There are certain myths that so pollute Christianity, they must be treated like a phase 1 environmental hazard. One such myth is that the Torah sets too high a standard for anyone to ever meet. Is that true?
Certainly, we all sin and fall short of Adonai’s perfect standard, but is that what the Torah is? Not at all.
As my rabbi has been teaching, Torah is actually a compromise on G-d’s part – and in our favor. G-d’s ideal was for Him to speak directly to each and every believer in a clear and perfectly understood voice. At Mount Sinai, the Israelites were given a taste of that perfect relationship between G-d and man, and it terrified them!
15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”
17 The LORD said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.
-Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (NIV)
Even the commands of Torah are compromises. Mosaic law allows for divorce; is that G-d’s perfect standard? Certainly not. As Rabbi Stan Farr has taught, Torah is merely G-d’s minimum standard – the point below which we fall short of “the least we can do” to demonstrate obedience to the L-rd, the G-d of Israel.
As I’ve said elsewhere, many Christians believe embracing Torah is legalism; but their standards are set far too low.
Tags: Christian myths, legalism, minimum standard, phase 1 environmental, Torah