The Law and Grace 

by Chaia Kravitz 

We are Saved by grace through faith in Yeshua, but where does this leave us with regards to the Law? For Messianic Believers, the Law of Moses is still relevant for a close walk with the LORD. 

The main thing about Christianity that has always astounded me is that many Believers, after coming to faith in Yeshua, suddenly feel that two-thirds of the Bible has no relevance in their lives. I am talking about the Old Testament, which contains the Torah, God's Law as handed down to Moshe (Moses).

God does not waste words, and He certainly does not change His mind. Everything in the Bible was codified for a reason. Perhaps in our modern day we no longer fully know what that reason was, but the entire Bible still remains God's Word.

So where do Messianic Believers stand with regards to the Law? Our salvation is not contigent upon keeping all of the Laws. That was taken care of through the blood atonement of Yeshua. But there are still spiritual rewards in keeping the Law (Ps. 19:7-11). After all, it is Yeshua himself who said in Matthew 5:17 that he did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. The Torah was not nailed to a tree along with Yeshua!

First of all, if the Law was abolished with the death, and the subsequent resurrection, of Yeshua, then the Ten Words (Commandments) would no longer be adhered to. To study these most basic of God's ordinances for our lives, one has to flip all the way back near the beginning of the Bible.

The 613 commandments which are followed to this day by Orthodox Jews are all found in the Torah. They are instructions by God to His people as a means of guidelines by which to live a righteous life. It is not Scriptural to believe that one cannot have a close relationship with God without following these Laws; however, they are a standard towards which to strive. We all fall short -- that is why Yeshua was sent in our place.

For many Jewish Believers, the Law is something that we take for granted, since we grew up in practising Jewish homes in the first place. We do not suddenly shed our Jewish identity upon accepting Yeshua as Messiah. Unfortunately, many Jews are afraid of just that -- they equate accepting Yeshua with joining another, foreign religion which will strip them of their Jewishness. It is important for Messianic Jews to be a good witness to seeking Jews, not only in terms of our faith in Yeshua, but in our Jewish lifestyles.

Where does this leave Gentile Believers? Embrace the entire Bible as God's Word, and prayerfully grow in practice of the Law as God directs you. Do not take an "all or nothing" approach -- that is merely legalism. But as people who wish to walk closely with God on a day to day basis, we at least owe it a second look. After all, how better to grow closer in our relationship with God than by following His Word?

Remember, Yeshua and the early Believers only had the Tanach (The Old Testament; the Jewish Bible) as their body of Scripture. The Gospels and Epistles were all codified much later on. As Believers in the Body we are called to follow these same Laws as commanded by God, not for salvation -- but because He asked us to.

Copyright 2002

" . . . it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."
- Romans 1:16, NIV