Are We Saved by Torah Observance?

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by Dr Les Aron Gosling , Rebbe
Copyright BRI 2004, 2012
All Rights Reserved Worldwide.


Let me say straight-up front, that the BRI/IMCF teaches salvation by GRACE ALONE.

Having said this, it is true that it is Grace that is channeled or demonstrated personally IN a believer's life through FAITH, but even that faith is a GIFT from God the Father, and the Faith that actually saves us is the Faith of Yeshua the Mashiach applied (or imputed, if you wish) TO us.

Again, there is no way any of us can be saved by any of our works (either good or bad), or our intentions (either good or bad), or our choices (either good or bad), in this life, and we do not MAINTAIN our salvation by our works either. I am not -- in making such a statement as this one -- rejecting man's free-will; but in the salvation drama it is a matter (not primarily, but ONLY) of Messiah's free-will exercised on our behalf that saves us. Salvation as "firstfruits" is a matter of God's choice in Grace, not ours.

I also happen to know this: that when we are saved by God we are all expected to grow in "holiness" -- this is an argument all Christians acknowledge and accept.

It is very much in the realm of the various and sundry interpretations of WHAT exactly constitutes "holiness" (the experience of God's wholeness in our lives) where there is such a controversy and contention abounding in the apostate churches of this world.

What we ALL agree on is that the so-called "NT" is very emphatic that we must all develop character, and it is apparent that such character is built into our lives (the depth of our being) by choosing the "good" as opposed to choosing the "evil" each and every day of our lives.

In other words, we ought to be all engaged in pursuing God's will in our lives as much as lies within us.

But what then IS God's will?

Where do we locate His will?

Is the will of God for Jews found in the Torah?

Is the will of God for Gentiles found in the "NT"?

What is the will of God for non-carnal Gentiles who have become true believers in Israel's God and the Hebrew Lord Yeshua?

These are important questions indeed! While none of us are saved by any works we should all -- once we are converted to Yeshua -- have the innate desire to conform closely to His will for us at this time.

Needless to say, I am acutely cautious when writing (or speaking publicly) on the present topic because (for whatever reason) it invariably sparks an immediate and spontaneous outburst of negative Gentile Christian reaction involving my condemnation for either "heresy" or "legalism" (a term concerning which most Christians have a monumental ignorance).

One Christian gentleman whom I thought grasped my theology (and who had his own ministry) and with whom I had corresponded intimately over the years, was so distraught by my comments concerning a Gentile believer who desired crab-sticks more than the Messiah, that he posted an article on his own site decrying salvation by works as relating to food laws of Moses. It is a lesson involving trust and understanding which I have never forgotten.

So, let me say this: the Torah was given to Israel, not to the Gentiles. BUT, and here is the truth of the matter, the nation of Israel was...

[1] expected to attract Gentiles TO the Torah as a Theocratic way of life (and these Scriptures can be readily supplied) and

[2] Israel was expected to take that same Torah TO the Gentiles (plenty of Scriptures can be supplied to back up this assessment, too) but the Jews stopped doing this when the Constantinian church curtailed Jewish evangelism of the nations.

The Jews have never repented of this act of absolute treason toward Adonai, except in the case of the original Messianic Jews who took the Gospel of Yeshua, and the Torah, to all lands on earth. Most rabbis who oppose anything and everything about the Messiah, Yeshua, have overlooked the undeniable fact that they are still obeying the false pagan Roman state/church in its decrees over them! Appalling fact, indeed!

These facts remain:

[1] Yeshua never did away with His Father's laws. He said that "heaven and earth would first pass" before Torah would be "all in force" (Mt 5.17,18 Greek).

[2] Rav Shaul gave the Gentiles over 1050 commandments, rules, regulations, statutes, judgments, legislation, ordinances, decrees, recommendations and good old plain commonsense advice all based on the Torah as commentary on how to better live their lives in this world of sin and rebellion. And Christians get "peeved off" with their negative focus over the 613 of Moses? Unbelievable! What they fail to realise is that very few of those 613 are even in force today because they were oriented around Temple service for Jewish people. There is no physical Temple in existence, so those laws are temporarily suspended. They also fail to grasp that out of the balance of those laws remaining, very few applied to Gentiles at all.

[3] God reserves the right to change His own Torah for human beings. He changed the Torah in the time of Ezekiel and later in the days of Ezra (Malachi) who edited much of the Bible as we have the Hebrew Scriptures today.

Later when there was a change in the Torah it needed a rabbinic council approval for that to occur. This is what Acts 15 was all about. Physical circumcision for a Gentile entering the sect of the Nazarenes (the Yeshua-oriented Messianic Movement of the Second Temple Period) was made at that time redundant in an official way and it was James, the brother of Our Lord and the alternative Qumran High Priest of Jerusalem, who successfully officiated over that pronouncement. The rabbinic "Letter to the Hebrews" also outlines some other alterations. And Yeshua gave examples of what was to be distanced for His Jewish followers as well. If anything else was "altered," "distanced" or "done away" it would need to be clearly enunciated in the "NT" so if its not there it's still applicable.

[4] Genesis is the first book of Torah and it includes a story of God's dealing with righteous Noah. Now Noah was a Gentile; actually he was a "human being" because there was no differentiation as far as "Jews and Gentiles" are concerned at the time of the Flood. Why is this the case? Because the first Jew was Judah a son of Israel, and he was born centuries after the Deluge. His tribal peoples became eventually known as "Jews." Abraham was not a Jew although the Jewish people usually think of him that way. He WAS however "the father of the faithful." We all agree on that. But Genesis is all about Gentiles (and at the end of the book Israel is introduced and only then in relation to his Gentile neighbours).

It is the commandments God gave to the Adamic peoples (and Noah and his family were included in the Adamic race) that involve what are termed "The Seven Noachide Laws" which are later incorporated into the Torah of Moses. It ought to be recalled that Genesis IS the first book of TORAH. These "seven" commandments for the Gentiles are recognised by the rabbis.

And here I part company with the rabbis.

There were NOT "seven" commandments at all. There were definitely eight, and probably nine. There might even have been ten. Whatever the case, they all relate to the Gentiles.

Kol Tuv, to all who love Messiah Yeshua and who lovingly embrace His expectations of them.

[Tom]

Thank you so much for this Les... This is the most succinct and 'to the point' summary on this most important topic I have ever read. It has benefited my understanding hugely. I realise that behind this summary lies 40-odd years of daily study, focused education and endless hours of contemplation, debate and prayer. We all benefit beyond measure from yours and the Rebbetzin's 'living sacrifice' and commitment over all those many years!