MATTHEW 18:20 WHERE 2 OR 3 ARE GATHERED MATTHEW 18:20 FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME, THERE AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM. CONTEXT: THIS WHOLE SECTION IS DEALING WITH SIN IN THE CHURCH. THE VERSE IS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT TWO OR THREE BEING GATHERED IN THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST TO REMOVE A BROTHER OR SISTER FROM THE CHURCH AFTER ALL ELSE HAS FAILED. WE FIND THIS TEXT IS ESPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH THE PRACTICE OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE. LOOK AT MATTHEW 18:18-19: MATTHEW 18:18-19 TRULY I TELL YOU, WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH WILL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN, AND WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH WILL BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN. AGAIN, TRULY I TELL YOU THAT IF TWO OF YOU ON EARTH AGREE ABOUT ANYTHING THEY ASK FOR, IT WILL BE DONE FOR THEM BY MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. BINDING AND LOOSING ARE RABBINICAL TERMS FOR 'FORBIDDING AND PERMITTING.’ THE WORD BIND MEANS WHATEVER WE PROHIBIT, AND THE WORD LOOSE MEANS WHATEVER WE ALLOW. WHEN YESHUA SPOKE OF BINDING AND LOOSING, HE WASN’T TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE. THE PEOPLE TO WHOM HE SPOKE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH TORAH AND WHAT WASN’T. THIS MATTER OF BINDING AND LOOSING WASN’T UNIQUE TO YESHUA. IT WAS ENTIRELY FAMILIAR TO THEM ALL BECAUSE IT WAS HOW THE RABBIS WOULD SANCTION SOMETHING OR BAN IT ACCORDING TO THE TEACHINGS IN TORAH. HERE’S ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE KNOWLEDGE OF HEBREW AS A LANGUAGE AND OF THE CULTURE IN WHICH YESHUA LIVED ARE NOW BRINGING CLARITY TO SOME SCRIPTURES WE HAVEN’T UNDERSTOOD PROPERLY FOR CENTURIES.

THIS PROVIDES A DEEPER REVELATION OF YESHUA HIMSELF AS WELL AS FURTHER INSIGHT INTO HOW HE INTENDED FOR HIS FOLLOWERS TO FUNCTION. OUR ENGLISH BIBLES QUOTE YESHUA AS SAYING, “DO NOT THINK THAT I CAME TO ABOLISH THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS; I DID NOT COME TO ABOLISH BUT TO FULFILL” (MATTHEW 5:17). WHEN HE SAID, “I DID NOT COME” OR ELSEWHERE “I HAVE COME,” HAVE YOU INTERPRETED THAT AS MEANING HE WAS REFERRING TO HIS INCARNATION? THAT IS NOT WHAT HE MEANT. “I HAVE COME” IS AN IDIOM MEANING INTENT OR PURPOSE. “IT IS MY PURPOSE” IS WHAT HE WAS SAYING IN MATTHEW 5:17. HE IS NOT REFERRING TO HIS COMING FROM HEAVEN BUT HIS INTENT AND PURPOSE WAS TO FULFILL TORAH BY RAISING IT TO GOD’S INTENTION FOR IT. IT IS A MAJOR PART OF HIS MESSIANIC PURPOSE TO ELEVATE TORAH TO THE FULLEST SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING. PEOPLE OFTEN USE THE PASSAGE TO “BIND THE DEVIL.” YESHUA DID SAY THAT THE STRONG MAN NEEDED TO BE BOUND, AND WE ASSUME HE MEANT “THE DEVIL.” WHEN WE COME TO YESHUA AND ARE BORN FROM ABOVE, WE BECOME NEW PERSONS IN HIM AND WE ARE EMPOWERED BY GOD TO NO LONGER SIN. NOW WE CAN SEE SIN FOR WHAT IT IS, WHICH WE COULDN’T SEE BEFORE. THEREFORE, THE STRONG MAN HAS BEEN BOUND IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS AND WE ARE FREE FROM “SIN’S POWER” BECAUSE YESHUA HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY OVER OUR EVIL INCLINATIONS. PETER WAS BLESSED BY GOD WITH THE REVELATION OF WHO YESHUA REALLY IS. UP UNTIL THAT MOMENT, NO ONE “GOT IT.” IT’S FINALLY OUT — IMMANUEL! GOD IS WITH US!! WHEN YESHUA THEN SAYS, “UPON THIS ROCK…,” HE MEANS THAT HIS KINGDOM WOULD BE BUILT ON THE REVELATION WHICH PETER RECEIVED OF WHO YESHUA IS — MESSIAH, SON OF GOD, NOT BUILT UPON PETER HIMSELF.

YESHUA CONTINUED TO SAY, “I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; AND WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH SHALL HAVE BEEN BOUND IN HEAVEN, AND WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH SHALL HAVE BEEN LOOSED IN HEAVEN.” UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRANSLATION THAT SAYS, “THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND” (MATTHEW 3:2; 4:17; MARK 1:15) GIVES US THE IMPRESSION THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ON IT’S WAY BUT NOT HERE YET. HOWEVER, THE HEBREW WORD KARAV MEANS IT’S HERE NOW. THIS WAS A STATEMENT BY YESHUA NOT OF SOME FUTURE EVENT BUT HIS PRESENT KINGDOM. WHEN HE SPOKE OF HIS KINGDOM HE WASN’T TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN ONE DAY. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WAS OF HIM, ABOUT HIM OR WITH HIM. AND IT WAS MEANT TO BE A PRESENT REALITY FOR PETER AS IT IS FOR US. REVELATION ALWAYS BRINGS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AUTHORITY IN THE ONE WHO HAS RECEIVED THE REVELATION. TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE “SEEN” YESHUA, WE WILL BECOME LIKE HIM. “WE KNOW THAT WHEN HE APPEARS, WE WILL BE LIKE HIM, BECAUSE WE WILL SEE HIM JUST AS HE IS” (I JOHN 3:2). YESHUA IS REVEALED TO US, PRIMARILY THROUGH HIS WORD, OR IN A PERSONAL INTERACTION WITH HIM, WE GAIN KINGDOM AUTHORITY BASED ON SEEING SOMETHING ABOUT HIM. WE CAN SPEAK WITH ASSURANCE. HE HAS GIVEN US KEYS OF AUTHORITY TO REACH OUT IN CONFIDENCE THAT WHAT WE HAVE IS REAL, POWERFUL, ULTIMATE AND ETERNAL. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHAT YOU GAIN BY REVELATION COMES FROM THE FATHER AND AS A RESULT OF YOUR REVELATION YOU NOW HAVE AN AUTHORITY. THE HEBREW FOR BINDING IS TO DISALLOW OR FORBID, AND THE HEBREW FOR LOOSING IS TO ALLOW OR PERMIT. SO THE VERSE SHOULD READ, “I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; AND WHATEVER YOU FORBID ON EARTH SHALL HAVE BEEN FORBIDDEN IN HEAVEN, AND WHATEVER YOU PERMIT ON EARTH SHALL HAVE BEEN PERMITTED IN HEAVEN.”

YESHUA WAS SAYING THAT BINDING AND LOOSING OR RATHER PERMITTING AND FORBIDDING ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS ISSUE OF AUTHORITY. IT’S ALL ABOUT HOW TO OBSERVE TORAH. JEWISH LEARNING WAS LARGELY ABOUT QUOTING WHAT THIS OR THAT RABBI HAS SAID IN THE PAST BUT IT WOULD BE THE LOCAL RABBI OR RABBIS WHO WOULD BE CONSULTED ABOUT ANY GIVEN ISSUE FOR A RULING ON WHETHER SOMETHING WAS “PERMITTED” OR “FORBIDDEN.” WHEN IT WAS ALLOWED OR PERMITTED, IT WAS LOOSED FROM RESTRICTION. WHEN IT WAS FORBIDDEN, IT WAS BOUND FROM USE OR ACTION. SO LOOSE MEANT PERMIT; BIND MEANT FORBID. YESHUA, ACTING AS A RABBI, WAS CONTINUALLY BRINGING A REASSESSMENT OF CORRECT TORAH INTERPRETATION. MOST OF HIS TEACHINGS WERE TO CORRECT ERRONEOUS UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT GOD ORIGINALLY MEANT WHEN HE GAVE ISRAEL THE TORAH INSTRUCTIONS. WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SOMEONE SCONTINUING IN SIN? BECAUSE SIN IS TRANGRESSION OF THE TORAH. 1 JOHN 3:4 WHOSOEVER COMMITTETH SIN TRANSGRESSETH ALSO (TORAH) THE LAW: FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF (THE TORAH) THE LAW. YESHUA HAD PAID THE PRICE TO RELEASE BELIEVERS THEM FROM THE FEAR OF GOD’S DISPLEASURE. THEY WERE FREED FROM THE RIGIDITY OF LEGALISM (THOSE RULES WHICH WERE ADDED TO THE TORAH BY THE PHARISEES) AND BELIEVERS WERE NOW FUNCTIONING BY THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS. YESHUA’S FOLLOWERS WERE TO BE ENTIRELY IN TUNE WITH THE WILL OF GOD (TORAH) THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT SO YESHUA TRUSTED THEM WITH TO ACT IN HIS AUTHORITY.

GOD IS BRINGING HIS PEOPLE BACK TO A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLACE OF TORAH, NOT IN ANY LEGALISTIC PERFORMANCE-BASED RIGIDITY BUT IN OUR SPIRIT-LED LIVES. LIVING BY THE SPIRIT IS LIVING BY TORAH ROMANS 8:1-2 THEREFORE, THERE IS NO LONGER ANY CONDEMNATION AWAITING THOSE WHO ARE IN UNION WITH THE MESSIAH YESHUA. WHY? BECAUSE THE TORAH OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH PRODUCES THIS LIFE IN UNION WITH MESSIAH YESHUA, HAS SET ME FREE FROM THE “TORAH” OF SIN AND DEATH. THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD “TORAH” IS USUALLY ASCRIBED TO THE VERB YARA MEANING “THROW” OR “SHOOT,” AND IN ONE FORM OF THE WORD (HIPHIL) IT MEANS “TEACH.” BUT IT MAY ALSO BE DERIVED FROM THE NOUN TOR WHICH MEANS “TURTLE DOVE,” WHICH WOULD BE HIGHLY RELEVANT SINCE THE MOST FAMOUS DEPICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE DOVE. THIS SUGGESTS A RELATION BETWEEN GOD’S TORAH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. PSALM 37:21 THE LAW OF HIS GOD IS IN HIS HEART; HIS STEPS DO NOT SLIP. THE LAW DEALS WITH ETHICS AND LEGAL MATTERS AND GOES BEYOND THAT. BECAUSE A RIGHTEOUS MAN HAS INTERNALIZED MORALS HE FOLLOWS IT. THE PROPHET JEREMIAH FORETOLD A NEW COVENANT THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM THE LAW GOD GAVE THE ISRAELITES AFTER THE EXODUS. THIS IS HOW YAHWEH DESCRIBED IT, “I WILL PUT MY TORAH WITHIN THEM, AND ON THEIR HEART I WILL WRITE IT; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE” (JEREMIAH 31:33). HE WHO SEEKS THE LAW WILL BE FILLED WITH IT, BUT THE HYPOCRITE WILL STUMBLE AT IT. THIS PARALLELS LANGUAGE USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. \

FOR EXAMPLE, IN EXODUS 31:3 WE READ, “AND I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN WISDOM, IN UNDERSTANDING, IN KNOWLEDGE, AND IN ALL KINDS OF CRAFTSMANSHIP,” AND THE PROPHET MICAH SAID HE WAS “FILLED WITH POWER– WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD—”. THESE EXPRESSIONS ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE COMMON IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THE TORAH LEADS YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH FROM THE INSIDE. THE TORAH WAS GIVEN TO MOSES FROM THE MOUTH OF YAHWEH… MATTHEW 4:4 IT IS WRITTEN, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD. WE FIND THESE WORD WRITTEN IN THE TORAH: DEUTERONOMY 8:3 HE HUMBLED YOU, AND IN YOUR HUNGER HE GAVE YOU MANNA TO EAT, WHICH NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR FATHERS HAD KNOWN, SO THAT YOU MIGHT UNDERSTAND THAT MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF THE YAHWEH. NATURALLY, NO ONE IS FLAWLESS WHICH IS WHY THERE IS FORGIVENESS. IN THE EARLIEST DAYS, FORGIVENESS INVOLVED ANIMAL SACRIFICE. THE PRIEST WAS PRESCRIBED TO APPEAL FOR FORGIVENESS FOR HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE, ONCE A YEAR—THE DAY OF ATONEMENT—AND IT INCLUDED ANIMAL SACRIFICE. IT WAS PERFORMED IN THE TABERNACLE, AND LATER IN THE TEMPLE. THIS WAS AN ACT OF GRACE ON GOD’S BEHALF… IN WHICH HIS PEOPLE COULD BE FORGIVEN. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS NO TEMPLE TODAY. YESHUA TAUGHT THAT FORGIVENESS WAS GIVEN AFTER REPENTANCE AND YESHUA’S DEATH WAS UNDERSTOOD AS A ONE-TIME SACRIFICE. THIS CREATED TENSION WITH THE PRIESTS IN THE TEMPLE. IT ALSO FORESHADOWED THE FALL OF THE TEMPLE THAT TOOK PLACE JUST FOUR DECADES LATER BY ROME. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT ‘END’ THE SACRIFICES- RATHER, YESHUA BECAME THE ACTING SACRIFICE FOR SIN.

YESHUA I SNOW OUR HIGH PRIEST IN THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK, MEANING A KING FROM THE LINE OF DAVID (MELCHI) AND THE ACTING ZADOK HIGH PRIEST (ZEDEK); A KING AND A PRIEST… (MELCHIZEDEK). HEBREWS 10:3-8 THOSE SACRIFICES ARE AN ANNUAL REMINDER OF SINS, BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND OF GOATS TO TAKE AWAY SINS. THEREFORE, WHEN CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD, HE SAID: SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU DID NOT DESIRE, BUT A BODY YOU PREPARED FOR ME.… IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SIN OFFERINGS YOU TOOK NO DELIGHT. THEN I SAID, ‘HERE I AM, IT IS WRITTEN ABOUT ME IN THE SCROLL: I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’ GOD WOULD RATHER HIS FOLLOWERS LIVE IN OBEDIENCE THAN FALL INTO SIN AND THEN, HAVE TO MAKIE SIN OFFERINGS. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS THAT FORGAVE SINS. THERE WAS NO MAGIC IN THE BLOOD. IT WAS THE OBEDIENT ACT OF SACRIFICING THAT TOOK AWAY THE SINS. GRACE CAME THROUGH THE HUMBLING OF THE HEART THROUGH SACRIFICE. HEBREWS 10:9-10 THEN HE ADDS, HERE I AM, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL. HE TAKES AWAY THE FIRST TO ESTABLISH THE SECOND- AND BY THAT WILL, WE HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF THE BODY OF YESHUA HAMASHIACH ONCE FOR ALL.… YESHUA’S BLOOD WAS THE BLOOD OF THE NEW (RENEWED) COVENANT. IT RE-ESTABLISHED THE MARRIAGE COVENANT HE HAD WITH ISRAEL AND JUDAH. THE FAULT WITH THE FIRST COVENANT WAS THAT THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE WERE HEARTS OF STONE. HEBREWS 8:8 FOR IF THAT FIRST COVENANT HAD BEEN WITHOUT FAULT, NO PLACE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOUGHT FOR A SECOND.

BUT GOD FOUND FAULT WITH THE PEOPLE AND SAID: BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING, DECLARES THE LORD, WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH. ISRAEL DESERVED DEATH FOR BREAKING THE BLOOD COVENANT THEY MADE WITH GOD. BUT GOD DELAYED THEIR JUDGMENT… YAHWEH THEN DIVORCED ISRAEL (BUT NOT JUDAH) 700 YRS AFTER SINAI. GOD HAD A PLAN TO “REMARRY” ISRAEL AND RENEW JUDAH’S MARRIAGE… HIS SON, YESHUA, WOULD COME AND DIE, THEREBY REMOVING THE LAW OF THE HUSBAND ISRAEL HAD WITH GOD… MAKING WAY FOR A RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT AND CHANGING THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE- THAT THEY MAY DESIRE TO FOLLOW GOD AND OBEY WITH HEARTS OF FLESH. SO, THE COVENANT DID NOT CHANGE. IT WAS MADE NEW. PAUL, AN APOSTLE PERSONALLY TRAINED BY YESHUA, WAS STILL TORAH OBSERVANT SOME 25 YEARS AFTER HIS CONVERSION. THE ORAL LAWS AND THE TRADITIONS OF MEN PUT EMNITY BETWEEN THE JEWS AND GENTILES. GOD’S TORAH, GIVEN TO MOSES, WAS ALL- INCLUSIVE… GIVEN TO THE STRANGERS, AS WELL AS THE HEBREWS. ANYONE WHO WANTED TO GRAFT IN TO ISRAEL AND FOLLOW YAHWEH WERE THEN, IN COVENANT WITH GOD THROUGH HIS PEOPLE, ISRAEL. FOR HE HIMSELF IS OUR PEACE, WHO MADE BOTH GROUPS [I.E., JEWS AND GENTILES] INTO ONE AND BROKE DOWN THE BARRIER OF THE DIVIDING WALL, BY ABOLISHING IN HIS FLESH THE ENMITY, WHICH IS THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES, SO THAT IN HIMSELF HE MIGHT MAKE THE TWO INTO ONE NEW MAN, THUS ESTABLISHING PEACE, AND MIGHT RECONCILE THEM BOTH IN ONE BODY TO GOD THROUGH THE CROSS, BY IT HAVING PUT TO DEATH THE ENMITY. HERE, PAUL IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WRITTEN TORAH. HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE LAW COMMANDMENTS ENFORCED BY THE PHARISEES. THE PHARISEES DID NOT FOLLOW THE TORAH. THEY WERE TORAH BREAKERS. HERE IS WHAT HE SAID TO THE PHARISEES ABOUT THEIR TRADTIONS:

MARK 7:13 THUS YOU NULLIFY THE WORD OF GOD BY THE TRADITION (ORAL LAWS) YOU HAVE HANDED DOWN. THE TORAH MAKES US CONSTANTLY AWARE OF OUR DUTIES IN LIFE; IT GIVES US TRUTH… IT IS TRUTH, JUST AS YESHUA IS TRUTH- BECAUSE YESHUA IS THE LIVING TORAH, THE WORD MADE FLESH. PSALMS 119:142 THY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS AN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THY LAW (TORAH) IS THE TRUTH. THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW IS OPPOSED TO THE FLESH, THE TORAH IS SPIRITUAL- AND THE FLESH FIGHTS AGAINST IT. WE CANNOT KEEP THE TORAH IN THE FLESH, BECAUSE WE STUMBLE IN THE FLESH. THEREFORE, WE MUST DIE TO OUR FLESH- IN ORDER TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE TORAH. YESHUA GIVES US EXAMPLES OF LIVING BY THE SPIRIT IN MATTHEW 5- AND THE TORAH IS MAGNIFIED; IT IS EVEN MORE STRICT THAN THE LETTER, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT ACCORDING TO THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH. ONLY WHEN WE LIVE TO HONOR THE FULL INTENT OF THE LAW, DO WE LIVE OPPOSED TO THE FLESH AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE LETTER KILLS, BECAUSE THE PHARISEES COULD KEEP THE LETTER OF THE LAW (TORAH) BUT COULD NOT UPHOLD THE TRUE INTENT. THEY DID NOT HAVE SAVING FAITH- AND KEPT THEIR TRADITIONS ABOVE TORAH… THEY BROKE THE INTENT OF TORAH, WHICH WAS CONSIDERED DISOBEDIENCE. SAVING FAITH LEADS TO A RELATIONSHIP WITH YAHWEH AND YESHUA- IT PRODUCES OBEDIENCE, AND PUTS US IN A STATE OF GRACE (GOOD STANDING) LIVING THE INTENT OF THE LAW, WHICH IS LOVING GOD AND LOVING OTHERS. ROMANS 7:14 TELLS US THAT THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL- AND THE FLESH IS OPPOSED TO THE SPIRIT. SO WE CANNOT FOLLOW THE LAW (TORAH) IN THE FLESH- WE HAVE TO FOLLOW IT IN SPIRIT, MEANING TO KEEP THE FULL INTENT OF THE TORAH...

THE “LETTER OF THE LAW” IS A PERSON’S INTERACTION WITH THE LAW, MINUS SPIRIT, DONE UNDER THE POWER OF THE FLESH. OUTSIDE OF THE REGENERATIVE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT OF MESSIAH, GOD DESIGNED THE “LETTER” OF THE LAW TO CONDEMN AND ULTIMATELY KILL AN UNREGENERATE SINNER. THE “LETTER OF THE LAW” IS WEAKENED BY SINFUL FLESH. HOWEVER, ONCE A SINNER TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS LIFTED FROM THEIR HEART AND EYES AND THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO FEAR THE CONDEMNING “LETTER” OF THE LAW, THAT WHICH USED TO BE A “MINISTRY OF DEATH” FOR THEM, NOW TAKES ON A NEW PERSPECTIVE AS “HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, AND GOOD” RESULTING IN TRUE FREEDOM AND OBEDIENCE BY THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. A PERSON WHO LIVES ONLY BY THE LETTER, DOES NOT HAVE THE HEART TO OBEY. THEY ARE SLAVES TO THE FLESH. THE ONE WHO LIVES BY THE SPIRIT WILL HAVE THE CHANGE OF HEART REQUIRED TO CRUCIFY THE FLESH AND THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH. LIVING IN THE SPIRIT MEANS TO LIVE UPHOLDING THE FULL INTENT OF THE LAW- WHICH IS EVEN STRICTER THAN THE LETTER. WHAT ABOUT GALATIANS? IN GALATIANS, CERTAIN MEN HAD CREPT IN TELLING THE GENTILES THAT THEY HAD TO BE CIRCUMCISED TO BE SAVED. THIS IS THE CONTEXT OF GALATIANS. THE TORAH DOES NOT SAY ONE MUST BE CIRCUMCISED TO BE SAVED. IT IS CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART THAT MATTERS. THIS MUST BE DONE FIRST OR CIRCUMCISION OF THE FLESH IS WORTHLESS. THESE MEN SAID THEY WERE TEACHING THE LAW OF MOSES, HOWEVER- THEY WERE NOT. THEY WERE FALSE TEACHERS. THEY EITHER DID THIS TO DISCOURAGE THE GENTILES OR TO BOAST OF HOW THEY SAVED THEM.

THE CONTEXT IS NOT ABOUT PAUL SAYING THAT THE GENTILES DID NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW TORAH. THE DECISION IN ACTS 15 SHOWS THAT IT WAS EXPECTED OF THE GENTILES TO ATTEND THE TABERNACLE ON SABBATH AND LEARN THE LAW OF MOSES- AFTER THEY GAVE UP CERTAIN PAGAN CUSTOMS IN ORDER TO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE BELIEVERS IN THE TABERNACLE. DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT WHEN GOD WAS GIVING ISRAEL THE COMMANDMENTS, HE DID NOT STOP AT TEN. IT WAS ISRAEL WHO STOPPED GOD BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO AFRAID TO HEAR ANYMORE. EXODUS 20:18-19 WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE WITNESSED THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING, THE SOUNDING OF THE RAM’S HORN, AND THE MOUNTAIN ENVELOPED IN SMOKE, THEY TREMBLED AND STOOD AT A DISTANCE. “SPEAK TO US YOURSELF AND WE WILL LISTEN,” THEY SAID TO MOSES. “BUT DO NOT LET GOD SPEAK TO US, OR WE WILL DIE.” GOD GAVE ISRAEL THE FIRST TEN COMMANDMENTS, THEN MOSES WENT UP TO THE MOUNTAIN TO GET THE REST. GOD WAS NOT DONE- IN FACT, HE WENT ON FOR THREE MORE CHAPTERS. IN EXODUS 20:23- GOD BEGINS GIVING THE REST OF THE BOOK OF THE LAW- ALSO KNOWN AS THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT. THE FIRST TEN WORDS WERE WRITTEN DOWN AS A SYMBOL OF THE WHOLE COVENANT- IT WAS MEANT TO BE A SYMBOL OF THE WHOLE TORAH- NOT JUST TEN COMMANDMENTS… BUT ALL OF THEM. ROMANS 2:13-15 FOR IT IS NOT THE HEARERS OF THE LAW WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD, BUT IT IS THE DOERS OF THE LAW WHO WILL BE DECLARED RIGHTEOUS. INDEED, WHEN GENTILES, WHO DO NOT HAVE THE LAW, DO BY NATURE WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, THEY ARE A LAW TO THEMSELVES, EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT HAVE THE LAW, SINCE THEY SHOW THAT THE WORK OF THE LAW IS WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS…

…THEIR CONSCIENCES ALSO BEARING WITNESS AND THEIR THOUGHTS EITHER ACCUSING OR DEFENDING THEM. INDEED, WHEN GENTILES, WHO DO NOT HAVE THE LAW, DO BY NATURE WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, THEY ARE A LAW TO THEMSELVES, EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT HAVE THE LAW, SINCE THEY SHOW THAT THE WORK OF THE LAW IS WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS, THEIR CONSCIENCES ALSO BEARING WITNESS, AND THEIR THOUGHTS EITHER ACCUSING OR DEFENDING THEM. AS USED HERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER 2 WHAT WE MUST TRY TO GRASP IS THAT "THE LAW" WAS MORE THAN A SET OF RELIGIOUS RULINGS FOR JEWS TO FOLLOW; IT DESCRIBED AND INSTILLED AN ENTIRE WAY OF LIFE. SO WHAT PAUL IS PLAINLY SAYING IS THAT SIMPLY BEING A JEW DOESN'T IMMUNIZE YOU FROM GOD'S WRATH. THEN IN VERSE 13 PAUL SAYS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE REALLY BOTHERED JEWS OF HIS DAY. HE SAYS THAT BEING ONE WHO HEARS THE LAW DOESN'T MAKE THE HEARER (A JEWISH HEARER) RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD. RATHER IT IS THOSE JEWS WHO DO THE LAW WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS. WHERE DID ONE "HEAR" THE LAW IN PAUL'S DAY? IN THE SYNAGOGUE. TRADITIONS WERE TAUGHT ORALLY, AS THEY HAD NOT YET BEEN WRITTEN DOWN. AND HOLY SCRIPTURE, SINCE IT HAD LONG AGO BEEN TRANSLATED INTO GREEK, WAS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE AVERAGE DIASPORA JEW THAN IT EVER HAD BEEN. BUT STILL MOST JEWS DID NOT POSSESS A BIBLE. SO INDEED, NEARLY UNIVERSALLY JEWS WERE "HEARERS" OF THE LAW BUT THEY HEARD IT IN THE SYNAGOGUE FROM THE MOUTHS OF PHARISEES AND NOT AT THE TEMPLE. THE OTHER THING IS THAT IN PAUL'S DAY THE JEWISH SOCIETAL BELIEF WAS THAT BEING JEWISH AUTOMATICALLY MADE YOU RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD.

SO, SAYS PAUL, IT IS THE DOERS OF THE LAW WHO ARE JUDGED RIGHTEOUS BY GOD. AND, SURPRISINGLY, THIS APPLIES TO THE GROUP THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE LAW (GENTILES) AS WELL AS THE GROUP THAT DOES HAVE THE LAW (JEWS). FOR WHEN THE GENTILES, WHICH HAVE NOT THE LAW, DO BY NATURE THE THINGS CONTAINED IN THE LAW, THESE, HAVING NOT THE LAW, ARE A LAW UNTO THEMSELVES: NEEDLESS TO SAY VERSES 13 AND 14 SEEM VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND WOULD HAVE UPSET THE JEWISH COMMUNITY TO NO END. DID YOU HEAR THAT? DOERS OF THE LAW SHALL BE JUSTIFIED. SO THE REWARD FOR THOSE WHO DO EVIL IS MISERY, AND THE REWARD FOR DOING GOOD IS GLORY, HONOR, AND SHALOM. THUS WE FIND THAT THE RESULTS FOR THOSE WHO "DO WHAT IS GOOD" ARE THE SAME AS FOR “THE DOERS OF THE LAW." AND THIS IS WHY PAUL IS ABLE TO SAY THAT GENTILES WHO DO WHAT IS GOOD, BUT DON'T HAVE THE LAW, ARE THE SAME AS JEWS WHO HAVE THE LAW AND THEY DO THE LAW. BOTH GENTILES AND JEWS ARE ESSENTIALLY DOING THE LAW BECAUSE TO PAUL "DOING THE LAW" IS A FAITH-ORIENTED OBEDIENCE TO GOD. IT MEANS THAT PAUL IS SAYING THAT IT IS THE LAW (THE LAW OF MOSES, THE TORAH) THAT IN ITS ENTIRETY EMBODIES THE STANDARD THAT MUST BE MET IF A PERSON HOPES TO BE MADE RIGHTEOUS BY GOD. PAUL SAYS THAT THE LIVES OF THOSE GENTILES WHO NATURALLY DON'T HAVE THE LAW OF MOSES AS THEIR GUIDE, NONETHELESS DEMONSTRATE THAT THE WORK OF THE LAW IS WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS. IF YOU ARE “SAVED” THEN YOU ARE TO BE IN COVENANT WITH GOD. WHEN HE GAVE HIS TORAH AT MOUNT SINAI, IT WAS MADE WITH ALL OF US. EXODUS 20:5-6 FOR I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS ON THEIR CHILDREN TO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO HATE ME, BUT SHOWING LOVING DEVOTION TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO LOVE ME AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.

A HEBRAIC DEFINITION OF TORAH IS "A SET OF INSTRUCTIONS, FROM A FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN, VIOLATION OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE DISCIPLINED IN ORDER TO FOSTER OBEDIENCE AND TRAIN HIS CHILDREN." THE PURPOSE OF A PARENTS TORAH IS TO TEACH AND BRING THE CHILDREN TO MATURITY. IF THE TORAH IS VIOLATED OUT OF DISRESPECT OR DEFIANT DISOBEDIENCE, THE CHILD IS PUNISHED. IF THE CHILD DESIRES TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OUT OF A LOVING OBEDIENCE BUT FALLS SHORT OF THE EXPECTATIONS, THE CHILD IS COMMENDED FOR THE EFFORT AND COUNSELED ON HOW TO PERFORM THE INSTRUCTIONS BETTER THE NEXT TIME. MANY HAVE THE MISTAKEN IDEA THAT RABBI SHAUL (PAUL) TAUGHT AGAINST THE TORAH. BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT RABBI SHAUL, A DEVOUT PHARISEE TO THE END, LIVED HIS LIFE ACCORDING TO TORAH. THE TORAH IS A WAY OF LIFE. FROM BIRTH TO DEATH, GOD'S TORAH TEACHES HIS PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE. THE TORAH COVERS SUCH AREAS AS; COMMUNITY, MEDICINE, DIET, HEALTH, CLOTHING, HOUSING, SAFETY, MORALITY, CEREMONIES, HOLY DAYS, WORSHIP, RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS AND THE LIST IS PRACTICALLY ENDLESS. THE TORAH IS NOT A BOOK TO BE LEFT ON THE SHELF BUT A LIVING WORD TO GUIDE, LEAD AND DIRECT THE LIVES OF GOD'S PEOPLE EACH DAY. IT WAS NOT GOD'S INTENTION TO REQUIRE HIS PEOPLE TO OBEY TORAH OUT OF FEAR AND OBLIGATION, BUT RATHER OUT OF LOVE FOR HIM AND HIS TEACHINGS. GOD DESIRES THAT ALL HIS CHILDREN PLACE HIS TORAH WITHIN THEIR HEARTS AND OBEY HIM AS A CHILD OBEYS HIS FATHER, OUT OF LOVE AND RESPECT. IF THE TORAH IS NOT WRITTEN ON THE HEART, THEN THE TORAH IS ONLY AN OBLIGATION, A SET OF RULES THAT ONE MUST LIVE BY AND ARE THEREFORE A BURDEN.

BUT ONCE THE TORAH IS WRITTEN ON THE HEART, THE PERSON THEN KEEPS THE TORAH WITH LOVE, JOY AND GLADNESS. LOVE AND TORAH ARE INSEPARABLE. IF ONE KEEPS AND OBEYS THE TORAH, HE IS SHOWING HIS LOVE TO GOD. IF ONE LOVES GOD HE WILL KEEP AND OBEY HIS TORAH. OBSERVANCE OF TORAH IS NOT ONLY THE MEANS BY WHICH WE DEMONSTRATE OUR LOVE TO GOD, BUT IT IS ALSO THE MEANS BY WHICH WE DEMONSTRATE OUR LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR. THE NEW COVENANT ALSO TEACHES THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS COMES FROM OBEDIENCE TO THE TORAH. IF WE LIVE BY FAITH THEN WE WILL DO GOOD WORKS BECAUSE FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD- AND BY FAITH, WE ARE CREATED IN YESHUA TO DO GOOD WORKS. ROMANS 4:13 FOR THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM OR TO HIS DESCENDANTS THAT HE WOULD BE HEIR OF THE WORLD WAS NOT THROUGH THE LAW, BUT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH. FAITH IS WHAT SAVES US. NOT THE LAW. HOWEVER, THE LAW WAS GIVEN TO INCREASE SIN- MEANING TO REVEAL TO US WHERE WE FALL SHORT. IT WASN’T THE LAW’S PURPOSE TO SAVE BUT TO REVEAL SIN. SO- WHILE SALVATION WAS NOT BY THE LAW, THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT DON’T APPLY TO US. THROUGH FAITH, WE SHOULD DESIRE TO KEEP THE LAW- LIVING IN THE SPIRIT, OPPOSSED TO THE FLESH.

ROMANS 9:30 WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? THAT GENTILES, WHO DID NOT PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, ATTAINED RIGHTEOUSNESS, EVEN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH… GOD DID NOT IMPUTE HIS RIGHTEOUNESS ON US OR TO THE GENTILES IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT. FAITH CHANGES THE HEART OF A PERSON. A SPIRITUALLY MINDED PERSON WILL BE A LAW TO THEMSELVES- AS THE GENTILES (WHO DID NOT HAVE THE LAW) YET LIVED GAURDING THEMSELVES TO THE SPIRITUAL INTENT OF THE LAW- NOT THE LETTER OF IT. FAITH THAT PRODUCES GOOD WORKS AND OBEDIENCE IS CREDITED TO US AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. THIS IS HOW HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IMPUTED TO US. ROMANS 3:20-24 THEREFORE NO ONE WILL BE DECLARED RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S SIGHT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW; RATHER, THROUGH THE LAW WE BECOME CONSCIOUS OF OUR SIN.BUT NOW APART FROM THE LAW THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN, TO WHICH THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS TESTIFY. THIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS GIVEN THROUGH FAITH IN YESHUA TO ALL WHO BELIEVE. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE, FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, AND ALL ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT CAME BY YESHUA. AGAIN, THE LAW WAS MEANT TO SHOW US OUR SIN- NOT MAKE US RIGHTEOUS. RIGHTEOUSNESS COMES THROUGH FAITH AND IT IS OUR OBEDIENCE THAT IS THE EVIDENCE OF OUR FAITH. ROMANS 4:1-5 WHAT THEN SHALL WE SAY THAT ABRAHAM, OUR FOREFATHER ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, DISCOVERED IN THIS MATTER? IF, IN FACT, ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, HE HAD SOMETHING TO BOAST ABOUT—BUT NOT BEFORE GOD. WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

NOW TO THE ONE WHO WORKS, WAGES ARE NOT CREDITED AS A GIFT BUT AS AN OBLIGATION. HOWEVER, TO THE ONE WHO DOES NOT WORK BUT TRUSTS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY, THEIR FAITH IS CREDITED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. WE ARE ALL JUSTIFIED BY FAITH AND WORKS- NOT JUST WORKS (LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST). BECAUSE ABRAHAM BELIEVED IN GOD, HIS FAITH PRODUCED GOOD WORKS AND OBEDIENCE THUS HE HAD GRACE (MERITED FAVOR) BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIS GOOD STANDING IN AND OF OBEDIENCE. BECAUSE OF THIS KIND OF FAITH- WE ARE CREDITED WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS. ROMANS 5:19 FOR AS THROUGH THE ONE MAN'S DISOBEDIENCE THE MANY WERE MADE SINNERS, EVEN SO THROUGH THE OBEDIENCE OF THE ONE THE MANY WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS. SIN ENTERED THE WORLD THROUGH ADAM, BUT YESHUA CAME TO DIE IN OUR PLACE- AND HE WAS ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE HE WAS WITHOUT SIN. BY HIM REMOVING OUR SINS, WE ARE ABLE TO BE RIGHTEOUS. WE LIVE THE BEST WE CAN BY FAITH- AND HE GIVES US GRACE (MERITED FAVOR) EVEN IF WE FALL SHORT… BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PRACTICERS OF SIN. THE TORAH CAUSES US TO PROSPER. IN FACT, MORE THAN THAT, THE KEEPING OF IT WILL EXTEND OUR LIFE. YOU COULD PROPERLY AND ACCURATELY SAY THAT KEEPING THE TORAH WILL PROLONG AND MAKE ABUNDANT YOUR LIFE. THE LIFE AND ABUNDANCE ("THAT WE MIGHT ALWAYS PROSPER") OFFERED BY THE TORAH IS THE VERY SAME LIFE AND ABUNDANCE OFFERED BY MESSIAH.

HOW CAN THIS BE? HERE'S HOW: WHEN WE ARE CONNECTED TO MESSIAH – AS DISCIPLES, COMMITTED TO CONFORMING OURSELVES TO HIM BY WALKING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS - WE ARE EMBRACING THE LIFESTYLE OF OBEDIENCE TO THE TORAH, JUST AS MESSIAH TAUGHT US. THE MASTER MESSIAH TEACHES US THAT OBEYING THE COMMANDMENTS ISSUES IN ETERNAL LIFE! NOT MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE WRAPPED THEIR BRAINS AROUND THIS, BECAUSE THEIR FALSE SHEPHERDS (PASTORS AND TEACHERS) CONTINUE TO POUND FROM THEIR PULPITS THAT THE LAW HAS BEEN DONE AWAY WITH. BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT MESSIAH SAID. HIS ADVISE TO THOSE SEEKING ETERNAL LIFE IS TO OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS! THE TORAH IS RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH BECOMES OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS WHEN WE OBEY IT. THIS CLEAR DECLARATION OF SCRIPTURE FLIES IN THE FACE OF THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED TEACHING IN MOST CHRISTIAN CIRCLES THAT ONE CANNOT BE RIGHTEOUS BY KEEPING THE LAW. GOD SAYS JUST THE OPPOSITE! THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THOSE WHO KEEP IT. FURTHERMORE, DAVID WRITES EXTENSIVELY OF HIS LOVE FOR THE TORAH IN PSALM 119 AND HE SPEAKS OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE TORAH AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. DAVID'S TESTIMONY IS THAT HE DEEPLY LOVES THE TORAH. THIS STANDS IN STARK CONTRAST WITH MOST CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE AN UTTER DISDAIN AND HATRED TOWARD GOD'S LAW. DAVID SPEAKS OF THE LAW AS SOMETHING LONGED FOR. CHRISTIANS SPEAK OF THE LAW AS SOMETHING TO BE SHUNNED. DAVID SAYS OVER AND OVER AGAIN THE LAWS OF YAHWEH ARE RIGHTEOUS. SO WHY DO SO MANY CHRISTIANS HATE THE LAWS OF YAHWEH? WHY DO THEY THINK THAT THE LAWS OF YAHWEH ARE "WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS" (SEE GALATIANS 4:9) WHEN DAVID INSISTS THAT THEY ARE "ALTOGETHER RIGHTEOUS"? DAVID INSISTS THAT "ALL GOD’S COMMANDS ARE RIGHTEOUS." NOT JUST SOME OF THEM, AND NOT JUST THE REALLY IMPORTANT ONES – BUT ALL OF YAHWEH'S COMMAND ARE RIGHTEOUS.

GALATIANS 4:9 IS SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO HAD TURNED AWAY FROM PAGAN TRADITIONS AND PAUL WAS WARNING THEM NOT TO RETURN TO THOSE WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS. THE LAW OF YAHWEH IS ETERNAL. NOT EVEN A SINGLE DASH OR DOT WILL DISAPPEAR FROM THE LAW AS LONG AS HEAVEN AND EARTH STILL EXIST. DAVID INSISTS UPON THIS AND THE MESSIAH REITERATES THIS ETERNAL TRUTH. THE LAW IS FOREVER AND IS FOREVER RIGHTEOUS. THERE ARE SOME COVENANTS YAHWEH MAKES TO STRENGTHEN OUR CONFIDENCE IN HIS PROMISES. COVENANT AND PROMISES ARE NOT THE SAME. HOW COVENANT AND PROMISES INTERACT: PEOPLE MAY USE THE STATUS OF “BEING SAVED” BUT THE ONLY STATUS THAT MATTERS IS ACTUALLY “COVENANTED.” THIS MEANS YOU ARE IN COVENANT. BEING IN COVENANT REQUIRES CERTAIN THINGS YOU DO. YOU CAN BE A BELIEVER AND SAY YOU’RE SAVED BUT IF YOU’RE NOT IN COVENANT WITH YAHWEH, THEN YOU’RE NOT DOING WHAT HE REQUIRES YOU TO DO. THE COVENANT SPECIFIES WHAT WE ARE TO DO. YOU CAN BREAK A COVENANT, BUT YOU CAN’T CHANGE IT. THIS CONCLUDES OUR STUDY ON MATTHEW 18:20