Under The Law

Last time we read how Paul advised his readers to not sin more so more good will come in.  In Romans 3:9-18 Paul puts Jews and Greeks all in the same boat…we are all under sin.  Paul then quotes various Tanakh verses to support his point.  Paul concludes with this:

Now we know that whatever the Torah says, it speaks to those who are under the Law (Torah), so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to G-d;  because by the works of the Torah no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Torah comes the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:19-20

Just before these two verses Paul shows how all have sinned.  We know from 1 John 3:4 that sinning is lawlessness or if you will Torahlessness.  Yeshua said in Matthew 7:23 ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’  Now we know that we have all sinned and we are all accountable to G-d.

If you will remember when we looked at Romans 2, Paul discussed how just having the Torah and performing it without a circumcision of the heart does you no good.  Paul was simply gathering knowledge given in the Tanakh.  This is not new teaching.  There must be an internal obedience to the Torah.

Many times I am asked what is sin.  I usually provide verses I provided above, but I think Paul does an excellent job here in verse 20.  I am going to have to add this to my definition of sin.  Paul says through the Torah comes the knowledge of sin.  How do you know what sin is?  Through the Torah.  So without Torah you cannot know what is a sin.  When you sin you are under the Law as Paul puts it.  In other words you have a debt to pay for your sin.  This is what Yeshua did for us…paid for our sin.  This does not mean Yeshua did away with or fulfilled the Torah.  We are to live in obedience and not in sin.

So many people want to throw out Torah yet Torah is our definition of sin.  Pretty much everyone agrees that we sin.  How do you know what sin is if the Torah is thrown out?  How is G-d going to hold you accountable if you throw out Torah?  If the Torah is thrown out, do you even sin today?  Over and over again Yeshua said in one way or another “go and sin no more”.  To not sin means to keep the Torah.

I hope this is clear.  The amazing thought is the one whom is most quoted for getting rid of the Torah or at least following it says the exact opposite here in Romans 3.

Until next time…kadosh, kadosh, kadosh is HaShem!

Are you cursed for following Torah?

Through the first two chapters of Galatians Paul has been presenting the idea that we are saved by faith and not by works.  We are justified by G-d’s grace alone.  He continue this theme into chapter 3.

ch3v10 – For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them”

Notice who is under a curse.  All who rely on works of the law…meaning all who rely on works to be saved.  Why?  No one can do all of the commandments without failing as Yeshua did.  So, if you fail in following Torah we are told throughout the Torah you will be under a curse.  Is the Torah a curse?  No, but disobedience to the Torah is a curse. Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 27:26.  This idea is not something Paul comes up with or was newly delivered to him.  This has always been the case.

See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).

So if you sin you are under a curse.  This is exactly why the Torah or Law exists, to show that you have a need for the Mashiach (Messiah).  This is why Paul says when the in Romans 5 and later on in Galatians 3 that “the Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”.  The Torah was given so we would recognize the need for G-d.  If you did not know you sin, why would you turn to G-d?  You would not know you needed to.

So what frees us from this curse?  The Mashiach.  Your trusting Him with your life brings salvation.  This has always been the only way to salvation.  Avraham and all our Patriarchs saw Yeshua.  They all had faith.  With faith brings obedience though.  With your faith you entered into a covenant with G-d.  A covenant typically has stipulations, things both sides must do.  For believers, the must do is Torah.

Hopefully, this clears up any confusion on Galatians 3:10.  Any questions?  Do you agree, disagree?

Until next time…kadosh, kadosh, kadosh is HaShem!