I have a friend who loves God, studies his bible, has faith in Jesus, and believes we are NOT supposed to keep the commandments, honor the Sabbath, or observe the Feast Days.

I love YHVH, study my bible, have faith in Yeshua, and I believe we ARE supposed to keep the commandments, honor the Sabbath, and observe the Feast Days.

How is it possible for two people, with similar values and a desire to know God, to come up with two different doctrines when using the exact same source material (scripture)?

After months of discussion and miles upon miles of shared scripture, I have broken it down to this simple concept:

• I believe every word of scripture, front cover to back cover, is true and relevant, and I believe the New Testament writings build upon the Old Testament writings.
• My friend believes the Old Testament writings are obsolete, having been superceded by new teachings in the Messiah era.

My thoughts on the matter are somewhat rare, and make up a small minority in the “Christian” world.

My friend’s thoughts are the same as the Mainstream teachings, and make up the significant majority in the “Christian” world.

What does Jesus say about that?
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

How does something like this happen?
In order to communicate what he thinks and why he thinks those things, he always uses the writings of Paul in the New Testament to support his thoughts.  Scripture is scripture, right?

Here is what gives me pause…
1. Peter struggled with the same differences of opinion in the first century, and he gave us a warning against making this mistake.

2 Peter 3:14-18
 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. ¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Yes, Peter gave us a warning to not misunderstand and mis-teach some of Paul’s writings. Is this warning old? Is this warning just an obscure passage that is irrelevant today? Can we ignore it?
Well, what are the consequences of this warning?
“people twist to their own destruction”

When we start throwing the idea of personal destruction around, I think we should pay attention and listen.  I, for one, do not want to be destroyed.

2.  While some of Paul’s writings absolutely sound like they are saying we should not follow the law, is it a consistent message?
No, it is not.  Many of Paul’s writings support and uphold following       Torah instruction (the law).  Paul was accused of teaching against       Torah, and he defended himself against those accusations, even volunteering for the death penalty if he were guilty.

If Paul is making inconsistent statements, does that make him
wrong? Does that make him a politician?
No, all scripture is true.  So what gives?
Refer to the  warning given by Peter.  Some of Paul’s writings are         simply misunderstood.

Here are a few of Paul’s writings that support the law, support and uphold Torah instruction:

WORDS OF PAUL Acts 24:14
But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.

WORDS OF PAUL Acts 25:7-8
When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, 8 while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

WORDS OF PAUL – Keeping the Feast Days Acts 18:20-21
When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem;[c] but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 7:25
I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 2:12-13
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 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 3:31
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 6:15-16
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 7:12
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 7:22
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 6:19
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

WORDS OF PAUL 2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

WORDS OF PAUL Romans 4:7
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;

WORDS OF PAUL Hebrews 1:9
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

3.  We believe that scripture is inspired by God.  In the bible, we find
many authors, spanning many centuries and many generations.
However, I decided to study the VERY words of Yahuah (God), and the VERY words of Yeshua Messiah.
Throughout scripture, Old Testament and New Testament, both
Yahuah and Messiah tell us to follow the commandments of Yahuah
without exception.  Not once in scripture does Yahuah or Messiah ever tell us to stop following the law (in fact, Messiah says the opposite, many times over!).

If this topic interests you, and you don’t know what to think, I challenge you to do this:
Read all scripture spoken directly by God and read all scripture spoken directly by Jesus.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll find yourself in a quandary.  You will have to make a decision.

Will you follow the words of God and Jesus?
Or will you follow the words of misunderstood Paul?

Ready, set, go…