This is one of those topics that seem to be a hot button topic. When I asked this question, I can almost guarantee that your response was “of course not, that’s what the Jews do and Jesus died to free us from the law” or “of course we must, this is what Jesus or Yeshua came to teach”. I would be very surprised if there were any that gave this much thought, and there is the problem. We have made up our minds as to the topic at hand without consulting the authority on the subject, the Word of God.
So, what is the Word of God? may I submit to you that I believe that all 66 books in the current cannon of Scripture is the authoritative inspired Word of God. There are other books that some count as Scripture, but I am not here to debate the validity of the book of Jasher or Enoch. They are great books and even quoted in the New Testament. But let us look at the current cannon.
2 Timothy 3: 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
This is a letter to Timothy from the Apostle Paul telling Him to continue in the learning of the sacred writings. What writings is Paul talking about here? I believe Paul is talking about the Old testament writings and the prophets. Only because the New Testament was in the process of being written at the time of this letter. Notice what Paul is saying here All scripture, and what scripture is this, the Old Testament. So, what is the Old testament good for, per Paul? It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. As well as making wise for salvation.
Isaiah 40: 8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Do I really need to expound upon this? It is very plain; Gods word is relevant forever all of it from Genesis to Revelation. So if this is true that Gods Word does indeed stand forever then can it ever change?
Malachi 3: 6“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
John 17: 17Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Let me ask you a question, can the truth ever change? If I tell you something and then tell you something that contradicts the first statement, then was that first statement truth? No, it can’t be truth or it would be the same story. So if the Word of God is all 66 books, and all of it is relevant, and all of it stands forever, and all of it is truth and cannot change. With this in mind let’s look at what the law says;
Deuteronomy 29: 29“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
So, the things that God reveals to His people are theirs forever, for what purpose? To keep all the words of the law.
Deuteronomy 29: 9Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.10“You are standing today, all of you, before the LORD your God: the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel, 11your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is in your camp, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, 12so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today, 13that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant, 15but with whoever is standing here with us today before the LORD our God, and with whoever is not here with us today.
Did you catch that? This covenant is with those standing there that day and those who are not there. Who are those? All of Israel is there at this place gathered together, He is talking about the future generations. So, this is for Israel, right? We have the new covenant, right? Well let’s look at the new covenant.
Hebrews 8: 8For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
Who is the covenant with? The house of Judah and the House of Israel, there is no house of Gentiles. And what is the purpose of this new covenant? To put the law of God into heart’s, and write them on their hearts. So how can a Gentile be a part of this new covenant?
Isaiah 56: 6“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
7these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
8The Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”
For this is what the apostle Paul was talking about in Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2: 11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Once a person is in the Messiah they are no longer part of the world but subjects of the Kingdom of God. Much like if a person born in a foreign country wants to be a citizen of the U.S.A then they renounce their former citizenship, and join the U.S.A and at this point they are subject to all the rules and laws binding on a citizen of the U.S.A. They cannot break the laws of the country without being punished. No more than we can break the laws of God without suffering the consequences once we came to the Messiah in faith. Keeping the laws of a country does not make you a citizen, becoming naturalized does that. Just like coming to the Messiah in faith, you enter the Kingdom of God. Keeping the laws of God does not grant salvation, but it does make a citizen of the Kingdom of God a lawful citizen. Just like keeping the laws of the U.S.A does not grant citizenship, however keeping the laws keeps one law abiding.
Shalom in the Messiah.
- All quotations are out of the ESV Bible*
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