I try to share what I’ve learned in scripture with those in the mainstream…
Most tend to get a little bit hostile towards the idea of keeping “the law.” I realize this is because we’ve all been taught for many generations that the law is no longer applicable and has been done away with…

However, most mainstream Christians:
1. Say we should not murder, even though that is part of the law.
2. Say we should not commit adultery, even though that is part of the law.
3. Say we should not lie, even though that is part of the law.
4. Say we should not gossip, hit people, say mean things, borrow things and not return them, say cuss words, cut people off in the parking lot, scream at people, fail to forgive others, hold grudges, hate people, seek revenge, and on and on and on.

Church people have their own list of rules.  They don’t mind keeping a bunch of rules, as long as the rules don’t ‘belong’ to the Old Testament God.

Let’s take a quick look at this…
For one, why are culturally accepted rules ok, but Yahuah’s rules are not ok?
I think we can agree that ‘breaking the rules’ [whichever set of rules we adopt] is considered to be sin.
But what does the bible consider to be sin? It would be pretty simple if scripture defined sin for us.
It does…
“What, what? The bible defines sin?”
Yes, it does…

1John 3:4 [in various translations – no favoritism]
⁴ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (KJV)
⁴ Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (NIV)
⁴ Everyone practicing sin also practices lawlessness—indeed, sin is lawlessness. (TLV)
⁴ Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah. (CJB)

Oh boy…
Now what?
I think we should develop our ‘church rules’ based on the definition given in the bible. Violating the Torah, violating ‘the law’, however you want to state it:  this is sin.

But we have an intercessor.  Yeshuah Messiah forgives us of our sin, if we have faith in Him, if we follow Him.

Have you heard His voice?
Do we follow the law, the Torah, avoid sin — in order to earn our salvation? No, we do not. That is not possible.
Salvation is a gift so that no man should boast.

We simply follow the Torah, the law, avoid sin — because our Messiah tells us that is what we are to do.
If you follow Messiah, then you do what He says.

And what does He say?

John 14:15
 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

John 14:21
“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” [apparently Messiah thinks this is important, because He said it again]

John 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ”  [Messiah must think this is VERY important – He said it a third time]

1John 2:3-6 is a section of scripture titled “The Test of Knowing Him” 
³ Now we know that we have come to know Him by this—if we keep His commandments. ⁴ The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God is truly made perfect. We know that we are in Him by this— ⁶ whoever claims to abide in Him must walk just as He walked.

Wow, if we say we know Him and do not follow the Torah instructions, then we are a liar.
Wow!!! Not my words, but scripture.

OK, back to our Savior.
Did He say this type of thing anywhere else? Or was He just ‘off his game’ that one day when He was speaking with John?

Matthew 5:17-19
¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. ¹⁸ Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Did Messiah say anything like this anywhere else?
Matthew 7:21-23
²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’ ²³ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”

What about His final words in Revelation 22.  What are His VERY LAST words to us??

Revelation 22:14-15
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ¹⁵ But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

In His final words, He tells us who is in His kingdom:
Those who do His commandments.
And He says who is not in His kingdom:
Those who love and practice a lie [refer back to The Test of Knowing Him in 1John 2 if you need to know what this “lie” is that keeps us out of His kingdom].

Basically, this is not a difficult concept.
Listen to your Messiah.
Hear His words.
Follow Him.
Obey Him.

LOVE HIM!!

I’ve showed these ideas in scripture to quite  a few people.  They agreed, it is simple and makes sense.
But then, they go and ask their pastors about it.
Then I get a call or a message that goes something like this:

“I checked with some Seminary trained experts, and they set me straight.  The things you showed me [direct quotes of Messiah, mind you] do not mean what they seem to mean.  Please don’t talk to me about these things again.”

My next thoughts go something like this:
“Really??  You are going to reject the very words of your Messiah in favor of what your pastor thinks?  You will take the word of a man, who was taught what to think by other men, over your Messiah and Savior?”

To be honest, pastors can make a pretty compelling argument against the law using the writings of Paul. There is just one problem, though.
We are warned not to do this.
In scripture.
By an apostle.
Yep.
We are told specifically not to make this mistake, otherwise it will result in our destruction.

2Peter 3:14-17
¹⁴ Therefore, loved ones, while you are looking for these things, make every effort to be found in shalom, spotless and blameless before Him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that the patience of our Lord means salvation—just as our dearly loved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom given to him. ¹⁶ He speaks about these matters in all of his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist (as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures)—to their own destruction.
¹⁷ Since you already know all this, loved ones, be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your sure footing. 

Just as Revelation 22 are Messiah’s final words (and therefore, probably His most important) to us, 2Peter 3 are Peters final words to us.
People tend to say their most important things when they know it will be their last.

One last thought from me…
We do not keep ‘the law’ to earn salvation. We do not practice legalism.  We do it out of love.
Love for who? Messiah, and our neighbor.
Love God, love your neighbor.  Both are quotes from the Torah.

Please pray on these things…