‘Christian’

Obsession with the

Torah

Primarily aimed at ‘Christians’ resorting under the Messianic-Judaism movement. Pastor, ‘Christian’, the Torah is the basis of all Jewish sacred texts. Jews do NOT believe in Jesus Christ to be their Messiah! Jews are still living under the Mosaic Covenant and still have to adhere to its ‘endless’ rituals and traditional feasts of remembrance in order to please God. Jews struggle having a relationship with a non- tangible God. They are also very hesitant to talk about God in social gatherings. The only way Jews can ‘experience’ God is through formal works by force and through covenant language… not spontaneously through love. They do not have a personal relationship with God. Even their prayers are recitations and Torah-based commandments from their Siddur… not spontaneously from the heart. Their 613 commandments do not require faith, thus they are NOT free, but still within slavery. Jeremiah 31:31-33 ““ 31  The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32  It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. 33  "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time ," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts . I will be their God, and they will be my people.” - New International Version John 13:34 “"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” -- New International Version Pastor, ‘Christian’, the Mosaic Law is outdated and obsolete. No use to carry on with your argument that the Law of Moses is not done away with. To follow Jewish traditions is putting yourself under the curse. The time you spend on the Torah is precious time wasted that could have been spent on God’s promises in the Bible. Jesus Christ is the culmination, the fulfilment of the Torah… the Law. Matthew 5:17 "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.” - New International Version Jesus Christ became the curse, hanging on the cross at Golgotha and shedding His Powerful Blood for ALL humanity… Jews included! Galatians 3:10-13 “ 10  All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11  Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12  The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” 13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”” - Berean Study Bible Pastor, ‘Christian’, you cannot make a square peg fit in a round hole. If you are not a Jew by either birth, or conversion, you are a Gentile , therefore of the nations, NOT a Jew. God’s blessing to Abraham came to the nations through Jesus Christ ONLY. Moreover, ONLY through Jesus Christ it is possible to receive the Holy Spirit through faith. Unlike Christianity, in Judaism the Holy Spirit is never presented as a person but rather as a divine power. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as our Helper. Galatians 3:14 “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” - New American Standard Bible John 14:26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” - New International Version Where is your focus when it comes to hope? John 5:45 “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.” - Berean Study Bible Why do you study the Torah so diligently? John 5:39-40 “ 39  You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life . These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40  yet you refuse to come to me to have life .” - New International Version What does this New Testamentary verse above from the hands of Paul, at the core a Jew himself, tell you? Are you too busy reading the Torah to have skipped this critically- important Biblical verse? Do you think, like the Jews in Jesus’ time on earth, that you have eternal life through Scriptural rituals… all ‘add-ons’ to augment your salvation? Are you consumed by an obsession with exclusivity? What, do you think, is the primary breeding ground for exclusivity and subsequent conceit? It is where man’s innate desire to be special is addressed. Rituals and ceremonies. By rituals and ceremonies one feels part of… having a sense of belonging. The personal adhering to these practices gives satisfaction and a ‘justified’ pat on the ‘spiritual back’. But do these practices really lead to satiety? No. When are rituals and ceremonies enough? Never. Any habitual practice is an addiction to endorphins, the role players in the brain’s reward system. These practices also induce stress in most cases. Pastor, how many sleepless nights have you experienced before your sermon the next morning, questioning its adequacy? How many times have you had feelings of “have I done enough?” Do you measure your success on how your congregation responds to you? Isn’t pulpit talk all about spontaneously sharing the good news of Jesus Christ from the heart, rather than forcing biasedly-interpreted Scripture from the cultivated mind to convince? What comes from the heart, comes naturally with ease and relaxation. What comes from books is articulating academic consciousness… not Holy Spirit consciousness. Matthew 10:18-20 “ 18  On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19  But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20  for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you .” - New International Version A ‘Christian’ who is obsessively studying- and adhering to the laws of the Torah is asking for trouble. Pastor, ‘Christian’, are you aware of the fact that every time you read the Torah, there is a veil put over your face, closing your mind… just like it is with the Israelites? See what Paul says to the Corinthians… 2 Corinthians 3:13-14 “ 13  We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.” - Berean Study Bible In the Torah it is ALL about God in a non-personal fashion. Jews do not resonate with a “Heavenly Father”. In Judaism God is a metaphoric Father, not a personal One. Jews’ thinking about God is dominated by metaphorism . Since the Torah is never about God the Son, a prominent characteristic of ‘Christians’ heavily engaged in Torah reading is their frequent use of “ Abba Father ”, rather than “ Christ ”. Are you aware of the fact that the Old Testament ritual traditions of feasts, New Moons, Sabbath keeping and special days are but a shadow … let alone empty works of the law? Moreover, even if you are not a Torah reader, these rituals also include the formal sacraments within the church as well. Being within Christ is being liberated from any formalities… having bliss in His Presence. Colossians 2:16-17 “ 16  Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. 17  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ .” - Berean Study Bible What does Paul say about re-enslavement? Galatians 4:9-11 “ 9  But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10  You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11  I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.” - New International Version But, back to “Abba Father” for a moment… ‘Christian’, whom do you refer to when mentioning “Abba Father”? Jesus Christ? Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given , and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father , Prince of Peace.” - Berean Study Bible Christ , the everlasting Father is the culmination of the Law! Romans 10:4 “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” - New International Version Please notice the classical added “may be” part, crept in after the “so that”, to instil doubt. Nevertheless, do you believe this verse above? To conclude… Are you free within the Christ of the New Testament? Holding onto an outdated law and engaging in the futile embrace of it, is NOT a sign of being within Christ at all. It also does not reflect freedom in your personal demeanour… as is observed by Christians outside the doctrinal sphere of “everlasting hell damnation”. Can you say like Paul, that your whole life is revolving around Christ? Paul’s words… Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” - New International Version May the Light of the Christ of the New Testament free you from darkness!

‘Christian’ Obsession with the Torah