All grace and Torah lovers, our new forum, Joyfully Growing in Grace and Torah is live and ready for your interaction! We’ve got a good head start already, so get online and get to fellowshipping in a troll-free zone. 🙂
Check us out at http://joyfullygrowingingraceandtorah.prophpbb.com, and may the Father bless you as you seek His Truth.
Welcome to the first part of a new series of articles we are launching, entitled “Answering the Critics”. From time to time, we will take a look at some of the most popular articles from around the web that are frequently cited as “proof” that those who teach and pursue God’s Instructions (Torah) are false teachers/in a cult/cult leaders/misguided/what have you. All material quoted is the property of the author, and is used under Fair Use. Links to the original article will be posted at the bottom of the page. Quotes will be in red.
Today we will be taking a look at an article from Joyfully Growing in Grace, aka JGIG. The article is entitled “12 Undeniable Truths that Drive Law ‘Keepers’ Crazy”. We are going to take a look at these “truths” and see if they indeed drive us crazy, or if they are in any way unanswerable as she implies. With that out of the way, let’s begin. The following is her opening statement:
Having debated with those in Law-keeping sects for the last couple of years, the following are some truths that I’ve found to be of particular frustration and annoyance to them as they try to convince me that those in Christ are mandated to ‘keep’ Torah:
First of all, nobody in Christ is “mandated” to do anything, “or else…”. Everyone has free will. You are free to obey or disobey any commandment you choose. The consequences are on your head. Secondly, to approach this topic from this perspective implies that those who teach God’s Instructions (Torah) are doing it in order to be saved, which is probably the greatest straw man facing those who desire to teach Torah to all nations as Jesus commanded (Matthew 26:18-20). Nothing could be further from the truth. Obedience to God is the result of one’s conversion, not the condition of it.
1. Yes, it is the NEW Covenant, not the RENEWED Covenant.
People have made good points for both sides on this, but I tend to agree with the author here. However, what we need to keep in mind is that all that is necessary for a contract/covenant to be considered “new” is for one word to be changed. The book of Hebrews tells us precisely what has changed from old to new in chapter 8; God found fault with the people,(vs. 8) specifically the human high priesthood, and turned the high priesthood over to Jesus, after the order of Melchizedek. This is why the new covenant is better than the old, because we now have a PERFECT high priest interceding for us in the heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:1). There is no mention of all of Torah being taken off of God’s List of Very Important Things or somehow not being Truth any longer. That is a fabrication of men created by gross ignorance and failure to read the context of Hebrews. Cherry picking at its worst.
So far, I’m not being driven crazy. Moving on.
2. Paul’s letters, read as written, really do teach that the Body of Christ is no longer under the Law.
Yes, they do. My question to you is, what is your definition of “under the law”? If you think being “under the law” means “God expects you to obey His Instructions”, then you’re sadly mistaken, because God’s Instructions never went anywhere, and all Christians believe God has instructions to follow after getting saved. “Under the law” is a reference to having broken the Law and being under its PENALTY. Paul is telling us that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are no longer under the PENALTY of breaking the Law. Halleluyah and amen.
3. God is eternal, Torah is not. Torah is created, not eternal.
Here’s where we begin to have a dilemma with logic. If we assume that John 1:1 is true, and the Word of God was with Him in the beginning, and indeed WAS God, then JGIG has a problem on her hands. We know that the Torah is part of God’s Word; indeed, it is the foundation of absolute truth, for without it we do not know what sin is and how to avoid it. If the Word equals God, and God is eternal, then the Word must be eternal as well. Torah is part of the Word, therefore Torah is also eternal. There is no escaping the simple logic. A child could understand this, it’s that simple.
It is at this point where JGIG tries to play word games with the Greek word for “Word”, logos, in an attempt to get herself out of the logical nightmare she has created. Strongs defines logos as “a word uttered by a living voice, a conception or idea”. JGIG tries to take this a literally as possible by limiting John 1:1 to ONLY God’s spoken words, denying that His written words are the same thing as the spoken words, and therefore are not eternal. I’m sorry, but are you really trying to tell me that God’s spoken Word is somehow different or in opposition to His written Word? Are God’s conceptions and ideas pro-Torah one day and then anti-Sabbath and feast days the next? Hogwash! God is not double minded; He does not write down one thing and then say something entirely different with His mouth. This is nothing but wishful thinking born from a desire for JGIG to continue ignoring commandments that she doesn’t like. Logic certainly plays no part in this for her.
4. The catch-22 problem with the ‘Yeshua is the Living Torah’ doctrine: If Yeshua is the Living Torah, then the Law DID die. If the Law died, then it is no longer in effect.
The catch 22 problem with JGIG’s entire argument here is that Yeshua rose from the dead. If we take her extrapolation to its logical conclusion, the Law also rose from the dead, thus making it still in effect today. Game over.
Her issue with the “Living Torah” phrase is nonsensical at best. Nobody believes that God’s Law was literally walking around on two legs when they use this phrase, nor is it a “doctrine” that people must adhere to or be called a heretic; this is a total straw man argument. Rather, it is a metaphor used to illustrate the point that Yeshua was the living embodiment of His Father’s Instructions, obeyed them perfectly, and taught us to do the same. Also by logical extension, the Torah is part of Him, since He IS the Word of God in the flesh (John 1). We have already proven that you cannot parse out God’s written Word from His spoken Word. Attempting to do so only demonstrates the desperation and futility of the law abolishing paradigm.
Still not going crazy…
5. It was our SIN that was nailed to the Cross, not just man’s additions to or the curses of the Law.
This is 100% correct. No issues here. Next.
6. The Holy Spirit is perfectly capable of sanctifying the believer apart from observing Mosaic Covenant Law
“Mosaic Covenant Law” is JGIG’s pet phrase to describe the Torah. It is used to create a mental division in the reader’s mind and pit God’s Word against itself, with the subtle inference that the Torah was written for some dusty people in a desert somewhere and has nothing to do with modern day Christians. It would be interesting to see if she can provide Scriptures that state sanctification takes place without the Christian DOING something that God has commanded. “Sanctified” and “holy” are synonyms; we are called to be holy (set apart) from the world. This is not some mystical, esoteric process that takes place wholly internally; being holy is an ACTION. Physical deeds are required if one truly wishes to be set apart for God. You cannot separate the physical sanctification from the spiritual; they work hand in hand.
Interestingly enough, holiness is commanded in the Torah that JGIG insists is not for her. Anyone care to venture a guess as to where? How about Leviticus 11, smack dab in the middle of the dietary laws.
Leviticus 11:42Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
43Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
44For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
There you have it. Holiness is connected to what we eat, according to God Almighty. Contrary to JGIG’s opinion, this is a physical action that is found in the Torah. I’m sorry, JGIG, but if God didn’t want us to connect holiness with obeying His Instructions, then why did He put the command to be holy right in the middle of the food laws? I’m convinced He did it to confound people like her.
7. Law is not law unless it is enforced.
That’s why the word “torah” means “instructions”, not “law”. God is the Judge, not us. To attempt to enforce His commandments on others while not living in Israel under His rule would be a violation of them in and of itself. This is yet another variation of the “Why don’t you stone your children?” fallacy. This is answered and put to rest here: http://q.b5z.net/i/u/10105283/f/FAQ_-_Are_We_to_Still_Observe_Punistments_for_Capital_Offenses_in_Gods_Law.pdf
Next…
8. The fruit of the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Judaism belief systems and related sects is not good.
This is purely subjective. JGIG has no possible way of knowing what the fruits of the hundreds of Torah-pursuant congregations are. Broadbrushing statements like this are the norm with her. Calling this a “truth” is an insult to thinking individuals everywhere. It is her opinion, and a very biased one at that. I could produce dozens of quotes and comments from mainstream Christians saying the most heinous things against Torah folks, completely unprovoked, and turn this statement back around on JGIG. I won’t, however, because that would be intellectually dishonest.
Still not going crazy.
9. Torah is not our access to God and His Character or His promises
Straw man. I have never once seen anyone make the argument that Torah is our access to God. Obeying Torah is our part of the relationship between us and God; notice I said relationship, not salvation. Salvation is free, but true relationship is a two way street. “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15. Next.
10. The hermeneutic (a method or principle of interpretation) used by those teaching HRM/MJ doctrines is fluid.
Again, totally subjective opinion. Another opinion asserted as “truth” and sensationalized. For my part (and most of the teachers that I have heard), the primary hermeneutic that I use is that the “Old” Testament is the foundation of absolute truth, and nothing can contradict it (Deuteronomy 13). That’s about as non-fluid as you can get. This sends theologians and seminary students into a tizzy because they’ve spent so much time and money teaching themselves and others their dispensationalist nonsense.
11. Those in Law-keeping sects seek to make the simple complicated.
Quite the opposite actually. It is man-made doctrines from the “church fathers” and seminaries which complicate the Scriptures, not those folks who seek to return to God’s ways. Scripture is vastly simplified when you come to the realization that the Torah was never abolished/made so we can ignore it. Another “truth” dismissed.
12. Law ‘keepers’ cannot deal with contextual writings written to the Body of Christ, or their theology falls apart.
Once again, broadbrushing to the point of absurdity. JGIG does not consider the Old Testament to be written to the Body of Christ, so that is why she can make such outlandish statements and call them “truth”. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16). If all Scripture is from God and for training in righteousness, and Torah is Scripture, then Torah is from God and for training in righteousness. Again, a child can grasp this, but those who kick against the goads of God’s Instructions are blinded by their own selfish attitudes. If your “contextual writings” abolish or make void any of God’s Instructions, then it’s time to rethink your assumptions.
Mercifully, we have reached the end of the list. I trust none of you were driven crazy by any of these “truths”. 😉 Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope it has blessed you. There’s more to come.
-JGIT
(The original JGIG article can be found here: http://joyfullygrowingingrace.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/12-undeniable-truths-that-drive-law-keepers-crazy/)
Joyfully Growing In Torah 