This is part of a letter I wrote in response to a prisoner who is new to this walk to help him get started. I hope you are edified also. The portion of the letter I wrote to him is as follows:
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As pointed out in this tract I sent you on the following pages, which I hope you can read well, the first things a person should do is repent and be immersed (baptized) in the Name of Yahushua for the forgiveness of Sins (as you already pointed out – baptism is important). After we are immersed, we are expected (as shown by Acts 15:21) to keep the Sabbath. That is the time when all the followers of the Anointed (Mashiach/Messiah/Christ) gathered – both Jews in the flesh as well as those who once (Ephesians 2:11) were gentiles, but now are grafted into Yisra’el (Romans 11) and are not gentiles any longer. Four basic laws were given in Acts 15 for new believers with the understanding they would gather on the Sabbath to continue learning the other righteous things in the law that are good to do. However, as Sha’ul (Paulos/Paul) points out, keeping the law never saves us.
However, consider this. Does helping an old lady across the street save you? Does giving to the poor save you? Does respecting your parents save you? Obviously nobody can “earn their salvation” by honoring their parents or giving to the poor, or helping an old lady across the street – so why do any of those things then – if they don’t save us? Because we love the Father, and we want to love our neighbor also. Why do we not worship idols? Are we saved by our refusal to worship an idol? No. But does that mean we are free to worship an idol? (shall we sin so that grace may abound? Romans 6:1-2) Let it not be! Even though we are not saved by our refusal to worship idols, that doesn’t mean the Father doesn’t care if we worship an idol or not. Obviously not worshipping an idol is part of loving Him.
The same concept applies to the rest of the law also. The purpose of the whole law, as Yahushua pointed out the Pharisees, is love. He said in Matthew:
Matthew 22:38-40 “This is the first and great command.
39 “And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
40 “On these two commands hang all the Torah and the Prophets.”
So he didn’t say “the law is separate from these two commands! Forget the law! Just love!” He said all the law and the prophets hang on those two commands. So the goal, the purpose, the reason, for all of them is to teach us how to love the Father and love each other. Every command can be linked back to love. Just like we don’t worship idols because we love our heavenly Father, we also don’t profane the Sabbath day because we love Him as well. Just like the Sabbath will be kept in the future kingdom, we keep it now (Isaiah 66:23, Ezekiel 46). Yahushua taught to pray that our flight would not be on the Sabbath or in the winter (Matthew 24:20).
So what about the Pharisees? Well what about Christmas? Is Christmas in the Bible? No, and actually Jeremiah 10:2-4 shows that things like the Christmas tree are vain practices that do not honor the Father at all. So why do people do Christmas? Oral tradition – laws of men. So why did the Pharisees tell Yahushua he was sinning by healing on the Sabbath? Oral tradition – laws of men. Just like people keep oral tradition and laws of men today, that was going on 2,000 years ago also. Yahushua was not criticizing the Pharisees for law keeping – he was criticizing them for putting their traditions above the written laws of our heavenly Father (Mark 7:7-8).
Traditions and customs in and of theirself are not bad. In fact, sometimes traditions are commanded to be kept (2 Thessalonians 3:6). But never should they supersede what the Word says.
If you were walking down a country road to a Sabbath gathering a short distance away and your brother slipped and fell, it might be work to pick him up if he is very heavy and move him. But what if he hit his head and twisted his ankle and couldn’t walk and his life is at risk if you don’t get him somewhere to stop the bleeding from his injury? Do you do the work to move his heavy body or let him die?
This all relates back to how Yahushua taught that the weightier matters of the law are judgment, mercy (compassion), faith (belief), and love. He never taught that we should break the law – but he did teach that we should not neglect it or misunderstand its’ purpose and goal.
Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, whatever you desire men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Torah and the Prophets.
So then, ‘do unto others’ should still be our focus. That doesn’t mean “we don’t need the law” – it just helps to show us what the goal or purpose of the law is. And by reading and learning about the law, we better understand some of the things related to fulfilling that command of ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’
Matthew 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
One way to look at this is that the new treasure we have is the grace through the blood of Yahushua, and one of the old treasures is the Law. Another way to look at this is that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also – so perhaps this is talking about treasuring up His word in our heart – regardless of when He has given a commandment – new or old – to treasure it up and bring it forth to edify others.
Matthew 14:3-5 For Herodes had laid hold on Yochanan, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
4 For Yochanan said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
So here is an example we can show others where even Yochanan the Immerser cared about the law also.
Matthew 22:29 Yahushua replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of Elohiym.
The Scriptures he is referring to are none other than what people today call, “The Old Testament”. So to not be in error as they were, we need to learn “the Old Testament” also – not just the New.
Matthew 23:1-3 Then Yahushua said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Mosheh’s seat.
3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
So then isn’t Yahushua referring to the Law? Didn’t the Pharisees preach the Law? Shouldn’t we then follow the Law if that is what they preached and clearly Yahushua held respect for their position—but not the men in that position since they did not follow the Law though they preached it?
In the process of observing and knowing the law we must realize that the things done outwardly do have value … IF we observe them inwardly also (Romans 2:17-29)!
Sha’ul’s/Paulos’ (Paul’s) writings teach that:
1) We are not saved by Law Keeping
2) Man-made laws and ordinances that go against YHWH’s laws are abolished (Ephesians and Colossians uses the word “Dogma” in the Greek text – Dogma = man-made laws, not laws in the Old Testament – do your research and do not be deceived! YHWH’s law is never abolished, but man-made laws that go against His are)
3) If you were once a Gentile, you are not a Gentile any longer (Ephesians 2)
4) The Spirit of YHWH leads us to be Subject to The Law of YHWH (Romans 8)
Being “under the law” can mean being under the penalty and/or curses of the law at the time judgment is executed or being in a mindset where we think we can earn our salvation by keeping the law. We do not do this. We do not keep the law “in order to earn our salvation” – we keep the Law for the same reason we help the poor or abstain from adultery – because it is the RIGHT thing to do, and because we have repented of doing evil. Breaking the law = Evil – so why would we want to break the law anymore?
Being “under the law” is if someone says, “OK – I can be saved because I kept the law”. We are not saying such a thing, so we are under grace, because we say, “No matter how perfect I keep the law, I know it is only through the blood of Yahushua I am saved.”
So although we profess we should keep the law, we are not “under the law”, because we do not profess that our law keeping is what saves us. Those who say being “under the law” means simply saying, “We should keep the law” do not understand what being “under the law” really means.
Just like we do not profess, “I am saved because I give to the poor”. But does that mean we ignore the poor because giving to the poor is not what saves us? Of course not!
Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under Torah but under favour? Let it not be!
It is a sin to not care whatsoever about the poor, so we do what we feel YHWH is leading us to do to help the poor.
Breaking the Law = Sin – so Sha’ul (Paulos/Paul) is teaching that just because you are not saved by Law Keeping doesn’t mean you sin by purposefully taking part in law breaking. Certainly not. Shall we transgress the law (1 John 3:4) because we are not under the Law? Let it not be!
The book of Hebrews teaches that the command in Numbers 3:10 and elsewhere restricting who is a priest to the Sons of Aharon has to be set aside in regards to the heavenly Tabernacle and Heavenly Priesthood in order to fulfill the other parts of the Law and Prophets related to the Priesthood of the order of Malkitsedeq. Yahushua was of the tribe of Yahudah and not a son of Aharon – but yet he is made a priest in the Heavenly Tabernacle according to the order of Malkitsedeq. This book of Hebrews is absolutely NOT teaching that we can just forget YHWH’s law altogether. It’s simply pointing out that in order to fulfill the parts of the law related to someone who is not a Son of Aharon (like the Messiah – who is a Son of Dawiyd [David] by law) – in order for Him to be a priest according to the order of Malkitsedeq that 1 and only 1 command restricting the priesthood would be set-aside in regards to the Heavenly Tabernacle to fulfill the things related to the priesthood of the order of Malkitsedeq.
However, this does not mean there are no Lewites (Levites) or sacrifices or offerings. In the Kingdom in the future, it is clear sacrifices of animals and offerings will be reinstated and the Lewites will be functioning in priestly duties also – this is absolutely 100% clear by the prophecies in Isaiah 66 and Ezekiel 40-48. Doctrines teaching that there will never be animal sacrifices and offerings again are absolutely false doctrines. The Kingdom spoken of in the Bible in the future will definitely, 100% certain, have animal sacrifices. We must accept what the Word says and ensure we are teaching correctly about the Kingdom of YHWH to come.
I’m not saying we should divide over every doctrinal issue with others or throw everything on someone all at once or be judgmental – but when/if the Father is leading us to share or these conversation topics come up, we have to share based upon the Word. If we’re not sure, then we should study more and just tell others we’re not sure we need to study more.
The writings of Paulos (Paul/Sha’ul) in Romans 14 and Corinthians are talking about sacrifices offered to idols. The question is between being a vegetarian who eats no meat at all or eating clean animals that had been offered to idols. The question is NOT between eating unclean animals or not eating unclean animals. Those who make those chapters about whether a believer can eat unclean animals and disobey Leviticus 11 and other verses are twisting the writings and not reading the context of what Paulos is addressing in his letters. If YHWH is going to judge people for eating unclean animals in the future (Isaiah 66) and the disciples never ate anything unclean (Acts 10), it is clear followers of Christ are not to partake in eating unclean animals either.
Acts 10 is a parable vision – 3 times for 3 gentiles who came to talk with Kepha (Peter). It is not teaching that we should not call pigs clean and that Christ died to make pigs clean. Christ did not die for pigs – He died for men and women. Acts 10 is teaching we should not call men and women unclean who have been purified by faith through their belief in Yahushua. Kepha (Peter) said in Acts 10:28 Elohiym showed him that he should not call any MAN common or unclean – so that is the interpretation of his vision – it is about MEN not about pigs. The vision was a parable, obviously.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 Because every creature of Elohiym is good, and none is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is set apart by the Word of Elohiym and prayer.
This verse says “it is set apart by the Word of Elohiym and prayer”. It does not say, “just pray and you can eat unclean things even if the Word does not permit it.” The Word is part of this verse – the Word.
“Every” does not always mean “Every” – just like in this verse:
Titus 1:15 Indeed, all matters are clean to the clean, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving no matter is clean, but both their mind and conscience are defiled.
Is adultery clean? Is hating your brother clean? Is a pile of bat dung clean? He said, “All matters” right? Obviously all does not mean all, just like every does not mean every. Even when Christians read verses they make obvious exceptions. An example of explaining there are exceptions is shown here:
Psalms 8:6 You made him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all under his feet,
“All” is here right? Does “all” mean “all” or are there exceptions?
1 Corinthians 15:27 For “He has put all under His feet.” But when He says “all are put under Him,” it is clear that He who put all under Him is excepted.
The verse being quoted is from in 1 Corinthians 15:27 is Psalms 8:6 showing that there are in fact exceptions to the “all” in Psalms 8:6, showing that YHWH is greater than Yahushua and obviously excepted from the “all” in Psalms 8:6.
So “all” and “every” and similar statements may possibly have exceptions based upon other parts of the word. So the “Every” word in 1 Timothy 4:4 is obviously referring to every creature set-apart by the word for eating – which means every CLEAN creature, because no part of the Word anywhere says you can eat unclean animals.
So if the Word does not say you can eat it – you can’t eat it. It has to be set apart by the Word also. That is what this scripture teaches.
So there’s a brief introduction to explaining some of the things in the writings at the time of the beginning of Yahushua’s ministry and shortly thereafter. I hope that helps. We never want to lose the focus. If you haven’t memorized these things, these basics should be memorized FIRST… and never forgotten:
1) All the 9 fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
2) All the 16 aspects of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
3) The weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42)
4) Mikhah (Micah) 6:8
5) The 4 laws in Acts 15 is the starting point for new believers – and keeping Sabbath is part of that.
I always advise new believers get baptized in the correct names if they haven’t – as soon as they are able. As the tract points out, it is one of the first things to do.
Nobody has a problem with finding the name of the enemy in any Bible (Satan) – but sadly the Name of the Father has been removed from most Bibles. And the word “Amein” (aw-main) is Hebrew also and means “so be it”. And “HalleluYah” commonly spelled with a “j” instead of a “y” means “Praise Yah!”. And from YeshaYahu (Isaiah) to Dani’El, the Name of the Father (or a word Referring to the Father – like the Hebrew word El which means Power) is in His servants’ names, including Yahushua – the same first 3 letters in Hebrew.
John 5:43 “I have come in My Father’s Name and you do not receive Me, if another comes in his own name, him you would receive.”
He literally came in the Father’s name.
Psalms 68:4 Sing to Elohiym, sing praises to His Name. Raise up a highway for Him Who rides through the deserts, By His Name Yah, And exult before Him.
Notice here in the Hebrew the name YHWH is abbreviated to just “Yah” – so the Father is called “YHWH” (Yahweh) but also in a few verses just called “Yah”. Yahushua can also be written “YHWSHUA” because the same first 3 letters in the Father’s name are in the Son’s name.
Mosheh helped them to learn the law – but it took a man named Yahushua (Joshua in the KJV) to lead them into the promised land. And a man named Yahushua will also lead us into the promised land.
John 17:6 “I have revealed Your Name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have guarded Your Word.”
How to keep the laws? It starts in the Heart.
What about Oral Laws?
The long story short on that is this: Oral laws are laws that were given and handed down by word of mouth until about 200-500 A.D. when they were written down. I recommend you NOT LEARN these oral laws. I know a brother who grew up with them and said the Father told him to get rid of his book with them. We need to focus on what YHWH’s word says – and if there are good traditions that we need to do, I believe YHWH can lead us through His Spirit to discover them.
Some of these oral laws, to my understanding, add extra requirements in the law above and beyond what YHWH required. YHWH has said:
Deuteronomy 4:2 “Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it, so as to guard the commands of Yahweh your Elohiym which I am commanding you.”
Deuteronomy 12:32 “All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it.”
So part of “guarding” His word is not taking away … but part of it is also not adding to it. We do not want to add extra requirements YHWH does not add (like some of the Oral Laws might). That doesn’t mean we can’t go above and beyond what’s required if we’re unsure how to obey a command – but in doing so we can’t turn around and say to others, “OK – you’re required to do exactly what I’m doing even though what I’m doing is more than what it says we’re required to do.” That doesn’t mean sometimes there aren’t general principles to learn and apply broadly though. For example:
Exodus 23:4 “When you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall certainly return it to him.”
What about your enemy’s sheep or goat? What about your enemy’s car is rolling backwards down a hill because he forgot to put on his emergency break and it rained heavily? What if his dog gets lose and you see where it went?
Well in this case it doesn’t specifically mention all these things – but the principle is clearly understood to apply to more than just what is literally written – so it is not adding to say to return his sheep also even though that’s not written – because that’s clearly the intention here. But in some cases doing more than what’s written might be adding. We have to think about what is the intention of the law also. The goal is to love.
So back to the “oral law” – these oral laws included things like “No Jew can visit those of other races” – and Kepha (Peter) refers to this “law” in Acts 10:28. This is not a law in the “old testament” but a man-made law that created division between Jew and Gentile. It is laws like this that are abolished – the laws in the dogma (ordinances of man – Ephesians 2:15). Sadly, if we did not know there was an oral law and just picked up an English Bible we might get confused and think Sha’ul is teaching that the old testament is abolished. It is absolutely not (Matthew 5:17-19). If Yahushua is THE WORD – why would He come to abolished himself? That doesn’t even make any sense. If the Law is Perfect (Psalms 19:7) it doesn’t need to be removed or changed or abolished.
If you scored 100% on your math exam – would you change any of your answers?
Nope.
Why not?
Because it’s already perfect and if you changed then you would not have a perfect score.
Same thing with the Father and His laws. He didn’t make a mistake when He gave His laws, so why would he change them? He didn’t and won’t – until heaven and earth pass away. Heaven = skies in Hebrew – they are one and the same word. Earth = Land. I still see skies and land so the law is still here.
What is the Way to YHWH? Yahushua is the Way (John 14:6).
To walk in the light, part of that is never being selfish.
Luke 11:34 “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, all your body also is enlightened. But when your eye is evil, your body also is darkened.”
Having an evil eye means being selfish/greedy. Having a good eye means being generous.
Proverbs 28:22 A man with an evil eye runs after wealth, And does not know that poverty awaits him.
Deuteronomy 15:9 “Be on guard lest there be a thought of Beliya’al in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is near,’ and your eye is evil against your poor brother and you give him naught. And he shall cry out to Yahweh against you, and it shall be a sin in you.
What does it mean to know YHWH?
Jeremiah 22:16 “He defended the cause of the poor and needy – then it was well. Was this not to know Me?” declares Yahweh.
Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a Set-Apart nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Yisra’el.
Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests to His Elohiym and Father; to him be esteem and dominion for ever and ever. Amein.
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our Elohiym kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. HalleluYah!