Most Christians believe that embracing the commands of Adonai is embracing legalism; their standards are far too low. Before I become messianic, I attended churches that shouted from the rooftops with joy, “Praise the L-rd, we are set free from the law!”
But exactly which of the Ten Commandments are they happy to be set free from? Are they hoping it is now OK to kill, to steal? That might be a bit over the top. Perhaps it is the more subtle commands, like wanting to be set free not to honor one’s parents, or the freedom to covet? That’s a bit more tenuous.
It seems many Christian churches are either searching for grace without consequences, or embrace legalism with a furor that would give even first-century Pharsees pause. Certainly many Christian churches prefer to preach against the sin of reading a Harry Potter novel more fervently than they preach against adultery.
It is within the messianic movement that I found the even-keel balance between grace and legalism. Yes, we are covered by Yeshua’s grace, but yes, it also matters what we do with it. Certainly, as Yeshua said, he holds us in his hands and no one can snatch him out; but we can jump out of our own accord, and I fear far too many folks are doing just that when they ignore the commands of Torah and exchange the truth of G-d for something else.
The Torah and the B’rit Chadeshah comprise the entire Word of the L-rd, and one cannot pick and choose what to obey and what to ignore like one would selectively take what they need off a shelf filled with Chrysler 300 accessory parts.
The messianic life is deeper than that; we must not ignore the Torah (which Gentile Christians refer to as “the Law”) for without it, how can anyone ever claim to know what “the will of the L-rd” is for us. No Christian church I ever attended had a good answer for us that didn’t seem subjectively invented. We don’t need to subjectively invent the will of Adonai for our lives; it’s outlined right there, in the Torah.
Praise G-d, we are not set free from the Torah; only from the perversion of Torah that leads to legalism.
Tags: Chrysler 300 accessory, grace without consequences, legalism, Torah