Pretty much everyone, when they find out I follow the Torah, make the assumption that I do it in order to guarantee my salvation(even my parents believed so for a while until I told them otherwise). They have this assumption that I believe in works-based salvation, that I cannot be saved unless I follow the Torah.
The weird thing is that I have never once expressed that I believe following God's commandments will save me from hell. If anyone is willing to ask - instead of making completely off-base assumptions- I will tell them that I follow the Torah because it is an expression of my love toward God, and because I wish to be an obedient child of The Most High.
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That being said, why is it that people are so quick to assume that I follow the Torah out of a since of works-based salvation, yet no one ever makes the assumption that Christians follow Jesus' teachings out of a since of works-based salvation?
I mean, this isn't something that is taught in churches. Growing up, I never had a pastor say "If anyone follows the Torah, they are doing it out of sense of works-based salvation." So where does the belief come from? Why is that always the first thing people assume?
2Corinthians 2:18
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7But
if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The letter of the law was done away with. But their still remains a spiritual law that has not and will not change. That is His moral law, the Ten Commandments. The letter of these were done away with. But spiritually, we know in our hearts, it is wrong to commit murder, or to steal or bear fals witness. By the letter we were told to rest Saturday. But by the Spirit, God is God everyday of the week. How do you rest on the Sabbath spiritually? By righteously worshipping in Spirit and Truth. Salvation is secured in Faith in Christ.
Heberews 4
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise,
And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Again, having secured salvation through Jesus blood, we must now only labour to enter into God's rest. We do that by obeying the two great commandments. To love God with all our being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Let no man judge you in food or drink or in relation to a sabbath. If you want to worship on Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, or everyday of the week, do it with a clear conscious. Again God is God everyday of the week. If you eat beef or pork or no meat at all, do it with a clear conscious. What goes into a man doesn't defile him but what comes out defiles a man. Our job is to Labour to come to an understanding of the TRUTH of God in Faith in Jesus Christ!
