It is often thought that it is impossible to keep the Torah… And believers are often discouraged “to even try” to walk in obedience with statements like: “It’s too hard” “You won’t be able to keep it” “Jesus kept it so we don’t have to” “that’s legalism” “That’s for the Jews” “The Torah is done away” …and the excuses keep coming… When in reality the keeping of the Torah should be the norm! And it is most definitely NOT too hard to keep it… “For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off.” ~Deuteronomy 30:11 “For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy,” ~1 John 5:3 …Many faithful believers around the globe are keeping the Torah! So…this leads us to a very important question that I get asked all the time: “How Do We Walk In Obedience To The KING?” Another way of saying it is: “How Do We Keep Torah?” Before we answer that question, we need to understand that The Scriptures describes the Torah as: The Torah is Perfect…(Psalms 19:7) The Torah is the Way (Isaiah 2:3) The Torah is the Truth (Psalms 119:142) The Torah is Light (Proverbs 6:23) The Torah is A Tree of Life (Proverbs 3:13-19) The Torah is Set-Apart (Romans 7:12) The Torah is Righteous (Romans 7:12 The Torah is Good… (Romans 7:12) The Torah is Spiritual… (Romans 7:14a) …and the list keeps going… How do we keep that which is Spiritual and Perfect? HOW DO WE KEEP THE TORAH? I guess we should define some terms… What is the Torah? Torah is Strong’s #H8451 תורה = instruction, principles which men follow, directions, law. The Torah is the Creator’s Instructions for Life! Are the Creator’s Instructions for Life…Done Away with? Torah comes from the root Yarah Strong’s #H3384 ירה = to flow like water, to throw an arrow – to shoot, to point out (as if aiming with the finger), to teach, archer, cast, direct, inform, instruct. Did you notice the “archery terms” like: to throw an arrow – to shoot – to aim – to direct? “For Messiah is the goal of the Torah unto righteousness to everyone who believes.” ~Romans 10:4 This makes perfect sense once you realize Messiah literally embodies The Torah! “And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favour and truth.” ~John 1:14 The Torah (The Creator’s Instruction for Life) is setting our aim towards Messiah יהושע our GOAL! “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of Elohim in Messiah יהושע . As many, then, as are perfect, should have this mind. And if you think differently in any respect, Elohim shall also reveal this to you.” ~Philippians 3:14, 15 So…What does it means to “Keep” the Torah? The Hebrew word for Keep (guard) is Shamar Strong’s #H8104 שמר = to keep, to guard, to keep watch, watchman, to protect, to save life, to take care, to observe, to celebrate, to preserve. So someone who “KEEPS” Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life): Guards the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Is a Watchman over the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Protects the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Saves the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Takes Care of the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Observes the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Celebrates the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Preserves the Torah (The Creator’s Instructions for Life) Hopefully that helps a little bit with definitions, but we still haven’t explained HOW this is possible… “How Do We Walk In Obedience To The KING?” “How Do We Keep Torah?” Actually the answer it quite simple: By the Spirit writing the Torah on our Hearts! This is what the Renewed Covenant is all about… “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisrael after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” ~Jeremiah 31:33 And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I shall give you a heart of flesh, and put My Spirit within you. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them.” ~Ezekiel 36:26, 27 The Apostle Paul uses this the “Flesh” vs the “Spirit” theme in many of his letters. “Walking in the Flesh” “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the matters of the flesh, ~Romans 8:5a “For the mind of the flesh is death, ~Romans 8:6a “Because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards Elohim, for it does not subject itself to the Torah of Elohim, neither indeed is it able, and those who are in the flesh are unable to please Elohim. ~Romans 8:7, 8 “For if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die; ~Romans 8:13a “And the works of the flesh are well known, which are these: adultery, whoring, uncleanness, indecency, idolatry, drug sorcery, hatred, quarrels, jealousies, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, murders, drunkenness, wild parties, and the like – of which I forewarn you, even as I also said before, that those who practise such as these shall not inherit the reign of Elohim.” ~Galatians 5:19-21 Did you Notice those “Walking in the Flesh” were not Keeping Torah nor were they able. Now let’s look at the other side… “Walking in the Spirit” “There is, then, now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah יהושע, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the Torah of the Spirit of the life in Messiah יהושע has set me free from the law of sin and of death. For the Torah being powerless, in that it was weak through the flesh, Elohim, having His own Son in the likeness of flesh of sin, and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the Torah should be completed in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” ~Romans 8:1-4 “those who live according to the Spirit, (their mind is on) the matters of the Spirit. ~Romans 8:5b “the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. ~Romans 8:6b “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, this one is not His. And if Messiah is in you, the body is truly dead on account of sin, but the Spirit is life on account of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised יהושע from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit dwelling in you. So then, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ~Romans 8:9-12 “but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of Elohim, these are sons of Elohim. ~Romans 8:13b, 14 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no Torah. And those who are of Messiah have impaled the flesh with its passions and the desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” ~Galatians 5:22-25 How do we receive the Spirit of Elohim to partake of this New Life? Where do we start? “And Kepha said to them, “Repent, and let each one of you be immersed in the Name of יהושע Messiah for the forgiveness of sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit. “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as יהוה our Elohim shall call.” And with many other words he earnestly witnessed and urged them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation.” ~Acts 2:38-40 It’s Time to be Restored to the Creator and His Ways! It’s Time to Walk In Obedience to the King! It’s Time to Keep His Torah! It’s Time to Walk in the Light! “IF the Spirit of Him who raised יהושע from the dead dwells in you” Then What’s Your Excuse?
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