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Mainstream Christianity has traditionally taught that the Messiah, commonly known as Jesus by the church, or by His original Hebrew name Yeshua by Messianic believers, abolished the Law of Moses and that we now live in a new era under grace. Most Messianic believers believe that the “Law” has never been abolished. The purpose of this writing is to shed some light on the subject from the perspective of those who once held the traditional Christian belief that Jesus abolished the “Law” on the cross and now believe that the Messiah came, not to abolish, but to fulfill.

First, let it be known that no one can obtain salvation by keeping the “Law” (unless they do so perfectly). Nevertheless, the conclusion of this writing is that G-d’s “Law” or Torah has not been abolished. The Messiah himself plainly said so:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19). …It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.” (Luke 16:17) [and] “...the Scripture cannot be broken...” (John 10:35).

This may sound sarcastic, but do not take it that way: If you walk outside and look down, you’ll see the earth. If you look up, you’ll see the heavens. That is just one way how you can know that God’s “law” is still in effect.

The reason I am putting the word law in quotes deserves an explanation. Law in the English translations of scripture is usually translated from the Greek word nomos in the New Testament (Strong’s G3551) and the Hebrew word Torah in the Old Testament (Strong’s H8451). What’s interesting though, is that according to Strong’s H8451, Torah is derived from the Hebrew root word yarah, which means:

…properly to flow as water (that is, to rain); transitively to lay or throw (especially an arrow, that is, to shoot); figuratively to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach: - (+) archer, cast, direct, inform, instruct, lay, shew, shoot, teach (-er, -ing), through.” (Strong’s H3384).

Torah really does not just mean, “law” but also teachings or instructions. It’s G-d’s instructions for how He wants His people to live and has little to do with the Western view of secular law.

Notice the part of the definition that states, “to flow as water”. In Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13, G-d is called “the spring of living water”. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:26 that the Messiah cleansed his assembly by “…the washing with water through the word”. And in John 4:14 the Messiah said, “…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” In both verses, the word water was translated from the Greek word hudatos meaning, “…water (as if rainy) literally or figuratively…” (Strong’s G5204). Solomon wrote, “The law of the wise is a fountain of life…” (Prov. 13:14, KJV, emphasis added). The word for law in this verse is Torah (Strong’s H8451).

In John 1:1, we learn that the Messiah is the Word. The Greek word used for Word is logos, which means:

from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):--account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work. see GREEK for 3004 (Strong’s G3056)

With the concepts of the Messiah being G-d’s way, truth, life, Word and washing us with the water that will make us never thirst, it would appear that the Messiah is the Torah. In fact in John 1:14, we are told that the Messiah is the Word made flesh. If this is so, then He certainly would not abolish Himself.

In Matthew 5, not only is the Messiah saying that he is not abolishing the “law” (Torah), but He gives us a stern warning about breaking it and teaching others to do the same (Matt 5:19). In fact He even goes on to expand upon the commands about murder and adultery.

…anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment (21-22) [and] …anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (28).

He does not just want us to superficially obey the commandments, but to embrace them in our hearts. He wants us to obey G-d out of love and respect, just as a child who obeys his parents for the same reasons.

The Messiah held obedience to His Father’s commands so highly, that he said, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father…” (Matt. 7:21). What is the will of the Father? There is plenty of evidence in both the Old and New Testaments that He wills for your obedience (Gen. 26:5, Lev. 26:3, Num. 15:39-40, Deut. 11:1, 11:13, 11:26-28, 13:4-18, 15:5, 26:17, 27:10, 28, 30:8-10, Joshua 22:5, 1 Sam. 12:14-15, 1 Kings 3:14, 8:61, 2 Kings 17:13, 2 Chron. 24:20, Neh. 1:5-9, Psalm 119:60, Dan. 9:4, John 14:21, John 15:10, Acts 17:30, 1 Cor. 7:19, 1 John 2:3, 3:22, 3:24, 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Rev. 3:2-3).

The Messiah also states that many that call him “Lord, Lord” will say, “did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” (Matt. 7:22). It sounds like these people literally drove out demons and performed miracles in the Messiah’s name. And what does he tell some of them? “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (7:23).

Note the words “you evildoers”. The same phrase in the NASB® is, “you who practice lawlessness”. What is lawlessness? The word lawlessness is derived from the Greek word anomia, meaning, “illegality, that is, violation of law or (generally) wickedness: - iniquity, X transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.” (Strong’s G458). Who claims the Messiah and yet practices lawlessness? It is not those who uphold the Law (Note Romans 3:31).

Most of God’s instructions are laid out in the in the first five books of the Old Testament, often referred to by the Greek word Pentateuch, or simply by it’s original Hebrew name, the Torah. Many of the Messiah’s commands were reiterations or even expansions of G-d’s Torah. When The Messiah was asked which command was the greatest (Matt 22:36), he quoted the mitzvah at Deuteronomy 6:5, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” He then stated that the second greatest command is similar and quotes the mitzvah from Leviticus 19:18, “…love your neighbor as yourself”.

If you really loved G-d with everything you had, you would joyfully obey all of his commands. His “laws” would be not only in your head, but also written on your heart. (Note Jeremiah 31:31-34.) You would love your neighbors as yourself and would treat them, as you would want them to treat you. According to the Messiah you would also, “do what I have been doing.” (John 14:12). Up to that point, he had done many important things such as tend to the sick and the outcasts, but He had also perfectly obeyed G-d’s commands and taught others to do the same.

The Pauline writings are very misunderstood by both Jews and the Christians alike. Obviously if The Messiah said that he did not come to abolish the Torah, then Paul certainly could not declare the end of the Law without contradicting the Messiah Himself.

In Romans 3:8 Paul recognizes that some people are putting words in his mouth, “…we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say-‘Let us do evil that good may result’. “ He counters that by saying, “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6:15). Back in Romans 2:13 Paul wrote, “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”

In Acts 21:20-26, Paul even takes the Nazarite vow and makes sacrifices in the Temple to prove that he is obedient to the Law. He also circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3) and appears to have observed the Jewish holidays (appointed feasts, 1 Cor. 5:6-8, 16:8, Acts 20:16). According to Paul himself, faith in The Messiah does not nullify the law: “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Romans 3:31). Paul also vindicates himself of declaring the “law” abolished in Acts 25:8, Acts 28:17 and Romans 7:12.

Paul’s words in Colossians chapter 2 are often quoted to prove that “Christ nailed the law to the cross”. The NIV® and many other versions seem to say that:

Having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:14).

If the Messiah Himself said back in Matthew 5 that He did not come to abolish the law and Paul goes to great lengths to state that he didn’t either, then what could be going on here? Although headings are often inaccurate, the heading in the NIV® for the section of Colossians 2:6-23 sums it up well: “Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ”.

In verse 8, Paul gives us a warning about human doctrines. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” And in verse 15 he says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

To take Ephesians 2:15 in context, verses 11-15 should be read:

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands--Therefore remember that you were at that time separate from Christ [Messiah], excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus [Yeshua Messiah] you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. (NASB®).

Paul is not saying that the Messiah abolished God’s law, but rather the religious doctrines that separated Jews and Gentiles and the hostility between the two groups. We who are Gentile by birth can now be included into the citizenship of Israel (not replace it) and the covenants of the promise.

Peter mentions to us that Paul’s letters “contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 16b). This could logically either mean those who say Paul abolished the law or those who say he upheld it. However, judging from Peter’s warning in verse 17, it would appear that it is “lawless men” who distort Paul’s writings and not those who practice and teach G-d’s commands (Note Matt. 5:19), which He (and Moses) dubbed as being eternal (Deuteronomy 5:29, 29:29).

One of the problems facing us Westerners in understanding both the Old and New Testament is that in not understanding the Hebraic perspective, we really miss out on fully understanding scripture. One case in point is the vision that Peter has in Acts chapter 10 of the three blankets full of unclean animals descending from heaven. Many Christians have taken that to mean that it's now okay to eat non-kosher foods, but that is honestly a stretch that takes the passage out of context.

For example, note the symbolism: Cornelius sent three men (Acts 10:7, two servants and a soldier) to Peter in Joppa. Peter saw three blankets of unclean animals that the Lord said to take and eat.

In Acts 10:28-29 Peter verbalizes the meaning of the vision he had:

You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection.

The Jews back then referred to Gentiles as “dogs”, “lizards”, “snakes”, etc. G-d was not telling Peter to eat unclean foods, he was telling him to embrace the Gentile believers that He was about to send.

Another verse similarly taken out of context is Matthew 15:11, “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" One reason this was taken so out of context was because later on, the words “(He thus declared all foods clean)” where added to some manuscripts. Most of the new translations correctly leave this out.

Even without the copyist’s addition, many Christians have still taught that the Messiah is saying that it’s now okay for us to eat non-kosher foods. But He’s not. If He said back in Matthew chapter 5 that He has not come to abolish Torah and that not one letter of the law will pass away until all has been fulfilled, then He certainly wouldn’t later contradict himself to say that we can now eat unclean animals.

He’s simply answering the Pharisee’s question in Matt. 15:2: "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" He explains himself in verses 16-20. Verse 20b sums it up pretty well, “…eating with unwashed hands does not make [a man] 'unclean.' “ If you really aren’t convinced about eating kosher, take a look at the prophecy in Isaiah 66:17.

Many who argue that the Law has been abolished will still uphold the Ten Commandments. While this can be pointed out as an example of picking and choosing the laws they want to follow, the argument states that since they were written in stone by the hand of G-d, they must somehow be more important than the other laws. Nevertheless, they still break the Fourth Commandment:

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:8-11).

The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word shabbot (or shabbath) which means to “…desist from exertion…- (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate…(make to) rest…” (Strong’s H7676 and H7673).

The Messiah also kept the Sabbath. Not just because he was a Jew either: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27). The word man is translated from the Greek word anthropos, which means, a human (Strong’s G444). Remember, Paul wrote that, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28). Thus, the Sabbath is for everyone. Otherwise G-d would not have commanded to the Israelites that their servants, aliens and animals were also to rest on the Sabbath. Surely, the animals would not have been Jews?

Can the Sabbath just be any day we choose? “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 20:9-10). Interestingly, in Genesis 1 the first six days of the week are only referred to numerically, but G-d named the seventh day and consecrated it (verse 11).

Nonetheless, many Christians believe Sunday is the Lord’s Day and replaces the Sabbath because Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. However, historians believe “the Lord’s Day”, was coined as such by Pagan sun worshipers, not Christians (Koster p13). Sunday was the day the sun worshipers rested and worshiped the sun. Hence, the name Sunday. The bulk of the references to “the Lord’s Day” in the Bible, are found in scriptures referencing prophecy or in the prophecies themselves. Usually the phrase is translated as, “the day of the Lord” (see Isaiah 13:6,9, Ezekiel 30:3, Joel 1:15, 2:1,11,31, 3:14, Amos 5:18,20, Obadiah 1:15, Zephaniah 1-3, Malachi 4:5, Acts 2:20, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Peter 3:10). From the context these are used, it appears to be a prophetic day, not a day of the week. There are a few exceptions to this context. Isaiah 58:13 calls the Sabbath, “the LORD's holy day” and in Revelation 1:10 John writes, “On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit…”. Though some interpret John’s writing to mean Sunday, there is no scriptural reference to a change in the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week.

The fact that most Christians have replaced the blessings of the Sabbath with a Sunday service is alarming. In Ezekiel 20:12,20 the Sabbath is called a sign between G-d and His people. In fact G-d said in Exodus 31:17, “It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever…”. Remember, Paul wrote that those who have faith become children of Abraham (Gal. 3:7) and are grafted into Israel (Rom. 11:17,19). Wouldn’t G-d’s people carry this eternal sign?

Conclusion

It is hoped that this writing does not diminish the work of the Messiah in anyone’s eyes, but rather will ultimately lead to a closer and much more fulfilling relationship with the one true God. Grace and mercy have been around since Old Testament times and continue to abound through the Messiah’s works.

As the sacrificial lamb, animal sin sacrifice is no longer required, but His atonement in no way invalidates His commands / laws. This atonement was so those who broke G-d’s commands, even those “far off”, could be reunited to G-d, with the covenant / law circumcised on our hearts.

Since we know that “sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4), and that, “all unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17), our responsibility, as engrafted believers, is to “sin no more” (John 8:11, John 5:14). We must reject the delusion of lawlessness spoken of in 2 Thess 2:3-12, while also guarding the commands of G-d and holding to the testimony of Yahushua (See Rev 12:17, 3:8). If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John: 1-9).

The English words Holy Spirit as translated from Psalm 51:11and Isaiah 63:10,11 come from the Hebrew words qodesh (set-apart) and ruach (spirit) (see Strong’s H6944 and H7307 respectively). The helper, the “set-apart” spirit, is given to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32) and leads us to all truth.

Psalm 119:160 states “All your words are true, all your righteous laws are eternal.” Those who reject his eternal commands deny his Word, which was given to “set apart” His people. We have established that Yahushua is the Word. His commands set us apart unto Him. G-d commands us, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart (1 Pet 1:15-16). Rejecting His commands and laws means rejecting the covenant, not just the old covenant, but also the renewed covenant, which was provided to set us apart as His Bride. Therefore, we share with those we love the truth, so that one day they may not hear, “depart from me, you who practice lawlessness”.