“If you confess Jesus as LORD (Yahweh) and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) AND THAT’S THE TRUTH!!!
“If you confess Jesus as LORD (Yahweh) and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) AND THAT’S THE TRUTH!!!
I must respectfully disagree with one statement that Jim made regarding the Jewish understanding of the Torah (the “Law”). Jim said the “the Law [Torah] does not produce righteousness” (which is true); but then he goes on to say “The Jews have labored under the notion that it does” [ie, “produce righteousness”]. Here, I believe Jim misspoke.
Today there are at least four views of Torah (ie, “the Law”). The first one is the Jewish view — Torah is divine wisdom. It is a set of instructions which teaches the knowledge of God and the reverence for His will. Torah reveals God’s nature as Creator and sustainer of the Universe; He is sovereign over all of Creation. The second is the gentile Christian view which often equates Torah as an old, outdated and perverted form of legalism. The third is the Christian view of the Jewish view of Torah, and is the most pernicious. Most gentile Christians have not studied Judaism for its own sake, so we have incorrectly categorized it as a “salvation-by-works” or a “earn-your-way-to-heaven” form of legalistic religion. The second and third views are patently wrong. The fourth view, is by far the most important. It is Jesus’ view and the view of the Disciples and the Apostles of the early Church.
Even a most superficial reading the New Testament clearly shows that Jesus and the Jewish Believers of the early Church revered the Torah as God’s most precious gift to mankind. Indeed, the Tanakh (Old Testament), the rabbis and sages through the ages (including the Pharisees) and, of course, Jesus Himself, emphasized the magnitude of God’s grace for everyone who comes to Him in repentance.
“Oh how I love Your Torah. I meditate on it all day long.” (Psalm 119:97)
I thank you Jasper for your respectful piece with further clarification as you view what was said. A faithful expositor on the stance of today’s Christian views of furthering the accepted understanding of Christ and His finished works has determined that the Christian church is doing it’s best to “build the 2nd floor without a foundation on which to build it…”
Having done a great deal of study on our Jewish roots, I have become more and more aware of the fact that today’s Christians have little, to no understanding, of the necessity to be taught the value of knowing the reasons for the feasts and appointed times of observance, and observing (understanding) the signs of the times. They are intended to be points of reference for harkening back to all Creator God has covenanted with His people and we, as as the “grafted in”) limb connected to “The Root” of the covenants and the Covenant-Giver has been lost for most of us.
Today’s Christian, for the most part, has lost the awesome and reverential fear of the Lord. His absolute holiness, never-changing nature, who is the ruler of the universe and is directly involved in the affairs of men and nations is not a concept we cling to.
As you mentioned – the Old Testament and the contents therein, are looked upon as “legalism” and not meant for today’s need for understanding since we now have salvation through Jesus. One fact seemingly lost on a good many of today’s believers is the fact that Jesus was a Jew, so was Paul, and all the other deciples. At no time did they consider themselves anything but Jews and continued to observe the feasts, appointed times, and the need for cleansing before the Lord.
The nature of God’s spirit is understood best by obedience to His word: His word being the FULL counsel of God which includes both testaments. Jesus made it quite clear that He didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (meaning bringing the power that would dwell within a person to be able to obey that which would lead to a Godly and obedient life). At that appointed time of crucifixion and reseurrection, His sin offering was meant for reconcilliation between God and man. A new nature, if you will, was imparted through this “give and take” transaction that gave us the ability to KEEP the law and receive the indwelling nature of Christ, which was obedient to all the ways of our Father.
Jasper, I’m sure Jim didn’t mean all Jews because he didn’t say “all” Jews. In your 2nd paragraph you said “The second is the gentile Christian view which often equates Torah as an old…..”. Now I’m a gentile Christian and along with many other gentile Christians we firmly believe and revere the Torah as the Eternal Word of God. So you have committed the same error for which you fault Jim. But I know you don’t mean all gentile Christians. In fact, many gentile Christians know Jewish history as well as many Jews do.
Also, at the beginning of the 2nd paragraph where you explain the views of the Torah, the first view you described is the Jewish view and it’s a beautiful description and we should take note of it; but then you never mentioned anything about how one can to obtain salvation and righteousness if not through good works (The Torah).
In conclusion, I know Jim’s deep love for the Jewish people and it was not criticism of the Jews but his and all true Christians deep desire to see salvation and righteousness come also to the Jews because we owe them so much in bringing to us the Word of God (The Old and New Testament).
Salvation is a gift. It is by faith alone in Christ alone.
Jim – I agree that Jesus is “the goal of the Law,” the one to whom the Law pointed. And that once we have come to him and been declared “righteous” the Law is no longer necessary in our life. It has fulfilled its purpose. For as Paul told Timothy, “law is NOT made for a righteous person…but for the ungodly and sinners. ( 1Tim. 1:9).
But I can’t agree that by “Lord” Paul was saying Jesus was Yahweh, that is Father God, the Creator of the universe. I believe Paul was saying we are to confess Jesus as lord OF OUR LIFE. For how can we believe Yahweh died and then Yahweh raised him up? God cannot die!
I should have added to my previous comment, that I believe salvation as presented in the Bible is not premised on believing Jesus is God – but the lamb of God.