Christian Torah-submission

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Christian Torah-submission or Christian Torah-observance refers to the pursuit of a lifestyle that is both fully dedicated to Jesus Christ and also obedient to God’s commands found in the Torah (which includes the Law of God given to Moses on Mount Sinai). Torah-submission stems from the view that all the commands contained in the Torah are applicable as valid instruction of God, intended to be obeyed. There are both ethnically Jewish and Gentile Torah-submissive Christians.

Contents 1 Terms 2 Observances 2.1 Seventh-day Sabbath 2.2 Dietary laws 2.3 Festivals 2.4 Other observances 3 History of Christian Torah-submission 3.1 Early History 3.2 Late History 4 Torah-submissive groups 5 Biblical Understanding 5.1 Torah Under the New Covenant 5.2 Understanding of "Israel" 5.3 Understanding of “Judaizers” 5.4 Understanding of “Legalism” 6 Objections to Christian Torah-submission 7 References 8 Further reading 9 See also 10 External links

[edit] Terms

The terms “Torah-submission” and “Torah-observance” are synonymous. Some consider the use of “submission” more accurate^[1] because the term “observance” can imply that one successfully observes all commands, which few, if any, claim is possible.

The term “Torah” can refer to several things, but most often refers to the first five books (Pentateuch) of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, which also contain the Law of God given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The word “Torah” itself translates from Hebrew literally as “teaching” or “instruction.”

[edit] Observances

Most of what traditional Christianity upholds as moral behavior, including worship of One God, loving one’s neighbor and avoiding sexual immorality are concepts found in the Torah and are highly emphasized by Torah-submissive Christians, both because of their view of Torah and their faith in Jesus.

However, because of the view that the whole Torah applies, there are also several other observances that have not popularly been observed by traditional Christianity. As with Judaism and Christianity as a whole, there are various interpretations on how specific details of these commands should be observed. Also, as with Orthodox Judaism, capital punishment and sacrifice are not practiced because there are very strict Biblical conditions on how these are to be properly practiced which are not in place today (which include the Temple and its judicial body).

[edit] Seventh-day Sabbath

Torah-submissive Christians honor the Sabbath (Shabbat) as the day of rest commanded by God, with most of them currently regarding it as being invariably from sundown Friday to dusk Saturday. In accordance with the Torah, they try not to work at all on this day and try not to make others work for them, which prohibits most forms of commerce. Many assemble together as a community, some reading the weekly Torah-portion (parsha) together. The other specifics mentioned in the Torah are also upheld, such as refraining from kindling a fire or carrying a heavy load.

To Torah-submissive Christians, the Sabbath is not only a day on which to relax, it is a piece of the Kingdom of God and teaches them about how they are to work to prepare during the week (life) in order to enjoy the perfect rest (treasure in heaven) that comes afterward (the kingdom of heaven)(Heb 4:9-11).^[2]

[edit] Dietary laws

Dietary laws are upheld by Torah-submissive Christians, who try to abstain from unclean flesh, such as pork, shellfish, catfish, and anything else prohibited in the Torah (Lev 11, Deut 14). Since “without blood” is not strictly defined Biblically, some hold to "kashrut" kosher standards, while others allow thorough cooking to suffice as fulfilling this command. Many do not adhere to the separation of meat and dairy prescribed by Jewish tradition since it is seen as not strictly Biblical in origin.^[3]

While dietary instructions are upheld by Torah-submissive Christians solely because of their status as Godly commands, there is also medical evidence that living a lifestyle according to Torah is generally healthier and prevents various kinds of diseases and disease symptoms.^[4] This is cited as evidence that God still intends this lifestyle for his followers.^[5]

[edit] Festivals

In the Torah, God described seven holidays, “feasts,” or festivals to be celebrated each year, each festival having its own observances (Lev 23). The festivals are:

• Passover (Pesach)
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread
• The Feast of First fruits
• The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost)
• The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)
• The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
• The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

Many of the specific commands regarding the festivals cannot be observed today. For example, one cannot go visit the Temple in Jerusalem, because there is no Temple in Jerusalem. However, the days are still honored, and an attempt is made to follow those commands which can be observed.

These festivals, calculated according to the Hebrew calendar, are seen as significant dates on which several closely related events have taken place repeatedly. For example, Israel was redeemed from the bondage of Egypt and Jesus redeemed humanity from bondage of sin on the festival of Passover. Similarly, powerful events of renewal and peace are all understood to have taken place on the Feast of First fruits throughout history: Noah's ark rested on the mountains of Ararat, Israel crossed the Red Sea, Israel ate of the first fruits of the promised land, Haman (a Hitler-like figure) was defeated, and Jesus rose from the dead [5]. All of these festivals are seen as powerful teaching tools about the character of God, about the identity and validity of Jesus as the Messiah, and about future events that have not yet come to pass.^[6]

[edit] Other observances

Other Torah observances include, but are not limited to the following:

• Tzitzit – Tassels worn on garments with the intention of reminding one of God's commands. (Num 15:37-41)

• Mixing – The abstention from various kinds of mixing, including cloths and plants (Lev 19:19)

• Mildew – Cleansing from and avoidance of mildew (Lev 13:47-59, Lev 14:33-57)

• Facial hair – The abstention from shaving the "corners" of one's beard or one's temple (Lev 19:27)

• Mezuzot - Seen as a fulfillment of the command to write God's commands on one's doorposts (Deut 6:1-9)

• Niddah - The abstention from sexual relations for seven days following a woman's monthly cycle. (Lev 15:19-30)

• Tattooing - The abstention from having tattoos placed on one's body (Lev 19:28)

[edit] History of Christian Torah-submission

Throughout Christian history, there have been followers of Jesus who have sought to obey the commands of the Torah even while fully affirming the salvation by grace through faith that is described in the New Testament (Eph 2). These Christians base their views, among other things, on their understanding of the teaching and actions of the earliest church.

[edit] Early History

See also: Early Christianity

There is evidence that the church, from the earliest times, upheld the commands of the Torah as applicable, even to Gentile Christians. Acts 10:14 records that the apostle Peter, well after the events recorded in Mark 7 (in which some have interpreted that Jesus permitted the consumption of any kind of meat), still had not eaten of anything unclean and still considered unclean flesh unclean. It is also never recorded that he considered such meat clean after his vision. At the Council of Jerusalem, the apostles present decided upon three dietary prohibitions for non-Jews: food sacrificed to idols, things strangled, and blood. This decision does not claim to be comprehensive of all commands that Gentiles are expected to follow, nor does it specifically give reasons for this decision (though some have been hypothesized), but it does prescribe dietary limitations for Gentile believers and has been interpreted to imply that they will go to synagogues in order to learn more about the Torah (Acts 15:21).

Furthermore, Acts 21:17-26 records that the apostle Paul participated in a purification rite at the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem, which would have required animal sacrifice. In doing so, he observed what is often called a "ceremonial" command. This passage records that he did this act specifically in order to show that he did not teach against Torah. In fact, there is evidence that he taught this concept to the many churches which he visited. For example, Paul expressly stated that he upheld the Torah several times in his letter to the Roman church (Rom. 3:31, 7:12, 7:22, e.g.), which consisted of many Gentiles.

Not only can it be interpreted from Biblical texts that the early church valued Torah, but Biblical scholars verify that this was the case: “At a very early time Christians began to assign their Pasch [celebration of the Resurrection] to the Sunday following the Jewish feast.”^[7] According to Leviticus Lev 23:9-14, this Sunday following Passover was always the Biblical feast of First Fruits, the day on the Hebrew calendar on which Jesus is said to have risen from the dead.

Author James Carroll (a Catholic) further affirms that the early church valued Torah, including the seventh-day Sabbath:

The fluidity of interaction between these groups [Jews and Christians] is reflected in the ways that Church fathers, well into the fourth century, warn against Christian participation in Jewish observances. For centuries, Christians’ celebration of Easter coincided exactly with Passover and their observance of the Sabbath continued to take place on Saturday. ^[8]

The departure from Torah began slowly, but was later legislated. In the first century AD, even before the Romans persecuted the Christians as Christians, the Romans persecuted the Jews as a result of Jewish rebellions against the empire. At that time, even the Gentile Christians were persecuted along with Jews because they worshipped with Jews and like Jews. Then, largely because Christians refused to rally behind a false Messiah named Bar-Kochba in a new rebellion, non-believing Jews expelled all Christians from their synogogues for their dis-loyalty, see also Council of Jamnia. Ironically, now Christians who had been persecuted by the Romans for being viewed as Jewish had been rejected by the Jewish establishment. Despite the fact that Christianity was a sect of Judaism that believed Jesus to be the Jewish Messiah, this turn of events forced Christians to view themselves as separate from the mainstream Jewish establishment for the first time, see also Rejection of Jesus. Some Gentile factions in the church used this expulsion to make it easier to justify distancing themselves from Torah-related practice, which identified them with Jews, in order to avoid Roman persecution for being Jewish.^[9]

Eventually, the seeds of this rejection of “Jewishness” took root when the Roman emperor Constantine I became the first Christian emperor in the early 4th century AD. He embraced some elements of Christianity early in his reign, although his views evolved throughout his life and he was ever tolerant to paganism.^[10] Under Constantine, the Roman church officially decreed that all Christians should observe Jesus’ resurrection separately from Passover (which the Latins called Quartodeciman) and that Jewish customs (i.e, anything Passover-related) should not be followed in regard to this holiday. ^[11] At the First Nicean Council, at which this was determined, Constantine declared, “It is unbecoming that on the holiest of festivals we should follow the customs of the Jews; henceforth let us have nothing in common with this odious people.”^[12] Shortly afterward, under the Christian empire, the church Council of Laodicea strictly prohibited Christians from observing the Sabbath as described in the Torah and Constantine made Sunday a civil holiday^[13] and "Christian Sabbath."[6]

Carroll summarizes these events:

It took the order of Constantine […] and decrees of the fourth-century Church councils to draw fast distinctions between Jewish and Christian observances, but the purpose of such decrees was to clarifiy the minds of Christians, who continued to think of themselves as Jewish.^[14]

The momentum and natural inclination of Christians had been to observe the holidays that Jesus and the apostles had observed. Historical evidence strongly suggests that the change in Passover to Easter and the re-definition of Sabbath were not based on the teaching of the apostles, but rather were motivated by other non-Biblical rationale. Quotes of Constantine and other early church fathers ^[15] reveal that anti-Semitism played a major role in these changes. The motivation to conform Christianity to paganism to make it more palatable to the Roman public has also been suggested.^[16]

[edit] Late History

After this church legislation, there were large sects, such as the disciples of James (including Ebionites and Nazarenes), that resisted this official change, continuing for hundreds of years longer to celebrate commands such as Passover and Sabbath as the early church had.

During the time of the Renaissance, in the late 1400s and into the early 1500s, a movement of Christian humanists including Johann Reuchlin and Desiderius Erasmus advocated liberty of thought, speech, and press. As scholars of the Renaissance rediscovered classic Greek and Latin texts and Christian Scholastics sought to explain and rationally justify the decisions of Church history, Christian humanists rediscovered and studied Biblical and Jewish texts in their original languages, questioning the dominance and doctrine of the Catholic Church. Reuchlin, among others, studied the Hebrew language and Jewish literature and a wide interest was revived in the Jewish roots of Christianity and the relevance of Jewish texts to Biblical interpretation; a movement later called Christian Hebraism[7]. (When the Holy Roman Emperor ordered Reuchlin to help burn Jewish literature including the Talmud, Reuchlin resisted and authored a series of tracts defending such literature.)

The philosophy and literature of Christian humanists helped to set the stage for the Protestant Reformation which began in 1517. This movement, sparked primarily by Martin Luther sought to rid the Church of non-Biblical trappings, returning to a purer, Biblical, worship of Jesus. During this time, there were many Christians who returned to the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, building on the foundation of the Christian humanists. While Martin Luther was a primary influence in this reformation, he also authored some pieces of literature which were hostile towards Jews and towards Christians who did things he considered Jewish, effectively quelling much of the momentum to return to the Jewish roots of Christianity.

Despite these events, historical documents describe a continuation of Christian Torah-submission in certain areas and religious movements. One sect of Christianity in Transylvania (modern-day Hungary and Romania) retained its Torah-submissive practices from the 1500s at least through World War II. They observed the Sabbath on Saturday, fasted from leaven at Passover, and adhered to dietary restrictions. They even translated Jewish prayer books and wrote their own hymnals. Male leaders also wore beards out of regard for the Torah. While they were persecuted (even imprisoned) by the Catholic and Protestant churches of the region, they took measures to retain what they saw as Biblical and Godly practices.^[17] Some cite historical evidence that Sabbatarianism (with adherence to dietary prohibitions) also emerged and continued from the Reformation in England in the 16th century.[8]

The modern Sabbatarian movement primarily traces its history to the Adventist movement sparked by Baptist layman William Miller in the early 1800s; a movement which was characterized by questioning traditional Biblical interpretation. An Adventist preacher, Gilbert Cranmer, started preaching that the Sabbath was on the seventh-day (Saturday), and eventually published a paper in order to advance these teachings.[9][10]

The modern Messianic Movement, a similar, but separate movement from Seventh-day Adventism, evolved in the 1970s out of Jewish Christian organizations which had existed since the early 1800s, when the Holy Roman Emperor legalized Judaism as a religion within the empire. While purely Jewish in origin, increasing numbers of non-Jews have become a part of the Messianic movement.^[18]

[edit] Torah-submissive groups

Today, there are Christians in many facets of the Christian church who consider the Torah applicable and attempt to honor its commands, but are not part of a distinct group that, as a whole, holds this view. There are also several Christian groups today that can be generally characterized by Torah-submission, or at least major elements of this practice.

• Messianic Judaism
• Worldwide Church of God
• United Church of God
• Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

[edit] Biblical Understanding

Some Christian theology holds that the Torah is fundamentally eternal and valid under the new covenant, but certain parts have "expired"^[19] and are not applicable now. Other Christian theology holds that the Torah is inseparable, but has been "terminated" or "abrogated" and replaced by God with a different, but similar Law.^[20] (See Christian View of the Law.) Torah-submissive Christians uphold what they view as the most Scripturally sound points of each of these widely accepted views. They interpret the Bible to say that the Torah is an inseparable whole, and that as a whole, it fundamentally continues under the new covenant.

The Torah-submissive view affirms that, as Paul wrote, spiritual salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus. It does not hold that any works are a way to achieve justification and hence salvation, so-called Legalism theology, but rather a way of more fully obeying and imitating God as He intended. They see the Torah as a way of more fully showing love to a merciful God that deserves to be served. This is the same reason most Christians obey other, traditionally accepted, commands.

The Torah is viewed as a source of blessing and as an instruction manual on every aspect of life, written by the Creator of life and everything that is in it. Not only is it understood to help God's people to avert physical and emotional harm, but it is also seen as a way to constantly turn his followers' hearts and minds back towards him as they are reminded of him by their actions. In the same way, the Torah is seen as a teaching tool to understanding Jesus the Messiah, also Biblically called "master". Jesus is seen not only to have taught and interpreted the Torah, for example see Sermon on the Mount, but also to have lived it perfectly. Therefore, it is understood in this movement that living the Torah teaches believers more fully about the things Jesus said and did, and considering the things that Jesus said and did teaches believers more about the things in the Torah.

[edit] Torah Under the New Covenant

The New Testament indicates that Jesus Christ established a new covenant relationship between God and his people (Jer 31:31-34, Luke 22:20, 2Cor 2-3, Heb 8-9). Christianity, almost without exception, understands this new covenant to be the instrument through which God offers mercy and atonement to mankind. Torah-submissive Christians hold that a major function of the new covenant is also to write the Torah - by the same Biblical definition it has always held - upon the heart of anyone who trusts in Jesus (Jer 31:31-33, Ez 36:26,27). Therefore, while there is variance in individual interpretations and the way commands are followed, Torah-submissive Christians share these fundamental views regarding the applicability of Torah.

• The Torah is applicable to all followers of God, even under the new covenant
• The Torah is a blessing, it is useful, and it is enlightening
• Jesus and the New Testament writers reaffirmed the Torah as a whole

They derive these views from the Bible, citing passages in which the Bible that call God's commands as everlasting and good.

• Psalm 119:152 NIV: “Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.”
• Psalm 119:160 NIV: “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”
• Exodus 12:24 NIV: “Obey these instructions [re: Passover] as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants.”
• Exodus 29:9b NIV: “The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. In this way you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.”
• Leviticus 16:29 NIV: "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you.”

• Deuteronomy 4:5-6 NIV: “See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'"
• Nehemiah 9:13 NIV: “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good."
• Psalm 19:7 NIV: "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple."
• Psalm 19:8 NIV: "The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes."
• Psalm 119:39 NIV: “Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.”
• Proverbs 28:7 NIV: "He who keeps the law [Torah] is a discerning son."

While there are New Testament passages that can seem hostile towards the Mosaic Law, Torah-submissive Christians find insufficient evidence in the New Testament to invalidate this weight of evidence that the Law is both eternal and good and that an unchanging God (Num 23:19) would change his standard for humanity. They hold different interpretations of the New Testament passages that have traditionally been understood to say that the Law has changed, and they consider these interpretations to be accurate, based on the whole Bible, sensitive to literary and historical contexts, and understanding of the original languages. ^{[21] [22]}

They see these interpretations strengthened by the evidence in the New Testament scriptures that the Mosaic Law is, in fact, upheld under the new covenant.

• Matthew 5:17-19 NIV: “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 23:1-3 NIV: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”
• Matthew 23:23 NIV: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Even Paul, some of whose statements have been interpreted to nullify the Law, specifically says that he upholds the Law and other statements from his writing are seen to express that same idea:

• Romans 3:31 NIV: “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.”
• Romans 7:7 NIV: “What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law…”
• Romans 7:12 NIV: “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”
• Romans 6:1,2 NIV: “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!”
• Romans 6:15 NIV: “Shall we sin because we are not under Law but under grace? By no means!”
• Romans 7:22 NIV: “For in my inner being, I delight in God’s Law.”
• Romans 8:7 NIV: “The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s Law, nor can it do so.”

Added to this New Testament validation of Torah, many Torah-submissive Christians interpret prophecy to predict that this same Torah will be fully applicable in the future, once Jesus returns:

• Zechariah 14:3-4,16-17 NIV: "Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. [...] Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain."

• Isaiah 66:15-17 NIV as commentary on Revelation 19:11-15 NIV:

• "See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the LORD. Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the midst of those who eat the flesh of pigs and rats and other abominable things—they will meet their end together,' declares the LORD."
• "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty."

• Isaiah 1:2-3 NIV: " In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law [Torah] will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."
• Ezekiel 40-48 describes festival, Sabbath, and New Moon observance and a revived Temple with its Levitical priesthood.

[edit] Understanding of "Israel"

Some traditional Christian theologies have seen aspects of the Torah as irrelevant because of the their understanding of who "Israel" is. Some hold that Christians are under a different "theological covenant" than Israel, who was given the Torah, and through the new covenant have become a "spiritual Israel." Others hold that God deals with the world in very distinct "dispensations" and that the era of the church (now) is a "parentheses" or "intercalation" in history, where God has suspended his dealing with the Jewish people for a time. This issue is still widely debated among Biblical scholars today. (See Supersessionism and Dispensationalism.)

Most Torah-submissive Christians hold to what some have called "Olive-tree Theology" with regards to Israel, based on Romans 11. In this view, believers in Jesus are grafted into the root of this tree, which is Israel, when they come to faith in Messiah. In doing so, they join believing Jews who are the natural branches. The view holds that this tree in Paul's analogy is the Israel that has faith in God, fulfilling God's truest intention for his holy nation.^[23]

In this view, the fact that everyone in this olive tree has faith in Jesus and "branches" that do not have faith are removed, however, does not nullify the status of non-believing Jews as "Israel" as well. In other places, Paul continues to call ethnic Jews, "Jews" or "Israel" and about physical Jews, Paul says, "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Rom 11:29). Therefore, in this view, physical Jews who do not have faith in Jesus retain their identity as Israel and God's promises to Israel (the return to the land of Israel, e.g.) still very much apply to them. The promises which do not apply are those which are spiritual and conditional upon faith in Messiah, namely spiritual salvation (John 14:6).

Because Christians, in this view, have become a part of Israel, then Christians find their identity in Jesus within the identity of Israel and God's revelation to and through Israel; this includes the Torah. This view understands Christians following the pattern of David, who the Bible describes as both loving the Torah (Psalm 119) and finding forgiveness through faith and repentance (Rom 4:1-8).

[edit] Understanding of “Judaizers”

Some have considered Torah-submissive Christians “Judaizers,” after those mentioned by Paul in book of Galatians and elsewhere, because they believe that Judaizers are those that taught that the Law of Moses is applicable to Christians. However, Torah-submissive Christians uphold all writings of Paul, and yet do not consider themselves guilty of Judaizing.

Tim Hegg, in his book, Fellow Heirs, explains that the issue of the Judaizers that Paul condemned was only that of circumcision and not of Mosaic Law. He writes that the Jewish tradition at the time (and now) taught that anyone who was to enter into the covenant promises of Abraham, which the New Testament equates with salvation (Rom 4:13-16, Gal 3:26-29) had to convert to Judaism by becoming Jewish. However, Paul taught that Gentiles coming to faith do not have to convert formally to Judaism by traditional standards in order to be ‘’saved’’, but rather have to be circumcised of heart (Rom 2:28-29) by the Holy Spirit of God, which signifies their acceptance by God. Once saved, circumcision becomes simply a matter of obedience – not a requirement for salvation or acceptance by God.

Other Torah-submissive Christians hold that, because circumcision is a sign of the covenant of salvation (as mentioned above), physical circumcision by the hands of men is not required because it was a sign for that which the Spirit would do - bring life by the circumcision of the heart. Therefore, Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 7:18 prohibiting a change in the status of circumcision ^[24] should be held to strictly. They hold that the only command given to Moses regarding circumcision regards infant-circumcision (Lev 12:3), and this should be upheld, but that circumcision upon conversion is not a matter of obedience to the Law of Moses.

The Torah-submissive view holds that by either interpretation, the writings of Paul which condemn the circumcision that the Judaizers required for salvation (Acts 15:1,11) are upheld as valid, while the Torah is equally upheld as a positive standard once one comes to salvation.

[edit] Understanding of “Legalism”

See also: Legalism (theology)

Some critics of Christian Torah-submission have accused Torah-submissive Christians of legalism ^[25]. However, Torah-submissive Christians hold that all of God's commands are good and that motivation alone determines if one obeys any Biblical command (even those traditionally accepted) out of a sense of self-righteous entitlement or out of a sense of obedient humility and gratitude to God.

In his book, Restoration, Bible teacher Daniel Thomas Lancaster describes a distinction in the definitions of the term, "legalism." He gives the conventional definition of a legalist as, "One who compels Christians to live by a certain standard or commandment of Scripture that is no longer generally practiced in the church." He then gives the theological definition (derived from scripture): "One who attempts to earn salvation through obedience to the law."^[26]

Torah-submissive Christians fundamentally and emphatically reject the behavior described in the theological definition, affirming that the acceptance of God - salvation - is based only on God's grace through faith. However, they do not view the encouragement to obey Biblical commands as a negative thing if the behavior is encouraged for the sake of holiness and done with the motivation of true faith and not conditional acceptance.

[edit] Objections to Christian Torah-submission

There are several other theological systems that seek to explain how the Torah applies under the new covenant, such as Dispensationalism and Reformed theology that do not advocate obedience to the entire Torah. Their objections to Torah-submission are that Jesus terminated the Mosaic law, replacing it with the Law of Christ, or that only the “moral” portions of the Mosaic law continue after the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Often, New Testament verses are used to show that the applicability of the Torah in the old covenant has been modified or abrogated by the new covenant. Such verses include Mark 7:14-19, Acts 10:9-13, Rom 10:4, Eph 2:14-15, and Col 2:13-14. See also Mark 2.

Objecting views can also vary from the belief that being Torah-submissive is beneficial, but not intended by God, to the belief that anyone who continues to follow the “ceremonial” law is committing “mortal sin.”[11]

[edit] References

1. ^ The organization, First Fruits of Zion [1], for example, prefers this term.
2. ^ Chumney. The Seven Festivals of the Messiah.
3. ^ Egan. Holy Cow!
4. ^ Russell, Rex, M.D. What the Bible Says About Healthy Living. Regal Books. 2006. ISBN 0830742867
5. ^ Egan. Holy Cow!
6. ^ Chumney. The Seven Festivals of the Messiah. [2]
7. ^ New Catholic Encyclopedia, “Easter Controversy,” p. 13
8. ^ Carroll, James. ‘’Constantine’s Sword’’. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2001. New York. p. 145
9. ^ Lancaster. Restoration p. 16,17
10. ^ New Catholic Encyclopedia, “Constantine I, The Great, Roman Emperor,” p. 182
11. ^ New Catholic Encyclopedia, “Nicea I, Council of,” p. 347
12. ^ Carroll, p. 55
13. ^ New Catholic Encyclopedia, “Constantine I, The Great, Roman Emperor,” p. 180
14. ^ Carroll, James. ‘’Constantine’s Sword’’. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2001. New York. p. 145
15. ^ Such as John Chrystostom, for example: “I know that many people hold a high regard for the Jew, and consider their way of life worthy of respect at the present time. This is why I am hurrying to pull up this fatal notion by the roots…A place where a whore stands on display is a whorehouse. What is more, the synagogue is not only a whorehouse and a theater; it is also a den of thieves and a haunt of wild animals…No better disposed than pigs or goats, [the Jews] live by the rule of debauchery and inordinate gluttony. Only one thing they understand: to gorge themselves and to get drunk.” (Carroll, p. 213)
16. ^ Carroll. Constantine's Sword.
17. ^ "The Sabbath-Keepers of Transylvania." messiah magazine #93. B'reisheet 5767, Published: November, 2006. First Fruits of Zion. [3] (which cites the book The Sabbatarians In Transylvania by Samuel Kohn. 1998.)
18. ^ Maoz, Baruch. Judaism is Not Jewish: A Friendly Critique of the Messianic Movement. Christian Focus Publications. 2003. ISBN 1857927877
19. ^ Bahnsen, et al., Five Views on Law and Gospel. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993). ISBN 0310212715
20. ^ Strickland, et al., Five Views on Law and Gospel. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993). ISBN 0310212715
21. ^ Lancaster, D. Thomas. Restoration. Littleton: First Fruits of Zion, 2005.
22. ^ Berkowitz, Ariel and D'vorah. Torah Rediscovered. 4th ed. Shoreshim Publishing, 2004.
23. ^ Stern, David. Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel. Messianic Jewish Resources International; 1st ed edition (February 1988). ISBN 9653590014
24. ^ “Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.”
25. ^ See this website under the section, "A Closing Thought,"[4] for example.
26. ^ Lancaster. Restoration. p. 11

[edit] Further reading

• Lancaster, D. Thomas. Restoration: Returning the Torah of God to the Disciples of Jesus. Littleton: First Fruits of Zion, 2005. ISBN 1892124211
• Berkowitz, Ariel and D'vorah. Torah Rediscovered. 4th ed. Shoreshim Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0-9752914-0-8
• Egan, Hope. Holy Cow! Does God Care About What We Eat? First Fruits of Zion. 2005. ISBN 189212419X
• Hegg, Tim. Fellow Heirs. First Fruits of Zion, 2003. ISBN 1892124068
• Chumney, Edward. The Seven Festivals of the Messiah. Treasure House, 1994. ISBN 1560437677
• Howard, Kevin. The Feasts Of The Lord God's Prophetic Calendar From Calvary To The Kingdom. Nelson Books, 1997. ISBN 0785275185

[edit] See also

• Christian view of the Law
• Torah
• Messianic Judaism
• Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Antinomianism
• Expounding of the Law
• Pauline Christianity
• Ministry of Jesus
• Jewish Christians
• Restorationism
• Sabbatarianism
• Pillars of the Church

[edit] External links

PRO

• TNN Online. Messianic apologetics.
• First Fruits of Zion. An organization dedicated to proclaiming the Torah and its way of life, fully centered on Messiah, to today's people of God.
• Hebraic Heritage Christian Center. A Hebraic model for Christian education online.

CON

• Should Christians Be Torah Observant?
• Taryag Mitzvot (especially, "A Closing Thought")