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Many Christians proclaim that the Torah (law) was never given to the Gentiles, but to the Jews only, so the Gentiles are not bound to obey it. This article will challenge that proclamation, declare it to be untrue, and affirm that the law was indeed given to the Gentiles and that the Jews and Gentiles are both bound to obey it.
ALL THINGS CAME TO THE JEWS FIRST, THEN TO THE GENTILES
MATTHEW 10:5-7:
These twelve Yeshua (Jesus) sent out and commanded them, saying: “DO NOT GO INTO THE WAY OF THE GENTILES, AND DO NOT ENTER A CITY OF THE SAMARITANS. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
MATTHEW 15:22-24:
Then Yeshua (Jesus) went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
But He answered and said, “I WAS NOT SENT EXCEPT TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.”
ROMANS 1:16:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Messiah (Christ), for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek [GENTILE].
Yeshua (Jesus) did not come to preach to the Gentiles, but to the Jews. With few exceptions, Yeshua (Jesus) did preach exclusively to the Jews. Yeshua (Jesus) commanded His disciples to not preach to the Gentiles, but instead to the Jews only. Yeshua (Jesus) did not come to start a new religion called ‘Christianity,’ but to be the Messiah (Christ) of the already established faith. God offered both the Torah (law) and the gospel of the Messiah (Christ) to the Jew first, then after to the Gentiles.
ROMANS 2:5-10:
God, “will render to each one according to his deeds” eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness – indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek [GENTILE]; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek [GENTILE]. For there is no partiality with God.
The Gentiles were given the Torah (law), and not only the gospel. God promises to judge the Jew and the Gentile equally, without partiality, over their deeds, according to the Torah (law).
HEATHEN AND PAGAN GENTILES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD DO NOT HAVE THE LAW OR THE GOSPEL
ROMANS 2:12-16:
For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), according to my gospel.
1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-23:
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Messiah (Christ)), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
Some have argued that ALL Gentiles do not have the law, as Romans 2:12-16 and 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 might suggest. This is simply not the truth. Paul is referring to heathen or pagan Gentiles who do not have the law or the gospel, who might be living in remote parts of the world, who have neither heard of the law or the gospel of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), but still obey the law through their hearts and conscience.
All Christians have been given the Torah (law). The Tanakh (Old Testament) Scriptures were in circulation among the Gentiles seeking wisdom from the Jews long before the gospel was preached.
When the printing press became available and the Scriptures were printed in books, the Gentiles were given the Torah (law) in the Tanakh (Old Testament), along with the gospel of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) in the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament). The Gentiles were not given the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) Scriptures exclusively without the Tanakh (Old Testament) included.
The Jews currently reject Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) and the Scriptures that they possess do not include the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) gospel. In the English language, the Tanakh (Old Testament), is more properly termed the First Covenant and the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) is more properly named the Renewed Covenant.
Many will bemoan and groan that they cannot possibly keep all the so-called 613 laws of the Torah (law) that God commands. Governments issue literally thousands of civil, criminal, tax code, and vehicle traffic laws, which must be obeyed. The truth is that no single person needs to follow every law written in Scripture, just as no single person needs to obey every governmental law that does not apply to him. If you are a male, it will never be required for you to obey female menstrual cycle laws, farming laws (unless you are a farmer), or Levitical priest laws (unless you are a Levite priest). Many of the applicable laws of God are common sense laws, which are obeyed by most anyway.
MATTHEW 28:18-20:
And Yeshua (Jesus) came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of ALL THE NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Yeshua (Jesus) commanded His Jewish disciples not to preach to the Gentiles and He Himself, with few exceptions, didn’t preach to the Gentiles during His Messianic mission (Matthew 10:5-7). It was after Yeshua (Jesus) died and was resurrected that He commanded His disciples to preach to all the nations, to teach them (the Gentiles) to observe all things that He commanded His Jewish disciples to observe.
PROVERBS 30:26:
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who WALKS WISELY will be delivered.
1 JOHN 2:6:
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to WALK JUST AS HE WALKED.
1 PETER 1:13-16:
Be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ); as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7).
Yeshua (Jesus) did not come to abolish the law (Matthew 5:17) and He obeyed it perfectly. He wants Gentiles and well as Jews to keep His commandments, to walk as He walked (1 John 2:3-6). It is not possible for Gentiles to walk as He walked if they do not strive to keep His commandments. Gentiles, you who believe you were not given the law, open your bibles! The commandments, all of them, were given to the Gentiles along with the gospel message.
Mainstream Judaism has accepted the Torah (law), but has rejected Yeshua (Jesus).
Mainstream Christianity has accepted Yeshua (Jesus), but has rejected the Torah (law).
The mainstream Messianic faith has rightly accepted Yeshua (Jesus) and has accepted the Torah (law).
