I think that is mostly all pretty standard biblical truth
But I think there was, in fact, a new direction which resulted in Jesus Fulfilling the law, and being the sacrifice, once for all. It was made entirely clear that nobody can save themselves through following the law. The law, which could never save anyone, was no longer viewed as the way to righteousness. Rather it was that which made clear that nobody could obtain righteousness themselves, through their own behavior.
Yes, no one is can save themselves through obedience to Torah
since everyone has/will sin (Romans 3:23) and we have the "sin nature" in us anyway because of the sin of Adam/Eve.
However, although Jesus was a fulfillment of the law (Torah), what does that
mean?
Mat 5:17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil.
Fulfill can't mean it was done away with, because that is the same as destroying it. What Jesus did by fulfilling the law/prophets was to give it real meaning and purpose. Without His blood, all the rest of it is for naught.
Are you saying that sin is strictly defined by "transgression of Torah"?
That what the Bible says:
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Torah is the law.
Now, to be clear, I do believe that YHWH has additional instructions for individuals that he lets them know of. I know he has told me things to do/not do that aren't in the Bible, but those are specific to me and my situation, they aren't for everyone to do and they don't contradict or crossover written scripture. I believe that is what is meant, to a degree, by:
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Cheers for the clarification Dakryn. Its sparked up a couple of questions though
1. Do you follow/adhere to the laws in the OT? Leviticus etc. Cleanliness and purification? Kosher diet?
2. What are your viewpoints on the new commandments Jesus gives in the NT? "To love one another as I have loved you" - is he implementing new law? Or is this already in the Torah?
3. How much do you place on the validity of the bible? Creationism etc. ?
#1. I do as much as I can. There is much that cannot be done or does not apply right now because there is no Temple. There will be a Temple during the "Millenium" and the entire earth will be following the Torah (read the Major/Minor prophets, so much interesting prophecy in there about the "end times").
The cleanliness and purification was specifically for the ability to entire the temple grounds, but it lets you know what YHWH considers clean and best for you. Most of it was very practical (like washing and not touching dead bodies or disease etc).
I do follow the dietary laws as much as I can. Kosher meat is not very readily available but you can achieve almost the same thing by cooking meat to a state of well done. (To not eat the blood)
I do not eat things forbidden (like pork, shellfish, etc).Besides it being "sin", I figure that if YHWH made it and said don't eat it, there has to be a reason it is bad for humans.
If you look at the list of stuff not to eat, it seems pretty obvious. Carrion/garbage eaters, bottom feeders, carnivores, etc etc.
#2. I believe it is explaining the "attitude" of the Torah.
Torah is for our good, and to treat others with their good in mind is just passing on the love YHWH has shown us, not only in Torah but in things that are specific to us on a daily basis, and His future return.
#3. I believe in Creation 100%. I do not, however, necessarily believe in the complete view of "creationists". I think there is the
potential that all the fossils we find that date hundreds of thousands of years ago may actually be that old, but are from previous civilizations/creations on this earth. Kind of a "Gap Theory" but instead of evolution being in the gap, there was unwritten history of creations/catastrophes prior to our current existence of 6-10,000 years.
I've done some digging into teachings on the Nephilim and "demons/aliens" and it is pretty interesting stuff, and it deals with the other beings/forces that are out there that YHWH created prior to "Creation", and that have a lot of influence on things that happen here and have throughout history.
