05/25/2001 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

Many of those who try to lead a life in accordance with the commandments in the Torah come across others who love to quote the book of Galatians.

Oftentimes, when I share the concept of torah/law observance to others, they will say "Go read Galatians".

Well, I have read Galatians and in light of a question about Galatians last week, I would like to share some things about of this book as well as other books in Paul's writings which I hope will clear up some misunderstandings.

I should forewarn that some of the words in this study will require some level of concentration in order to understand. Surely Peter was right when he said:

2Peter 3:15 - and consider that the longsuffering of our Master is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

2Peter 3:16 - as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

Galatians 3:1 - O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Yahushua the Messiah was clearly portrayed among you as impaled?

Galatians 3:2 - This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Galatians 3:3 - Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Galatians 3:4 - Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain?

Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which the Messiah has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:2 - Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, the Messiah will profit you nothing.

Galatians 5:3 - And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.

Galatians 5:4 - You have become estranged from the Messiah, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from favor.

that trying to be saved by keeping the law is useless. But why?

Well here is the key:

Nobody has ever kept the law perfectly!

Except One

Yahweh's standard is perfection. Only if a person keeps that law perfectly could the law ever justify them

But no one ever has kept it perfectly except Yahushua the Messiah

Therefore, if people were to believe the way some did in those days that they would then be "debtors to keep the whole law". .

IF indeed, they chose to let the Law of Yahweh be their source of justification or salvation

The problem with this is that the law cannot justify a man who has transgressed it

Therefore the law condemns rather than justifying

The Law will not Justify us on Judgement day...but in Yahushua we are justified (made righteous)

Why is Paul so adamant on this point? Why is it stressed over and over again?

Ponder for a moment the times that they were living in.

Paul was constantly teaching in the synagogues and reasoning with both Jews and Greeks.

Many Jews believed that they didn't need the Messiah for salvation because they had the law and they were sons of Abraham

Yahushua said to them:

Matthew 3:8 - Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Matthew 3:9 - And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that YAHWEH is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Yahushua said:

John 8:33 - They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

John 8:34 - Yahushua answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

He had to teach them that the law can not save us. It can only condemn us

And Yahshua said that true sons of Abraham are those who do the things that Abraham did.

John 8:39 - They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Yahushua saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Reading Paul's writings with this mindset will reveal the truth that Yahshua never abolished the Torah/Law

Let's start with the beginning of the 3rd chapter in Galatians:

Galatians 3:1 - O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Yahushua the Messiah was clearly portrayed among you as impaled?

Galatians 3:2 - This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Acts 10:44 - While Kepha yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word.

Acts 10:45 - And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Kepha, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:46 - For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify YAHWEH. Then answered Kepha,

Acts 10:47 - Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?

Even today a person must go through a one year proselyte period in which you are circumcised and fully taught the law

But the Gentiles received Yahweh's Spirit because their sins were forgiven and a beautiful inward change had taken place, not because they were circumcised and had known and kept all of the law.

It is clear that the intention was that the Gentiles eventually learn about keeping the law of Yahweh (Acts 15:21). But laying the entire law upon a man in one day to be saved is obviously above and beyond the requirement of Yahweh as evidenced by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them.

Galatians 3:3 - Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Deuteronomy 10:16 - Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Therefore, we have no choice but to hope in the mercy of Yahweh to be saved. This is where Yahushua enters in.

The gentiles were starting to fall into this false doctrine that they were not saved unless they were circumcised. Some Jews of that day taught that you were not a child of Abraham and therefore 'not Israel' until you were circumcised.

They believed that one couldn't be saved or receive Israel's promises unless you became 'Israel' by being circumcised. This is proven when we read Acts 15:1..

Acts 15:1 - And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

Matthew 3:7 - But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Matthew 3:8 - Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Matthew 3:9 - And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that YAHWEH is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Galatians 3:4 - Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain?

Galatians 3:5 - Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?--

But Yahweh had purified their hearts by faith. And also the miracles that had been done among them as furthur evidence that they were indeed accepted by Yahweh.

Galatians 3:6 - just as Abraham "believed YAHWEH, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Genesis 26:4 - And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

Genesis 26:5 - Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Also the wilderness born children of Israel were not circumcised for many years until just before they entered the promised land (Josh. 5:2).

Galatians 3:7 - Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Therefore they are child of Abraham. Consider what Yahshua said to the scribes and pharisees on this same subject:

John 8:37 - I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

John 8:38 - I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

John 8:39 - They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Yahushua saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Galatians 3:8 - And the Scripture, foreseeing that YAHWEH would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the glad tidings to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

Through Abraham's seed, Yahshua our Messiah!! Please notice that it is by Abraham's faith (as evidenced by obedience) that caused Yahweh to promise this blessing

Galatians 22:18 -

Genesis 22:18 - And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Galatians 3:9 - So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Galatians 3:10 - For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."

But that isn't what is being said here at all!! Look at the scripture that is being quoted here. It is Deut. 27:26

Deuteronomy 27:26 - Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, so be it.

So how does this fit in with what Paul said? It is those Jews who did not accept Yahshua's good news of salvation who are not of faith because they are relying on their obedience to Yahweh's law to save them.

Those who teach salvation by doing the 'works of the law' are under a curse because they have at some point broken that law that they are relying on to save them. No man has kept it perfectly, this is why ALL men need Yahshua the Messiah

Galatians 3:11 - But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of YAHWEH is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

Habakkuk 2:4 - Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

To claim that we have our own righteousness is to be proud or 'lift up our soul'. Here is how the NKJV translates this

Haba 2:4 (NKJV) "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

We are left with no choice but to live by faith! Faith and hope for mercy from Yahweh Almighty!!

We must come to Yahweh and trust in Him to forgive us of our sins and make us righteous through Yahshua the Messiah if we expect to have any hope whatsoever. Any other claim to righteousness is pure pride!

Roma 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone

Roma 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Galatians 3:12 - Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."

Leviticus 18:5 - Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am YAHWEH.

But again, NO MAN has ever done this except Yahushua the Messiah. Therefore no man can LIVE or have salvation because they kept them. We all must rely on Yahushua

Galatians 3:12 - Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."

Galatians 3:13 - The Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

Yahshua redeemed us from the curse that comes when you break the law (For He was cursed for us by being hung on the tree.)

Again, let's go back and look at the verse Paul quotes:

Deuteronomy 21:22 - And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

Deuteronomy 21:23 - His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of Elohim;) that thy land be not defiled, which YAHWEH thy Elohim giveth thee for an inheritance.

Yahshua was made a curse FOR US. We deserved what He endured but He did it for us, HalleluYah!

So if we claim to have salvation because we have kept the law, we are surely under that curse because we haven't kept it at all, nobody has!

If we do not accept Yahshua's offer of salvation and we instead reject what He has done for us (became the curse) then we are putting ourselves "under the law"(meaning, being held to keeping it perfectly to be saved).

There we would be cursed forever. For we have not obeyed the law as Yahshua did (He condemned sin in the flesh by His example). Let us all accept what Yahshua did for us so that:

Galatians 3:14 - that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in the Messiah Yahushua, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:15 - Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.

Galatians 3:16 - Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is the Messiah.

Abraham had the righteousness of Yahushua upon him by faith.

Galatians 3:17 - And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by YAHWEH in the Messiah, that it should make the promise of no effect.

But this is what the Jews were in essence teaching! They believed that a person was saved by His law keeping and not by faith in the works of Yahshua the Messiah.

The law covenant does not make the original promise to Abraham that "all nations (gentiles/goyim) would be blessed" a void promise

The curse in the law that comes from disobedience does not make salvation unattainable because the Messiah is now our righteousness.

Remember, the scripture says that "All nations would be blessed", the Goyim, the Gentiles

The curse in the law that comes from disobedience does not make salvation unattainable because the Messiah is now our righteousness.

Galatians 3:18 - For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but YAHWEH gave it to Abraham by promise.

The inheritance (eternal life) can not come from the law because no man has ever kept the law! This same question is answered in Romans 4

Romans 4:8 - Blessed is the man to whom YAHWEH will not impute sin.

Romans 4:9 - Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

Romans 4:10 - How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

Romans 4:11 - And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Romans 4:12 - And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

Romans 4:13 - For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 4:14 - For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

Romans 4:15 - Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

It would make faith void and the promise useless because no man with sin imputed to him will enter the kingdom of Yahweh

The law only brings about wrath because of our failure to live up to it. If we aren't trying to be saved by the law then we have no transgression as long as we have faith and belief in Yahshua the Messiah for salvation.

Romans 4:16 - Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by favor; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Romans 4:17 - (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even YAHWEH, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Romans 4:18 - Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Scriptural salvational steps: 1. Repent 2. Be baptized 3. Receive the Holy Spirit.

You have not been awarded salvation by your own righteousness but by "Yahweh our righteousness."

4. One should learn about and walk in obedience to the law of Yahweh as a response to the salvation given. If one purposely chooses not to, this is insulting the spirit of grace because it was due to the law breaking that Yahushua had to die for us in the first place!

Even in the courts of men when a person comes before a judge and is pardoned for his wrongs, it does not give that man an excuse to purposely go against those same things that he was pardoned for

Even an earthly judge doesn't change the standard to accomodate the transgressor, he forgives the transgressor while upholding the standard.

To forgive the transgressor and change the standard would be to admit the standard was wrong in the first place and needed to be changed.

No forgiveness would be needed because the standard was not even a correct one to begin with!

However, Yahweh's law is not incorrect. Yahweh's law is righteous and holy!

Romans 7:12 - Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Psalms 19:7 - The law of YAHWEH is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of YAHWEH is sure, making wise the simple.

Yahweh did not make a mistake

Therefore, if the courts of men do not change the standard to accomodate the wrongdoers, how much more so Yahweh's standard!

Changing the standard to accomodate the wrongdoers is a hallmark of mainstream Christianity. It is what brought sunday worship, christmas, easter, lent, false names and many other doctrines that corrupted what was once the true glad tidings.

Unscriptural salvational steps: 1. Repent 2. Be Baptized 3. Receive the Holy Spirit 4. No need to walk in obedience to the law of Yahweh since you aren't saved by the law but by grace.

This is false doctrine never taught in the scriptures and it is the mystery of Torahlessness passed down through the ages.

Galatians 3:19 - What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and] it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Transgressions of the law would be taken out of the way when the Seed (Messiah) would come to who the promise was made. Yahushua the Messiah takes away our transgressions:

Daniel 9:24 - Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

1John 3:4 - Whoever commits sin trangresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

The scripture has confined all under sin, but we are freed from sin in Yahshua the Messiah. Yahweh had to show everyone what His will is and what His way of righteousness is so that when Yahshua would come, we would all recognize that we are sinners.

If Yahweh had not set the standard, would we even have much knowledge of what we needed to be saved from?

Remember that just because we have righteousness through Yahshua it does not mean that we should walk in sin!

The promise of Yahshua's coming thru Yahweh's declaration to Abraham said that "all nations would be blessed" so this promise was made to Gentiles also.

Galatians 3:20 - Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but YAHWEH is one.

Also a human mediator is not in oneness with Yahweh because he also is a sinner. But Yahweh and Yahshua are one. Therefore Yahshua is a a better mediator than Moses or any High Priest.

Galatians 3:21 - Is the law then against the promises of YAHWEH? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

It certainly does not take precedent over the promise to Abraham. Again, the law itself doesn't give us life. If the law gave eternal life, then righteousness would have been by the law and not by a promise. But since the law has confined all under sin, it cannot give eternal life.

Galatians 3:22 - But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Yahushua the Messiah might be given to those who believe.

So the promise that Yahshua would bless us and give us life was there because the law shows us that we are sinners. So the purpose of the law is to lead us to the promise!

He gave us the law so that we would realize what sin is. It teaches us to have faith in the promise of eternal life in Yahshua

Galatians 3:23 - But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

Galatians 3:24 - Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to the Messiah, that we might be justified by faith.

HERE IS THE QUESTION: And what did it teach us?

Did it teach us to "Just forget it, we can't keep it so don't even bother trying?"

No, it taught us that we have a standard of righteousness that we need to adhere to! But we have fallen short of this paidiagogos/tutor's instruction and we stand condemned unless somehow we can receive mercy from Yahweh:

Galatians 3:25 - But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

We aren't 'under the law/tutor'. If we were, we would stand condemned. We are under grace, where we have freedom from and righteousness applied to us!

We are forgiven of all those sins. The law has done what it always does. It brings us to the realization that we have sinned.

Now it is up to us to come to Yahshua. So now we are not under the law/paidagogos (which showed us the standard of righteousness and revealed our sin) but under grace. Does this mean that once we have been forgiven for breaking that law that now it is okay to go out and break it again?

Romans 6:15 - What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under favor? By no means!!

We would see that the Messiah did not do so. We would see that the paidagogos/tutor taught against it. To purposely sin and defiantly go against Yahweh again would be an insult!

So once again, we are left to conclude that the law shows us our sins but does not save us from them. Yahweh's plan of salvation has been distorted by those who despise His law and the standard of righteousness it presents

Yahweh's plan was to promise all of us eternal life through Abraham's seed, Yahshua. First by showing us the path of righteousness which is in His law. And Yahweh, being ever so merciful gave His only Son to redeem us from the curses that result in our disobedience to Him.

The standard of righteousness DOES NOT CHANGE when we accept Yahshua, but our standing before Yahweh does!

It is a total distortion to teach that everyone else in the world is expected to refrain from sin (transgression of the law) but those those who receive Yahshua are free to transgress the law all day long!!

This is not Yahweh's glad tidings!! Why would we ever want to go back and break that law again? It was for forgiveness of breaking it that Yahshua had to die in the first place!!

Galatians 3:26 - For you are all sons of YAHWEH through faith in the Messiah Yahushua.

Galatians 3:27 - For as many of you as were baptized into the Messiah have put on the Messiah.

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in the Messiah Yahushua.

Galatians 3:29 - And if you are the Messiah's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

If it were through their commandment keeping and circumcision rather than their repentance and faith in Yahushua, the Holy Spirit would not have fallen upon them as the book of Acts testifies.

Again, this doesn't mean that one can continue to SIN or transgress the law...it only means that the Spirit will lead us into obedience as we learn the ways of righteousness through Yahshua's example and through Yahweh's commandments (which are synonymous).

Brethren, I say to all that we must love the WORD of Yahweh!

ALL of it

Whether it was written 3000 or 2000 years ago.. it still stands!

But too many say "Well, that's just the Old Testament"

Yet, if we don't love the Word of Yahweh... how can we love Yahushua who IS the Word of Yahweh?

May we all love the Word of Yahweh from beginning to end and strive to conform ourselves to that perfect image..

that perfect image of the Son of Yahweh, Yahushua the Messiah.. who kept every jot and tittle and did not neglect any of it

He can live IN US and keep those commandments IN US that He kept while on earth

Any other doctrine is not the Messiah's

Therefore, let's ponder WWYD?

And do it!

May Yahweh bless you all!