Should Christians observe Jewish Law?

[Floatingaxe]

Brothers, truly my heart's pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for it to be saved.

For I testify to them that they have zeal to God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of Law for righteousness to everyone that believes.

For Moses writes of the righteousness which is of the Law: "The man doing these things shall live by them." Lev. 18:5

Romans 10:1-5, LITV

Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Isaiah said, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever." As Christians, we are not required or expected to live by the letter of the Torah, but we are wise to understand it, for its Author is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." There's an old saying: "The New Testament is hidden in the Old, the Old Testament is revealed in the New." I find fresh insights in studying the Old from the perspective of the New and vice-versa.

If your purpose is to HONOR God by learning and following those restrictions, it should be a blessing to you, but it will not necessarily make you "more spiritual". One of the problems facing Jesus in the established religious institution of the first century was its external nature, focusing far more on appearance than substance. If discovering and implementing Hebrew customs and practices blesses your relationship with Christ, by all means pursue them. As for me, pass the bacon.

Amen. It seems like a "feel good" thing that people do when they ressurect the Law. I do not believe God is impressed in the least. An enriched life comes from sacrificial obedience to the will of God, in this age...not in the age of the past. Hearkening back to the OT laws is like the Israelites hearkening back to Egypt and its slavery.

God doesn't require it, I know these people will agree, but I think it can interfere with one's witness, causing a barrier of sorts. People of the world don't cotton too kindly to "religious folks"! Being real and relatable is a desire we should all have in order to reach others for Jesus Christ, which should be our top priority.

[Liz4JC]

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!

I KNOW that Jesus Christ, my LORD and Savior is the main focus.

The OT and it's make up is what it is. Funny though, in my church we have what is called, "The First Lesson."

The information in this Lesson comes from the OT.

What is the sense of reading from the OT if we are to disregard what it means.

To step out in FAITH in Jesus Christ, within my life, I believe it takes the OT and the NT, to truly understand, my LORD!

This is my Choice as to how I will walk in His Footsteps!.

Liz

[Vickilynn]

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!

Shalom Liz,

Amen!!

What is the sense of reading from the OT if we are to disregard what it means.

Good point!

To step out in FAITH in Jesus Christ, within my life, I believe it takes the OT and the NT, to truly understand, my LORD!

This is my Choice as to how I will walk in His Footsteps!.

Amen and G-d bless you as you do!

[Guest yod]

Brothers, truly my heart's pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for it to be saved.

For I testify to them that they have zeal to God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of Law for righteousness to everyone that believes.

For Moses writes of the righteousness which is of the Law: "The man doing these things shall live by them." Lev. 18:5

Romans 10:1-5, LITV

Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Isaiah said, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever." As Christians, we are not required or expected to live by the letter of the Torah, but we are wise to understand it, for its Author is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." There's an old saying: "The New Testament is hidden in the Old, the Old Testament is revealed in the New." I find fresh insights in studying the Old from the perspective of the New and vice-versa.

If your purpose is to HONOR God by learning and following those restrictions, it should be a blessing to you, but it will not necessarily make you "more spiritual". One of the problems facing Jesus in the established religious institution of the first century was its external nature, focusing far more on appearance than substance. If discovering and implementing Hebrew customs and practices blesses your relationship with Christ, by all means pursue them. As for me, pass the bacon.

Amen. It seems like a "feel good" thing that people do when they ressurect the Law. I do not believe God is impressed in the least. An enriched life comes from sacrificial obedience to the will of God, in this age...not in the age of the past. Hearkening back to the OT laws is like the Israelites hearkening back to Egypt and its slavery.

God doesn't require it, I know these people will agree, but I think it can interfere with one's witness, causing a barrier of sorts. People of the world don't cotton too kindly to "religious folks"! Being real and relatable is a desire we should all have in order to reach others for Jesus Christ, which should be our top priority.

I think it's all a big misunderstanding on your part of confusing "the Law" with "legalism".

The differences between those terms are astounding. But first you have to accept that the Whole Bible is God's Word before we have a common place to debate this.

I promise you that the original community in Jerusalem and every single Apostle and Prophet would be astonished to hear any saint speaking against THE ONLY BOOK they ever had. The New Covenant Scriptures came after all of them were gone.

So how can anyone relegate the Torah irrelevant? "The Law" is actually a mistranslation of the word "torah" which is a word still in use after many millennium and it literally mean's "instruction"...not "law".

So why would obedience to any of God's instruction be a bad thing?

The Apostles never taught this. They only taught that these things can not be imposed on people who live under the laws of the world. Jews were under foreign rule many times and NEVER told the nations that they have to become like them....but the opposite has never been true.

The Spirit of the Law is a choice we make freely as the Holy Spirit leads or it becomes dead religious works of an outward appearance.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Word of God on any page that man has arbitrarily divided.

[systemstrike_7]

Brothers, truly my heart's pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for it to be saved.

For I testify to them that they have zeal to God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of Law for righteousness to everyone that believes.

For Moses writes of the righteousness which is of the Law: "The man doing these things shall live by them." Lev. 18:5

Romans 10:1-5, LITV

Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Isaiah said, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever." As Christians, we are not required or expected to live by the letter of the Torah, but we are wise to understand it, for its Author is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." There's an old saying: "The New Testament is hidden in the Old, the Old Testament is revealed in the New." I find fresh insights in studying the Old from the perspective of the New and vice-versa.

If your purpose is to HONOR God by learning and following those restrictions, it should be a blessing to you, but it will not necessarily make you "more spiritual". One of the problems facing Jesus in the established religious institution of the first century was its external nature, focusing far more on appearance than substance. If discovering and implementing Hebrew customs and practices blesses your relationship with Christ, by all means pursue them. As for me, pass the bacon.

Amen. It seems like a "feel good" thing that people do when they ressurect the Law. I do not believe God is impressed in the least. An enriched life comes from sacrificial obedience to the will of God, in this age...not in the age of the past. Hearkening back to the OT laws is like the Israelites hearkening back to Egypt and its slavery.

God doesn't require it, I know these people will agree, but I think it can interfere with one's witness, causing a barrier of sorts. People of the world don't cotton too kindly to "religious folks"! Being real and relatable is a desire we should all have in order to reach others for Jesus Christ, which should be our top priority.

I think it's all a big misunderstanding on your part of confusing "the Law" with "legalism".

The differences between those terms are astounding. But first you have to accept that the Whole Bible is God's Word before we have a common place to debate this.

I promise you that the original community in Jerusalem and every single Apostle and Prophet would be astonished to hear any saint speaking against THE ONLY BOOK they ever had. The New Covenant Scriptures came after all of them were gone.

So how can anyone relegate the Torah irrelevant? "The Law" is actually a mistranslation of the word "torah" which is a word still in use after many millennium and it literally mean's "instruction"...not "law".

So why would obedience to any of God's instruction be a bad thing?

The Apostles never taught this. They only taught that these things can not be imposed on people who live under the laws of the world. Jews were under foreign rule many times and NEVER told the nations that they have to become like them....but the opposite has never been true.

The Spirit of the Law is a choice we make freely as the Holy Spirit leads or it becomes dead religious works of an outward appearance.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Word of God on any page that man has arbitrarily divided.

Very well worded. I believe you have said what many of us have tried to say. Very good post!

[Vickilynn]

I think it's all a big misunderstanding on your part of confusing "the Law" with "legalism".

The differences between those terms are astounding. But first you have to accept that the Whole Bible is God's Word before we have a common place to debate this.

I promise you that the original community in Jerusalem and every single Apostle and Prophet would be astonished to hear any saint speaking against THE ONLY BOOK they ever had. The New Covenant Scriptures came after all of them were gone.

So how can anyone relegate the Torah irrelevant? "The Law" is actually a mistranslation of the word "torah" which is a word still in use after many millennium and it literally mean's "instruction"...not "law".

So why would obedience to any of God's instruction be a bad thing?

The Apostles never taught this. They only taught that these things can not be imposed on people who live under the laws of the world. Jews were under foreign rule many times and NEVER told the nations that they have to become like them....but the opposite has never been true.

The Spirit of the Law is a choice we make freely as the Holy Spirit leads or it becomes dead religious works of an outward appearance.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Word of God on any page that man has arbitrarily divided.

Shalom,

Awesome post. Awesome.

I pray that the L-rd will open spiritual eyes to see this truth.

[Floatingaxe]

Romans 7:6

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Galatians 2:21

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Galatians 3:19

What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.

Galatians 3:23-25

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Galatians 5:18

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Ephesians 2:15

by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

Philippians 3:9

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ

[gypc]

Romans 7:6

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Galatians 2:21

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Galatians 3:19

What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.

Galatians 3:23-25

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Galatians 5:18

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Ephesians 2:15

by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

Philippians 3:9

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ

[Vickilynn]

Now that's an awesome post!.............the Word of God.

Shalom Gypc,

It's really not, because it is not the topic of the discussion.

No one has ever contended that observing the law makes one righteous.

This is what's called a Straw Man argument.

[Floatingaxe]

Oh well, I am not saying that people who choose to follow the Law are looking for righteousness in every case. I am just saying that the Word says it is a pointless endeavour. Jesus has won us our freedom from it.

How can quotes from the Word of God constitute a strawman?