Are Gentile Christians required to Keep the Torah, learn Hebrew and become Jews?

 

Must we become Jews?   

 

Another system of bondage running rampant among those who have escaped from the corrupted Churches is the ‘Torah movement. They insist that ‘Christians (I supposed they mean real Christians, not the phony hypocrites in the churches) must adhere to Jewish ritual and obey the Law of Moses, they express as the ‘Torah. Although not all of them agree entirely on ‘which rituals, customs and laws we are to obey, they generally agree that the Jewish Sabbath, festivals and dietary laws remain valid and in full force. (and again even these are open to much debate on exactly how they are to be observed) In other words they believe adherence to these things gains them additional favor with God and that the early Gentile Christians were instructed to take baby steps in Acts15 until they could learn full obedience to the rites and rituals of Moses. This even includes addressing God and Christ by their Hebrew Names: YHAH and Yahweh, and learning many other Jewish expressions to win favor with the Father. To help you better understand this movement and how to dispel it was ask:  

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified 1Cor2:2

 The early Christians were under constant assault from the ‘Judaizers who insisted that the Gentile Christians convert to Judaism and adhere to the law of Moses, especially in the rite of ‘circumcision. Of course this was immediately nipped in the bud at the famous Jerusalem council Acts15:6-29, when the issue was contested among the Apostles. Peter had already testified about his experience with Cornelius the Roman Centurion Acts10:1-2, in which God had shown him in a vision that there was to be no distinction made between the Jews and Gentiles, purifying their hearts by faith on condition of Repentance. (Acts15:9) So there was no reason to put the ‘Yoke of the Mosaic law on their necks and force them to be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas also affirmed that God had worked mightily among the Gentiles without distinction. Therefore it was agreed that the Gentile Christians adhere to the moral requirements of the law (or natural law) briefly expressed in Gen9:6-7, the Probation of idolatry, Murder, theft, sexual immorality, Blasphemy and the blood requirements. James, the brother of Jesus affirmed this in Acts15:24 by saying:
Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” to whom we gave no such commandment

This should settle any further arguments or assertions that circumcision and Torah keeping are requirements for Gentile Christians, especially in that the entire Book of Galatians was written to assemblies in that region to dispel this problem, HOWEVER the proponents overturn the entire premise of the Jerusalem Council by quoting Acts15:21, claiming James insisted on the teaching of Moses, when in the same context he says ‘we should not trouble the Gentiles with ritual matters, just tell them to abstain from evil and keep the moral law, by which they turned to God to begin with in likeness of Rom2:14. ‘The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law’.

Because the Apostle Paul was the most ardent opponent of this movement the present Pundits will go to great lengths to discredit him as a bonafide Saint of God by casting aspersions on his Epistles, questioning their authenticity as valid scripture. But this is nothing new, the Apostle Peter said in his final Epistle that the prideful and unlearned would do this very thing and ‘twist his words to their own destruction.
as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 2Pet3:15-16  One Of the most common methods they will use today to discredit him, is the miss-matching quotes from the Old Testament contain in his Epistles that ‘appear as though he is intentionally leaving out important text. But yet again this is easily explained by the fact that our English KJV, NKJV, ect Bibles contain OT passages translated from the ‘Masoretic text, not the Septuagint, from which Paul was quoting. The ‘Bible in use by the Christ and the early Christians was the Greek translation of Jewish Testaments, (we call the Old Testament in our Bibles) they knew as the Septuagint or LXX, which dates back at least 300 years before the advent of Christ. The Masoretic text on the other hand was a re-translation of the old Jewish testaments over five centuries beginning around 400AD. The main purpose for this translation was to remove many of the references in the old text to Jesus being the Messiah. The following being among the most blatant taken from Heb10:5-6 KJV
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

But if you refer to Psalm 40:6-8 from where this quote is taken, in your English Bible, it will read:
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. The ‘body prepared’ is gone! Just like many newer versions of the Bible will remove ‘a virgin shall conceive’ form Isa7:14, into a ‘young woman shall conceive’, when the word there is clearly VIRGIN.

Obviously you can’t blame Paul for something done to the text over five centuries after his death as though it was his fault the Jews took it upon themselves to rewrite their own Bible to eliminate Jesus. But you will run across this time and again outside the System and many will outright call Paul a false teacher because of it. The same thing holds true of people who will insist Paul’s writings support such Doctrines as Penal Substitution, moral transfer of Christ’s virtue, pre-forgiveness of sins, faith alone, unconditional election and predestination, ect. Many of the Torah pundits will come out the System still believing that Paul taught such things and accuse him of heresy for promoting ‘Justification apart from any works of the law’

The reason Paul’s writings are ‘hard to understand’, is because of the fallacies people inject into them. When the Doctrines of men become the written creeds of the Church a person escaping the snares have to ‘un-twist the twisting that has been done to their mindsets sitting under these fallacies for so long. So before you can properly understand that ‘not of works’ doesn’t mean you’re automatically saved by faith alone, in your sins, you’re going to keep believing that Paul taught a different Gospel than Jesus. And I fear this is the difficulty many of the Torah people are having with his Epistles. They escape from one System of error that promotes total ‘lawlessness, Grace as a license to Sin, filthy rags, no one’s perfect, Judge not, deeds thrown to the wind, and they adopt another System of Pharisaical legalism! As from one extreme to the other, because they see the ‘Church as entirely apostate (lawless) they place all the emphasis on keeping the Law, including the Jewish rituals, customs and dietary requirements. It’s well and good that they want ‘Christians to OBEY God and keep His moral law to inherit the Kingdom, but Paul showed them a way to do this WITHOUT being circumcised and becoming a Jew!  

 He told the people that Faith worked by love and upheld (established) the Law, Gal5:6, Rom3:31. He said:  

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. Gal6:15
The important thing was your moral conduct in Christ, not adherence to Jewish ritual.
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1Cor7:19 It is ‘Love that fulfills and establishes the Law, Gal5:14, Rom13:10, ‘Loving God with all your heart, mind soul and strength and neighbor as yourself’ Matt22:37-40. Circumcision and ritual were never sufficient to Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires so a person can truly be Pure of heart and obedient to the truth. Gal5:24, 1Pet1:22.

 

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Col2:11-12

 The keeping of Days, festivals, new moon or Sabbaths has no advantage against the indulgences of the flesh. History taught the Jewish Christians this important truth and they fully conveyed it to the Gentiles and gave them the liberty of conscience in these matters so that sects wouldn’t rise up in their midst and bring then back into the bondage of the Mosaic code so they would be ‘lorded over by self-professed scholars. And the same holds true today. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in outward appearances.

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations  ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using, according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Col2:16-23

 Paul told the Roman Christians the same thing: One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks Rom14:5-6  Certainly many dietary customs can be beneficial to health and well being, especially in ancient times when food preservation was very difficult. The Christian’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, not to be defiled by over indulgence in food, drink or any kind of revelry. (1Cor3:16) It would only be wise to keep your body as pure as possible just as you do your spirit, but all within reason and the rule of conscience. If you’re offended by my meat I won’t eat it in your presence or try to force it on you, but at the time you must give me the same consideration in the Days, festivals etc.

Insistence on these things only brings about division and bondage among Christians. We need to take a lesson from history and not repeat the same mistakes.
The original Torah movement began shortly after Pentecost when the Gentiles, after hearing the Gospel preached to them, repented and followed Christ. The Jews, already insanely jealous of the success Christ’s message was having among the people, immediately launched their offensive into the Gentile regions (such as Galatia) coming in by ‘stealth to spy out their liberty in Christ in an attempt to bring them into the bondage of Mosaic code, especially the rite of circumcision. (Gal2:4) Paul warned them severely about mixing the rite of circumcision into their faith, as it would make them ‘debtors to keep the WHOLE law, Gal5:3, and that’s exactly how the present day Torah keepers will get their foot hold in your life if you don’t sharpen your discernment and dispel this. Remember what Paul said about faith: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Gal5:6  It will avail you NOTHING to adopt Jewish ritual.

But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. Gal4:9-11

How foolish it is to insist on the rite of Jewish circumcision to confirm your obedience to God. I ask WHO is going to perform the rite. Do the Torah keepers go down to their local Jewish Synagogues and request an appointment? I mean in all reality what’s a person like this to do when there are no Temples, Priests or Mosaic courts to administer these things? That’s why when you question them about HOW they intend to keep the Sabbath or celebrate a festival or adhere to Kosher regulations, you will get a thousand different answers. They will often say, ‘Well, I only keep the laws that apply to me’, or we ‘Try our best not to cook or use any electronic devices on the Sabbath’. What is this but a matter of ‘Conscience, just as Rom14:5 says, ‘Let each man esteem (and keep) the Day as he sees fit to keep it!’  No wonder Paul said in

Phil3:2-3, Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh  

The Keeping of these things is a Shadow’ of things to come but the ‘Substance’ of which is in Christ. Col2:17.  We keep Christ in our hearts and worship Him in spirit and truth, within the parameters of our circumstances. God is not going to hold it against you for observing a Day of rest when you find it possible to do so. If you’re loving and serving Him with a Pure heart, crucified flesh and obedience to the Truth your entire life will be a living testimony to HIM! You’re not going to partake in the self-indulgent idolatry that is common in the professing Churches, in the festive nature of their holiday celebrations they assume honor Christ's birth, death and resurrection. But you’re also not going to exclude someone who has yet to sort all these things out in their mind and come to their own conclusions what is proper and what is sin. 

WHO would know this better than Paul? The self-confessed Pharisee of the Pharisees, persecutor of the Christians, full Jewish linage, Circumcised in accordance to the law, blameless! Phil3:4-6. YET he remained Wretched within (Rom7:14) until all of the (dead works) were CRUCIFIED with Christ in repentance, put to death and his mind raised to Newness of life. (Rom6:4-6) Therefore he understand FULLY that the observance of ‘Days, months and seasons Gal4:10, was in Vain (to no purpose, without effect)

Unless you accept the New Testament (Epistles of Paul) as valid you remain under Torah law and will forever be embroiled in the debate between ‘Traditions (added by the religious elite like the Pharisees) and the actual regulations contained in the five books of Moses. (Torah) This is why many of the modern Pundits have launched an all out attack on Paul to discredit his Apostleship; even though James and Peter also agreed at the Jerusalem Council that ‘circumcision and the rites and rituals were not to be forced upon the Gentile Christians, they said nothing about this in their Epistles. So Paul remains the target as he was then also to the Jews who hated him with murderous passion. 

Christ said His Yoke was easy and burden light (Mt11:29-30) He said that all the Law and Prophets hung on the greatest of all Commandments: that you Love God with all your own heart, mind, soul and strength and neighbor as yourself, (Mat22:37-40) in that the Law is fulfilled. (Rom13:10) If a person conducts themselves within the parameters of this moral code he is NOT going to kill, steal, lie, bare false witness, commit adultery or participate in any act that would violate conscience and harm others. Since the Gospel was meant for ALL mankind, this Standard would reform any culture on earth. But if you attempt to enforce strict Jewish custom and culture with the Gospel you render it inoperative to purify the hearts of men. The corrupted Church System throughout history, since ancient Rome, has inflicted this same kind of tyrannical rule over the Kingdoms of men and the results have been disastrous. Today we have a small body remnant separated from this monster and YET they have failed to find a common enemy and band together under one Banner of repentance and faith proven by deeds. Do you see how this debate over the Torah is absurd and frivolous to engage in? To what purpose will it accomplish, only more divisions.

Can we agree that NO ‘Written Code is going to suddenly make the corrupted Church System fall in line with Christ’s teaching and admit they have been believing a lie. Only assaulting the Strongholds is going to make a dent in their super-structure, bringing out the FEW that are Seeking to escape the snare. The Basics of Apostolic preaching was directed at this very thing, calling all men everywhere to Repentance Acts17:30-31, not going into the different nations and cultures to convert them to Judaism. Christ kept the Law in every way because as the Promised Messiah He was the fulfillment of everything the Prophets had written. He said to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees’ Mat16:12, not to cast aspersions on Moses but to expose them as hypocrites for adapting to an outer standard of godliness in additional rules and regulations added to the Law, but entirely neglecting the ‘weightier matters of Justice, Mercy and Faith, Mat23:23. They were no longer capable of making a ‘Righteous Judgment’ Jh7:24, in matters of Faith and love, in that the ‘Royal law was fulfilled in those who lived by this standard. Js2:8

This is why Peter said in Acts10:35 Any Nation that fears God and works Righteousness is accepted by Him!’ concerning his ministry to Cornelius of the Roman Guard. God showed him clearly that God makes no distinction between nations and creeds, his declaration at the Jerusalem Council made that plain:
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.  Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they’

Here is the Purpose of the Commandment!Purity, Sincerity and love’ 1Tim1:5, true Redemption wrought in the hearts of those who come in a self-cleansing repentance will produce this kind of faith. That the corrupted Churches have distorted Paul’s teaching to the point of absurdity by adding moral depravity, Substitution, pre-forgiveness of sins, imputed righteousness, faith alone, does not detract from the Truth. Just because the so-called Scholars THINK Paul’s writings teach such things isn’t reason to invalidate what he said about the Keeping of Jewish customs. His detractors then and now are: ‘Destitute of the Truth, knowing nothing, proud and obsessed with disputes over words!’ 1Tim6:4-5, because they have rejected the Doctrine which is in accord with godliness and self-control, the wholesome words of Jesus Christ. 6:3.

The Torah Movement is flawed form beginning to end,
 as it was in Apostolic times, it remains; an attempt to lay heavy burdens on the backs of the Gentile Christians and classify them as second class ‘Brethren if they fail to fall in line with Mosaic code and the keeping of Days and Festivals. Beyond Loving God with all the heart, mind, soul and strength and neighbor as self, Jesus put no further requirements on the fulfillment of the Law. His ‘hand-taught Disciples (James & Peter) affirmed this and settled the argument with the Jews for all time. BUT I find this present day movement severely flawed for several reasons:
1) Use of extra Biblical sources, quoting ancient Rabbis and obscure gospel records
2) Compelling Gentile believers to learn Hebrew and adopt Jewish customs
3) By using inane and ridiculous conjecture such as attributing sexuality to angels
4) By demonizing the Apostle Paul, impugning his character and calling him a false teacher
5) And finally by finding themselves in agreement with Rom14:5, through the ‘circular reasoning of
    each one being fully convinced in his own mind in observance of the Sabbath, dietary laws etc

What would be the Purpose of actually Keeping the Torah today in light of the forgiveness of our Past Sins? That’s the Key element these Pundits fail to consider, that under the Law of Moses (Torah) there was NO reprieve for Willful, presumptuous sins (Num15:30-31) the penalty was always ‘death on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Heb10:28) There was nothing in the Sacrificial System that could Atone for such transgressions, the Leviticus code had to do with purification rites covering ‘unintentional sins, such as erring in the practice of ceremony or washings etc. Even the Day of Atonement, Lev16, was a national observance done for sins committed in ignorance Heb9:7, willful transgressors wouldn’t be around for this Day to enjoy the benefits. Therefore we have a Supreme advantage in Christ over and above the Torah! We have the opportunity to have our PAST willful sins absolved, Rom3:25, by Christ’s own Propitiation made on our behalf, once and for all, to reconcile those who would turn and repent as Commanded. (Heb10:14-23) Peter proclaimed this very thing in Acts3:26 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. The Law could not TURN anyone from their transgressions once they were committed in willful disobedience, only Judge them to death. But Christ makes it possible through the Redemptive process of Repentance and faith proven by deeds!

So unlike our ‘Torah counterparts, we have confidence with God that our past sins are forgiven and our present life Purified. (1Jh3:21) We are no longer constantly under the condemnation of the Law or Conscience because we are KEEPING the Righteous requirements of the moral law (Rom8:1-4) and KNOW we have eternal life in Him if we continue to abide in His Word. (1Jh2:3:24, 5:2) What confidence was there under the Mosaic code, where ‘in constant sacrifices there was a reminder of sin year after year, Heb10:3, never a cleansing of the conscience. Christ ended this futile system once and for all so we can be Purged of our dead works and serve Him with a Clean Conscience acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (Heb9:14, 1:24) If we have to constantly wonder if our adherence to Jewish rituals is done properly and acceptable to Him, as we perceive them, what confidence and Joy is there in our Salvation, contingent on a proper understanding of Judaism. (in which no one can find firm agreement) I will opt for the Redemptive plan of Christ based on His offer of Reconciliation through Repentance proven by deeds.

Another thing the Torah people will do is insist that the Covenant God made with Moses is still in effect.
But I think this can be attributed to the abject lawlessness many of them came out from in the Church System. So again they go from one extreme to the other. The Church rejects all Law, works, deeds and claim that Christ’s finished work on the Cross fulfilled everything and there no further necessity for man to come clean in repentance and do what is Right. Their Gospel is not ‘What you need to do to be Saved’ its ‘What He did for you. Rightly so, this is a horrible distortion of the Gospel but it doesn’t mean we should swing the pendulum in the other direction, but rather come to grips as to what Faith and Repentance really means. We are to become Disciples of Jesus Christ not disciples of Moses. 

Remember that God made several Covenants, starting with Noah in Gen6:18, He also made a Covenant with the earth ‘after the flood’ to never destroy it again with water. Gen9:12-13. Long before Moses came on the scene He made a Covenant with Abraham, Gen15:18, to rise up a great nation from his seed and give them the Land. This is where physical Circumcision originated, but Abraham was accounted Righteous by his faithfulness to God’s Commands BEFORE he received the rite of circumcision. (Gen15:6, Rom4:10) This Covenant is mentioned by Peter in the Acts3:26 (shown above) culminating in the fulfillment of the Gentile Nations coming into the faith, thus all the families of earth are blessed. Granted the New and Old Covenant theology myth is a mainstay in the establishment Churches to pass off their responsibility of obedience in repentance. God’s Word is from everlasting to everlasting, not divided up in ‘dispensations that Change the nature of God from Judgmental to Merciful. He has ALWAYS been merciful to His creation from the very beginning, not willing they perish in sin and taking no delight in the death of the wicked. (Ps103:17, 2Pet3:9, Ezk18:32) All things are fulfilled in Christ in that we come to the Father through Him and Walk in an Obedient faith Working by Love, Purifying the heart of sin, thereby upholding and establishing the Righteous requirements of the Law. NOT the actual ‘circumcision of the flesh, but that ‘of the heart (inwardly purifying) bringing the person into a Right ‘Covenant relationship with God. (Col2:11)

Who is a genuine Jew (or child of God) but those circumcised in heart, Crucified with Christ, dead to sin and raised to newness of life! Walking in the Steps of Abraham, doing the Deeds of Abraham as the True Israel of God. Rom4:12, Heb11:8, Rom4:10-21, Gal6:15-16.

Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Rom2:26-29

In a Self-cleansing repentance we can RETURN to Obedience in faithfulness and truth. James1:21-22: Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. As I said this couldn’t happen under the Law because once you violated it intentionally you didn’t have a second chance to amend your ways and try again. If it wasn’t for God’s eternal Mercy being granted again and again to the disobedient in ancient times, offering them repentance, mankind would have ceased to exist on earth long ago. But as He said time and again, ‘I desire Mercy and not sacrifice’ 1Sam15:22-23, and reminded the Jews that by this precept people could be returned to obedience through repentance proven by deeds. (Jh2:25)

Torah Keepers are also generally ‘Literalist, meaning they see the Christians as God’s chosen people, the real Jews (perhaps gathered from the lost tribes) by which God will eventually restore the real Jerusalem (with temple worship, Torah government) and HE Himself will Sit on the Throne of David ruling the nations in Righteousness forever. Moses (I suppose) will be there to administer the Laws with his holy Priesthood and carry out its requirements to the letter once and for all. But this also plunges us into debates about ‘dispensational theology and literal fulfillments of Revelation and Daniel. Instead of focusing on keeping ourselves ready to meet the Lord when ever it occurs in our allotted time. God’s people are called: sojourns, strangers, and pilgrims without allegiance to a particular country or flag. They are NOT struggling to establish an earthly Kingdom (1Pet2:11) as was Israel under the Mosaic Covenant, to bring about the eventual advent of the Messiah. Their mission is to be: a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1Pet2:9-10 

The Christians has his
Citizenship in heaven Phil3:20, and Kingdom above. 2Pet1:11, their City stands on the foundation whose builder and maker is God! Heb11:10. We have no Kingdoms here in the Age God has allotted to bring in the remnant believers. When it closes final Judgment will follow. Rev22:11-14.

Many of the Principle truths the Prophets uttered to lost and disobedience Israel can apply (and have applied throughout history) to the Cold, Dead and Lukewarm Churches that have perverted and twisted the Word of God beyond recognition. But this doesn’t mean we should rush out and tell them they need to be obeying the Law of Moses or perish in their sins. They are already perishing in their sins by their disobedience to the Wholesome Words of Jesus Christ! Strong Delusion has descended on them long ago in the form of contrived Doctrines since ancient Rome. They have become ‘Lawless as a result of their rejection of Truth in favor of myths, invented by men. Injecting another level of complication into the mix concerning Torah Law is only going to harden their resolve to remain in their present state of lawlessness. It’s their Strongholds erected over centuries that need to be assaulted first and pulled down piece by piece before any of them can be lead to a real repentance. And then ONLY those with a willing and honest heart, seeking after God will yield. The obstinate and stiff-necked will always resist the Holy Spirit just as the Jews did when Stephen rebuked them saying they were ‘uncircumcised in heart and mind, blind to their own Messiah who came to set them free! Acts7:51-52.

 Adherence to the rituals couldn’t save them from their blindness and neither will returning to them set anyone in the Church System free from their bondage to sin and worldliness. God is not so limited that He can only be addressed in ancient Hebrew and pleased by Jewish customs. Jesus came to Redeem people from the Corrupting influence of their sin, NOT their ethnicity! His Message Transcends nationality and culture and reaches into the heart of the issue. When you take up your Cross and follow Him you part ways with worldly ideology that identifies people by race, creed or color. Christ calls ALL MEN to Repentance, without regard to their ethnic background. Those who Obey Him and Work Righteousness will be accepted into His Kingdom, no matter which language they speak or where they came from.