law” (Torah) in the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 3) where the very first case of blatant disobedience occurred – an act that impacted the children of Adam and Chawwah and every single generation of man since then! Because of that one act of disobedience, man has been “born into a world full of death and evil” ever since; constantly forced to battle the wiles of the Evil One and facing possible eternal separation from YHWH. Before sin, Adam and Chawwah were clothed in righteousness (the Light of Mashiyach); but haSatan exposed their nakedness through guilt, shame and condemnation. Guilt (which results from wrong-doing is spiritual separation), is a function of the Ruach haKodesh; it is a spiritual force that motivates us to make it right with YHWH and one another. The guilty parties – not knowing whether they will be forgiven their transgression until they confess and present their case – feel sorrow, emptiness, depression and despair for breaking faith and violating the peace and harmony of Mashiyach. The shame that Adam and Chawwah experienced was compounded in the knowledge that their sin had been preventable, and that they had needlessly and willingly exposed themselves to a difficult situation that caused them to risk everything without considering the consequences.

The curses against Adam and Chawwah became part of universal natural law that applies to all inhabitants of the Earth. “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…” (Genesis 3:22). Man was formerly a sinless and immortal being who became as the "angelic" hosts to know good and evil; therefore, YHWH provided redemption through death and resurrection. The plan of redemption is the Good News that Mashiyach demonstrated through his resurrection as the “Firstfruits” of all Creation. Mankind has always been sustained according to the Word of YHWH, “For YHWH is our judge, YHWH is our lawgiver, YHWH is our king; he will save us” (Isaiah 33:22).

Long before Y’hoshua arrived on Earth, Torah Observant Jews were teaching that “her seed” points to Mashiyach who is the foundation of all “Good News”: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Hebrews 4:2 states that “the Gospel was preached unto them” – therefore, those who left Egypt were given the opportunity to respond to the Gospel; therefore, the Gospel originated long before the First Century.

A popular theological spin on “the Gospel” is that “Jesus kept the Law” (Torah) so that Christians wouldn’t have to. The anti-legalist Christian purports “freedom in Christ” which is simply religious justification to break Torah and put the full responsibility and penalty of past, present and future sins upon “Jesus”. However, those branded as legalists are trusting that Y’hoshua empowers them to be renewed in body, mind, and spirit so as to put away their own carnal flesh that desires to break Torah.

There have been many lawgivers but it is YHWH’s Torah and His Mashiyach that sustains the plan of Redemption. His Word is His LAW! Therefore, all theological posturing that pits Torah against the Gospel is deception. Having Torah “written upon the heart” is at the heart of the Renewed Covenant which completes the revelation of “the Good News.”

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, unto Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). The Scepter is the imperial rod of divine lawmaking and justice. YHWH holds the Scepter who is Mashiyach. The “lawgiver from between his feet” refers to the lineage of Yehudah (Judah); therefore, successive generations of Yehudah “hold” this Scepter until Shiloh (Mashiyach) takes his seat over all other “lawmakers.” Therefore, the “Way” of righteousness was, is and always will be prophetically connected through the Judaic and Hebraic-based Faith that Mashiyach Y’hoshua revealed to the world. Through belief in him, the Final Sin Sacrifice, we are able to receive YHWH’s Mercy and Favor which assures us eternal life in heaven.

Thanks to His Mercy and Favor – which in no way negates Torah! – we were loved while we were yet sinners. Therefore, how much more do we desire to please our Father? We demonstrate our acceptance of what Y’hoshua did for us by becoming a Torah observant, law abiding people. That is the meaning of the Scripture when Y’hoshua teaches:

“Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you. For anyone that asks will receive, and that seeks, will find. And to him that knocks, it will be opened to him. Or whom among you fathers if his son asks of him for bread, why to him would hold out a rock? And if he asks a fish of him, why to him would hold out a snake? And if, therefore, you who are imperfect know to give good gifts to your sons, how so much more your Father who is in heaven will give good to those that ask Him. All that which you desire that the sons of men should do for you, also like this you do to them. This is for Torah and the prophets. Enter by the straight door, for wide is the door and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many are they, those that go in it” (Matthew 7:7-13).

Most people understand how the Gospel works, but here’s a small example: Early in our children’s lives, we explain to them the cause and effect of good and evil. For instance, we teach them that lying is wrong and that, if the behavior continues, it can destroy their lives. After that, we praise them when they try to behave properly, and punish them whenever they misbehave or fail in their efforts to always tell the truth. Obviously, it is inconceivable to punish a child every time they fail, especially if it is evident that they are genuinely sorry and regret what they did. So instead, we continue to reinforce proper behavior and hug our children and love them even when they fail, and explain that we, too, occasionally failed to “be good” when we were children, because we all have to go through a learning process. The end result of this learning process in the lives of our children is that one day they will realize on their own that lying brings destruction, curses and shame, and it puts them in disfavor with YHWH and others because YHWH hates liars.

This is essentially what YHWH did for us through Mashiyach: Although He had every right to punish us for our disobedience, He chose not to. Instead, after the “Fall” He saw our need as His children to be instructed in righteousness and to be loved and taught. Therefore, He sent His only Son, Mashiyach Y’hoshua, to teach us face-to-face, personally demonstrating how to keep Torah and walk according to YHWH’s will. Y’hoshua demonstrated perfect patience and love towards YHWH’s creation before pouring out his own life as the Final Sin Sacrifice – which forever abolished the need for mankind to kill an innocent animal to atone for our sins. Thus, Law and Favor (Grace) have been applied in a functional way so that all YHWH’s children understand the cause and effect of sin and righteousness.

YHWH’s Good News (Gospel) is the Way of Truth which is a continuum of truth revealed of YHWH’s intent to redeem fallen man. This plan of redemption is what provided protection to Cain after he killed Abel, when YHWH showed great Favor to Cain after he murdered his brother. It was haSatan who had put the envy, hatred, evil imaginations and jealousy in Cain’s mind against his brother. The Law at that time was a spiritual consciousness, and Cain knew that he had committed murder by acting out very wicked thoughts about his brother. Fortunately for Cain, the applied Gospel kept YHWH from killing him, and ultimately also kept him from being killed by others.

In Noah’s days evil was rampant upon the Earth, much like today, and the Gospel went something like this: Get on the boat, or you’ll have to tread water for 150 days without food or fresh water… will you receive “the Gospel” and get on the boat? The Good News applied was that Noah invested 100 years of his life building a big boat. Within that span of time every human being on Earth would have heard of YHWH’s intentions to flood the Earth – but of course, the “riff raff” scorned and mocked the Gospel of Noah…

Abraham and the men of his household agreed to be circumcised and enter into Covenant with YHWH. The Gospel went like this: There is ONE ELOHIM, whose Name is YHWH; either accept the Covenant of Promise or you will not receive YHWH’s blessing. Circumcision symbolizes the separation of good from evil as a part of the flesh is cut away. “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of YHWH, to do justice and judgment; that YHWH may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him” (Genesis 18:19).

Mashiyach’s followers were referred to as those of the WAY! Peter issues a clear warning when he said: “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after having known it, to turn back from the Set Apart Commandment that was delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:21). The Gospel and “the Way of righteousness” are synonymous with the Kingdom of Elohim which advocates individual personal responsibility to uphold Torah observant, righteous conduct.

Mosheh received “Ten Commandments” written by the Finger of Elohim, but if you went your own way and kindled a fire on Shabbat or ate barbequed pork, you were “cut off” (killed) because YHWH gave us all the choice to either follow or ignore Him. That was the Gospel according to YHWH revealed by Mosheh. As a sovereign individual you can choose life or death by your obedience or disobedience; not by a cerebral theology that makes you “acceptable.” Mosheh preached the Gospel to all the Israelites; however, in the course of time the Levites (leadership) turned away from YHWH: “But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the Torah; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says YHWH of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law” (Malachi 2:8-9).

Without “the Law” (Torah) there is no Gospel. Torah reveals and defines good from evil and reveals the elements of Covenant. About 6,000 years of human experience on this planet witnesses that YHWH’s Laws are Set Apart and Just. YHWH’s Law provides the parameters for Freedom, Peace, Justice, Judgment, Equality, protection of personal liberty and property and the protection of the sovereignty of each individual. To pit the Law against the Gospel is a false Gospel as Rav Shaul teaches:

“I am stunned into silence, as if dead, that you have so quickly forgotten Mashiyach who has called you to his favor and gone to another gospel that is non-existent, but there are men who agitated you and desired to pervert the Gospel of Mashiyach. For if us, or even a Messenger from heaven, preach outside from what was preached to you, let them be cursed. As I said before, so I say again: whichever man preaches to you outside of what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-10).

Nearly all Christian denominations ply the term “legalism” against others in one form or another. However, the second definition of legalism is the “Doctrine of Justification by Works.” Essentially any Christian who does “good works” could be disgraced as a legalist; the intentions of their hearts being judged by the naysayers as though their “good works” are done for “justification” or salvation. Rav Shaul (Paul) put it this way: “Who are you to judge another man’s servant?” (Romans 14:4).

The religious stance is that you can do nothing to bring about justification or righteousness for yourself, but in reality, Salvation isn’t a mindset as much as it is a lifestyle, and a transformation from a carnal to a spiritual man. Salvation comes about by being conformed into the Image of Elohim. Each soul must co-labor with Mashiyach for salvation which must be evident in this lifetime, in the here and now; the work or service “of the heart” is to guard the heart and mind from degradation or backsliding into a carnal, worldly lifestyle. It is ironic that the individual who Gentile Christians have discredited for bringing an end to Torah was thus spoken of: “you yourself also walk orderly, and keep the Torah” (Acts 21:24). Paul the Apostle emphatically lived and taught the importance of Torah being written upon the heart!

The dilemma many Christians face is what to do when they discover their church hierarchy has been promoting a doctrine of demons by teaching against Torah. What can be done when Christians point their fingers and call you a legalist for desiring to live according to the Word of the Living Elohim? In reality it is the power of Favor that strengthens each soul to cease from breaking Torah and to stand up for what is right. The religious power of the word “legalism” is simply designed to keep souls in bondage to false religion and keep them from leaving the comforts of “the church,” but there is a huge gulf between being imbedded in a church and being embedded in the Kingdom of Elohim! Apostle Paul taught: “As a result, Torah is Set Apart; and the Commandment is Set Apart, and righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12).

Christians who are often quick to condemn others as “legalists” have never learned the most rudimentary principles of Torah. It was the pre-incarnate Mashiyach who said: “If you shall hearken unto the voice of YHWH your Elohim, to keep His Commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the Torah, and if you turn unto YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul. For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it. See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command you this day to love YHWH you Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His Commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply: and YHWH your Elohim shall bless you in the land where you are going to posses it. But if your heart turn away, so that you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other elohim, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that you shall surely perish, and that you shall not prolong your days upon the land, wither you pass over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live: That you may love YHWH your Elohim, and that you may obey his voice, and that you may cleave unto Him: for He is your life, and the length of your days: that you may dwell in the land which YHWH swore unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them” (D’varim/Deuteronomy 30:12-20).

Torah is freedom. We are either walking in Torah and are free from sin, or breaking Torah and in bondage to sin. All the religious posturing and propaganda in the world will NEVER substitute for truth and righteousness.

The fourth definition to legalism is “a formula” which is defined as: a set form of words, or something definite or authoritative, or a procedure to be followed or something prescribed for a specific occasion. However, this certainly sounds much like a “statement of faith” does it not? This fourth definition simply suggests that one denomination’s (or person’s) formula is better than yours. All preachers have their own “formulas” – the fact that they would preach, hold a “service” or teach others simply means they have their own model of belief, or “formula.” Most theologians have received their credentials from some university so they can “authoritatively teach” denominational formulae. If someone asks, “What must I do to be saved?” any answer could be construed as a “formula.” So, in reality, those who point fingers at your “formula” as “legalism” are simply suggesting that their formula is better than yours.

Finally we come to “red tape” as the fifth definition of “legalism.” Traditionally, official Vatican documents were bound in red cloth tape, and this is also where the 17^th to 18^th Century British Monarchy derived their government tradition. During the Fourth Century, the Roman Empire was “made Christian.” Rome was the “superpower” that controlled all religious and governmental matters and Rome invented her own anti-Torah, anti-Semitic and anti-Mashiyach “Christianity.” Apostle Paul issued a very strict warning: “For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Master shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause Elohim shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12).

The applied thinking of the term “legalism” within Christianity epitomizes the work of the “mystery of iniquity.” There is no better way to define man’s religion than “red tape.” Religion is man’s carnal response to YHWH; it makes rules, traditions, buzz words, status quo trends and puts walls between YHWH and His people. YHWH sent Mashiyach to expose and take down the false traditions of man, but many love the bondage of religious traditions far more than they love the freedom of Truth. What Mashiyach did for us came at a very great price, and it is because of what he did that his followers become empowered to observe Torah by Favor (Grace), not of our own strength lest any man should boast.

All who point their fingers at others and call them legalists are showing solidarity to their own religious tradition. Condemnation of other human beings is, in fact, acting as haShatan’s “little helper.” Where did Christians learn this ministry of condemnation? “For Elohim sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). “Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). Those who label people as legalists are simply asking for judgment to fall on their heads! See Romans 14:12; James 4:10-12; 5:8-11; and Isaiah 58:9.