The Gift of Salvation from a Torah Observant Perspective

Understanding how salvation works can be very confusing, especially within the Hebrew community, where believers in the Messiah still feel called to be obedient to Scripture's instructions. How does salvation as a free gift of the Messiah fit with the belief that we should still keep Biblical law? Do we believe that you have to do certain things in order to be righteous or saved?

Imagine being gifted with a high-end camera and all the accessories, but not knowing how to use it. DSLR cameras are more complex than point-and-shoot cameras and it's easy to see that their image quality is superior. But if you don't know how to use this camera, you'll be left feeling frustrated.

Unless you refuse to accept this gift, that camera is yours, whether or not you learn how to use it. Good camera equipment is expensive, and it holds its value well. You could keep that camera in a closet and not think about it for years, and it would still belong to you. If you came into a hard time or decided you wanted to use it, it would be there and waiting.

Whether or not you choose to use the camera, it is still yours.

If you learn to use that camera, you would benefit from that. You would be able to capture memories throughout your life, taking pictures of your family as it grows and special moments you experience. It could be a creative outlet for you. You could develop it into a business, and make a living shooting family and wedding photos professionally, giving your clients the gift of lovely pictures. Those pictures in turn could help people see their own beauty and grow in confidence. Those photographs you take could provide comfort and healing to a family grieving from losing a loved one. 

A lot of good can come from this camera! But only if you learn how to use it.

If you just accept the gift and keep it in the box, you'll still have its value at the end of your life. But you will miss out on the joys and benefits it can offer you throughout your life.

I believe salvation works in much the same way. If you ask YHWH for forgiveness, then I believe he is gracious enough to extend that to us, regardless of if we do everything he commands or have perfect theology or whatever else.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of YHWH is everlasting life in the Messiah Yahusha our master." -Romans 6:23

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your doing; it is the gift of YHWH, not a result of works that one may boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9

I don't think you have to keep the seventh day Sabbath, or eat Biblically clean, or celebrate the set apart times in order to have salvation, but I do believe that doing these things would benefit you! The Bible's instructions aren't just meaningless hoops to jump through to try and win some extra brownie points. If you honor your parents, then you will have a better relationship with them. If you don't commit adultery, there is peace and trust in your family and home. If you set apart the Sabbath day, then you benefit from physical rest and a mental-reset each week.

When the Bible gives us instructions, they are not a threat. Our salvation is from the Messiah's work, and not from my ability to perfectly follow the word. The commandments are not, "Do this or else." YHWH gives us instructions as an opportunity for direction and blessings in our lives. The commandments are, "Do this and be blessed."

Related posts:
Biblical Law: Have To or Get To?
King David's Final Advice
Traffic and Laws: The Benefits of Scripture's Instructions

Things I Pray For My Community

We should all be intentionally praying for our communities! You are part of the place where you live, work, shop, and whatever else, and these places would all benefit from your asking the Father for his best, blessings, and breakthrough in these areas. When I'm out for a walk or bike ride, or driving through my community I make it a point to pray these things. Of course you could pray them anytime and this list is not conclusive!

Things I pray for my community:

-For each person to experience the love and truth of YHWH here. Whether you're a lifelong resident, visiting for a few days, or just driving through town on your way somewhere else, I want you to tangibly experience YHWH's incredible love for you so strongly that it leaves no room for lies of the enemy in your life.

-That leaders would make godly decisions that honor YHWH. I'm sure most of us have prayed for our nation's president, but how many of us have prayed for our mayor, police chief, or the school principal? How about city council members, school boards, business leaders, volunteer leaders, judges, county engineers, and others that have influence in the community? I sincerely pray that each of these people would make choices that are consistent with Scripture and bring the best for my community. I want well designed traffic patterns that promote safety, I want a fire department that is skilled to rescue anyone in need of their help, non profit programs that benefit those involved, restaurants that serve life-giving foods, parks departments that are good stewards of YHWH's natural order, judges passing sentences with wisdom, and so on.

-For our people and businesses to honor the Sabbath. I know the tremendous blessings that come from keeping the Sabbath, and I pray that my neighbors, coworkers, and friends would also benefit from this. I pray specifically for business owners, and those in charge of scheduling school and local events, that they would genuinely desire to honor the instructions of Scripture by keeping the Sabbath day set apart.

-That the schools would be places truth is taught. Each time you see a school building or send a child to school you have an opportunity to pray for the children, teachers, and staff. I pray that teachers would teach curriculum that is truth and that the staff members would be inspiring and encouraging to the students. I pray that each person would walk in the Creator's ways, and show the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

-That no one would die here without hearing the Gospel. I heard Bill Johnson say once that they were working to make it impossible to get to hell from their community, and I love that idea! I pray for those who are around the dying, including EMTs, nurses, hospice workers, nursing home residents and employees, and family members of the dying. I pray that these people have the courage and opportunity to share the Good News with anyone who hasn't heard it. I pray also that everyone in the final stages of their life in my area would be receptive to the opportunity we have for redemption and eternal life through the Messiah.

-For the things the enemy intended for evil to be used for good. We also need to take authority and stand against the works of the enemy in our homes, neighborhood, schools, congregations, etc. I pray for those who are involved in specific bad situations that I have heard about. If you hear of a housefire, someone passing away, a crime that happened, a factory laying off workers, or whatever other negative thing then it's time to lift that up in prayer and remind YHWH of his promise to work all things together for good. I pray for specific insight into how the works of the enemy can be cut off in my community.

-That it would be a place where the word is known and honored. I want the values of my community to come straight out of Scripture. I want that reflected in the personal lives of our residents and in business practices and town policies. I pray that churches would truly teach the word of YHWH. I pray that the Bible studies and youth groups in our area would grow as students and young people desire to hear Scripture. I pray that each person would walk out the Creator's instructions and have practical understanding of how to implement the word into their lives.

More posts on prayer:
Seven Simple Ways to Pray More
Praying that the Generations to Come Would Know the Torah
How to Pray for Our World + Verses on Prayer

Traffic & Laws

Most of us tend to not appreciate rules. This was definitely me when I was taking a ridiculous detour route to get to an appointment. I was running late and very unappreciative that this back road divergence had a stop sign every mile. So badly I wanted to run these so I could make it to my destination as soon as possible.

When you're driving somewhere it can be inconvenient to observe the rules of the road. When you're running late it can feel like you catch every light just when it turns red. It's frustrating to sit there and wait for it to turn green so you can be on your way again. It's extra exasperating when nothing is coming from the other way and it seems like there is no reason at all that you should have to sit there. You have your drivers license, so you know what you're doing, right?

But I think we can all agree that while they are sometimes inconvenient, traffic laws are a good thing. It would be nuts if cars from all directions whizzed through intersections without stopping. It would be dangerous to have cars passing stopped school buses or to not have vehicles slow down for construction crews or tractors. No one wants a sports car driving 100 miles an hour through a residential neighborhood or through a park. I am grateful for rules like that.

Just like with traffic laws, there are times when observing Scripture's commandments doesn't feel very convenient. Can't I just blast through this red light? I don't see anyone coming, so where's the harm? As we sit at those spiritual stop signs, we should remember that the Creator has purpose in his instructions -- whether or not we can see it or appreciate it in the moment. And let's not forget, we aren't the only ones who benefit from those instructions. By not breaking the speed limit laws I benefit from not having to pay a fine, but the other drivers on the road are safer when I am following the rules. It's not safe for others if I am recklessly operating my vehicle.

Not having traffic laws could save me a little bit of time once in a while, but overall this would add danger and chaos to my life. I don't want to have to approach every intersection and wonder if the cross traffic will stop or not. I want cars to slow down or get over when I am biking on the road. I reminded myself of this when I was heading to that appointment and the drive went from frustrating to peaceful. I really am glad that these laws exist, even if that means there are consequences like being ticketed when I don't obey them.

Would our lives be better if YHWH hadn't given us any directions for how to live? I simply can't imagine that to be true. If he hadn't commanded a Sabbath day, I never would have started resting for a whole day each week. If I didn't rest on the Sabbath, I have no doubt that I would be less healthy and more stressed out. That doesn't mean it's always convenient to honor the Sabbath, but I am so thankful for it. His instructions keep us on the safe path. 

"If you keep his commands, then you will live and have increase." -Deuteronomy 30:16

Related posts:
How Much of the Torah Do Believers Already Keep?

King David's Final Advice
Biblical Instructions: Have To or Get To?

Five Books that Changed My Understanding of Scripture

A question I frequently am asked is what Hebraic Bible studies I would recommend. I don't know of one in the traditional fill-in-the-blank sense. And I also don't know of many quick articles that will cause lots of people to do a 180 in how they think. But I do know several books that have changed my perception of Scripture.

It's amazing that different people can read the same passage of Scripture and arrive at completely opposite conclusions. I used to read Galatians and think that the instructions were bad, so hallelujah we are free from them. But honestly as I worked on the Hebraic Perspective on Galatians post I would read through the book and struggle to see where mainstream Christianity gets any of that argument. Same words, different understanding. 

Proverbs 31 is another example of this. That's a passage I read through a hundred times as the resume for a perfect woman or a to-do list for someone like myself. And it was discouraging to know I always fell short of that. But that's not how it's meant at all! Proverbs 31 lists the deeds of many women. Reading it with this understanding is empowering, because I see that YHWH is honored both by women who are early risers and those who stay up late--so I can serve him with my life without trying to do it all. Same words, very different understanding.

Tiny shifts like this can make all the difference. The books below have all shifted my perception of Scripture. Not that I necessarily agree with everything the authors and their related ministries have to say. But something switched on internally when I learned about Scripture in a way that is different than what I had always thought.

Five books that changed my understanding of Scripture:

Restoring The Two Houses of Israel by Eddie Chumney
You can click here to read this online for free.
Did you know that there are two houses of Israel? For the longest time I did not, and I would confusedly try and make sense of the switches from the Kingdom of Israel to the Kingdom of Judah in Kings and Chronicles. This truth the book covers flips on the lights for so many passages of Scripture, from the two witnesses in Revelation to the two sticks of Ezekiel 37. Biblical scholar Edward Hine is quoted to say that not making this distinction keeps you in the dark on 7/8 of Scripture!

Guardian Angel by Skip Moen
This book has a crazy amount of insight into male and female relations! From a Hebrew perspective Moen shows that the Creator intends for women to be spiritual leaders, protectors, and providers. While the focus is women, he also covers men's rolls and expectations according to Scripture. I would highly recommend this book to anyone but especially to those preparing for marriage or to anyone who has been told their female gender means they can't be ministers or leaders.

Aramaic English New Testament by Andrew Gabriel Roth
This is a version of the New Testament and it comes with commentary on a variety of subjects, including Shabbat, the twelve tribes, 'A Prophet like Moshe', 'How much Torah do Christians already keep?' and more.

The Seven Festivals of the Messiah by Eddie Chumney
This is also available to read for free online.
This is one of the first places I learned about the Biblical holidays. I appreciate that Chumney shares prophetic significance of each set apart time as well as practical ideas for celebration. He does share many Jewish traditions for each holiday; while I don't think anything is inherently wrong most of those traditions it is important to always make the distinction between what Scripture actually says and what man has come up with. 

Back to the Melchizedek Future by Dr. David Perry
Available as a free ebook here.
This book is so helpful in understanding the priesthood of the Messiah. Melchizedek makes an appearance to Abraham in Genesis 14, and doesn't get expressly mentioned again until Psalm 110, so it is all too easy to overlook the significance of this priesthood and it's ramifications for us today. I don't think it would be possible to read this book and then read Hebrews the same way.

Recommending these books does not mean that I agree fully with everything the authors have to say or the ministries they may be associated with. Please always use discernment and make sure that what any author or pastor or teacher says is consistent with the whole of Scripture.

Are there any books you would add to this list?

What I Wish My Christian Friends Knew About My Hebrew Faith

Hey there, friends! I run into a lot of misunderstandings about my faith, so I wanted to clear up a few things. For those of you who don't share my faith here's what I would love for you to know.

What I wish my Christian friends knew about my Hebrew faith:

-I believe in the Messiah! Please, please hear this: I haven't walked away from the Savior. I cherish all the stories in the New Testament of the Messiah, same as you. I believe he healed the blind, and walked on water, and threw money changers out from the Temple. I call the Messiah Yahusha because that is a better representation of his name than Jesus. But if you're talking about the Messiah, born of a virgin, died for our sins, rose from the dead, then we are on the same page.

-We have a ton in common. While there are some differences in our faiths there is far more common ground between us. Far more. Like you, I read the Old and New Testaments, and want to live a life that honors the Savior.

-What Hebrew faith means exactly. You can learn more about how I define a Hebrew here, but the gist of it is someone who accepts Yahusha as Messiah, while also being obedient to the commandments given in the Old Testament and throughout Scripture. So that means that I keep the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week, observe the Biblical set apart times instead of cultural holidays, and eat a Biblically clean diet. Those are the basics of a Hebrew lifestyle and I do my best to honor the Creator by living this way.

-I'm not Jewish. If I had a nickel for each time someone assumed I was Jewish I would be one rich lady. But with nothing against Jewish people, I am not pretending or aspiring to be Jewish. While our faiths have a few similarities, no Jewish person would ever consider my faith to be Jewish. And I do not participate in Judaism, a faith that does not accept Yahusha as Messiah. So please don't assume something about Judaism is true of my faith. For example, while I keep Shabbat I do not observe Jewish law that says you have to speak certain blessings, eat challah bread, and light candles in order to do so. The Hebrew faith is much more laid back than orthodox Judaism.

-I'm thrilled with the changes I've made. So often when I share about keeping the Sabbath people feel sorry for me to be "burdened" with it or tell me I am otherwise caught up in legalism, but that's not how I feel at all! I sincerely love the changes I have made and have found tremendous blessing in Sabbath observance, Biblically clean eating, and the Biblical feast days. So when I share with you about that, please know that I am not trying to give you something to do or tell you that your faith is inadequate: it's because I want you to experience the same joy and peace that I've found in these things.

-You are still a cherished friend to me. I am so grateful for you and I don't want our friendship to stop because my lifestyle is a little different than yours. Chances are, your faith is pretty similar to how I used to believe so I get where you're coming from. I want the best for you and I don't look down on you. If you've been hurt or felt slighted because I wouldn't do something on a Saturday or wouldn't try your salad with the bacon dressing, I want you to know that was not my intent. It's not because I don't like you or value you. I'm just trying to live out my convictions, and your support would mean so much!

-You are welcome to ask me questions. Really! If there's something you want to know about my beliefs or what I eat or why I made these changes or whatever else you can feel free to ask. I would love to have a heart-to-heart about faith, and it doesn't scare me if our beliefs don't 100% match.

-I don't have it all figured out. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Messiah, and that's my plan. I don't claim to be fully grown or that I've arrived at some perfect understanding of all things spiritual. I haven't. And that's okay! The Creator does not require us to have every last detail figured out, but he does expect us to grow. Growth means change and I'm willing to make adjustments in to my lifestyle and beliefs as I learn more. I hope you are too.

If you'd like to know more about my faith journey you can read about why I started keeping Shabbat, and why I stopped celebrating Christmas here.

If you have questions feel free to ask!

Don't Let Me Stray - Psalm 119 Printable

 

Have you read through Psalm 119 recently? That passage is one of my favorites in Scripture, and if you haven't, I would for sure encourage you to give it a read. It is packed with encouragement to honor YHWH's instructions and I think we all benefit from those reminders.

"Don't let me stray from your commands." Can you hear the cry of the author who penned this? I love how their desire to serve and honor YHWH is expressed this way. You've told me what to do...don't let me wander away from that. I decided to make this into a printable so that we can all be reminded of that prayer for help.

Click here to download this printable from Psalm 119. It's free for your personal use.

Is Keeping Biblical Law Possible?

This post takes examines the common Christian belief that keeping Biblical law has always been impossible, and that it can't be done today. We will see that this idea does not fit with God's words says about this.

We have often heard that the commandments given to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai are simply too hard for us to keep. If that is so, doesn't that seem a bit ridiculous - why would YHWH bother? Why make up a bunch of rules just to get rid of later?

Since the commandments are likened to a marriage contract, it would be helpful to start there. At our wedding, my husband and I vowed to love, honor, and care for one another. Do we do these things perfectly? 100% of the time? No. Does that mean we shouldn't even try? Of course not!

The Messiah always upheld Scripture's commandments and instructed us to keep his commands if we love him (John 14:15).

Just as each of us have specific ways we want to be loved, so does our Creator - in whose image we were made. Saying, "I love you" is important in a relationship, but stopping there will lead to trouble. Your actions need to back that statement up. Doing things for your spouse, spending time together, supporting one another - these are things that demonstrate your love. Should we be surprised that the Living God wants more from us than simply phrases like, "I believe in you," or "I love you"? After all, he made us in the very image of himself.

When YHWH gave the law he was not doing so to be cruel or to overcomplicate things. He did not do so out of punishment, but rather to teach people how to have a better relationship with him, and how to have an abundant life...by following Biblical law. And he told us that we really can do what he says.

"For this commandment which I am giving you today is not too  hard for you, it is not beyond your reach." -Deuteronomy 30:11

That settles it. If God says his word isn't too difficult to do, then it's not too difficult. He knows that we are humans, and he knows we fall short so many times. But he does expect us to try our best to follow his instructions. 

The Messiah said, "Blessed are these that  hear the word of YHWH and put it into practice." In the Messiah's day the New Testament hadn't been written. The only thing he could have been referring to was the Old Testament, and that includes Biblical law. The commandments are practical steps we can take to honor the Living God through our actions. Jesus said it was a good idea to keep it. And we can.

Related posts:
How Much of Biblical Law Do Believers Already Keep?
Basics of Biblical Law
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture