1 John 5:3 from the New Testament:
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments (from the Old Testament): and his commandments are not grievous.”
In Deuteronomy 13:1-4, God states he uses false prophets and teachers to test us:
“ …for the LORD י ה ו ה your God tests you, to know whether you love the LORD י ה ו ה your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD י ה ו ה your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and hold fast unto him.”
In Mark 7:7-8, Jesus (Y’shua) states: “… in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…”
John 15:7,10, Jesus (Y’shua) states: “If you abide (live) in me, and my words abide (live) in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. … If you keep my commandments, you shall abide (live) in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide (live) in his love.”
ADDITIONAL STUDY: What Exactly is Sin?
Are You the Rebel Outlaw
Without a Cause?
And the outlaw gang rode into town, robbed the bank, and had reckless disregard for life and property. So goes the Saturday morning Wild West shows that recounted the lawless tales of desperados. Or you would prefer the more modern tale of bank robbers, the Mob, or Organized Crime who ran contrary to the law. Or maybe the simple rebel who wears a black leather jacket and thumbs his nose at authority. Or try the disobedient child of God who insist on doing things their own way instead of God’s way.
No matter how the Hollywood-esk appeal of the rebel outlaw image might bring, when it comes to God, you can obey or not. You can be included or not. You can be blessed or not. You can be in fellowship with God or not and it all boils down to being in good favor with him – and that comes from NOT being the rebel.
1 Samuel 15:23: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity (lawlessness, sin) and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD י ה ו ה, he has also rejected you …”
Paul: “The Law is Spiritual!”
Most in traditional churches say that the Apostle Paul teaches we should not obey God’s Laws in the Old Testament. While we are justified before God by Faith in Jesus (Y’shua), that does not do away with our obligation to obey God. Really! Does our faith give us a license to sin?! Absolutely not! In fact, it is only by Faith in Jesus (Y’shua) can we attempt to obey God’s Law and please him.
What Paul actually teaches is that “We Establish (Uphold) the Law of God through Faith.” That the Laws of God are “holy” – that if we do them we show we truly ‘Know God.”
Romans 3:31, Paul: “Do we then make void the law (Torah) through faith? God forbid: no, we establish (uphold) the law (Torah).”
COMPARE WITH Deuteronomy 27:26 (YLT): “Cursed is he who does not establish the words of this law (Torah), to do them.”
Romans 7:12,14, Paul: “… the law (Torah) is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. … For we know that the law (Torah) is spiritual …”
Titus 1:16, Paul: “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being … disobedient, and unto every good work worthless.”
When you say “Faith” you mean “action” for faith without works is dead. See ”Faith Without Works is Dead” in James 2:14-26, see verse 24: “… by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”
Paul writes in Romans 6:14-16:
“For sin shall not have rule over you: for you are not under the (penalty of the) law (Torah), but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the (penalty of the) law (Torah), but under grace? God forbid. Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are … whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
Many misunderstand Paul’s writings because they have been twisted by most traditional churches for centuries. A topic that is covered in “Was Paul a False Teacher?” another study on this website.
In 2 Peter 3:15-17 (ESV), Peter cautions about those who are “ignorant and unstable twist” Paul’s letters “to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.” and “knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.” Peter is warning us to not be misled by those who do not use the Torah and the Old Testament as the foundation to their faith, those who don’t obey the Torah, those who continue to live their lives in sin.
To put it in a simple testing of witnesses, like in a courtroom: God says “obey my laws” and many say that Paul says “no, we don’t have to” or “should not.” If Paul is right then that means God is wrong – is this not heresy! Obviously, God is not wrong. Could it be that we have been misunderstanding Paul’s writings all this time? This is another example of traditional church teachings that conflict with other parts of the Bible. The Unity of the whole Bible suggests that Paul would never have spoken against God’s Laws, if he had he would have been a false teacher.
After an in-depth study on all of Paul’s writings, I discovered that Paul never contradicted God’s Law in the Old Testament. Paul’s main point concerning the law (Torah) was that you cannot come to a saving faith by doing it, that only comes by Faith in Jesus (Y’shua). That our Daily Walk is based upon obedience to God in the Old Testament. That if we continue to disobey God’s Laws then we are still “Walking in the Flesh” and at war with God. That only through “Walking in the Spirit” are we even capable of obeying God’s Laws and not sinning (violation of God’s Laws), and truly pleasing God. That if we truly love God we will obey him. Please refer to “Was Paul a False Teacher?” for a recap.
Who Rules Your Life?
The answer is:
Who’s rules do you obey?
Do you obey YOUR rules? – then YOU rule your life. Do you obey GOD’s rules? – then GOD rules your life. Do you obey a pastor, church, or denomination’s rules? – then THEY rule your life. If you obey a mixture of the above then you are serving more than one master – and as Scripture states, you cannot serve more than one master – you will start holding to one and hating all the others.
To whom you obey, they are your master. If you want to live in God’s House you must obey his rules and within his house are blessings and protection. Outside God’s house you are unprotected and exposed to all the attacks and evil that Satan has planned for you.
ADDITIONAL STUDY: What Exactly is Sin?
