05-21-2012, 01:21 AM
Thirdwoe Wrote:God makes NO DISTINCTION of all those who are such members of Messiah's Body.I definitely agree!
Those who try to make a distinction, based on what laws this group may keep or not keep, are not walking in The Spirit of Messiah, but in a self-righteous spirit. They themselves do not even keep all the laws of God, and need God's forgiveness every day for breaking those they can't or fail to keep as all do.
But, it's no secret from my posts in the other thread that I am pro-Torah. So to clarify, the way I see it is that the more of applicable Torah we embrace and observe (however foreign it may be to our culture) the more we can ultimately learn and embrace from our God. It's not that we must keep it in order to be justified which I believe has never been the case. But it's more so to help us walk in a manner pleasing to God so we can be a light to the nations as we bear good fruit. Culturally abnormal things for Gentiles such as tzitzit, mezuza, kosher, Feast Days, etc. I believe can be important tools to help us stay on that narrow path that Meshikha mentions. I keep these aspects of Torah because they constantly remind me of the one whom I serve and that I should stay grounded in Him. During difficult, trying times in my life, having these things integrated into my way of living has made it very difficult to backslide. Therefore I see Torah as the means to help turn towards God and then to not turn away again from Him.
In other words, it is helpful. But is it essential? Essential for what I ask? For justifying ourselves before God? Heaven forbid, lest I speak against the very life giving words of the blessed Apostles. But the principles are certainly essential for all followers of Meshikha who wish to walk in His ways and His truth (and the Holy Spirit convicts us ALL of that); the extra "culturally different" aspects are just a bonus if we have the chance to bring them into a foreign community. A bonus because they were the very things that God commanded His people to do in order for them to learn about Him and His ways, and so they would be of a benefit to others too, so long as it was not imposed as essential. Having that said though, I believe that if Judaism as a whole had accepted Meshikha, then we would have all over time been integrated into that culture, just as many of the early Believers were keeping aspects of Torah no longer observed by the Christian majority (food laws, 7th day Sabbath, Festivals, etc.) But, that's not how history went, so I can only speculate.
But as Acts 15 ruled, I think it's important to be sensitive to any community we enter into to fellowship with. We are not to be as individuals but united in purpose and doctrine so that we can carry out the will of our God instead of arguing amongst ourselves (as has too often happened).