Challenging some dangerous Christian teachings

Christian writer Dr. Paul Ellis asserts: "If God has written the Ten Commandments on your heart and mind, you should be able to list all ten with no trouble. Can you? What's the seventh commandment? You can't do it because it's not there, and a very good thing that is too!"

And no, he is NOT kidding! This article was found on Dr. Ellis' "Escape to Reality" site, which he entitled: The Law Written on Our Hearts is not the Ten Commandments. Scripture amply warns us to beware of false teachings in the "end times" - and so, without further ado, we will show exactly how and why Ellis' assertions are totally off the mark.

To keep this article from being too long, we are inserting our comments directly into the "Escape to Reality" article. All New Testament scriptures were borrowed from the Aramaic English New Testament (AENT).

OUR RESPONSE:

So, within the first few lines, Paul Ellis has revealed that he has no understanding of God and the Bible! YHWH said His Torah would stand forever (see our article, What parts of Torah can we still keep today?) It is absolutely true that this is a reference to the original Laws! Here is the verse in IN CONTEXT from the Aramaic English New Testament, with footnote:

Hebrews 10:15. And the Ruach haKodesh also testifies to us by saying: 16. This is the covenant which I will give them after those days, says Master YHWH: I will put my Torah into their minds and inscribe it on their hearts; 17. and their iniquity and their sins I will not remember against them.[1]

In this verse Paul references Jeremiah 31:31-34! (See our article, The covenant of Jeremiah.)

For some reason many Christians today are convinced that they only have to bother with TWO commandments ... and that is obviously because they don't read the REST of the following passage!

Matthew 22:36. "Teacher, which Commandment in Torah is the greatest?" 37. And Y'shua said to him, that "You should love Master YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and with all your mind." 38. This is the first and the greatest Commandment. 39. And the second is like it. That "You should love your neighbor as yourself." 40. On these two commandments hang Torah and the prophets.

We would ask those who insist they only need to keep two commandments to please re-read verse 40 with the help of the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit). Does verse 40 imply that all of God's original instructions have been done away with? NO! The Torah and the Prophets HANG/ARE DEPENDENT ON those two commands! There's more to it than just "loving God and loving your neighbor!

OUR RESPONSE:

How do either of those scriptures suggest "God wants to stir up sin in your life?" Again, let's check the AENT: 1 Corinthians 15:56. Now the sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is Torah.[1]

Footnote: When Torah is diminished, the knowledge of sin is diminished; when Torah is increased the knowledge of sin is increased. The strength of sin is Torah, because it is Torah which makes it clear or plain what sin is; Torah explains sin and clarifies it. The sting of death is brought on by sin; the strength of sin is elucidated in Torah.

Romans 5:20. And the entrance given to Torah was that sin might increase: and where sin increased, there grace abounded. 21. So that, as sin had reigned in death, so grace might reign in righteousness to life eternal, by means of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach (Messiah).

Without TORAH, mankind would have NO BLUEPRINT for moral, holy living!

OUR RESPONSE:

Let's look at this passage in context:

2 Corinthians 3:7. Now if the ministration of death was engraved upon stones in writing, and was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look on the face of Moshe[1] on account of the glory upon his face which vanished away; 8. How then will not the ministration of the Spirit be still more glorious? 9. For if there was glory in the ministration of condemnation,[2] how much more will the ministration of righteousness excel in glory? 10. For that which was glorious was as if not glorious in comparison with this which excels in glory. 11. For if that (condemnation) which is abolished[3] was glorious, much more must, that which abides be glorious. 12. Seeing therefore we have this hope, we the more, speak with boldness; 13. And are not like Moshe, who threw a veil over his face that the children of Israel might not behold the termination of that (condemnation) which was abolished. 14. But they were blinded in their understanding because until this day, when the Ancient Covenant is read, the same veil rests upon them; nor is it manifest (to them), that it (condemnation) is abolished by the Mashiyach.

Footnotes:

[1] Shemot/Exodus 34:29 "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him."

[2] Ministration of death is also the ministration of condemnation which comes against the sins of the carnal man. If a man steals he is condemned; if he commits adultery or lies, he is condemned when he reads the Letter.

[3] Condemnation is abolished when the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) writes Torah upon the heart, which brings the end of breaking Torah! However, Christian theologians twist this verse to teach that Paul brought an end to Torah itself.

OUR RESPONSE:

Romans 6: 14. And sin will not have dominion over you; for you are not under Torah[1] but under grace. 15. What then? Will we sin, because we are not under Torah but under grace? May it never be!

Footnote: Rav Shaul is juxtaposing the observance of former religious halacha with the grace that is available in Mashiyach, see 3:19.

QUESTION: Hasn't mankind ALWAYS been "under grace?" It didn't just start when Jesus died. It was grace that allowed Adam and Eve to continue living after they sinned. It was grace that kept Cain alive after he killed Abel. It was grace that allowed Noah and his family to begin the human race from scratch after the Flood. And it was grace that saved Lot and his family from destruction. And by the way, none of these people were "Jews"! There were no "Jews" until our third Patriarch, Jacob, had one of his 12 sons whom he named Yehudah (Judah) who ultimately became "the Tribe of Yehudah" where the term "Jews" originated - yet they were all Torah observant.... (See our articles, The Christian questionnaire and The big BUT!)

OUR RESPONSE:

Oh really? Wasn't Messiah Himself Torah observant? Weren't all the Apostles Torah observant? Find ANY scripture in the entire Bible that suggests that the death of "Jesus" would negate Torah! Paul was caught being Torah observant 29 years after Yeshua's death (Acts 21:23-24)! Since Yeshua is the Arm of YHWH (Isaiah 53:1), a human being with a divine Nature, the WORD who was with God in the beginning - WHY would His Divine Instructions in Righteousness "alienate" anybody? Please read our article countering the Christian dogma about the Book of Galatians! Here is just a tiny sample, to answer Number 5:

Galatians 5: 1. Therefore you stand in the liberty of the Mashiyach, liberty and not subjugation, turning from the yoke of servitude. 2. Behold, I Paul say to you, if you are circumcised,[1] then Mashiyach is a thing that has no benefit for you. 3. I testify to you again (return to my testifying),[2] that every circumcised man is obligated to act on the entire Torah. 4. Those of you who are in Torah and who are seeking justification (from it),[3] you have ceased to be from Mashiyach, (and therefore) you have fallen from grace. 5. For we, through the blessings of the Spirit, which is from faith, abide in the hope of righteousness. 6. For in Mashiyach Y'shua, circumcision and uncircumcision are nothing, but faith is completed[4] through love.

[1] If a person is immersed (baptized) or circumcised to please the status quo, it profits them nothing. Paul is referring to traditional, religious, Pharisaical, peer group circumcisions that are required before acceptance into status quo religious organizations. Christians who have been baptized into the name of a denomination can likely relate to this as well. Many Christians choose to be re-baptized after realizing their former baptism was into a denominational religion, rather than into the Kingdom of Elohim.

[2] The word tob has multiple meanings; the root means "to return" and this covers several related ideas. Semitic thought has always viewed morality as a straight path (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3). An evil person is one who is lost or has taken a crooked path, but if he repents he is said to have "turned back." That is why a variant on this word teshuvah means "to repent." In this case, Rav Shaul is literally "returning" to his main point.

[3] Some seek "justification" through observance of Torah, others seek it by not observing Torah; both pursuits are based on man's religion. The answer is to observe Torah in YHWH and His Mashiyach and live righteously as Y'shua did. Put trust and Faith in YHWH, not in works or religion, but as co-laborers with Mashiyach!

[4] This can also mean "perfected."

OUR RESPONSE:

Re-read the last response, above! Rav Shaul clearly refers to the Torah itself as "perfect, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12), so it is very foolish to then think that he turns around and teaches the "termination" of Torah. Instead, and as Rav Shaul clearly teaches in Galatians 3, Torah is the tutor that instructs and brings people to Mashiyach. Then, when a person understands and accepts the fact that Y'shua is Mashiyach, he (Mashiyach) becomes Torah's goal.

Romans 7:4. And now, my brothers, you also have become dead to Torah[1] by the body of Mashiyach; that you might be joined to another, (even) to him who arose from the dead, and might yield fruits to Elohim. 5. For while we were in the flesh, the emotions of sin which are (listed) by Torah, were active in our members that we should bear fruits to death. 6. But now we are absolved from Torah and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might from now on serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.[2] 7. What will we say then? Is Torah sin? May it never be! For I had not learned sin except by means of Torah???.

Footnotes:

[1] "Dead to Torah" refers to being dead to the penalty for sin, which is death, followed by destruction. The believer sins (misses the mark) as anyone else does; however, those who are "in Mashiyach" have atonement in him. From the beginning (Gen. 3:15) YHWH established a defense for His people against haSatan (the adversary). To be "in" Mashiyach means to live a life pleasing to YHWH and NOT break Torah (see also Romans 8:1-10). Those who think that they can repeatedly break Torah without consequence, because of Mashiyach died for them, are very deceived. To "live in the spirit" means that the Spirit of Mashiyach is training up his followers so they can put away the carnal desires of the weak flesh, and that they are overcomers of the flesh. See Eighteen New Testament Misconceptions #7: Died to the Torah in Appendix.

[2] This is because faith in Mashiyach and Torah observance brings eternal life, but the consequence of sin is death. It does not mean Torah is "released" because, with or without Mashiyach, the penalty for willful sin still remains. If the penalty for sin remains, then Torah also remains. The "oldness of the letter" speaks of old religious ways which do not recognize Mashiyach as bringing the Living Word of YHWH to mankind. Y'shua brought the correct understanding of Torah which is to be written upon the heart, so we don't continue in sin. See also 6:12. Some might say they have Faith and claim to be "Believers," but if they continue in sin their faith/belief is irrelevant.

OUR RESPONSE:

Dear Dr. Ellis - "the law" is HOW we show our ELOHIM that we love Him! Please re-read the entire Torah (first 5 Books of the Bible) and count how many times He reitereates OBEDIENCE! Did "obedience" stop with the death of your Jesus?

Galatians 3: 10. For those who are servants of Torah are still under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not act on all that is written in this book of Torah." 11. But that no man is made righteous by Torah before Elohim is evident, for it is written, "the righteous will live by faith". 12. Thus Torah is not made by faith, but whosoever will do the things that are written in it, will live in it. 13. But Mashiyach has redeemed us from the "curse of Torah," [1] by becoming accursed[2] for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree". 14. That the blessing of Awraham might come to the Gentiles through Y'shua the Mashiyach; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (AENT)

[1] There are 12 specific curses mentioned in Deut. 28:15-26; however, one can also apply this to the entire Torah simply because if anyone knowingly or unknowingly sins but does not seek forgiveness and restitution, they are under a curse, certainly not a blessing. There is a "Y" in the road of every choice we make; one road leads to blessing, the other to a curse.

[2] Y'shua was "accursed" by his accusers, but Christians teach that YHWH and Torah accused Y'shua. However, Y'shua was the Perfect Lamb. He never broke Torah; therefore could never come under any curse of Torah. We come under the curse when we sin and refuse to turn to YHWH! Again, we invite you to read the entire article about Galatians.

OUR RESPONSE:

Not so fast! Check this out: Romans 7:6. But now we are absolved from Torah and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might from now on serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

This is because faith in Mashiyach and Torah observance brings eternal life, but the consequence of sin is death. It does not mean Torah is "released" because, with or without Mashiyach, the penalty for willful sin still remains! If the penalty for sin remains, then Torah also remains. The "oldness of the letter" speaks of old religious ways which do not recognize Mashiyach as bringing the Living Word of YHWH to mankind. Y'shua brought the correct understanding of Torah which is to be written upon the heart, so we don't continue in sin. See also 6:12. Some might say they have Faith and claim to be "Believers," but if they continue in sin their faith/belief is irrelevant.

OUR RESPONSE:

The only "immaturity" we can see is Dr. Ellis' failure to understand the plain meaning of Scripture! HOW can you know what constitutes SIN if you don't adhere to Torah? "Sin" is transgression of Torah! (I John 3:4)

Hebrews 7: 19. For the instruction[1] (of the priests) made nothing perfect, but there has come in its place a better hope by which we draw near to Elohim.

Footnote: Namusa may refer to Torah proper, or instruction relating to a group or people. The line of thought begins in 7:17 which would demand that namusa/instruction relates to the Aaronic priestly order, not Torah as a whole. The toggling between the two priestly lines of Melchisedec (Bereshit/Genesis) and Aaron (Vayiqra/Leviticus) is a common theme in Tanakh, which predicts that the one must give way to the other. For those who are adamant that Paul can only be referring to Torah (the Law), then consider that Paul is writing to Jews! If Paul were writing to Christians he might have written, "for the Bible perfected nothing" because a "Holy Book" in itself cannot bring perfection even if the Book itself were Perfect.

Only the Spirit of YHWH who CONTINUES Torah or "the Bible" can bring perfection. All religions have a "Holy Book" (or two), but imagine how different the world would be if everyone actually followed what their Holy Books teach? Torah reveals Mashiyach who brought a better hope! Do we throw out the Book? That would be foolish theology! And this is not what Paul is teaching! The world is not lacking "holy books" but many souls are lacking in the motivation and desire to live Righteous and Sanctified lives unto YHWH.

For more on the Book of Hebrews, please see our indepth article.

OUR RESPONSE:

Romans 7:4. And now, my brothers, you also have become dead to Torah[1] by the body of Mashiyach; that you might be joined to another, (even) to him who arose from the dead, and might yield fruits to Elohim. 5. For while we were in the flesh, the emotions of sin which are (listed) by Torah, were active in our members that we should bear fruits to death. 6. But now we are absolved from Torah and are dead to that which held us in its grasp: that we might from now on serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.[2] 7. What will we say then? Is Torah sin? May it never be! For I had not learned sin except by means of Torah: for I had not known lust, had not Torah said, You will not covet: 8. And by this Commandment sin found occasion and perfected in me all lust: for without Torah, sin was dead. 9. And I, without Torah, was alive formerly; but when the Commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; 10. And the Commandment of life was found by me (to be) to death. 11. For sin, by the occasion which it found by means of the Commandment, seduced me and thereby killed me. 12. As a result, Torah is Set Apart; and the Commandment is Set Apart, and righteous, and good. 13. Did that which is good, therefore, become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be seen to be sin, perfected death in me by means of that good (Torah); that sin might the more be condemned by means of the Commandment. 14. For we know, that Torah is spiritual[3]; but I am carnal, and sold to sin.

Footnotes:

[1] Dead to Torah" refers to being dead to the penalty for sin, which is death, followed by destruction. The believer sins (misses the mark) as anyone else does; however, those who are "in Mashiyach" have atonement in him. From the beginning (Gen. 3:15) YHWH established a defense for His people against haSatan (the adversary). To be "in" Mashiyach means to live a life pleasing to YHWH and NOT break Torah (see also Romans 8:1-10). Those who think that they can repeatedly break Torah without consequence, because of Mashiyach died for them, are very deceived. To "live in the spirit" means that the Spirit of Mashiyach is training up his followers so they can put away the carnal desires of the weak flesh, and that they are overcomers of the flesh.

[2] This is because faith in Mashiyach and Torah observance brings eternal life, but the consequence of sin is death. It does not mean Torah is "released" because, with or without Mashiyach, the penalty for willful sin still remains. If the penalty for sin remains, then Torah also remains. The "oldness of the letter" speaks of old religious ways which do not recognize Mashiyach as bringing the Living Word of YHWH to mankind. Y'shua brought the correct understanding of Torah which is to be written upon the heart, so we don't continue in sin. See also 6:12. Some might say they have Faith and claim to be "Believers," but if they continue in sin their faith/belief is irrelevant.

[2] Paul says "Torah is spiritual"; therefore, while those without Torah might be very religious, they are not "spiritual" according to Paul and Mashiyach! Mashiyach is the goal and we are to be like him, which means that when our spirits are awakened to Mashiyach we will proceed to welcome Torah to be written upon our hearts.

OUR RESPONSE:

First of all, please read our short article - What changed? ... And then, take a look at Hebrews 7:12 IN CONTEXT:

Hebrews 7: 12. But as there is a change in the priesthood, so also is there a change in the instruction (to the Levitical priests)[1] 13. For he of whom these things were spoken was born of another tribe of which no one ever ministered at the altar. 14. For it is manifest that our Master (Y'shua) arose from Yehuda, from a tribe of which Moshe said nothing concerning a priesthood. 15. And moreover this is further manifest from his saying that another priest will stand up after the likeness of Melchisedec, 16. who was not according to the Torah of physical requirements, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17. For he testified of him: You are a priest forever, after the likeness of Melchisedec. 18. And the change which was made in the first statute was on account of its powerlessness and because there was no usefulness in it. 19. For the instruction (of the priests) made nothing perfect, but there has come in its place a better hope by which we draw near to Elohim. 20. And he confirmed it to us by an oath. 21. For they became priests without an oath; but this man by an oath. As he said to him by Dawid: Master YHWH has sworn, and will not lie, You are a priest forever, after the likeness of Melchisedec. 22. By all this, is that a superior covenant[2] of which Y'shua is the guaranteed provider.

Footnotes:

[1] Following the context, a change in the priestly line means a change in instructions that relate to priests!

[2] Here is one of the many places where Christo-Pagans (Marcion) inserted the word "testament" rather than "covenant" in order to twist the values of the Renewed Covenant (Jeremiah 31) into a Hellenized theology that abolishes Torah and replaces Israel with their church systems. Testament does NOT equal covenant, nor does the "Testament" of Y'shua abolish the Covenant; rather it upholds Jeremiah 31:31-34.

OUR RESPONSE:

Where in the entire Bible does God EVER tell you that His Divine Instructions in Righteousness would be null and void after the death of His Son?

Most Christians seem to forget that without the first covenant, the second one is impossible! In very short order Rav Shaul (Paul) will quote Jeremiah 31:31-34, indicating that the Renewed Covenant is a contingency triggered by, and deriving authority from, the first covenant. YHWH declared that the Ancient Covenant He made with Israel was good; it was to bring life, but the people of Israel chose to willfully break this Covenant and treat it as a vain thing. See Deuteronomy 32:46, 47. Again, let's look at the CONTEXT of this passage!

Hebrews 8:7. For, if the first (covenant) had been faultless, there would have been no place for this second (one).[1] 8. For he rebukes them and says: Behold the days come, says Master YHWH, when I will complete with the family of the house of Israel and with the family of the house of Yehuda, a renewed covenant;[2] 9. not like the covenant which I gave to their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; (and) because they continued not in my covenant, I also rejected them, says Master YHWH. 10. But this is the covenant which I will give to the family of the house of Israel after those days, says Master YHWH: I will put my Torah in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts; and I will be to them a Elohim, and they will be to me a people. 11. And one will not teach his son of the city[3] nor his brother, nor say: You shall know your Master YHWH: because they will all know me, from the youngest of them to the oldest. 12. And I will forgive them their iniquity; and their sins will I remember no more. 13. In that he said a Renewed (Covenant), he made the first old; and that which is old and decaying, is near to disappearing.[4]

Footnotes:

[1] Most Christians seem to forget that without the first covenant, the second one is impossible! In very short order Rav Shaul will quote Jeremiah 31:31-34, indicating that the Renewed Covenant is a contingency triggered by, and deriving authority from, the first covenant. YHWH declared that the Ancient Covenant He made with Israel was good; it was to bring life, but the people of Israel chose to willfully break this Covenant and treat it as a vain thing. See Deuteronomy 32:46, 47.

[2] Paul makes reference to the Renewed Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) nine times in this letter.

[3] The phrase in Aramaic is bar medintheh, which literally means "son of his city" but idiomatically carries the meaning of "fellow citizen, neighbor" and most definitely a metaphor Greek does not have. This fact puts Peshitta well before the end of the Second Century when the mistranslated Greek texts were done. It is also important to note that this is the last book of the Eastern canon. As a result, the entire collection must have circulated prior to this very early date.

[4] The context is Jeremiah 31:31-34, what is "near to disappearing" is the sinful nature of man that breaks Torah, not the standard of Torah! Remember that we broke Torah, not YHWH. YHWH did not drop the standard of Torah because Israel chose disobedience; rather, He installed a Renewed Covenant to write Torah upon the heart through the work of the Ruach haKodesh, according to Mashiyach. The fact of the matter is that in Mashiyach, YHWH raised the bar; He magnified Torah; see Isaiah 42:21. Because mankind broke Covenant, YHWH requires complete renovation on our part, not YHWH's part of the Covenant. This verse in its twisted form, became one of the "crown jewels" of Torahless Christianity which teaches that Torah is decaying and is near to disappearing, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

OUR RESPONSE:

"For in Torah there was a shadow of the good things to come; not the substance of the things themselves. Therefore, although the same sacrifices were every year offered, they could never perfect those who offered them." (Hebrews 10:1).

Note Ellis' interpretation of the verse is completely wrong. The scripture never suggested the "Law" (Torah!) would be abolished! Note also that neither Yeshua nor any of the Apostles EVER suggested Torah was abolished. As a matter of fact, Paul wrote:

"Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law...." (Romans 3:31). What Ellis is suggesting is that YHWH "used to have rotten rules for us, but He improved them over time, and now we don't need to do ANYTHING except believe in Jesus!" Since Ellis decries Torah so much, then why doesn't he preach against the hypocrisy of tithing in churches? Since "the law" was supposedly abolished, then tithes would ALSO be a thing of the past!

OUR RESPONSE:

Once again Ellis misses the context!

Hebrews 2:1. Therefore we should be exceedingly cautious in regard to what we have heard, or else we fall away. 2. For if the Word spoken by the medium of Messengers was confirmed, and every one who heard it and transgressed it received a just retribution; 3. how will we escape if we hate the things which are our life,[1] things which began to be spoken by our Master (Y'shua), and were confirmed to us by them who heard from him,[2]

Footnotes:

[1] By quoting D'varim/Deuteronomy 32:47 Paul's teaching is towards the Renewed Covenant of Torah being written upon the heart.

[2] "Confirmed to us by those who heard from him" - this writer was not an eyewitness to Y'shua's glory during his earthly ministry. This is perhaps one of the greatest clues given by the writer of Hebrews regarding his identity. While it is true that other writers, like Luke for example, collected accounts of Y'shua's life from eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-5), Luke himself is counted as as a Gentile (Colossians 4:11-14), making it unlikely that he would have enough apostolic weight to have his words encouraged in a Hebrew believing community as Rav Shaul himself makes a division between missions to both groups, while they contained the same message (Galatians 2:7).

When we look at prominent Jewish leaders who were specifically enjoined to preach the Gospel to the Israelites who are scattered among the nations, that brings us to a very short list of possible authors. When we add to this criteria the fact that this same Jewish leader was important but not a direct eyewitness to Y'shua and that he has sent the letter according to direct reference (13:24) and very reliable Eastern and Western manuscript tradition from Italy (possibly Rome), that list, I believe, comes down to one name: Rav Shaul. The emphasis also on the writer's encouragement to "remember those in prison as if you were bound with them: and recollect those in affliction as being yourselves clothed in flesh" (13:3, and also see 13:23) also fits very well with the other times that we know Rav Shaul was writing from his places of confinement.

By the way, Hebrews 2:2 says nothing about the law being ordained by angels: "4. And he is altogether superior to the Messengers, as he has also inherited a name which is superior to theirs.[1]

Footnote: All the names of the messengers have EL in them, the shortened form of Elohim. Only Y'shua as a messenger (e.g. Exodus 23:20-22, Jeremiah 23:5-6) has the name of YHWH in him; YAH is salvation.

It's sad that most English translations of the Scriptures insist on the word "angels" in Hebrews 2:2 when the word is "messengers". While "angels" are "messengers", so is ANYONE used by YHWH! Moses was a "messenger", all the Prophets were "messengers". Indeed, if Mr. Ellis would simply READ the Torah, he'd find that NONE of the Torah was "ordained by angels" because Torah was "ordained" by YHWH through messengers! So clearly, the English word "angels" in Hebrews 2:2 MUST mean "messengers" instead.

And the ONLY "inferior gift" we see in churches today is the fact that they constantly shove YHWH (the Father) into the background, while glorifying a "Jesus" who supposedly came to abolish everything His Father ever commanded, and who came to bring a new religion called "Christianity" which has twisted Scripture into denying the Seventh Day Sabbath and the Holy Feasts, and which allows the eating of "unclean foods" ... ALL things which fly directly into the face of our ELOHIM! They can't even bring themselves to use the proper Name of our Messiah - Yeshua" which means "YHWH is Salvation." "Jesus" means absolutely nothing, and in fact, it detracts from WHO HE WAS!

OUR RESPONSE:

In other words, Ellis suggests that mankind needs NO RULES to follow. Mankind is just naturally "godly" and never prone to sinning. Makes sense, doesn't it? If there are no rules, then anything goes and you can't be guilty of sinning. Question is: WHY would you need "grace" if you're born perfect and never sin? Problem is, Ellis keeps missing the CONTEXT of Scripture!

Galatians 3: 1. Oh! You foolish, deficient Galatians![1] Who has bewitched you from your faith after Y'shua the Mashiyach, executed on the stake, has been shown before your eyes. 2. Only this do I want to know from you: did you receive the Ruach from the works of Torah, or did you receive the Ruach from hearing of the faith?[2] 3. Thus you are foolish that the truth you had in spirit has ended in the flesh with you.[3]

Footnotes:

[1] There is a clear wordplay between galatya, those who live in Galatia, and galoot, those who are exiles, the dispersed or captives. While we could not directly translate the passage as "you foolish exiles" it is very obvious that Rav Shaul is writing to both groups. Another key point lexically is that galut is derived from the root gelah which means "to reveal or uncover" (Genesis 9:21, 35:7), and this includes direct manifestations of Elohim. It is also the root from which we get the name Galeela. Finally, even though there is a difference in spelling between galutya and galoot (the former has a teth, the latter a taw), the wordplay exists at a sonic level. Such homophonic layers of cleverness are extremely common throughout the Aramaic Renewed Covenant and provide strong evidence for declaring its originality and primacy.

[2] Notice the hearing of "the faith", as ONE Faith, a singular righteous belief system and way of life in YHWH as demonstrated through Mashiyach Y'shua. Rav Shaul discards religiosity as a substitute for the indwelling of the Ruach haKodesh. The point is that it doesn't matter whether it's Jewish or Christian tradition that makes void the Word of YHWH in favor of one's own "works of the Torah"! Christians who think they are exempt from this rebuke are only fooling themselves. Those who attend church on Sun-Day, erect Tammuz (Christmas) trees, paint Easter "eggs", or follow other pagan rituals have heaped up their own "works of Torah" (religious works) unto themselves. Did these receive the Spirit by attending church meetings? believing in a theology? being part of a local religious status quo?

[3] This is one of the most difficult Aramaic passages to translate, as an attempt to read just the words without the parentheses will reveal. What we see is that there is a definite juxtaposition between spirit and flesh, and that the Galatians' error leads to the latter. The word meshelmin that is translated as "end" can also mean "complete", and to "complete in flesh" means to terminate after life with no redemption afterwards. A variation of meshelmin is said by Y'shua on the stake as meshalam, or "it is accomplished!"

But, once again, Mr. Ellis has completely missed the context! If he would only go back and look at Galatians 1, he'd find that Rav Shaul was admonishing the Galatians because they, like Mr. Ellis, had twisted the message into something else by listening to false teachings! Rav Shaul was not admonishing the Galatians FOR obeying Torah! He was admonishing them for adhering to the false teachings in the community which had caused them to stray!

OUR RESPONSE:

Hebrews 10: 16. This is the covenant which I will give them after those days, says Master YHWH: I will put my Torah into their minds and inscribe it on their hearts; 17. and their iniquity and their sins I will not remember against them.

Here, Paul references Jeremiah 31:31-34 - which (and this is VERY important) God made His New Covenant with the TORAH OBSERVANT Houses of Israel and Judah - NOT with the pagan Gentiles! As a matter of fact, YHWH said FOUR TIMES IN A ROW in Numbers 15:13-16 that ALL who accept Him are to do exactly as HIS people do! Gentiles didn't suddenly get a "new religion" or a "new God." They also didn't get "new rules!" Why would God have different rules for His "natural" and "adopted" children? Gentiles can have access to YHWH/Y'shua ONLY by adhering to HIS Rules - His Torah! (If you don't do what God says, then whom are you worshiping?)

I guess Mr. Ellis missed two, key scriptures in the New Testament while he spends so much time denying Torah. They are: Hebrews 10:26 and 1 John 3:4. Mr. Ellis' entire "17 reasons" are negated by these two verses, written by the way by the same Rav Shaul, and the apostle John:

Hebrews 10: 26. For if a man sin voluntarily after he has received a knowledge of the truth, there is no longer a sacrifice which may be offered for sin

1 John 3: 4. And everyone that practices sin, perpetrates iniquity; for all sin is iniquity.

Iniquity is violation of Torah - right there in the New Testament! And since Mr. Ellis is advocating the willful violation of Torah because he insists it was "done away with", then there is no sacrifice (i.e., Jesus') which covers him!

OUR RESPONSE:

It is truly a shame that Ellis has followers who believe his drivel! The Seventh Commandment is not there - simply because "Jesus" died? In other words, the entire Torah AND the entire "Old Testament" are NULL AND VOID? Check out the Ten Commandments right now and see the God-given scriptures attached to each one!

According to Ellis' skewed ideas about the Bible, people CAN commit adultery because, hey, that commandment really doesn't exist! Christians don't sin, do they? They don't lie or cheat or steal or commit crimes because, according to Ellis, they are perfect human beings. Question is: If they're so "perfect" then WHY did Yeshua need to die?

In other words, this "Bible scholar" wants you to throw out all but the last third of the Bible, because nothing else matters! May YHWH forgive Dr. Ellis because he truly does NOT know God's Word and will be held accountable on Judgment Day for leading others toward the pits of hell!