Over the years as we have shared our walk of faith with others, we often receive correction for our desire to obey God’s commandments. We have heard many different reasons for why we are wrong from denying Messiah Yeshua as our salvation to being Jewish legalists.
The 30-page, but scholarly article, One Law Movements, written by Tim Hegg, is intelligent and concise as he refutes the concept of two different laws or ‘torahs’ – one for the Jews and another for non-Jews. He demonstrates how improper exegesis, dishonest hermeneutics, dispensationalistic doctrines, and replacement theology has divided the Body of Messiah into unbiblical groups or factions that lose their unifying witness to the world and bring not only ‘the church’, but also Messianic Judaism to a ‘torah-less’ lifestyle of faith.
From a personal perspective, as I read the article and the Scriptures that Mr. Hegg utilized, I couldn’t help thinking how redundant his words were and how sad it was that he needed to even write this article. All of the issues he refutes were already refuted and resolved in the writings of Paul (Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians) and through Yeshua in the Apostolic writings (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as well as in the Torah, Prophets and Writings (Tenak). The question kept going round in my mind, “Why is it that those who have put their faith in the Messiah of Israel just cannot read the Scriptures and through the power of the Holy Spirit come to the same conclusion?”
This article encouraged me to continue to obey the commandments of God taught by Yeshua and found in the only Scriptures of the time – the Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, Ecclesiastes 12:13, 19:7, John 14:15, Revelation 12:17, 14:17).
This article gave me greater understanding into the ways the Scriptures are distorted by men and change God’s intent for Israel’s salvation (Jews and Israel) as well as the inclusion of the nations as fulfillment to God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-7, Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 56, Romans 9-11).
This article also strengthened my conviction that the full Gospel of Yeshua is more than just a belief system, it is an obedient way of life for those who have faith and have entered the ‘eternal kingdom’. I, along with every other believer, am commanded by Yeshua to ‘teach the commandments’ to the nations of the world. The commandments are not new, not burdensome and are not removed (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17, Matthew 5:17-20, 28:20, Colossians 2:7, 2 Thessalonians 2:17).
©Tim Hegg