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Torah

Old Testament Grace?

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:14

Christians have been taught that believers are no longer under the Law of God (Torah) because we are now under “Grace” because of Christ’s sacrifice.

  • Believers are not under the law. They are not under –
    • (1) The curse and condemnation of the law (Galatians 3:13; Colossians 2:14; Romans 8:33, 34).
    • (2) The law is “the covenant of works” – a dispensation in which he is taught to look for acceptance with God as the consequence of his own merits. (Biblehub.com)
  • Reasons Christians are not under the law:  1. The law was destroyed – The main purpose of Jesus death was to destroy the law and save man. (more at ChristianTruthCenter.com)
  • What Paul says is surprising. I expected the apostle to say that “sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under sin.” Instead, he says we’re not under law. Why bring up the law?  As a believer, you’re not under law, but grace. That is, as Cranfield explains, “believers are not under God’s condemnation pronounced by the law but under His undeserved favour” [Cranfield, Romans, p. 140]. (FaithAlone.org)
  • Christians are not under the Law. In other words, Christians are not obligated to keep the Law so as to be saved from God’s righteous judgment so they don’t go to hell.  Christians are freed from having to please God and be saved by keeping the Law of God. We are not under the Law. We are not under its authority. It has no power over us. (CARM.org)
  • “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly …. No sin will separate us from the Christ, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day.” (From Martin Luther’s letter to Philip Melanchthon, August 1, 1521)
The Administrations proposed by most Dispensational teachers

Most churches preach some form of “Dispensationalist” philosophy that teaches that God deals with Man differently in different ages and that we are currently in the 6th Dispensation which is known as the “Church Age” or the “Age of Grace” which has replaced the Law (the 5th Dispensation – Moses to Jesus).

  • Grace: From Pentecost to the Rapture – the Church Age
    • No longer requiring righteousness through works, God granted a righteousness by grace through faith in the completed work of Christ to all who accept, whether Jew or Gentile (Romans 3:21-24). Most will not accept and will be punished through eternity.
    • Note: It’s important to realize that Grace didn’t replace Law, it just interrupted it.  Law has another 7 years to run, called Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:24-27), which fills the time between the Rapture and the 2nd Coming. During this time all the nations to which Israel has been scattered will be completely destroyed and Israel will be disciplined in preparation for receiving the Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:4-11).  (GraceThruFaith.com)

The idea that Yahweh is different is in stark contrast with His proclamation that he does not change.

For I am the LORD, I change not

Malachi 3:6a

So, if He does not change, what is this new thing called “Grace”?  Or is it new?

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Genesis 6:7-8

Noah found “grace” (Strong’s 2580. chen, (pronounced – khane); graciousness, i.e. subj. (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty):-favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured.

12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Exodus 33:12-14

Moses found “grace” (Strong’s 2580)

Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Jeremiah 31:2

The nation of Israel found “grace” (Strong’s 2580)

33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. 34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace [Strong’s 2580] unto the lowly. 35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 3:33-35

Other’s, not specifically named, were given “grace”.  A few names that probably fall in this category might be, David, Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, Samuel, John the Baptist, and many more.

Can we really believe that we can sin with reckless abandon and will still enjoy paradise because we happened to be born during a certain time (the Age of Grace), yet these Champions of the Old Testament will not because of when they were born?

Maybe if we look at Romans 6 in context:

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Romans 6:11-12

We are asked to not let sin reign inside us – we therefore have a choice between acting sinfully or righteously (Galatians 5:25; 1John 1:6)

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Romans 6:13

We are made alive from the dead because we confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9), therefore, we should honor him as Lord by walking righteously, “even as he walked”. (1John 2:6)

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:14

Sin is not to have dominion, so we are to choose righteous actions, but then we are also to ignore the Law of God?  When did the Law of God become unrighteous?  Or maybe the law we are not to be under is a different law.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Romans 7:22-23

Peter warns us that Paul is hard to understand (2Peter 3:16) and that “they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Paul writes of at least six different “laws” in the book of Romans:

  1. the Law of Faith (3:27)
  2. the Law of God (3:31; 7:22-25; 8:17)
  3. the Law of Sin (7:23-25)
  4. the Law of Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (8:2)
  5. the Law of Sin and Death (8:2)
  6. the Law of Righteousness (9:31)
  7. the Law of Christ (1Corinthians 9:21)

It is vital to know which “law” Paul is speaking about throughout the entire letter to the Romans to avoid confusion and destruction.

The first half of Romans 6:14 is the context for the second half of Romans 6:14.  This is re-enforced in the next two verses:

15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6:15-16

If you accept Yeshua as your Lord and savior, then act like it.  Choose to obey the law of sin unto death, or to obey the law of righteousness through faith (Romans 9:31).  Committing sin with impunity is not the way you manifest your faith in the one who died for your sins.

Christ did not go to the cross so you could “commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day.”

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:17-18

Try not to be confused by the dichotomy of the Law that Paul is expounding upon.  The Law speaks to what is good and what is bad – It is not the means to salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), but it is the fruit we should want to manifest since Yahweh told us this was the good way He wanted us to live. 

Without the Law, nothing is bad or evil.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Romans 7:7

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1John 3:4

Faith unto salvation is not a license to ignore the instructions (Torah) of Yahweh.

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 2:11-14

How are we to live righteously if we don’t know how to act righteously?  How are we to know how to act righteously unless someone tells us and/or shows us what righteousness is.  How are we to be zealous of doing good works if we do not have an objective standard of good and bad?

Yeshua led a sinless life.  He taught and followed every jot and tittle of the Torah.

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17-19

Heaven and Earth have not passed, yet, so do not break God’s Law and don’t teach others that it is okay to do so.  Don’t ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD?) . . . rather, “Do What Yeshua Did!” (DWYD!)

Grace is not a new concept that allows for any type of behavior with no consequences (“Do What thou Willst” – Church of Satan).  Grace is the favor that is bestowed on believers of all generations that was paid for by the sacrifice that Christ freely made to save us from the consequences of sin, which is eternal death.

Choose life!  Choose Yeshua, and act like you did.

My book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, is a quick and easy guide on the Instructions of Torah (e.g., wear this, eat that, do this, don’t do that). I highly recommend you research it yourself, but this can be a good starter for you.

The book is at the printer but I don’t not have a date of when it will be available. Amazon has a few copies of the original draft left (at a third of the price that they will be – sorry, I do not control the printing process or the supply chain), so get it now, while it is more affordable.

By rkeck777

I have carefully searched the Scriptures for decades to find the Truth of what God wanted for my life. I was raised Roman Catholic and even attended seminary in the 1980s in Indianapolis, IN. They asked me to leave because I kept questioning the faith by pointing out where Catholic doctrine was counter to the clear teachings of the Scriptures (these differences are covered in many books). I was told that I was “too orthodox” and asked to leave.
I thank the Way International for teaching me ‘how’ to read the Bible. Just as one needs to be taught to read Shakespeare, there are literary rules used throughout the Word (e.g., context, first use, figures of speech, etc.) that make the study of the Bible thrilling and fulfilling (These rules are covered in many books). The Way had its own problems and their proclivity for teaching how to understand the Scriptures led to their undoing when some of their teachings were exposed to be counter to the clear teachings of the Word.
This is not intended to be an auto-biography but I want you to understand that my search has taken me in many varied directions and at the age of 58, I once again made a ‘shift correction’ towards what I believe to be a greater understanding of true faith. It is never too late for God to reveal the answers to the desires of your heart.

I began a thirty day fast after Thanksgiving 2018 for both spiritual and physical health reasons. I listed my reasons on a dry-erase board so they were constantly before me. Those who know me were shocked that I planned to go thirty days without food. I explained that Christ went forty days and he wasn’t sixty-five pounds overweight. I don’t believe I would have been successful without my list and a desire to see the changes come about in me.
Number one on my list was to ask for forgiveness. My transgressions unto the Lord are numerous and senseless (as I’m sure is the case with most people). This is where the opening verse comes in. Someone actually shared it on Facebook (see, FB is not totally worthless) and I was struck by what it said of God’s own heart. I looked it up in my Bible so I could see the context and I saw the verse was highlighted and there were notes in the margin. I was shocked. I had seen this verse - I had parsed the Hebrew words in the verse - I had saved my thoughts in the margin - and I had completely missed the Heart of God in the Verse.
Parsing, examining and searching the Word and various study helps is important and it has its place, but God only wrote one Book for His People so seeing the why, the heart, of what is written is vital. In a nutshell, in Isaiah 43 God tells us that HE forgives us for HIS sake because unforgiveness is so toxic that God worries about its effects on Himself. I couldn’t believe I had missed this simple, yet powerful truth and knew I had to examine every aspect of my faith to see what else I had ignored.
It is very easy to delve into the Bible to verify the doctrine one already has and this is what I had done for decades. Luckily, I had been ‘thrown out’ of my church the year before based on a personal disagreement with the Pastor. God had some major Truths He wanted to share with me and I was now not as likely to bend scripture to whatever my current church was teaching. The process behind the Revelation does not have a linear path that can be easily transcribed and this narrative is already lengthier than I had planned so let’s just cut to the chase. The epiphany is probably the reason you are reading this book in the first place and you are probably wondering if I will ever come to the point.

God told me that ‘Christ did not come to start a new religion or a new Covenant’.

Read that again.

Yes, Jesus brought about the New Covenant promised by God (Jeremiah 31:31) in the Old Testament, but he did not bring about something different than what had been prophesied. “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Where, in scripture, is it prophesied that God will ‘suspend’ His Laws for a time?
I could not have received that a year ago because I was so steeped in the Faith I had ‘clothed’ myself in. I understand that early believers were referred to as “Christians” but that was merely a derisive label given to them. In my civilian jobs, I was called supervisor, foreman, boss fellow, and several other names I chose, in good taste, to not repeat. These are all titles and did not change the underlying character of who I am. There are two very good YouTube videos I found that explain this so well that I recommend you stop reading now and watch them before continuing.

The Error of Dispensationalism (Remastered) - 119 Ministries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RL2hZSpKEE
Identity Crisis - Passion for Truth Ministries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN-1jUc963g

Yes, I understand Jim Staley is (was, depending on when you read this) in jail. He is an imperfect messenger (as are we all), but if you cannot distinguish between the messenger and the message then you are going to miss out on much of what God is sharing to you with the Scriptures and in life.

I was reminded of the lesson of Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5:
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Ananias and Sapphira had obviously done a good work in selling their property and giving much of the proceeds towards the Ministry but their hearts were wicked in that they wanted praise for having done this and false praise at that since they kept back some of the money but they led people to believe that they had contributed the entire amount. Any amount would have been a worthy contribution but they wanted to be puffed up in their pride by lying to the Apostles and to the Holy Spirit. The shock and shame of having their hearts exposed by the Spirit through Peter was too much for them.

You must work out your path AND you must want to follow that path. Our Father is not impressed by people who feel obligated to do something they do not want to do (“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:8). God also tells us that, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1John 5:3). The Torah was not intended to be burdensome but the Religious Leaders, over time, added to and agonizingly interpreted the existing Instructions with their traditions (Talmud). I do not believe that this was God’s intention. God’s Instructions are not based on circumstance but the application often must be. This is your responsibility - please do not relinquish the accountability of your walk to others.

The two most important things you much figure out for yourself are, “what is God’s Heart in commanding such and such” and “what is my heart in obeying His Commandments”. This is a journey, much like marriage, and diligence to your relationship will produce wonderful results.

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