Musing – Is it okay to observe Torah?

Hebraic Musing – Is it okay to observe Torah?

When I share with someone that I observe Torah, the overwhelming response I get is that I am trying to earn my salvation.  This response tells me much more about the other person than it does about me.

My first concern is that the person has limited their faith to their salvation.  What about the empowerment and the gifts of the spirit that flow from living according to our loving Father God’s guidelines for a victorious life?  I find myself asking “how Yehovah is working in their lives?”** 

Unfortunately many churches and their congregants focus so much on salvation they fail to develop mature believers.  All too many are still drinking milk.  Let's see what Paul/Saul says in the Bible about drinking milk.  “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.  Indeed, you are still not ready.  You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?  ” 1 Cor. 3:1-3     And  “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!  Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14 NIV

Four different reasons why I try to identify and follow the applicable* instructions in the Torah:

1.   Obedience to Yeshua's word, "if you love Me, you will keep my commands"

2.   I want to be blessed, according to Deuteronomy 28 “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:  You will be blessed……..”   NIV

3.   I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit to do so,

4.   I claim the Messianic promise of a New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:33, that the Torah was to be written on my heart and I will want to obey it. “I will put my law (Torah) in their minds and write it on their hearts.” 

There you have my four reasons for observing the applicable guidelines in Torah; and note that none of the reasons are about my salvation.  I have chosen to eat not only solid Spiritual food; but also healthy physical food!

My salvation testimony was published on September 15, 2015.  (Let me know if you want me to send it to you)  When I said “Jesus, you are real and I need to learn more about you” my life changed.  I am now trying to do what my loving Father God tells me to do in order to live a holy life. 

Points to ponder

Truism – Whatever a good parent tells his child to do is for the child’s own good.

So, what has our loving Father God told us to do?

Shalom Aleichem.  Peace to you, a child of God

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,                                  February 2, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights”  “Biblical Marriage” “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   www.InsightsByYosef.com

Notes:
 *   “Applicable” Torah commands are explained in Hebraic Insights, Ch. 22 “ What are the 613 Mitzvot?”
          We can and should obey some of the Mitzvot/Commands; but Yeshua did make some no longer applicable.
 **  Musing inspired by Johanna Hocker’s e-mail of December 31, 2015 - behockers@bevcomm.net