Joshua 1: 8 Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed. (CJB)

Isaiah 56: 6 And foreigners who bind themselves to YHWH to serve him, to love the name of YHWH, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." (CJB)

1 Timothy 6: 3 If anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound precepts of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and to the doctrine that is in keeping with godliness, 4 he is swollen with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has a morbid desire for controversies and word-battles, out of which come jealousy, dissension, insults, evil suspicions, 5 and constant wrangling among people whose minds no longer function properly and who have been deprived of the truth, so that they imagine that religion is a road to riches. (CJB)

Were the passages above for "the Jews" only? NO! There were no "Jews" until Jacob had a son named Yehudah (Judah) who was the "father" of the Tribe of Judah (where the term "Jew" originated) - yet ALL who believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were Torah observant. As "grafted in to the Olive Tree" today's Gentile believers are part of Israel, and therefore, obligated to OBEY God just the same as "the Jews." Same God, same rules. See Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:13-16, Isaiah 56:6, Galatians 3:28 and Romans 10:12-13, where Paul reiterated what YHWH commanded and what Yeshua taught:

Romans 10: 12. And in this, it discriminates neither Jews nor Gentiles. For there is one, Master YHWH, over them all, who is abundantly generous towards every one that calls on him. 13. For everyone that will call on the name of Master YHWH, will have life. (AENT)

The following consists of our Messianic responses to comments taken from a Christian ministry's teachings on the Book of Galatians, which the pastor had titled, Balancing Legalism and License. His teachings could have been done by just about any Christian pastor on the planet ... as they're all based NOT on the commands of YHWH or the teachings of Yeshua; but rather, on the much-misunderstood and misinterpreted writings of Paul.

All New Testament Scripture in our responses, along with some footnotes were borrowed from the Aramaic English New Testament.

The Netzarim response:

Let's look at each of the above scriptures in context:

Challenging the Christian comment: Man is not justified by observing the law (2:16)

Really? Then what is man's measuring stick, if not God's "law"? What else tells us whether we're sinning or not? Let's take this point a little further and read it in context:

Galatians 2: 15. For if we who have a Jewish nature[1] ourselves, and not those who are from Gentile sinners, 16. for we know that the sons of men are not made righteous by the works[2] of Torah, but by faith in Y'shua the Mashiyach (Messiah). Even we who believed in him know that it is from the faith in Mashiyach that we will be made righteous and not from the works of Torah. For from the works of Torah no flesh will be made righteous. 17. But if while we seek (while in our eyes)[3] to be made righteous by Mashiyach we still find ourselves to be sinners,[4] should (it be) therefore that Y'shua the Mashiyach is a servant of sin? Elohim forbid! (AENT)

Footnotes:

[1] The only place in all Aramaic Renewed Covenant writings where the phrase "Jewish nature" appears. The word kyanna refers to a classification without a physical occurrence, kind of like having an image of a bird in one's mind, but not seeing the literal bird. As such, the only types of natures that are discussed are animal, human, or divine. In this lone exception however, Rav Shaul (Paul) bifurcates human nature further into Jewish and (by implication) non-Jewish.

[2] The phrase "Ma'aseh haTorah" (works of the Torah) appears first in the Dead Sea Scrolls; it is indicative of the ultra-religious halacha of the Essenes, but also refers to the halacha (religious traditions) of the Pharisees. This is NOT referencing observance of Torah in Y'shua. If the reader does not distinguish between "Torah written upon the heart", versus the "works of Torah" or being "under Torah" it would be impossible to understand the book of Galatians.

[3] In our eyes" is an Aramaic idiom meaning, "we seek."

[4] Paul's teaching will forever judge those who say they follow Mashiyach but live and teach against Torah (see 1 John 3:4 for a definition of sin). Religion uses words like "moral" (moralis 1340 CE) or "ethical" (ethikos) to establish their own standards of conduct; however, followers of Mashiyach are to live by every Word that proceeds from the Mouth of Elohim (Deuteronomy 8:4/Matthew 4:4). The Word of YHWH is absolute Truth and as such YHWH will Judge man's willful neglect of Torah.

Many Christians, for example, are taught that they "don't have" to observe Shabbat (Sabbath) on the Seventh Day because it's not part of their "moral code" and they say their "conscience" never convicted them of breaking Shabbat. This is no surprise, because, even as children, they were taught that Shabbat is not included with Scriptural principles of right and wrong conduct. They were not taught that erecting a Christmas tree is an abomination unto Mashiyach as it depicts Tammuz who was the son of Nimrod and Semiramis, the originators of the pagan trinity. They were not taught that Easter is morally wrong because it originated with paganism; and the list goes on. The point is that Paul defined sin very astutely, but precious few care to listen because their cultural and status quo values are projected over his teachings.

The Netzarim response:

Challenging the Christian comment: We are to die to the law (2:19)

Without the Torah (what Christians call "law") we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living! After all, what is SIN but transgression from the "law" (1 John 3:4)! How hypocritical and blasphemous to boast that "Jesus abolished the law!"

Galatians 2: 19. For by Torah I am dead, that I might live to Elohim. 20. And I am executed on a stake[1] with Mashiyach, so it is not I that live but Mashiyach lives in me; and the life I live now in the flesh in faith[2] of the Son of Elohim who loves me and give his life/soul for me. 21. And I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim, for if righteousness came by Torah, then Mashiyach died for nothing.[3] (AENT)

[1] The same Aramaic word zaqyp also means "erect, straightened, and lifted up."

[2] The faith here is two fold in Aramaic. First, it is the faith in the Son of man, Y'shua the Mashiyach, who brings eternal life. However, that eternal life is made possible because Y'shua the man was obedient to YHWH's Torah. His faith brought him life, and through him, our eternal life. So Rav Shaul says that his faith is in the Son's perfected nephesh (soul) while the perfected nephesh became that way through the faith of the Son.

[3] Torah instructs us about righteousness, but it can't make anyone righteous in itself. It is YHWH Tsidkenu (our Righteousness) who is the Spirit of YHWH in Mashiyach that purifies the spirit and soul of man. As we read and study Torah we must "hear" the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) inside of us. YHWH gives us His Grace to turn to Him, walk in His Righteousness and observe His Torah.

The Netzarim response:

Challenging the Christian comment: All who rely on the law are under a curse (3:10)

"The Law is a curse?" What does that really mean? Christianity insists that the Law is a curse because one cannot possibly fulfill all its requirements. It is said that, while the Law (Torah) itself is perfect and holy, those who try to justify themselves before its holy Author bring not His blessing, but His curse upon themselves.

To begin with, this "Law is a curse" thing stems from a misinterpretation of Galatians 3:10-14. The "Law" actually refers to YHWH's Torah (first five Books of Moses, which contain. all of YHWH's Divine Instructions in Righteousness, without which we would have no blueprint for moral, holy living).

Secondly, the thing we must ask ourselves is this: Where in Scripture are we told that everyone must fulfill ALL the requirements of Torah, OR that anyone would be justified by "the Law?" The answer to both questions? Nowhere!

YHWH always required the blood of innocent animals to atone for our sins (Leviticus 17:11), accompanied, of course, by prayer and repentance (2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 3:19, etc.) along with a genuine desire to turn from our sins! After all, why bother offering a sin sacrifice if you're not truly repentant or serious about refraining from committing that same sin in the future?

And here's the thing about those original "613" Torah rules: They were NEVER a "curse" to mankind! They were Divine Rules for men to follow! (How could YHWH's Divine Rules EVER be considered "a curse?") Most were for the Levite priests; not the people. Some were only for men, and some were only for women. Consequently, nobody could, nor was ever expected to, "do all 613." That is simply NOT what YHWH asked of us!

So, concerning the Galatians 3 misunderstandings by Christianity, to reiterate, we must understand from this passage is that the curse does not refer to "the Law." The curse is the penalty levied for not keeping the Law! Torah points out what is good and bad, and where we fail and fall short of God's will; but it cannot pronounce us "righteous"; that was NEVER its purpose.

The main problem here is that the Greek mistranslates as "law" the word "Torah". The ONLY remedy is to view Scripture from a "Hebrew" instead of the "Greek" mindset.

So, let's take a look at that pesky Galatians 3 passage, as it appears in the Aramaic English New Testament, along with footnotes designed to help you understand the Hebraic context:

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[1] 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".[2] 12. Thus Torah is not made by faith, but whosoever will do the things that are written in it, will live in it.[3] 13. But Mashiyach has redeemed us from the "curse of Torah,"[4] by becoming accursed[5] for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree".[6] 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)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Deuteronomy 27:26

[2] Habakkuk 2:4

[3] Leviticus 18:5

[4] See Deuteronomy 21:22-23. Y'shua committed no capital crime. Pharisees were warning Jews off Y'shua by saying that he had become a curse because he hung on the torture stake. The Pharisees tried to vilify Y'shua before the Jewish people. Paul is repeating this accusation of the Pharisees for the benefit of "Messianic Pharisees" (see Tosefta Sanhedrin IX.7). "Messianic Pharisees" (Galatians 2:4) were likely weary of being shunned by their people (see Matthew 10:39) and wanted back into the synagogues, so they were posturing themselves as Ebionites (see footnote Titus 3:9).

Today "Messianic Pharisees" or Ebionites, attend Orthodox synagogues and are enamored with traditional Rabbinical Judaism; they believe Y'shua is Mashiyach, but not the Arm of YHWH or YHWH Tsidkenu revealed. Paul is using the strongest words possible to affirm the Truth by reminding certain Galatians that they are trying to dilute the Netzarim Faith with traditional Pharisaism.

In 2,000 years, little has changed; many Orthodox Rabbis still call Y'shua a bastard and a curse of the Jewish people because he "hung on the stake." Some Rabbis will even provide a mock funeral for Jews who follow Y'shua, and teach that the family member is as though they never existed; so if one can understand the duress that certain "Messianic Pharisees" were under, then one can understand why Paul chose such severity of words!

[5] 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.

[6] 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!

There is SO much more that could be added to this, but the bottom line is: Torah is NOT a "curse." Torah shows us what sin is and sets a standard for Perfection. Torah points us to Redemption, Salvation and Deliverance and a time of reckoning when those who are dead will awake to everlasting life or everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:1-10).

As Paul wrote:

Romans 3: 31 "Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? Not at all! Rather, we ESTABLISH the Torah."

The Netzarim response:

Challenging the Christian comment: We are no longer under the supervision of the law (3:25)

It is absolutely mind-boggling how seemingly intelligent people can miss the context of the Word of Yahweh! Christians have totally misunderstood the writings of Paul and built an entire religion around it!

Galatians 3: 23. But before faith came, Torah was guarding us[1] while we were confined from the faith about to be revealed. 24. Torah was therefore a tutor for us, going towards the Mashiyach that we, by faith, might be made righteous. 25. But since faith came, we are no longer under tutors.[2] 26. For you are all the children of Elohim by faith in Y'shua the Mashiyach. 27. For those who have been immersed in Mashiyach have been clothed with Mashiyach. 28. For there is neither Jew nor Aramean, nor slave nor free, nor male nor female, but you are all one in Y'shua the Mashiyach. 29. And if you are of the Mashiyach then you are seeds of Awraham and inheritors by the promise.

[1] In this regard "Torah" can be compared with any righteous values a soul voluntarily imposes upon himself. However, as a spiritual relationship is established with YHWH and His Mashiyach, a soul is elevated to much higher levels of spiritual awareness and accountability. Therefore, it is a complete farce when Christians claim to follow Mashiyach, but willfully violate Torah according to their denominational authorities. See Matthew 7:23.

[2] In the most ancient manuscripts in the Peshitta, taraa is 'tutors'; however, it was translated as the singular 'tutor' in Greek. Although the word taraa has the same spelling for both singular and plural, there are times such as here, when the grammar of the sentence does not directly reveal whether it is singular or plural. To correct this problem, the earliest scribes of the Peshitta inserted two dot plural markers called a syame above such words, as in this case. A Greek redactor could easily miss these and mistake a singular word for a plural, or vice versa. Aramaic texts are unanimous for when the syames appear, making these readings highly reliable. That being so, what we have here is the true tutor, Torah, being contrasted against false tutors, the Pharisees, who put their oral tradition above the written code of Moses and the Prophets. Such is a common refrain of Y'shua as well in places such as Matthew 15. Unfortunately, this passage was twisted into a "proof text" by anti-Torah Christians who wanted to distance themselves from the Faith of Avraham, Yitzak and Ya'akov (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).

The Netzarim response:

Challenging the Christian comment: God sent his son ... to redeem those under the law (4:4-5). We are not to be afflicted with endless ceremonies, bothersome rituals, lengthy dietary laws or other non-essentials.

What absolute blasphemy! Only the mind of someone who does not know, respect or fear God would suggest that Yahweh's mo'edim (Divine Appointed Times) are "endless, bothersome, lengthy and non-essential." Judging from the comments above it is clear that this pastor does not have a good grasp of the Scriptures! What part of "it is a sign between me and them" or "forever" or "it is to be a permanent regulation" is too hard to understand when it comes to His Sabbath and the Feasts?

Ezekiel 20: 11 I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them. 12 I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy.

Isaiah 66: 23 And it shall be that from one New Moon to another New Moon and from one Sabbath to another Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord.

Isaiah 58: 13 If you hold back your foot on Shabbat from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call Shabbat a delight, ADONAI'S holy day, worth honoring; then honor it by not doing your usual things or pursuing your interests or speaking about them. If you do, you will find delight in ADONAI - I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya'akov, for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken."

Yahweh clearly said that ALL who believe in Him MUST obey His Torah!

Numbers 15: 13 "'Everyone who is native-born must do these things in this way when he brings an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 14 For the generations to come, whenever an alien or anyone else living among you presents an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, he must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the LORD: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the alien living among you.'"

Please re-read the above in case you missed it: Any Torah-less non-Jew/Hebrew/Israelite who does not yet believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is an "alien"/foreigner. However, if they do wish to accept Him, then they are to do exactly as those who are already belong to Him!

"Living among" means not necessarily physically, but rather, it refers to all those who have accepted the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They MUST be Torah observant, just like the Houses of Israel and Judah were with whom God made His New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:32)!

Romans 10: 12. And in this, it discriminates neither Jews nor Gentiles. For there is one, Master YHWH, over them all, who is abundantly generous towards every one that calls on him. 13. For everyone that will call on the name of Master YHWH, will have life.

Galatians 4: 4. But when therefore the fullness of time had come, Elohim sent His Son who was born of a woman, and was subject to Torah, 5. To redeem those who are under Torah that we might receive adoption as sons. (AENT)

Notice the difference between being "subject to Torah" or being "under Torah"; the lack of discernment between these two has propelled many souls into anti-Torah lifestyles. Torah is to be written upon the heart by the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) by Grace. It is by Grace that a person comes to know and accept the Redemptive work of Yeshua Mashiyach; however, the correct response to Yeshua is to live a life subject to Torah (instruction in righteousness).

Being "under the torah" is to be under the authority of any religious regime that postures itself as authorities on Yahweh or His Word. For example, the Word of Yahweh instructs that we are to rest on Shabbat, but some religious authorities teach that a person must attend a service on Sunday or during the week to discharge their obligation. Those who are under religious authority are "under Torah" which is a much different thing than being transformed into the image of Elohim, according to Mashiyach.

The Netzarim response:

Let's examine this, point for point:

Pastor's comment: It is freedom from a curse

We discussed this indepth above.

Pastor's comment: It is freedom that comes as a result of Christ's redeeming sacrifice)

"Christ's redeeming sacrifice" has nothing to do with Yahweh's Torah! Where in the Scriptures are we ever told that once "Jesus" dies, we won't have to do a thing besides "believe in Jesus"?

Here's an example: Children "believe" in their parents, but does that mean they don't have to obey their parents rules and regulations? Can they, just because they "believe" in their parents, cross the street without looking both ways? Can they do drugs or alcohol or be promiscuous? Parents sacrifice for their children all the time, but how does that exonerate the children from the responsibility to obey and learn from their parents and then pass that knowledge on down to their own children?

Yahweh gave us Divine Rules to follow, and His Son came to proclaim the Kingdom of Yahweh, not to abolish any Divine Guidance!

Luke 4: 43 "But he (Yeshua/Jesus) said, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Luke 8: 1. And it happened after these things that Y'shua was going around in the cities and in the villages and was preaching and declaring the Kingdom of Elohim.

Acts 28: 23 "From morning till evening the Apostle Paul explained and declared the Kingdom of God and tried to convince people about Yeshua from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."

Acts 24: 14. But this indeed I (Paul) acknowledge, that in that same doctrine of which they speak, I do serve the Elohim of my fathers, believing all the things written in Torah and in the prophets.

So, while His death, burial, and resurrection are an important part of the Good News, it's not the whole story! God isn't just in the business of "saving" people; as Creator and law giver, He is in the business of teaching us how to be good subjects in His Kingdom to come! If "Jesus abolished Torah at the cross" then why was EVERY believer completely Torah observant for one hundred years after Yeshua's death, including the Apostle Paul who was "caught" being Torah observant 29 years after Yeshua's death (Acts 21:23-24)! Was Paul a hypocrite, saying one thing and doing another; or were his teachings, perhaps, misunderstood?

Pastor's comment: It is freedom in God's Spirit - not simply to do what we want, but to do what is right (freedom to become what we should be)

And how do we know "what is right" if we don't know or understand Torah? Since when can we pick and choose which ones of the Torah commands we want to keep?

Many Christians today believe that we don't even have to follow the TEN Commandments at all; they insist we need to follow only two - and they cite the following as "proof":

Matthew 22: 36 "Rabbi, which of the mitzvot in the Torah is the most important?" 37 He told him, "'You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.' 38 This is the greatest and most important mitzvah. 39 And a second is similar to it, 'You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot."

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/commands have been done away with because "All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot" (words/commands)? NO! Nobody including Yeshua had the right to negate any of the Father's original commands!

Again, Numbers 15: 13-16 reiterates FOUR TIMES that ALL who choose YHWH as their GOD must do exactly as His Torah observant "chosen" do! Same God, same rules!

Pastor's comment: It is not freedom to sin (a return to slavery), but freedom to serve

To "serve" whom, exactly? If you accept Yahweh as your God you cannot make up your own rules as Christians have done!

Pastor's comment: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free

What a bunch of hogwash! What Yeshua attempted to "do away with" was not the Father's divine instructions, but the rabbinical, man-made "stuff". Even Paul verified this when he said: Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. (Romans 3:31). You will find Yahweh's original commandments sprinkled throughout Torah in places like Genesis 26:2-5; Exodus 15:25-27, 16, 20:6; Leviticus 22, 26, 27; Numbers 15 and 36; and Deuteronomy 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31.

Pastor's comment: Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ;...."

"You have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you ...."

Amazingly, Christians cannot seem to grasp the obvious: That Yahweh gave us rules to follow - and yet they choose to follow and have indeed formed an entire religion around their MISUNDERSTANDINGS of Paul's writings!

Again, let's examine this from the HEBREW instead of the Greek mindset that has totally skewed the entire Word of God and turned our Savior into a Torahless blond adonis who came to replace his Father and do his own thing - a god who was "born and died" (can GOD die???), who eternally hangs on a cross, dead as a doornail "loving" the world and demanding nothing other than "belief in him":

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."

This pastor has claimed that Messiah came to "free us" but Paul himself says at the beginning of Galatians (in Galatians 1) that Messiah gave himself for our sins so that he might deliver us from the present evil world system in obedience to the will of God! Obedience to the will of God is what? TORAH!

The Netzarim response:

Galatians 5: 11. My brothers, if I then preached circumcision,[1] why was I persecuted? Why? Has the stake ceased to be an offense?[2] 12. Oh that those who are also troubling you would be expelled![3] 13. You who are called to liberty, brothers, do not use your liberty for things of the flesh, but in love serve each other. 14. For the entire Torah is properly understood in one Word/Manifestation,[4] "You will love your neighbor as you would yourself."[5] 15. But if you bite and devour one another--beware!--or else you consume one another. 16. I say then: you should walk through the Spirit and the lust of the flesh will not subdue you. 17. For flesh desires a thing that is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires a thing that is against the flesh, and both of these are opposed to one another so that you are not able to do as you wish. 18. If, then, you are led by the Spirit, you are not under Torah;[6]

[1] In other words, if he went back and preached salvation through physical circumcision in the context of tradition, rather than Torah. Rav Shaul clearly indicates that religious tradition, which overruled Torah was the majority view within the religious welter of his day. Therefore, if he preached the "party line" he would no longer be persecuted. But persecution came about because he exposed religious tradition and taught that Torah requires understanding and a circumcised heart before physical circumcision.

[2] The upright "stake" brings to mind the "pole" which YHWH instructed Moshe to hold up in Numbers 21:8. A brass serpent was put upon the pole and when the people looked upon it, they were healed from the bite of the snake. So it is, that when people are bitten by the "serpent" (Genesis 3:15), they must look to Mashiyach for healing and deliverance.

The cross was introduced by pagans; it was formerly a symbol of the Babylonian sun god as cruciforms indicate. Later, Julius Caesar and his heirs struck coins with symbols of the cross (solar wheel) to commemorate the sun god. The Roman Emperor Constantine was a sun worshipper who became a Christo-Pagan and advanced Hellenized Christianity, making his "version of Christianity" the official religion the Roman Empire. The Greek "stauros" also denotes an upright stake; the verb stauroo means to drive stakes. The Greek "xulon" denotes a timber or a log or any piece of dead wood. Bullinger's Companion Bible notes that, "Our English word "cross" is the translation of the Latin crux; but the Greek stauros no more means a crux than the word "stick" means a "crutch."

[3] Or, literally "cut off" which, given the subject matter, has an ironic and almost dark humorous twist.

[4] Greek translations have logos, which is translated into English as "fulfilled." In sources like Philo and the Greek NT this is rendered as "word"; in this verse the Aramaic "miltha" can also mean "manifestation," "emanation," or "substance." Therefore, Torah (The Word) was fulfilled by the Manifestation (also Word), which is why John says "grace and truth came from Y'shua the Mashiyach." Therefore, if one is to read "fulfilled" here, then it must be understood that the correct interpretation of Torah is given according to what Mashiyach Y'shua elucidated. This can in no way be construed that Mashiyach brought an end to Torah!

[5] The word naphshah in Aramaic is the cognate of the Hebrew nefesh, and can mean "self," "soul" or "life".

[6] The idiomatic expression "under the Torah" refers to a false teaching that has never been true. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that this phrase "under the Torah" refers to strict religious halacha (religious law), not obedience to Torah itself. Torah has not at any time saved anyone! YHWH saves when His people demonstrate a sincere obedience to His Righteous Instructions (Torah). Blind ritual (or religion) alone without the love of YHWH profits nothing. YHWH is "the Spirit" of the Renewed Covenant that writes Torah upon the heart. (See Eighteen New Testament Misconceptions #3: Under the Law" in the AENT.

The Netzarim response:

Freedom to ignore Yahweh's Divine Instructions? Freedom to make up your own rules? Freedom to ignore His commanded Seventh Day Sabbath and come up with your own "holy days" which happen to be steeped in paganism? Freedom to ignore what Messiah taught and instead follow the MISUNDERSTOOD teachings of Paul? Freedom to follow satan into the pits of hell through your very twisted teachings?

The Netzarim response:

But you are yoked by slavery - slavery to Satan who has confused you and caused you to be blinded to the TRUTH!

Yahweh killed the sons of Aaron ((Leviticus 10:1-2) for merely being guilty of adding incense to the smoke to make it smell better. If He hated that "little" infraction that much, what makes you think He condones you ignoring His commanded Sabbath and the Feasts while chowing down on pork and shellfish?

The Netzarim response:

Matthew 11: 28. Come to me all who labor and bear burdens, and I will give you rest. 29. Bear my yoke upon you and learn from me. That I am tranquil and I am meek, and in my heart you will find tranquility in your souls. 30. For my yoke is pleasant and my burden is light.

A "yoke" that also brings "suffering" for righteousness sake. Mashiyach did not come as a "sugar daddy" to heap all manner of materialism upon his followers. This "yoke" of Mashiyach pertains to righteous judgment, mercy and faith in YHWH, that nurtures peace on earth and good will.

The Netzarim response:

And if you do NOT keep "the law" whom are you really serving? Without "the law" you have NO blueprint for moral, holy living! You are living by your own rules!

The Netzarim response:

Reference Galatians 2:21: Torah instructs us about righteousness, but it can't make anyone righteous in itself. It is YHWH Tsidkenu (our Righteousness) who is the Spirit of YHWH in Mashiyach that purifies the spirit and soul of man. As we read and study Torah we must "hear" the Ruach haKodesh inside of us. YHWH gives us His Grace to turn to Him, walk in His Righteousness and observe His Torah.

Reference Galatians 5:3: 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.

For the sake of our readers, let's read James 2 in context:

James 2: 1. My Brothers, do not hold to the faith of the glory of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach with double-minded hypocrisy. 2. For if there come into your assembly a man with rings of gold or splendid garments and there come in a poor man in ragged and stained garments; 3. and respect is shown to him who is clothed in splendid garments, and you say to him, Be honorably seated; while to the poor man, say, Stand way over there, or sit here (in low prostration) before my footstool; 4. are you not showing double mindedness among yourselves and becoming advocates of evil thoughts? 5. Hear, my beloved Brothers; has not Elohim chosen the poor of the world, the rich in faith, to be heirs in the Kingdom which Elohim has promised to them that love him?

6. But you have despised the poor man. Do not rich men exalt themselves over you and drag you before the tribunals? 7. Do they not hate that worthy Name, [1] which is invoked upon you? 8. And if in this you fulfill the Torah of Elohim, as it is written, You will love your neighbor as yourself, you will do well: 9. but if you have partiality towards persons, you commit sin; and you are convicted by Torah as breakers of Torah. 10. For he that will keep the whole Torah and yet fail in one aspect of it, is an enemy to the whole Torah. 11. For he who said, "You will not commit adultery," said also, "You will not kill." If then you commit no adultery, but you do murder, you have become a defiler of Torah. 12. So speak and so act as persons that are to be judged by the Torah of perfect freedom. 13. For judgment without mercy will be on him who has practiced no mercy: by mercy, you will be raised above judgment.

14. What is the use, my Brothers, if a man say, I have faith; and he has no works? Can his faith resurrect him? [2] 15. Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16. and one of you say to them, "Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full;" and you do not give them the necessities of the body, what is the use? 17. So also faith alone, without works, is dead. 18. For a man may say, you have faith and I have works; show to me your faith that is without works and I will show to you my faith by my works. 19. You believe that there is one Elohim; you do well; the demons also believe and tremble. 20. Would you know, O weak man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Awraham our father, was not he justified by works[3] in offering his son Yitz'chak upon the altar?

22. Do you realize that his faith aided his works, and that by the works his faith was rendered complete? 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says: Awraham believed in Elohim, and it was credited to him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of Elohim. 24. You see that by works a man is justified[4] and not by faith alone. 25. So also Rahab the harlot, was she not justified by works when she entertained the spies and sent them forth by another way? 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

[1] The Name invoked upon you is YHWH.

[2] Literally "restore life", not "save" as often translated.

[3] Some theologians allege this teaching to be opposite of the Pauline Epistles, such as Galatians. The reality is that Paul was grossly misquoted whereas Ya'akov was not. Rav Shaul did not accept empty ritual devoid of proper spiritual focus. He was Torah Observant; he kept the Moedim (feast days), the Shabbat, and took one or more Nazirite vows; he fasted on Yom Kippur, ate "clean" food and lived a Set Apart life in Mashiyach Y'shua. The fact is that Romans 7:12 totally harmonizes Galatians with, and complements, Galatians and Ya'akov.

[4] The Hebrew word for a righteous soul = tsadiq; righteousness = tsedeq; justified = tsadaq; notice they are the same word. A soul without righteousness can never be "justified" regardless of what theologians claim. The original root word for justified relates to righteous action. However, mainstream Christianity teaches that a person is "justified" solely on the merits of belief in Y'shua, and that observing Torah is impossible. Even in Ya'akov's (James) day, some individuals wanted cerebral belief to "justify" themselves, which is impossible. Y'shua's person (example) and Spirit is meant to literally be imparted into us; this must be evidenced by our actions, otherwise we do not belong to him. Theological, or cerebral "belief" without works, is dead religion; but active literal Faith comes to life in Mashiyach. Torah Observance/obedience is clear evidence that we have passed from death to life. See John 5:29, Matthew 7:23.

The Netzarim response:

How are you following Messiah if you refuse to pay attention to His "forever" rules? Where and when did "grace" ever replace the need to obey Yahweh's "forever" rules - such as the Seventh Day Sabbath, Feasts and eating kosher, etc.?

"Grace" has always been around, yet most Christians will fight you to the death about "we're no longer under the law; we're under grace"; it isn't something that "just came about" after the death of Yeshua! Grace is why YHWH killed an innocent animal and allowed Adam and Eve to leave the Garden instead of wiping them off the face of the Earth. Grace is why He spared Noah and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and allowed man to continue on for thousands of years; grace is why He sent His Son to make it easy on us to obtain eternal life. But guess what: Grace didn't negate God's Torah; it NEVER negated the need for OBEDIENCE!

The Netzarim response:

Every one of the above points point to Christians who have been deceived by their lukewarm "churchianity" that preaches they don't have to do anything but "believe in Jesus" and that Yahweh's Law is a curse. SHAME ON THEM! Unless they wake up to GOD's Truth, they truly WILL pay the penalty for their blindness, for what they are doing now is catering to satan and his demons!

The train of thought that Torah is a curse comes straight from the pits of hell. Unfortunately, most can't get past what their pastors preach and they are apparently too lazy to look up pertinent Bible passages for themselves and read them in context.

The Netzarim response:

Galatians 5: 13. You who are called to liberty, brothers, do not use your liberty for things of the flesh, but in love serve each other. 14. For the entire Torah is properly understood in one Word/Manifestation,[1] "You will love your neighbor as you would yourself."[2] 15. But if you bite and devour one another--beware!--or else you consume one another. 16. I say then: you should walk through the Spirit and the lust of the flesh will not subdue you. 17. For flesh desires a thing that is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires a thing that is against the flesh, and both of these are opposed to one another so that you are not able to do as you wish. 18. If, then, you are led by the Spirit, you are not under Torah; [3] 19. For you know the works of the flesh, which are these: adultery, impurity and lasciviousness, 20. idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, treacheries, heresies, 21. Envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry and all like things. Those who do things like these, they will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim. 22. The fruits then of the Spirit are these: Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, self-control. Against these there is no instruction[4] put in place. 24. And those who are of Mashiyach have put to death their flesh with all its passions and lusts. 25. Let us therefore live by the Spirit and surrender to the Spirit. 26. And let us not be of vacant glories that cause us to ridicule one another and envy one another.

[1] Greek translations have logos, which is translated into English as "fulfilled." In sources like Philo and the Greek NT this is rendered as "word"; in this verse the Aramaic "miltha" can also mean "manifestation," "emanation," or "substance." Therefore, Torah (The Word) was fulfilled by the Manifestation (also Word), which is why John says "grace and truth came from Y'shua the Mashiyach." Therefore, if one is to read "fulfilled" here, then it must be understood that the correct interpretation of Torah is given according to what Mashiyach Y'shua elucidated. This can in no way be construed that Mashiyach brought an end to Torah.

[2] The word naphshah in Aramaic is the cognate of the Hebrew nefesh, and can mean "self," "soul" or "life".

[3] The idiomatic expression "under the Torah" refers to a false teaching that has never been true. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm that this phrase "under the Torah" refers to strict religious halacha, not obedience to Torah itself. Torah has not at any time saved anyone! YHWH saves when His people demonstrate a sincere obedience to His Righteous Instructions (Torah). Blind ritual (or religion) alone without the love of YHWH profits nothing. YHWH is "the Spirit" of the Renewed Covenant that writes Torah upon the heart.

[4] In this context, namusa, the Aramaic cognate for torah, is better understood at its root level, meaning "to instruct," rather than as a formalized title. Otherwise, Rav Shaul might be construed as saying that these "Fruits of the Spirit" are not taught in Torah, when (the fact is) they are. His point is that there is no instruction against fulfilling these fruits of the spirit.

The Netzarim response:

Matthew 22: 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.

Notice verse 40 says HANG, not REPLACE! Torah and Prophets hang or "hold on by" these two great Commandments of Love. Those who do the Commandments, are they who love YHWH (Matt 19:17; 1 John 5:2 and 3). Without love, observance of Torah is vanity, and without Torah one's "love" is vanity.

As it is evident by the off-the-mark theology and misunderstandings of the writings of Paul by this pastor, Christians are altogether worshipping "another Jesus" and "another god". They have come up with their own theology which has changed the Appointed Times of Yahweh (see Mark of the Beast) - as a matter of fact, they can't even grasp that the Seventh Day is HIS commanded Sabbath. Their entire theology is man-made and has nothing, whatsoever, to do with Yahweh or His Word.

Daniel 7: 25 He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. (The "holy ones" are those who obey His Torah!) He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Lukewarm "churchianity" has totally twisted the Word of God as Peter warned (see 2 Peter 3:15-16) and it's time Christians realized that fact. We therefore pray that this pastor will be able to grasp TRUTH and begin teaching it to his congregation. We pray also that his "mega-church" will become instrumental in reaching the world for Torah!

2 Peter 3: 15. And account the long suffering of Master YHWH to be redemption; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom conferred on him, wrote to you; 16. as also in all his letters speaking in them of these things in which there is something difficult to be understood; (and) which they who are ignorant and unstable pervert, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

It's rather shocking that Peter writes of how Paul's letters had already been turned into a Torahless fiasco, even in Peter's day! Certainly it was not the Pharisees who were renouncing Torah Observance, but the humanist, pagan and materialist, "modernists" who operated under "Christian" labels.