It never fails, eventually when you start looking into Torah you run into people who teach that you aren't saved if you don't follow it, rather than just teaching it's strong value. They have have quite a bit of Biblical support, if you take things out of context and ignore scriptures which reign in this concept. So in applying scripture with scripture, rather than against scripture, I hope to clear up this minefield today and show that it is not a salvation issue, while still showing that it is of significant spiritual value.
I'm going to start today by showing many of the scriptures used for the opposing case, that Torah is a salvation matter, and follow up by showing the verses which show that it is not, and how they merge. In one case it is even the same verse for both sides!
First comes from Ezekiel 36:27, I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey them. This is used to say that if we are not obeying God's Laws we can not then be following the Holy Spirit, or Ruach Hakodesh, at all and must be then following a deceiving spirit. The logic stands, but it isn't the whole picture as we will see toward the end. Acts 5:32 even says that the Ruach Hakodesh is only with those who obey Yahweh, We are witnesses to these things; so is the Ruach HaKodesh, whom God has given to those who obey him. This is furthered by the words of Yeshua in John 14:15-16, “If you love me, you will keep my commands; 16 and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever. Showing again that it is the Ruach Hakodesh which leads us to obey the Laws of God; his commandments. That to follow his commands is to show our love for him. Verse 23 and 24 drive it home saying, Yeshua answered him, “If someone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Someone who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words — and the word you are hearing is not my own but that of the Father who sent me. Then in John 15:10 many hinge on the words of Yeshua, 10 If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love — just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love. There is no denying he is using some very strong language here! That if we do not keep his commandments we will not stay in his love! That sure sounds very strongly for the case that this is a salvation issue, doesn't it?
To further go off of the words of Yeshua we see him say in Luke 6:46-49, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ but not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me, hears my words and acts on them — I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like someone building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the torrent beat against that house but couldn’t shake it, because it was constructed well. 49 And whoever hears my words but doesn’t act on them is like someone who built his house on the ground without any foundation. As soon as the river struck it, it collapsed and that house became a horrendous wreck!” That indeed it is doing what Yahweh has told us to do that is our firm foundation, lest we be washed away. Matthew 7:21-23 says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22 On that Day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness! Clearly showing that obedience to Yah is indeed a needed trait for salvation, a part of faith. That Lawlessness is a trait of those not saved. Indeed then there is very much a spiritual value to what is going on here, and the need for the Law!
From there we must look to James 2:22-27, which says, But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such “faith” apart from actions is barren? 21 Wasn’t Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz’chak on the altar?22 You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete; 23 and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, “Avraham had faith in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.”[b] He was even called God’s friend.[c]24 You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone. 25 Likewise, wasn’t Rachav the prostitute also declared righteous because of actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another route? 26 Indeed, just as the body without a spirit is dead, so too faith without actions is dead. Showing us that indeed, Obedience, works, is an integral part of our Faith. We can see this restarted in Hebrews 11:8-17, showing us that obedience is an act of faith, By trusting, Avraham obeyed, after being called to go out[a] to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. 9 By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, who were to receive what was promised along with him. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God. 11 By trusting, he received potency to father a child, even when he was past the age for it, as was Sarah herself; because he regarded the One who had made the promise as trustworthy. 12 Therefore this one man, who was virtually dead, fathered descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and as countless as the grains of the sand on the seashore.[b] 13 All these people kept on trusting until they died, without receiving what had been promised. They had only seen it and welcomed it from a distance, while acknowledging that they were aliens and temporary residents on the earth.[c] 14 For people who speak this way make it clear that they are looking for a fatherland. 15 Now if they were to keep recalling the one they left, they would have an opportunity to return;16 but as it is, they aspire to a better fatherland, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 17 By trusting, Avraham, when he was put to the test, offered up Yitz’chak as a sacrifice. Yes, he offered up his only son, he who had received the promises. 2 John 1:6 says, Moreover, love is this: that we should live according to his commands. This is the command, as you people have heard from the beginning; live by it! This clearly shows that the command from the begining, God's Law, the Torah, is to be followed out of love. A part of our Faith! 1 John 3:24 even says that obeying his commands is how we know he is United with us, Those who obey his commands remain united with him and he with them. Here is how we know that he remains united with us: by the Spirit whom he gave us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is a passage used by both sides of this argument. For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. 9 You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. At first glance we do side with the concept that "See! It isn't be our works so Torah can't be a matter of salvation!" But it isn't so simple. The word for trusting used there is the concept of belief to the Hebrew mind, written in Greek. Belief in Yeshua as a part of Elohim, repentance of sin, turning to Yah's ways, following Elohim. Thus, in trusting, we Are actively doing those same works that James talks about. It is not the works themselves, the works are the byproduct, but we can not exclude them completely from the equation!
So now you're yelling at the screen, either upset and claiming "It is about salvation!" or "She's a heretic!". And if these where the only verses, or ones like them, it would absolutely be the case, but this isn't the whole picture yet. There is more to it, and in applying scripture with scripture we can not miss, dismiss or twist any verse being mentioned but find how they merge instead of counter each other. First we look back at Ephesians 2:8-9, which clearly does say, even though the language used includes works, that it isn't the works itself which save - but the faith we have in Elohim. The works are then a byproduct of our Faith as believers. For the one reading this who instantly claims "But the Law was for the Jews!", besides reading my blog on being Grafted In to Israel, and that the Law was given to far more than one single tribe of people, I would turn you to Romans 1:5, Through him we received grace and were given the work of being an emissary on his behalf promoting trust-grounded obedience among all the Gentiles. Yes, that's right. Promoting the Obedience to the Gentiles. Obedience to Yah's Laws.
So how is this Not a salvation issue after all we've gone through? Well first we need to see who is lawless and who is not. Gut instinct wants to say that all who disobey Torah are lawless, but are they? In Matthew 5:19 Yeshua says, So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoa! Isn't that a contradiction to what I quoted up above? No. The question here is in intent, those teaching disobedience and disobeying, are they among the Lawless? In this case, while the similarity of disobeying Torah remains, they can not be a part of that label. Yes, they disobey, but they are still granted entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven while the Lawless are not.
Lawlessness is defined by Scripture as rejection of God's Law, rejection, not ignorance. 1 Timothy 1:13 says, even though I used to be a man who blasphemed and persecuted and was arrogant! But I received mercy because I had acted in unbelief, not understanding what I was doing. Showing us that acting ignorantly is dismissive. Many, many of the believers in the body today who do not obey Torah do not so out of wilfull disobedience but out of ignorance. Having not been taught what the Law really says or is. This is exactly why this is not a salvation issue, these people are still very much saved based upon Matthew 5, Yeshua's words, Acts 2:21, And then, whoever calls on the name of Adonai will be saved, Romans 10:10, For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. and Mark 16:16, Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned. These believers have followed these requirements and are seeking to Obey Yah in what they understand of his law. Clearly avoiding the sins that lead to death. Now yes, as Romans 6:23 says, For what one earns from sin is death; but eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from God, in union with the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord. the penality for all sin is death, separation from Yaweh. But 1 John 5:17 goes on to further elaborate, All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. What these sins are is listed in Revelations 21:8, But as for the cowardly, the untrustworthy, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those involved with the occult and with drugs, idol-worshippers, and all liars — their destiny is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, the second death. and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Don’t you know that unrighteous people will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t delude yourselves — people who engage in sex before marriage, who worship idols, who engage in sex after marriage with someone other than their spouse, who engage in active or passive homosexuality, 10 who steal, who are greedy, who get drunk, who assail people with contemptuous language, who rob — none of them will share in the Kingdom of God. Notice what isn't in either? Things like the Holy Days, Shabbat, tzitzit, etc. Meaning that while these things absolutely have value as commands of Yah to be obeyed the ignorance of them does not lead to dead in and of itself.
But ignorance only goes so far. Many in the churches today have heard more of the Law and Do reject it outright. Claims like "I'm going to keep eating bacon anyways", which is blatant idolatry by putting a desire above the word of Elohim, or "I don't feel convicted" when we know the heart is desperately wicked. Jeremiah 17:9 says, The heart is more deceitful than anything else and mortally sick. Who can fathom it? Once the Law has been made clear to someone, no matter their excuse, there is scriptural relevance that it is vital that they Obey it. In not doing so they are effectively putting something else ahead of the word of Elohim and in defiance of the Ruach Hakodesh. That is a salvation issue, rejection of the Law, only as it is defiance to our King of Kings. The act in itself we can then see is not the issue but the Faith, are we following Yah or aren't we? Hebrew 10:26 says, For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, If we continue to defy the law after it is known to us we are not covered by Yeshua's sacrifice! Romans 6:1-2 says, So then, are we to say, “Let’s keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace”? 2 Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it? Do you see how it is not the act of sin itself but the lack of following Yah that is the issue? Many who disobey Torah do not do so out of wilfull disobedience to Yahweh, making this not the salvation issue on it's own. To further show that Torah is not a salvation issue on it's own we can look to Romans 3:20, For in his sight no one alive will be considered righteous[a] on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, because what Torah really does is show people how sinful they are. Torah is meant to point out our sins, show us how much we need the Atonement of Yeshua, our Savior. Not to save us on it's own!
The only thing that saves us is the blood, the sacrifice of Yeshua upon that cross. For our sins which don't lead to death and for those which do lead to death. Romans 4:7 says, “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered over. Titus 2:14 adds, He gave himself up on our behalf in order to free us from all violation of Torah and purify for himself a people who would be his own, eager to do good. Hebrews 8:12 goes on with because I will be merciful toward their wickednesses and remember their sins no more. Revelations 14:12 even says This is when perseverance is needed on the part of God’s people, those who observe his commands and exercise Yeshua’s faithfulness. We just need to remember with the last one that those who ignorantly disobey Yah's commands are in fact observing them as they understand them. They need more education, not condemnation.
So what then is the value of Torah Law if not for salvation? Well first and most obviously, because Yahweh commands Obedience. He's smarter than we are, and many of his laws we can now see are for a very good reason and make a lot of sense. But there is more to it. Far more. The Tanakh shows us in Deuteronomy 28:1, If you listen closely to what Adonai your God says, observing and obeying all his mitzvot which I am giving you today, Adonai your God will raise you high above all the nations on earth. Joshua 1:8, Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed. 1 Kings 2:3, Observe the charge of Adonai your God to go in his ways and keep his regulations, mitzvot, rulings and instructions in accordance with what is written in the Torah of Moshe; so that you will succeed in all you do and wherever you go. Proverbs 3:1-2, My son, don’t forget my teaching, keep my commands in your heart;
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for they will add to you many days, years of life and peace. Keeping the Torah, following Yah's Laws, are a way to receive his blessings! They never have been about salvation in and of themselves! And the New Testament does not leave this out. James 1:25 says, But if a person looks closely into the perfect Torah, which gives freedom, and continues, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work it requires, then he will be blessed in what he does. 1 John 3:21-22, Dear friends, if our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God; 22 then, whatever we ask for, we receive from him; because we are obeying his commands and doing the things that please him. And Matthew 6:33 says, But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. But there is one that reigns above all, because more than earthly blessing we are called to store up treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:19-21 says, Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. 21 For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also. So we must recognize that our blessings will more than likely not be a matter of physicial ones, and thus prosperity gospel esque, but of storing treasures. Just as Matthew 5 already stated, in teaching and obeying Elohim's Laws we will become greater in the kingdom of heaven. The value of following his Torah is amazing! It doesn't need to elevated to a matter of salvation to show this!
I hope that I have been able to show you that Torah has an amazing relevance to our walks with Yahweh, and that we are all called to be follow his laws, but that it is not a matter of being saved or unsaved in itself, but a part of the bigger picture of Teshuva Repentance, to turn from sin into the way of Yahweh and follow the leading of the Ruach Hakodesh. You can be among those to see the kingdom of heaven if you are ignorant of the understanding of the law, but you can not be saved if you are willfully rejecting the Truth of his Law - and thus rejecting Yahweh himself. I will leave you with 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living the life of trust. Test yourselves. Don’t you realize that Yeshua the Messiah is in you? — unless you fail to pass the test.
