What We Believe
We realize that some in the body of Messiah may think we have “lost it” so to speak. Allow us to please explain further so that you might see and test it. Iron sharpens iron.
We are saved by grace through faith in Messiah alone. (Ephesians 2:8). However, Messiah and His apostles also told us that “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands…” (1 John 5:3 / John 14:15)
In summary, We believe in salvation by grace through faith, but we are to keep His commandments to show our love for Him and to be “set apart” as he told us to be.
Wait! Isn’t this “Legalism”?
Most churches today teach that the LAW of God is legalism, but in fact the Bible tells us it’s “freedom” and not “burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Legalism is more accurately defined as the belief that you are saved by works (keeping the law), and not through grace and faith. See the difference?
I thought that Christ’s death removed The Law?
So did we actually, but we’ve come to believe now that this isn’t right. We’ve believed traditions that were taught instead of testing it to the Scriptures ourselves. We’re guilty of this as well and it’s only in the past few months that I’ve been doing this. Messiah himself actually said the law is not done away with. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) The problem is the word “fulfill” and how it’s defined, however “abolish” is pretty clear cut. Fulfill in Greek is the word Pleroo meaning to “fully teach or preach”.
So, Messiah did not come to remove the law but to actually teach us how to walk. If He was the Word made flesh, then He cannot contradict what was in the Scriptures or He would have been a false prophet instead.
Wasn’t the LAW only for the Jews?
First the Jews are from the tribe of Yehuda (Judah). They were one of twelve tribes present at Mt. Sinai when the commandments were brought down by Moshe (Moses). There were eleven other tribes that were present that day including many others that had joined them when they came out of Egypt. So, this should be the first indication that it was not just for the Jews, but for Israel as a whole.
Who is Israel?
You are!!! If you believe you are saved by grace through faith, then you are “grafted in” to Israel. (Romans 11:24) Therefore, all the commandments and laws are still applicable to us today as you are now part of Israel.
What is the Law?
It’s the first 5 books of the Bible (Genesis – Deuteronomy) that were written by Moshe (Moses). It consists of the 10 commandments, but there is also the keeping of his Feast Days and dietary instructions among several other things that we have steered away from as believers.
Let us leave you with this thought. How do we define sin? Are we relying on what we think it is and self defining or are we using YHVH’s Word and Mitzvot (Commandments/Instructions/Law) to tell us what sin is? If Messiah did away with the Law, then there is nothing left to define sin, so grace is no longer needed. It’s an oxymoron of sorts…
Shalom & may you be blessed by our Father!
