1. Is the Old Testament still relevant today?
2. What is sin?
3. As believers, should we continue to sin?
4. Who will enter the kingdom of heaven?
5. How can we truly know the Messiah?
6. Did the Messiah do away with the Torah?
7. Did Paul do away with the Torah?
8. Does Paul consider the Torah good or bad?
9. What is love?
10. What is truth?
11. What is the new covenant?
12. What is the purpose of life?
- All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
2. What is sin?
- Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)
3. As believers, should we continue to sin?
- What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ... What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:1-2; 15-16)
4. Who will enter the kingdom of heaven?
- Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. (Matthew 7:21-23)
5. How can we truly know the Messiah?
- And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:3-6)
6. Did the Messiah do away with the Torah?
- Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)
7. Did Paul do away with the Torah?
- Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:31)
8. Does Paul consider the Torah good or bad?
- So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good ... For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. … For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. (Romans 7:12, 14; 8:6-7)
9. What is love?
- For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)
10. What is truth?
- Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)
11. What is the new covenant?
- For he finds fault with them when he says: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Hebrews 8:8-10)
12. What is the purpose of life?
- The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
What should Christians do to start following Torah?
1. Start keeping Shabbat (the Sabbath).
(Genesis 2:2-4; Exodus 16:23; Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 31:13, 15-17; Exodus 35:3; Leviticus 23:3; Isaiah 56:1-7; Isaiah 58:13-14; Ezekiel 20:12, 20; Nehemiah 10:31; Nehemiah 13:15-21)
2. Start observing the moedim (appointed times) the best we are able.
(Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16)
3. Read the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and follow the Torah portions that are read every Shabbat.
(Acts 15:20-21)
4. Begin following the dietary instructions found in Leviticus.
(Leviticus 11; Leviticus 17:10-12; Leviticus 7:23-25; Acts 15:20)
5. Consider wearing the commanded tzitzit (tassels) to remind us of our Father’s laws.
(Numbers 15:38-41, Deuteronomy 22:12)
(Genesis 2:2-4; Exodus 16:23; Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 31:13, 15-17; Exodus 35:3; Leviticus 23:3; Isaiah 56:1-7; Isaiah 58:13-14; Ezekiel 20:12, 20; Nehemiah 10:31; Nehemiah 13:15-21)
- It is a memorial of creation and a day of rest.
- It is a sign between us and our Father in heaven.
- Don’t work or make others work.
- Don’t buy, sell, or trade goods.
- Don’t cook or kindle a fire.
- Don’t pursue your own interests. Use the day to focus on scripture and enjoy creation.
- Assemble with other believers.
2. Start observing the moedim (appointed times) the best we are able.
(Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16)
- Pesaḥ (Passover)
- Ḥag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread)
- Shavuot (Feast of Weeks, Pentecost)
- Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets/Shouting)
- Yom HaKippurim (Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur)
- Sukkot (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles)
- Sh'mini Atzeret (The Eighth Assembly)
3. Read the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and follow the Torah portions that are read every Shabbat.
(Acts 15:20-21)
- The gentile believers were only given four instructions to keep. Three of them are food laws.
- Abstain from the things polluted by idols.
- Abstain from sexual immorality.
- Abstain from what has been strangled.
- Abstain from blood.
- These are not the only thing gentiles are to do as believers, these are the first steps.
- Everything else will be explained as they hear Moshe (Moses) read every week.
- Also read the rest of the scriptures too!
4. Begin following the dietary instructions found in Leviticus.
(Leviticus 11; Leviticus 17:10-12; Leviticus 7:23-25; Acts 15:20)
- Don’t eat pork or shellfish.
- Land animals must have a split hoof and chew their cud.
- Sea animals must have fins and scales.
- Don’t eat the prohibited birds. Clean birds are related to doves, pidgins, and quail. (i.e. chicken and turkey)
- Don’t eat blood.
- Don’t eat fat from organs, liver, kidneys, the fat tail, and fat near the loins. Only applies to animals that would be sacrificed: cows, goats, and sheep.
5. Consider wearing the commanded tzitzit (tassels) to remind us of our Father’s laws.
(Numbers 15:38-41, Deuteronomy 22:12)
- Tzitzit are an outward sign of our inward faith.
- They help us to identify as followers of Torah.
- They help us identify others who follow Torah.