Law vs Grace

In the Body of Messiah there are some who may say “All we have to do is believe in Yeshua and that He died; and we don’t have to do anything to be saved, it’s all by faith.”

Others in the body of Messiah say “Although we’re are saved by faith through grace, you cannot disobey the law (Torah) of Elohim.

So which is it? Because obviously it has to be either one or the other? The Word of Yehovah must have the answer to this question. This Blog will be my opinion, which I will say; is an opinion. Nevertheless I do feel the Scripture verses will clearly make a case that we are saved by grace through faith, but if we truly believe in Yeshua we will obey the Word of Elohim. Not expecting the works to have any benefit towards salvation but, that our obedience is a testimony we do believe.

Many select these verses as proof, all we have to do is believe in Yeshua and will inherit the kingdom of Yehovah.

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim. Not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Acts 16:30 “and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, "Believe in the Master Yeshua, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Now from face value if all we read are these verses, hands down it does appear that we don’t have to do anything at all after being saved. But, many people do not look further to clarify if there are any other verses which may shine more light on the situation. Can we find any other Scriptures verses which contradict this assumption or have another side that isn’t clearly indicted in these selected verses?

The Bible says...

Isaiah 28:9-10 “To whom would He teach knowledge, and to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? "For He says, 'Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there."

Meaning, we cannot simply fully understand the full picture unless we have all the pieces to the puzzle. For example imagine you buy a 1000 piece puzzle set. Then you open up the box throw all of the pieces on the table. You grab two puzzle pieces and say “I know exactly what the whole picture looks like from these two pieces.”

So when we examine Scripture line by line, what picture can we see?

Some say the Law of God is done away with. I was speaking with someone who said:

"The rituals of the Law are referring to circumcisions, burnt offerings, sin offerings, peace offerings and drink offering."

This is a valid point; although there are some issues here. To my knowledge, nowhere in the Bible does it say "Ritual law" I could be wrong and will be willing to correct this if proven wrong. Moving on... He said: "Some say "All these "rituals" of the law have been fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua.The Apostle Paul didn't want the saints to put themselves under the bondage of practicing them anymore, after the resurrection of Messiah!" For he said, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the [ritual] works of the law but by faith in Yeshua Messiah , even we have believed in Messiah Yeshua , that we might be justified by faith in Messiah and not by the [ritual] works of the law, for by the [ritual] works of the law no flesh shall be justified. [Gal. 2:16] We are still expected, however, to fulfill the Law of loving one another. We can do this when we receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. "for he who loves another has fulfilled the law...any other commandment are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilment of the law." [Rom.13:8-10] It's through love for the neighbour that living faith in Messiah is expressed! (End Quote)

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Let’s start with knowing the definition of sin. Without understanding this many things will not be as clear.

1 John 3:4 "Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

But, notice in Romans it says: Romans 2:12 "For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified." Now, is this a contradiction, because in the persons verse it he stated "for by the [ritual] works of the law no flesh shall be justified." In Galatians 2 but he is assuming law means "ritual" and not the rest of the commandments (Torah) Both these verse appear to contradict themselves. Which if we believe God cannot lie, we must be missing something. Is it possible something is being misunderstood about Galatians letter. I believe we must insert ourselves in the times and the context of the letters to Galatians. Notice it begins with... Galatians 2:15 "We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners." So we knows the Jews had man made additional laws which they believed were as important as God's Law (Oral law - Talmud) Could it be that Paul is speaking of these laws which do not justify the Galatians. Remember Jesus Himself said not one stroke or letter would pass until heaven and earth He walks on passed away. Matthew 5:17-18 "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished." (We will further go into depth about the word fulfill here.) The heaven and earth Jesus walked on is still here, so the Law of God cannot pass away yet. An this would be the words which He spoke to the people or to Moses.

Now let’s start to ask some questions in context with the Bible.

If someone is saved by grace, can I continue to break the law of Elohim?

Romans 6:15 “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

What law is Paul referring to in the verse “The Law of Elohim” or another law spoken of by Paul? He actually speaks of more than one law. He speaks of (The Law of Elohim, law of sin, law of sin & death, law of the Spirit, law of Messiah) so in this verse what is he speaking about.

Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Let’s first define the word “LAW” simply means “INSTRUCTIONS.”

What is the law of sin and death? This is the law “instructions” of transgressing the Law of Elohim (Torah)

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of Elohim is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Master.”

Since we have all sinned Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim.” We all deserve the penalty of sin, which is death! So we are under the law of sin and death. But since Messiah has died in our place. We have been set free of that law.

Do we sin willfully after receiving this gift?

Hebrews 10:26-29 "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of Elohim. Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of Elohim underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?"

The Bible says we cannot continue to break the Law of Elohim even after being forgiving. How can this be if we will never be perfect?

1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yeshua Messiah the righteous.”

We will fall at times but, we should be dying to sin each day.

Romans 6:12-13 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts.” and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to Elohim as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to Elohim.”

When we do make a mistake, Yeshua is there to be our intercessor to the Father. The point is we are not willingly practicing disobeying the commandments. I will explain how the Law doesn’t save us a little later, but why we should be keeping it.

What does Yeshua say to those who know Him and do not keep the commandments of Yehovah?

1 John 2:4-5 “The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of Elohim has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.”

Just because someone says “I do many good things in Yeshua’s name” does this mean He considers me close to Him and will enter into the Kingdom of Elohim?

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, Master, Master,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.:

What is the Father’s will?

Psalms 40:8 “I delight to do Your will, O my Elohim; Your Law is within my heart."

Why do many get rejected from entering into His Kingdom?

Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will tell me in that day, Master, Master, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.”

The Greek word used for “Iniquity” is Strong’s # G458 ἀνομία anomía, an-om-ee'-ah; the

• Condition of without law

• Because ignorant of it

• Because of violating it

• Contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness

So Yeshua actually says, He will tell those who lived their life ignoring or doing away with the law to depart from Him, and He doesn’t truly know you. But, why if we are saved by faith only? Because you’re saved by faith but your faith demonstrates your belief. You cannot say “I believe” and not do that which you believe in.

1 John 2:6 “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

How did Yeshua walk?

John 15:10 “"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.”

Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a stake.”

Luke 4:16 “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.”

So if the Law of Elohim doesn’t save us, why does He want us to keep it?

1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of Elohim that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”

John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

So how come so many people believe that we don’t have to keep to commandments (Torah) of Yehovah? Peter warns why.

2 Peter 3:14-17 "Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without blemish and blameless in his sight. Regard the patience of our Master as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked."

The word “wicked” here is the Greek is Strong’s # G113 ἄθεσμος áthesmos, ath'-es-mos; (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G5087 (in the sense of enacting); lawless, i.e. (by implication) criminal.

Because Paul is hard to difficult to understand many people who do not fully study will twist his words to say something they do not. Especially 2000 years removed from the original language. He says they will lead people (Believers) away with the “Error of the lawless.”

Did Paul ever claim that we should do away with the Law of Elohim?

Romans 3:31 "Do we then make void the Law through faith? Elohim forbid: yea, we establish the law."

Acts 24:14 "But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the Elohim of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets."

Who does the Scriptures say will stand righteous before Yehovah?

Romans 2:13 “for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before Elohim, but the doers of the Law will be justified.”

James 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”

We can’t simply have faith and not obey. Satan fell from heaven for disobedience and Adam was kick out of heaven for disobedience. How can we expect to enter back in doing the same thing willingly when so many verses to the overall puzzle piece clearly say “Keep the Commandments?”

The Law of Elohim never saved anyone. It simply was a mirror to show you what sin was.

Romans 7:7 “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "You shall not covet."

We are saved by grace of Elohim, but to willingly continue to do the same thing He hates is a disgrace to grace. Yehovah clearly says…

Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your Elohim, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.”

When you sin (iniquity) you separate yourself from Yehovah. So who is it that will enter into life?

Matthew 19:16-19 “Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, Elohim. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" Yeshua said, "'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.' 'Honor your father and mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Yeshua says to the man “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments of Elohim.” He then lists commandments from the Old Testament. Many will say “Well now all we have to do is love Elohim and love our neighbor.”

As we seen in 1 John 5:3 loving Yehovah is obeying His commandments. Let’s also be logical now, can I say “I love my neighbor” while I plan to murder him, steal from him, sleep with his wife, scheme was to gain his possessions? Of course not! The verse people will use for this example is in…

Matthew 222:36-40 “"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Yeshua said to him, "'You shall love the Yehovah your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' The whole law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

He clearly says, all the law hangs upon these two; meaning if you love Yehovah and your neighbor you truly fulfill all the commandments since that’s what they are intended to do. It’s a simple equation to figure out.

If you are married to the wife or husband you love. Do you consider it legalism because they desire you not to commit adultery? Do you consider it legalism they wish you not to lie to them?

Samuel 15:22 "Samuel said, "Has Yehovah as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of Yehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams."

All Yehovah wants from the free gift He has offered is to obey Him out of love. He only desire the best for us. We are just so rebellious and do not want to be told what to do. Which is the sin in our members Paul speaks of.

A child who isn't as mentally wise as the parent may want to play with a shiney new kitchen knife. Now if the Father knows the true consequences of this situation says "Thou shall not play with thee." Is He trying to be controlling, or trying to protect you from something you are unaware of?

I believe we are saved by grace because we could never save ourselves. Although, our actions if we truly love the Father will be to obey out of respect of His house.

Psalms 24:1 "The earth is Yehovah's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

I am open for debate on this subject. Email me and we can talk as family and discuss Scripture as mature adults. I often find that people want to call themselves followers of Messiah and Yehovah. But, they act as if they are heathens when it comes to simply talking to each other. Our character will reveal our spirit. The proof is in the fruit! If you claim to have the Spirit but, act like a serpent. You may want to examine yourself closer.

Yehovah bless you all!