Basics of Biblical Law

What comes to mind when you think of Biblical law? That phrase used to sound foreboding to me. I pictured people getting stoned for any little thing they did wrong. I thought it was insanely nitpicky things that no one could ever do, and a lot of animal sacrifice.

With this attitude, Biblical law scared me. I eagerly accepted that the Messiah came to do away with it so I wouldn't have this terrible threat looming over me! Any time an "Old Testament" concept would come up, I would write it off, thinking it had been done away with. I would hear of things like Sabbath keeping and assume those people were also sacrificing goats or wanted to stone people who did wrong.

But eventually, I read through all of the Old Testament and saw for myself what Biblical law actually consists of. When I started actually reading Scripture I realized it really isn't so bad. It's mostly pretty reasonable, with obvious benefits.

Part of the problem is we mix Biblical law in with the instructions for the Levitical priesthood. I don't want to undermine that the Levitical temple service was legitimate and served a valuable purpose - it did. But Scripture tells us that the Messiah's priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek, not Levi. We do not have to worry about offering up animals when we sin. Praise YHWH!  Because the Messiah's death was once and for all, we are not to take up animal sacrifice or other Levitical customs, but that doesn't negate Biblical law. 

Levitical law and Biblical law are not the same thing. Plenty of Biblical instructions were given before the Levitical priesthood was instated. Men and women starting with Adam and Eve were given commands from the Creator. Noah and his family knew the difference between clean and unclean animals, Abraham and Sarah were instructed in how to serve YHWH, and the ten commandments were given before Levitical law was a thing. It is imperative to recognize the difference between Biblical law and Levitical law.

Biblical law mostly consists of the following categories:

-instructions about worshipping YHWH

-commands for treating others

-instructions for Biblical holidays, including the Sabbath

-animals we are commanded not to eat

-instructions for loans and business conduct

-instructions for sexual conduct

The more I studied about these commandments, the more I realized that most of these are pretty practical, and help us to live in a way that invites peace and contentment, as well as the Holy Spirit into our lives. Here is the Living God, handing out life hacks if you will. Let's examine these categories in a bit more depth.

Basics of Biblical law:

We are commanded to worship YHWH within certain parameters.
-YHWH is to be our only god. (Exodus 20:3)
-We should love YHWH with all of our heart, mind, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
-We should remember the name of YHWH and not bring it to vanity. (Exodus 20:7)
-We are not to test YHWH's promises and warnings. (Deuteronomy 6:16)
-We are not to make images or idols. (Exodus 20:4)
-We are not to practice soothsaying, enchanting, sorcery, or necromancy. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11)

We are given commands for how we treat others.
-Love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18)
-We are to honor our parents. (Exodus 20:12)
-Lost property must be returned to its owner. (Exodus 23:4)
-We are to love converts to the faith. (Deuteronomy 10:19)
-We are not to steal. (Exodus 20:15)
-We are not to covet our neighbor's possessions. (Exodus 20:17)
-We are not to deny charity to the poor. (Deuteronomy 15:7)

We are commanded to observe YHWH's set apart times.
-We are to set apart the Sabbath day and rest and worship YHWH on it. (Exodus 20:8-11)
-We are to observe Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles. There are a few more instructions for each specific holiday. (Leviticus 23)

We are commanded not to eat certain animals.
-Animals that don't have hooves and chew the cud are forbidden. (Leviticus 11:4)
-Fish must have fins and scales to be permissible. (Leviticus 11:9)
-We are not to eat blood. (Deuteronomy 12:23)

Loans and business conduct.
-We are to lend money to the poor and foreigners without interest. (Exodus 22:24, Deuteronomy 23:21)
-Workers should be paid on time. (Deuteronomy 24:15)
-Accurate weights and measures need to be used. (Leviticus 19:36)
-We are not to demand payment from a debtor known to be unable to pay. (Exodus 22:24)
-We should not fraudulently move property boundaries. (Deuteronomy 19:14)

Instructions regarding sexuality.
-Physical intimacy is to be within a marriage covenant. (Genesis 2:24)
-Adultery is forbidden. (Exodus 20:14)
-Homosexuality is forbidden. (Leviticus 18:22)
-Divorce must be formalized with a written document. (Numbers 5:15-27)

Do these things sound like something the Messiah wanted to do away with? Do we really think YHWH sent his son to liberate us from not having other gods besides him? Was his goal to free us from the obligations to honor our parents and to not commit adultery? Would it be a positive if we started denying charity to the poor, started using dishonest weights and measures in our businesses, made robbery okay, and started practicing necromancy?

If we are going to understand the New Testament we need to know that it never speaks against these things! The Messiah never said anything against Biblical law. You can search the entirety of the New Testament and you will not find him violating these commandments, suggesting others do so, or saying negative things about them. He always followed and upheld these things.

The same goes for the the disciples and authors of the New Testament. No one was speaking or acting against Biblical law. There are many passages of the Bible that seem like this is what's happening, but in those cases they are either talking about the Levitical priesthood ending or saying that believers don't need to abide by Jewish or manmade laws. While the Messiah frequently told his followers to set aside manmade traditions, he never taught anyone to disregard Biblical law.

Please note that this post goes over the basics of Biblical law, and is not intended to be an enumeration of every single law in the Bible.

Related posts:
Comparing the Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods
The Three Types of Laws in the Bible
Commandments or Traditions - Understanding the New Testament

5 Reasons Believers Should Keep the Bible's Dietary Commandments

Are the Biblical instructions about food and eating for today?

Five reasons believers should keep the Bible's dietary commandments:

1. Scripture tells us to. The Bible devotes a fair amount of time to the food instructions, and I don't think that's for nothing. The Living God's word is not wasted. Like any loving parent he expects his children to listen to him when he is talking and to do what he says. The fact that Scripture mentions this and mentions it repeatedly tells us that we need to take note of it.

2. The Messiah expressly told us he did not come to change the commandments. While many believers would make a case that the Messiah did away with the dietary commandments or "made all foods clean," Yahusha went out of his way to say that he was not changing or doing away with Scripture's instructions (Matthew 5:17). That is a significant statement and something we need to seriously contemplate before we set aside any of the commandments, including those about what we eat.

3. New Testament believers kept them. Even in the New Testament, and even after the Messiah ascended into heaven we see that believers stuck to the Bible's parameters for clean eating. The Messiah served only clean foods such as bread, fish, and wine; Peter mentioned that he had never eaten anything unclean; the disciples were reprimanded by the Pharisees not for what they were eating, but for eating without washing their hands; Paul said that our eating should be done in a way that glorifies the Creator. There is simply no Biblical precedent for disregarding the dietary instructions of Scripture.

4. It is a tangible step of faith for others to see. Personally my faith changed a lot when I finally got tired of telling people that I was a believer and then explaining away why my life didn't reflect the teachings of the Bible. Maybe it doesn't seem like what we eat should be a big deal, but let me tell you for those outside of the faith it is confusing why most believers follow so little of Scripture. Live out of Scripture so that people can see you're not just cherry-picking the Bible to suit your own purposes. Showing that you are convicted enough to inconvenience yourself is powerful, and a testimony about the work of YHWH in your life.

5. We are blessed by doing so. Who couldn't use a little more of the Living God's blessings on their life? Scripture says that choosing to be obedient to the word brings good things to us and is a source of life. I know many people who would share with you that Biblically clean eating has caused their faith and their relationship with YHWH to grow. Many would also tell you that it has improved their health. What a gift from our Creator that he bestows so many good things on us when we follow his instructions.

More about the Bible's instructions for what we eat:
What is Biblically Clean Eating?
How to Eat Biblically Clean
Understanding Peter's Vision
Understanding Mark 7:19 and the Messiah Declaring All Foods Clean

The Three Types of Laws in Scripture

When I was first learning about keeping Scripture's instructions today, I cannot tell you how confusing it was to read through much of the New Testament. Is the law good? Is the law bad? Was it done away with? Are we free from it? Is it only for certain people?

There are literally statements like, "Trying to keep the law is severing yourself from the Messiah," but also completely contradictory statements like, "Doers of the law will be considered righteous." Both of these things can't be true, but the Bible is inerrant...so which is it? And what does it mean for verses that say the opposite?

There are three kinds of laws that the New Testament talks about, and sadly most translations of Scripture completely fail to distinguish these at all. Each of these is distinct from the others. If we don't pause and pay attention to which type is being talked about, we are going to end up very confused and completely misunderstand significant portions of the Bible.

The three laws of Scripture:

-The commandments. These are laws that have been expressly given to us in Scripture. These include instructions on how to serve YHWH, the ten commandments, loving our neighbor, dietary restrictions, celebrating the Biblical holidays, not practicing idol worship, honoring our parents, keeping the Sabbath, and so forth. These are often referred to simply as, "the Torah." Some would call these instructions the Book of the Covenant. Across the board, the commandments are upheld and spoken highly of in the New Testament. These are often referred to as the instructions, the law, commands, or Biblical law.

-The instructions for the Levitical priesthood. These detail how the Tabernacle should be operated, and gives laws for sacrifices and offerings. Many would call these regulations the Book of the Law. These laws are no longer in effect. It's been nearly 2,000 years since anyone observed these laws after the Temple was destroyed. But much more significantly, believers no longer need to meet these requirements because the Messiah is now our high priest; his priestly order is Melchizedek, and not Levi. Hebrews 7:12 says that since the priesthood was transferred from Levi to Melchizedek this necessitates a change in the law as well. The change is not that the commandments are no longer in effect, the change is that we do not observe the rules for the Levitical priesthood. You can see more on this here.

-Jewish laws. These are manmade rules from the faith of Judaism. They are not commandments that come from YHWH, or anywhere in the Bible. These laws are traditions of men and not something that Scripture teaches. The Messiah spoke against Jewish laws such as the prohibition of healing on the Sabbath, and ritual handwashing before meals. Examples of Jewish laws today are things like lighting candles at the start of the Sabbath or not turning on lightbulbs on the Sabbath. These are not commands from the Bible and believers are not given 'bonus points' for keeping them. Some people call these the "oral law" or Talmudic law.

Again, it is to great misunderstanding that most translations of the Bible do not make distinctions between these. Unfortunately they are typically all just called, "law." Now it's confusing enough to make differentiation between the commandments of YHWH and the laws for the Levitical priesthood...but at least those both came from the Creator! But when we confuse the laws of YHWH with the teachings of men, we have a huge problem. When we mix these up, we not only misunderstand the verse, but can walk away thinking that it says the exact opposite of what it really means!

1 Corinthians 9:20-21 NIV is a prime example of this confusion:

"To those under the law, I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law, but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law."

Is he under the law or isn't he? What on earth is he talking about if "law" is supposed to mean the same thing? He literally says he's not under the law, then says he is under the law!

If we make the distinction between the different types of laws, this passage makes a lot more sense.

"To those under the Jewish law, I became like one under the Jewish law (though I myself am not under Jewish law), so as to win those under Jewish law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from YHWH's law, but am under it), so as to win those not having the law of YHWH."

Paul does not consider himself under Jewish law. But he does consider himself to be under the commandments of YHWH. Paul made a distinction between the types of law Scripture talks about. If we learn to recognize that Paul refers to the different types of laws his writings start to make a lot more sense.

Other examples of the importance of distinguishing which law is being talked about:

If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. - Galatians 5:18

Type of law this is referencing: Levitical.

I used to think this meant that you didn't have the Holy Spirit if you were keeping the Sabbath day, etc. But does it make any kind of sense that the Holy Spirit would lead us away from the written word of YHWH? In the context of Galatians, Levitical law is a major theme. If you have the Holy Spirit would you be lead towards animal sacrifice in place of the blood of the Messiah? Absolutely not! If we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the Levitical priesthood. More on why we don't need to sacrifice animals here.

You are aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile. But YHWH has shown me that I should not call anyone unclean. - Acts 10:28

Type of law this is referencing: Jewish.

Scripture does not teach this, so this does not come from the Biblical commandments or the instructions for the Levitical priesthood. The law Peter references is Jewish law. So YHWH is not changing the Biblical law, but rather teaching believers to set aside this Jewish law. More on Peter's vision here.

This is the new covenant I will make: I will put my laws on their minds and write them on their hearts. -Hebrews 8:10

Type of law this is referencing: Biblical commandments.

It wouldn't make a lot of sense for YHWH to write the laws for the Levitical priests on our hearts, now that the Melchizedek priesthood is in effect. And the use of 'my' is a giveaway that he is not talking about the manmade Jewish law. His commandments teach us how to have relationship with him and to live in ways that glorify him. Naturally these would be what he would want us to think about and treasure in our hearts.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire... -Hebrews 10:5

Type of law this is referencing: Levitical.

While the word 'law' isn't actually used in this passage, I had always incorrectly associated verses like this with the Biblical commandments for how are to live. I would read that he didn't want sacrifice and wrongly assume that he didn't want the rules surrounding the Sabbath day, interacting with our neighbors, the dietary regulations, etc. either. But those instructions help us to have closer relationship with the Creator. What he didn't want was for us to be disobedient to those things and the animal sacrifice system of the Levitical priesthood to be needed. Not to say that it was bad, but it is the lesser of what YHWH offers us.

Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the law and are living like a Gentile, why are you trying to make these Gentiles follow Jewish law? -Galatians 2:14

Type of law this is referencing: Jewish.

Paul is not accusing Peter of having discarded the commandments of YHWH; this is a discussion of Peter reverting to observing Jewish law because he was fearful of certain people. We saw in Acts 10 that Peter was expressly told to eat with Gentile believers even though it was against Jewish law. Paul is reminding him to hold the commandments of Scripture above Jewish tradition.

There is a setting aside of the previous law because it was weak and unprofitable. -Hebrews 7:18

Type of law this is referencing: Levitical.

The author of Hebrews is not insulting the Biblical commandments here. They are not saying that the Living God's instructions are not profitable. They are saying that the system of Levitical law was not YHWH's perfect plan, and it is now being set aside in favor of his best plan (salvation through the Messiah under the Melchizedek priesthood). Since it is referring to the Levitical law, this passage does not say that the Biblical commandments are set aside.

You who are trying to keep the law are severed from Messiah. -Galatians 5:4

Type of law this is referencing: Levitical.

Why would trying to keep the commandments sever us from the Messiah? He kept all these himself and told us he wasn't doing away with the commandments. Scripture tells us we should live as he did! Implementing the Bible's instructions into our lives so that we can live in a way that honors YHWH, never cuts us off from the Messiah. But if in disobedience to Scripture we insist on holding onto the animal sacrificial system because we don't think the Messiah's death covers our sins, that will keep us very far from him indeed.

Those who obey the law will be declared righteous. - Romans 2:13

Type of law this is referencing: Biblical commandments.

If we don't make a distinction between the type of law Scripture is talking about, we will inevitably misunderstand the word of God. This verse tells us that obedience to the law is a righteous thing, but the above verse from Galatians said it cuts us off from the Messiah. Both of these meanings cannot be correct if it's the same law. We know from Scripture that righteousness does not come from adhering to Jewish law and it doesn't come from the animal sacrifice of the Levitical priesthood. But obeying YHWH's commandments? That is a path to righteousness.

Can you see from this handful of examples how we can have drastic misunderstandings of YHWH's word if we don't discern which type of law is being spoken of? Many times in the New Testament one verse says something about the 'law' and a few chapters later it says literally the exact opposite. Scripture is cohesive and makes sense with the rest of itself. If it seems like it contradicts itself it is talking about two different things. We must learn to make these distinctions if we are going to fully understand Scripture, and know how we are expected to live today.

Related posts:
Commandments or Traditions - Understanding the New Testament
Four Distinctions We Need to Make to Understand Scripture
Understanding Galatians
Did the Messiah Break the Law?

King David's Final Advice

I'm sure we are all familiar with David from the Bible...the shepherd boy who became king. He slayed Goliath, penned many of the Psalms, fled from King Saul, and eventually ruled over all of Israel. He was a man of great courage who fought many battles, he was devoted to YHWH and there are many stories of his adventures in Scripture. But we don't often talk about the end of his life.

When David was dying he poured his heart out to his son Solomon, who would proceed him in rule. He prayed for him and gave him the very best advice he could. A friend of mine had a similar experience when her beloved grandfather was dying. Each grandchild went to him and he prayed over them and poured into them one last time. The experience was rich and meaningful, and she remembers his words years later. And you know what both men talked about? It wasn't small talk about the weather, professional sports, or politics. They focused on the important stuff.

Doesn't that make sense? If you can only say one thing to a loved one, or if you're running out of time with someone you don't just blabber nonsense. You don't spout off cliches. You focus on the most important truths.

So what did this great king say to his son?

"Guard the charge of YHWH your Elohim: to walk in his ways, to guard his laws and guard his commands, as it is written in the Torah of Moses, so that you do wisely in all that you do." -1 Kings 2:3

Guard the commandments! Do what Scripture says! Honor YHWH! Keep the Torah!

The best wisdom one of Israel's greatest kings could impart to his heir - and to us - was to keep the commandments of Scripture. It wasn't a bullet-point breakdown of how to defeat Goliath. He didn't give Solomon tips on running the nation. He didn't give a generic, "just love everybody," piece of advice. He didn't talk about practicing self care or how to be a mighty warrior. He focused on the quintessential foundation for how to live. He knew that if Solomon would guard the commandments then he would also be able to defeat Goliath, he would rule with excellence, he would find rest in keeping the Sabbath; David knew that if his son would follow Scripture's instructions he would be mighty in YHWH.

The New Testament tells us that David was a man after YHWH's own heart (Acts 13:22). I've heard sermons and teachings on this topic. I've done Bible studies to learn more about David and to become more like him, also pursuing the heart of the Creator. So let's not miss the wisdom in his final advice. What message did David use some of his very last breaths to share with us? To walk in the ways of YHWH and guard his commandments!

More about keeping the commandments:
Torah Keeping in the New Covenant
Is it Possible to Keep the Torah Today?
Keeping the Law: The Ten Commandments as Marriage Vows
Scripture Defines Sin as Not Keeping the Commandments
How Much of the Torah Do Believers Already Keep?

How Much Biblical Law Do Believers Already Keep?

This post owes a debt to Andrew Gabriel Roth's article, "How Much Torah Do Christians Already Keep?" It can be found in the Aramaic English New Testament - check it out if you get a chance!

While many Christians will tell you that Biblical law is a burden or too difficult or impossible to keep, they are already following much of it! This post examines how much of the law believers are already abiding by, and takes a look at the commandments that most believers skip over.

Is it possible to keep the Biblical commandments that YHWH has given us? I think many people say no to that without knowing what those commandments actually are. The Bible is a big book, after all. Many believers have seen or heard about a totally overwhelming number of Jewish laws and often assume those are in the Bible.

It is traditionally believed that there are 613 commandments for believers in the Torah. You can debate if it's that exact number for a couple of reasons - should loving and serving YHWH be one commandment or two? are certain verses relative statements or absolute commands? - but for now, we'll stick with 613 rules as a ballpark figure. That sounds like a lot, right? If we took a test with over 600 questions, most of us wouldn't answer 100% correctly. Thankfully, it's a little easier than that.

While many of these commandments are absolutely for everyone, not all of them are applicable to you. I don't say that in brevity or believe that we should write off huge chunks of Scripture. But it's true. Because these instructions cover all sorts of things...marriage laws, Temple protocol, specific instructions for kings, Nazirite vows, agricultural practices, and so on. So if you haven't taken a Nazirite vow, those particular regulations don't need to be followed by you. If you're not married, you don't need to worry about those instructions at the moment. Paul talked about this in Romans 7.

"The married woman has been bound by the law to her living husband, but if her husband dies, she is released from the the law concerning her husband." -Romans 7:2

We can see here that we are only expected to keep the commandments for our own self and circumstances. Of course, it is hugely important than we rightly divide Scripture to do our best to follow all of the commandments that pertain to us. Of those supposed 613 commandments, more than 200 have to do with the Temple. That means that right off the bat, we have less than 400 that might pertain to us. (We should note here that the Bible makes a distinction between 'Levitical' laws, which relate to the Levitical priesthood, and what I call 'Biblical law' which are the instructions for living, more on that below.) For the most part, believers do pretty well following these. Roth estimates that most Christians are keeping between 69-87% of the laws applicable to them! For a group that typically views Biblical law as a burden, that's a pretty decent start. That's like answering, seven, eight, or even nine questions correctly on a ten-question quiz that you never in a million years thought you could pass. Maybe this is a little more doable than you thought. In fact, Deuteronomy 30:11 says that the law is not too hard for us!

What commandments are believers already keeping?

-Loving the Creator. Serving and clinging to YHWH. Loving him with all your strength. Giving thanks to him. Fearing him. Respecting his word. Not testing him.

-Treatment of others. Loving your neighbor as yourself. Not verbally attacking a stranger. Not afflicting orphans and widows. The obligation of returning lost property to its owner. Helping someone collapsing under a burden or in danger. Treating litigants impartially. Honoring of parents.

-Honesty and integrity. Not lying or speaking a false witness. Not following a majority to do evil. Not bribing a judge.

-Financial matters. Not stealing or defrauding someone. Giving charity to the poor. Not deceiving someone in business.

-Marital relations. Not to have sexual relations outside of marriage. No relations between family or step-family.

What commandments are believers not keeping?

-Remembering the name of YHWH. Not forgetting it (replacing it with terms like God or Lord) but using it with reverence and respect. Calling on it for help.

-Sabbath. Sanctifying the seventh day. Resting. Not having servants or employees work on the Sabbath.

-Biblical holidays. Celebrating them and not working on certain days. Not having or eating leaven during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

-Dietary laws. Not consuming unclean animals. Not consuming blood.

This is generalization, obviously these won't line up exactly for everyone, but for most denominations would basically agree with the above. That's it. The commandments believers aren't keeping mostly fall into those categories. And you know what? Even in modern culture today, those things are pretty doable! Start using YHWH instead of generic, incorrect terms like God and Lord. Look forward to resting each week on the Sabbath. Eat in ways that honor the Creator. Add Biblical celebrations to your calendar. You really can do this! 


And these things are wonderful to do! I firmly believe that keeping Biblical law is a step towards abundant life. Everyone I know who has delved into those things has benefited from doing so. They would tell you that their faith has grown exponentially. They've seen their health improve as they make changes to their diets. They understand Scripture better and have a deeper relationship with the Creator. You can have all of those joys as well by taking steps to be obedient to Scripture.

It's not about being flawless.

It's not because you have to.

It's not too hard.

"Those that say they live in him ought to walk as he did." -1 John 2:6

Related posts:

The Three Types of Laws in Scripture
Basics of Biblical Law
Did the Messiah Break the Law?

Biblical Instructions: Have To or Get To?

If there's a line I've heard more in faith discussions I can't think of it. "We don't have to do that anymore," gets blurted out at the mention of Biblically clean eating, celebrating the set apart times, and honoring the Sabbath day. It's usually followed up with some sort of explanation about how, yeah, those poor people in the Old Testament really had to do a lot of stuff, but the Messiah came to set us free from that.

Call me crazy, but I think the Messiah had something a little more significant in mind than freeing up our Saturday schedules for his time in the flesh. He didn't teach that we can eat anything we want. And I can't think of any of his parables that might lead us to believe he wanted to revamp the holiday seasons. (Changing the set apart times is something Scripture mentions the anti-Messiah will do though - see Daniel 7:25.) He called himself a shepherd, and whenever he talked about sheep his message was that he would seek them out to bring them back into his flock. He told no stories where he set them free to do whatever they wanted.

I know when most people tell me, "We don't have to do that anymore," they are just regurgitating what they've heard many pastors and believers say. Rarely, if ever, does this statement come from who has significantly studied these topics themselves. But I think what this boils down to is not trusting in the character and nature of YHWH.

A friend of mine is married to a man who used to be very abusive. Thankfully, he has found a lot of healing and their lives have changed significantly. She is no longer not allowed to leave their home or use the phone without telling him. She doesn't have to do those things anymore. But before she did because her husband was then unhealthy and mean. Have you ever heard someone say the God of New Testament is different than the God of the Old? Do you think the Creator was just a cruel taskmaster until the Messiah finally calmed him down?

YHWH stays the same. He is filled with loving kindness. He hears our cries and has mercy on us. Our names are written on his hands. He loves us and has good plans for us. And that's how has always been. He didn't change from an angry and uptight character to a more laid back one in that page between the Old and New Testaments. He has always been the same.

If we believe that he is good today, then we have to believe that he was good yesterday and at the beginning. And if we believe he has always been good then it only makes sense to believe that the instructions he has given us have been for good reason.

While I strongly believe that we are commanded to do things like celebrate his set apart times, observe the Sabbath, and follow his dietary instructions, I don't do those things "because I have to." I get to do those things! I am privileged to have instructions from the Living God on how to live.

Related posts:
Keeping the Law: Ten Commandments as Marriage Vows

King David's Final Advice
Traffic and Laws: The Benefits of Scripture's Instructions

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?

Departing from Torah Breaking

"Let everyone who names the name of the Messiah depart from breaking the Torah." -2 Timothy 2:19

Take a second to ponder that verse...if you serve the Messiah, it's time for you to stop violating his commandments. 

It's worth noting that this is a New Testament verse. This instruction isn't just for people in Bible times or those before the Messiah. Paul wrote his letters to Timothy years after the Messiah ascended into Heaven. This verse is talking to you and me.

If we are going to follow the Messiah, then it's time for us to do what we can to stop breaking his commandments. This isn't about doing everything perfectly or being held to an impossible standard. This is about intentionally taking steps to honor the Creator. 

I like the use of "depart" in this verse because it makes me think of departing for a journey. When you prepare for a trip you are intentional, you make plans for visiting this new place. You've carefully considered the weather and what you'll need to pack. The Messiah is asking you to step out on a new journey with him. Have you thought about what you'll need to do to depart? What would it look like for your faith to grow in this way? 

What would it take for you to depart from breaking his commandments? Do you need to study Scripture to see what those instructions are? Are you feeling challenged to start taking the Sabbath day seriously? Would practical ideas for showing love to others help? Make plans for your departure now. And once you've set out on this journey keep looking at the map! The Creator does not expect you to figure it all out at once so keep growing and making changes as you continue to study the word.

A Hebraic Perspective on Galatians

Galatians may well be the most misunderstood book in Scripture. When I was first learning about Torah observance and the Hebrew faith, the idea of keeping the commandments would make sense...and then I would read Galatians and get very confused. It seems to go against so much of Scripture doesn't it? Passages are often pulled out of this book to say that we no longer need to follow YHWH's instructions. But Scripture doesn't contradict itself! Having a better perspective on this book will help us to see how it fits with all of the Word.

This post will help you to learn the meaning of Galatians and better understand its main points. It will also help you study this part of the Bible!

There are a few things to remember when we read Galatians: 

-This is not meant to be read on its own but in conjunction with the rest of the Bible. Meaning, it needs to fit with what the rest of Scripture says.

-Most translations fail to distinguish between the commandments for how we are to live (love your neighbor, honor the Sabbath day, eat what Scripture permits, do not steal or murder, etc.), from the laws regarding the Levitical priesthood and the sacrificial system, confusingly lumping them together as "law" or "Torah." Making a distinction sheds so much light on this book!

-Paul is not writing about all the commandments in Scripture but rather hones in on circumcision and animal sacrifice.

-This was written by Paul and Scripture says that his writings are often hard to understand and end up twisted (2 Peter 3:16). It is unrealistic to think that a quick, cursory reading of an English translation will lead us to the proper meaning of this passage when Scripture warns us that it is difficult to understand. Take time to study and search out the true meaning of this misunderstood book.

Because I come from a Christian background, I have heard so many times that Galatians says that we are set free from the pointless and burdensome instructions of our Creator. These are some of the verses that used to confuse me. Let's take a closer look to see what Scripture really is saying in these passages.

Addressing 'problem verses':

Titus was not compelled to be circumcised. -Galatians 2:3
This verse is talking about circumcision and does not mean that Titus wasn't compelled to follow other commandments in Scripture. Circumcision is a weighty topic and one that we won't fully delve into in this article. Remember that Paul did encourage Timothy to be circumcised later and we have no evidence of either of them or Paul disregarding Scripture's instructions in other areas.

Peter was at fault for separating himself from Gentiles. -Galatians 2:11
Peter was at fault because the Bible doesn't say he should do this. The idea of separating from Gentiles is a man-made Jewish idea, not something found in Torah. Which is why verse 12 expressly mentions that he withdrew from Gentile believers because of fear of others. He was fearing man's traditions and rules (Judaism's laws in this case) in place of YHWH, which is what Paul called him out for.

"Why would you compel a Gentile to live as a Jew?" -Galatians 2:14
It's important to realize that Paul no longer sees his faith as part of Judaism (in 1:13 he says that Judaism was his former way of life). So yeah, why would he expect Gentiles to live as Jews who observe literally thousands of rules not found in Scripture? The context of this alongside his rebuke of Peter keeping Jewish law tells us that Paul does not think believers should follow Jewish law, but he's not saying that all believers shouldn't keep YHWH's commandments.

"Man is not declared right by works of Torah." -Galatians 2:16 
We should look at this verse from the perspective of, "Man is not declared right by animal sacrifices." This fits with Hebrews 10:4 which tells us it is impossible for animal blood to take away our sins. But even if we look at it from the perspective that we aren't saved by keeping the commandments perfectly, there is no contradiction here. Salvation is a free gift given to those who believe, regardless of my ability to serve him perfectly. However, our actions should reflect our faith!

"Through the Torah, I died to Torah." -Galatians 2:19
An easier to understand rendering of this verse would be, "Through Scripture, I died to the Levitical priesthood." It's significant that Paul says through Torah or through Scripture, because he can see that the change from the Levitical priesthood back to the Melchizedek is something that Scripture teaches. He says he is dead to the system of animal sacrifice because it can no longer do anything for him.

"If righteousness is through Torah, then Messiah died for nothing." -Galatians 2:21
This isn't discrediting the Torah but rather speaking a quite obvious truth. If we didn't need the Messiah for salvation, then what was the point in his being killed? If the Levitical sacrificial system was all we needed then that would have been an easy decision for YHWH to continue that rather than subject the Messiah to torture and murder.

"Does the Spirit come by works of Torah or by belief?" -Galatians 3:2
Did the Levitical system lead to an outpouring of the Holy Spirit? It did not, simply because the Levitical system is the not the fullness or best of YHWH's plan for mankind. That is not an insult to the Levitical temple, but an admonishment that our faith shouldn't stop there. 

You need belief to be a son of Abraham. -Galatians 3:7
This fits with what we know about who Hebrews really are. It's not about your bloodline, it's about placing your faith in the Messiah and serving him as Scripture teaches.

"Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the Torah." -Galatians 3:10
Would Paul have bothered bringing this up if he thought we shouldn't keep any of the commandments and were off the hook of being cursed? I don't think so, and his phrasing is quite telling...he expects believers to have a question about doing 'part' of the Torah instructions because he expected them to follow the commandments given in the Book of the Covenant, without keeping the Levitical Temple system in effect. If it weren't for the Messiah, we would be cursed by not participating in the Levitical system. But now we have the Messiah and he set us free from the curse that comes from stopping Temple sacrifices.

"No one is declared right by the Torah." -Galatians 3:11
You can't sacrifice enough animals to be declared right. The blood of animals does not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). That's not an insult to the Levitical priesthood, merely an admission that Yahusha's blood is superior. And of course we aren't declared right by our works either, but that doesn't mean YHWH doesn't want us to live a certain way. 

"Torah that came 430 years later does not annul a previous Covenant." -Galatians 3:17
Did you know that most of the commandments for how to live were given before the Levitical priesthood was established? Instructions on the Sabbath, the set apart times, and clean eating were all spoken of well before the Israelites wandered in the desert. Those things aren't annulled or done away with because of the change in the priesthood. This sentence shows us that Scripture makes a distinction of the commandments for how to live and the commandments for the Levitical system. They are not inextricably linked together. This also tells us that the "Two Torahs" are both from Scripture, and Paul is not talking about the oral law (Judaism's man made rules).

This Torah was added because of transgressions... -Galatians 3:19
Added is a key word here. What was the Levitical system and animal sacrifice added to? The instructions YHWH had already given on how to live! Transgressions here is talking about the sin of the golden calf.

"...until the Seed should come to those this promise was made to." -Galatians 3:19
Until the Messiah comes! The Levitical sacrifices were made until the Messiah. This passage is talking about animal sacrifice and circumcision, but Paul is not saying that the rest of the instructions were just until the Messiah. We see the Messiah and his followers (Paul included) keeping the Torah throughout the New Testament.

The Torah is not against the promises of YHWH. -Galatians 3:21
Meaning that his instructions go with his promises. You don't throw out the instructions to get to the promises.

Yahusha was born under Levitical law. -Galatians 4:4
Messiah was born when the Levitical system was still in operation, in order to redeem those who were under this priesthood. This is both a statement of fact (that the Temple was running when he was born), and a reminder that he comes to us where we are.

Becoming enslaved again...observing Gentile ritual days. -Galatians 4:10
Please see that this passage is about turning back to cultural holidays and man-made traditions, not about keeping the Biblical set apart times! Verse 9 talks about turning away from YHWH. Would it make more sense to view celebrating a feast of Scripture as turning away from the Living God, or turning to man-made holidays with roots in paganism as turning away from the Creator?

Two covenants: free woman/slave woman allegory. -Galatians 4:24
Take note that these women are from Abraham's time, including the free woman. The Melchizedek priesthood was in effect during Abraham's time, while the Levitical system didn't come into place until hundreds of years later. YHWH's intention was always for his people to have the free woman covenant, but that covenant was rejected by Israel at the sin of the golden calf. The Messiah's sacrifice restores us to the original free woman covenant, including the many commandments on how we are to live such as celebrating the Biblical holidays, not consuming animals that Scripture doesn't permit, and honoring the Sabbath day.

Messiah has made us free from the yoke of slavery. -Galatians 5:1
True freedom only comes from the Messiah. And going back to the allegory of the free woman and the slave woman, the Levitical priesthood is the slave woman. Yahusha set us free from having to sacrifice animals.

Declaring yourself right by animal sacrifices severs you from the Messiah. -Galatians 5:4
Yes, saying that your sins are covered because of an animal sacrifice is deeply insulting to the Messiah! But that's what severs you from him; note that this verse doesn't say, "Honoring the Sabbath day severs you from Messiah," or "Keeping the commandments cuts you off." 

"Do not use freedom as an occasion for the flesh." -Galatians 5:13
Freedom and forgiveness don't make it wise to live foolishly. The Messiah didn't set us free from sin so that we can do whatever we want without consequence.

"The entire Torah is completed in one word, love your neighbor as yourself." -Galatians 5:14
This is a summary of the instructions we are supposed to be keeping. Think of it as the description on the back of a book - here's what it's about, see inside for more.

"If you are lead by the Spirit, you are not under Torah." -Galatians 5:18
A better rendering of this would be that if we are being lead by the Spirit, we won't return to the Levitical system of animal sacrifice. The Holy Spirit accepts Yahusha's blood offering as superior to the blood of bulls and goats and will not lead you to resume animal sacrifice. This verse is not saying that the Holy Spirit would lead us away from the word of YHWH or his instructions. Paul has just spoken on the Torah telling us to love our neighbor, it would make no sense for him to mean 'Torah' in the same context here...if you are lead by the Spirit you won't love your neighbor? That doesn't fit at all with Scripture.

Galatians doesn't have to be confusing. The Creator wants you to understand this important book and see that it truly does not contradict the rest of Scripture, and it doesn't bad-mouth it either. The Word of YHWH is seamless and by taking the time to study the Hebraic perspective of the writer we can see that this book doesn't tell us to throw away the commandments.

Related posts:
Comparing the Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods
Why We Don't Sacrifice Animals