A LETTER TO MY JEWISH MESSIANIC
AND NETZARI IVRI FRIENDS

Mike Blume
August 2003

This study is primarily for Jewish Messianics and Netzari Ivri adherents.

Paul taught that an entirely new law is given to us today by God, which also reflects Jesus' words in Matthew 5, making Mosaic Law a foreshadow. Jesus referred to some specific commandments from the Ten Commandments, and referred to them as "Ye have heard it said by them...", in contrast to what He said, taking us beyond TaNaKh.

Paul compared law to the New Covenant by saying that Law was a valid way to attain unto righteousness, but an impossible one. He taught that there is a second route to attain unto righteousness, and that is not by works of the law, but by faith. This shows us that Grace does not violate law, but agrees with it's declarations of what lifestyle is righteous.

He taught that Law was actually a predecessor for faith in order to teach man a lesson that man simply cannot make himself righteous through works of obedience. Law simply proved that mankind had sin.

quote:
Rom 3:19-22 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (21) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (22) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
A pathway to righteousness exists outside the way of obedience to Law. And this pathway does not result in Law being broken, though. Paul is often mistaken for saying Law was to be violated. But Paul said no man could keep the law as God intended it, and it turns out that God did not expect man to be able to keep it. Law just came to prove this to man, so man would then cry out to God in order to be made righteous through the gift of righteousness given to us by God.

I strongly believe that Paul taught how anyone who even attempts to keep law is, by default, doomed to break it, because man is unable to keep it.
quote:
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
If one is cursed for living by the works of the law, because the curse is upon those who are not able to continue in keeping the law entirely successful, then no one is able to keep the law successfully. Another route to righteousness had to be made known to mankind!

My understanding is that The New Covenant was the eternal purpose of God for mankind, and the Old Covenant simply came, for a temporary time, between the giving of the promise to Abraham and the coming of Christ when that promise would be fulfilled.
quote:
Gal 3:17-19 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. (18) For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. (19) Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Law was only a temporary deal, because it would teach mankind a lesson like a schoolmaster.
quote:
Gal 3:23-26 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. (24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Also note that the terms "WE" and "OUR" in verse 24, continued into chapter 4, distinguishes the Jews as being privy to Law-keeping beneath Moses, from the Gentiles. The Gentiles in Paul's day were being lured into law-keeping. And Paul is telling them that the law was for the Israelites alone, before Christ came.
quote:
Gal 4:1-5 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; (2) But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. (3) Even so we (JEWS), when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: (4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we (JEWS) might receive the adoption of sons.
Above, Paul stated that the Jews were like "juvenile lords" beneath tutors and governors of law, after which they would "graduate" and enter into their life of lordship. But that would mean a departure from a lifestyle of conscious law-keeping, since that law was actually "elementary school" only, and not intended to be the lifestyle of the Jews after Christ came.

Redemption came with Christ after the law, freeing these "juvenile lords" from the elementary school of Mosaic law.

Gal 4:1 noted that these lords were not different than servants. This is distinguishing Israelites from Gentiles. The Gentiles were considered servants outside the "family" of heirs. However, something occurred for the servants as well as for the Israelite heirs! Christ.
quote:
Gal 4:6-7 And because ye (GENTILES) are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Just as the heirs (Israelites) were no different than the servants (Gentiles) while they were beneath tutors and governors of Law's elementary school, since the juvenile lords were simply not acting as lords yet in that schooling, so, after Christ redeemed both Gentiles and Jews into the same body, there is no difference between Gentile and Jew in the church! We gentiles as are much sons as are redeemed Israelites!

Wonderful and awesome plan of God!!!

But Paul had a concern for the Judaizers of his day who were perverting the Gospel with these gentiles to coerce them to serve beneath the Law of Moses.
quote:
Gal 4:8-11 Howbeit then, when ye (GENTILES) knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. (9) But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Paul here said that Judaizers had convinced the gentiles to live in the lifestyle of the Israelites under law before Christ came. We were servants (see Gal 4:1) while in idolatry before we found Christ. All gentile nations were idolators. We were in bondage in those days. Bondage to idols. But its getting beneath bondage again when we try to live by the lifestyle of Mosaic Law which was solely for the Jews before Christ came.

But Paul stated that such living under Mosaic Law was never intended for Gentiles. It was solely a schoolmaster and elementary school for the Israelites before Christ came. When Christ came, they were meant to leave that lifestyle to serve by faith and accept Christ's righteousness as a gift to them to be their ticket to glory!

The "weak and beggarly elements" can be misunderstood, and are actually akin to the term "elementary school", pointing to Law of Moses.

Gentiles started observing days and months and years as though they were in the schoolmaster of the Israelites in Mosaic Law. This was out of whack! It was not to be done! They missed the whole purpose.

And finally, Paul called the ten commandments the ministration of death engraved in stones, in contrast to the New Covenant of Spirit and Life by faith in Christ giving us His righteousness aside from works of the law in order to obtain it. And here, Paul stated that Moses' Law was a temporary issue, as he said in Galatians, that passed away. New Covenant is eternal and remains. This does not mean the Law is evil or bad. But it was a ministration of death because man could simply not carry through with it successfully. Had man been able to do so, it would not be a ministration of death.

quote:
2Co 3:3-11 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (6) 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. (7) But 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: (8) How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? (9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. (10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. (11) For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

And Paul said it was ministration of death in the same sense he called law righteous and good, but the means of slaying Paul due to Paul's inability to keep it! Paul said adherence to law stirred sin up within his flesh, and it made sin an assassin who used Law as a weapon against Paul!
quote:
Rom 7:9-14 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (10) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (11) For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. (12) Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. (13) Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. (14) For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Most Law-keepers today feel we are teaching that Law is evil. But, no. It was perfectly fine. Its just that no man alive was spiritual to be able to keep it! Man was the problem! And law came to raise that buried fact to the surface of our lives, and have us cry out to God for HELP!