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The following, as delineated by Maimonides, is a detailed listing of the "subsets" of commandments contained in the laws of Noah. Notice, if you will, that some of the commandments are "-" (negative mitzvoth) and some "+" (positive mitzvoth). I listed them specifically as they were compiled by Maimonides in relation to both his listing of the "positive mitzvoth" as well as the "negative mitzvoth.". Detailed study, understanding, implementation, and practice of such commandments will ensure you, the Gentile, of being a "Righteous Gentile" in the Olam Haba (the world to come). Faith without works is dead! Make your calling and election certain by using these laws of Noah as not only a plan for life, but as an assurance that your life is pleasing to God.
Oh, by the way, it is not as easy as it looks, for when you study, you find a wealth of information beneath each commandment. For instance, as stated earlier in this article, how many of you were aware that misappropriation of the tithe is considered by the rabbis not only to be stealing but murder as well? In order to understand fully how each commandment is to be properly understood and lived out one has to undertake a study into each of the following commandments as seen and interpreted by the Jews as these mitzvoth are today the very foundation of the Covenant of Moses and it is to the Jews we must look for they are the authorities on such matters. Let us heed Jesus'/Yeshua's words in this matter as he spoke just before his death:
Matt 23:2-3 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; ...(KJV)
Against entertaining the thought that there exists a deity except the Lord
Against making any forbidden statue (even when they are for ornamental purposes) (Deut. 13:3)
Against bowing to any idol (and not to sacrifice nor to pour libation nor to burn incense before any idol, even where it is not the customary manner of worship to the particular idol
Against worshipping idols in any of their customary manners of worship.
Against eating the flesh of any animal which was torn by a wild beast...which, in part, prohibits the eating of such flesh as was torn off of an animal while it was still alive (Deut. 15:19)
Let us study to show ourselves approved! Shalom!
Having understood this article so far, it is easy for you to understand that in the eyes of many in the Gentile world, then, Gentiles who feel drawn to the Jewishness of Yeshua, and drawn to observe or participate in the Hebraic way of life are seen INCORRECTLY as Judaizing. However, Gentile believers in Yeshua, should be free to establish the Torah as a way of life that is pleasing to God (Romans 3:31). Utilizing Gods commandments and the insight, wisdom and understanding of the Jewish Sages, to aid oneself in the process of sanctification, should not be viewed as Judaizing. The fear usually expressed is that Gentiles who make attempts at restoring their Hebraic roots are in danger of falling into legalism by trying to obey God's commandments. What most Gentile believers fail to realize is that Torah is not just laws and commandments, it includes the wisdom and instruction needed to live life pleasing to God. In addition, what a surprise when Gentiles learn that Torah has only 613 commandments, while the New Covenant, the so-called covenant of grace, places 1050 commandments on the Gentile believer. God has not abandoned the idea of law, but rather has provided the faith that leads to obedience (Romans 16:26). When a Gentile believer establishes morals and ethics based on the Biblical values of the Torah, and implements social and spiritual ideals that are Hebraic in orientation, that is not Judaizing. If a Gentile chooses voluntarily to conform, not to the culture of the world system, but rather participate in the celebrations and customs that are both Jewish and soundly biblical, it is not Judaizing. Being bound to observance as a means of establishing self righteousness is far different from practicing meaningful biblical customs and festivals in order to celebrate God's righteousness.
To those in the modern Gentile Church concerned about the dangers of Judaizing after nearly 20 centuries of anti-semitic and anti-Judaic attitudes, we pose these questions:
To each of these we would answer an emphatic NO!
The present modern world is characterized by lawlessness. This lawlessness is directly attributed to the attitude that there are no absolutes. Convictions, principles and values are only relative. How is this possible in a country where the gospel has been proclaimed since its inception as a nation. Simply put, any gospel that declares that man has been saved by faith without at the same time declaring his obligation and responsibility to obey God's laws and commandments in the context of his sanctification is doomed to failure (Francis Schafer, The Great Evangelical Disaster). Gentile Christianity, particularly the Protestant tradition has promoted the theology of absolute freedom through the doctrine of justification by faith. However, freedom without any sense of law, obligation or responsibility leads first to lawlessness then violence and ultimately chaos. Any family, community or society where every man is free to choose what is right in his own eyes will end in conflict. Unity and harmony is maintained only when there are boundaries that are acknowledged and observed. The value of Torah, in the Hebraic perspective, is that it provides those boundaries, absolutes, values and principles which when followed lead men to life not death. The promise of the New [RENEWED and NOT NEW as in REPLACED] Covenant made to Israel, was not the abrogation of Torah, but the writing of Torah in the minds and hearts of men of faith so that they would do Torah and live Torah and thus preserve the quality of life promised by God for themselves and their children. Since 1960 our culture has seen a 560 percent increase in violent crime, 400 percent rise in illegitimate births, a quadrupling of the divorce rate, a 200 percent increase in teenage suicide, and nearly half of all children live in single parent homes. But this is only the beginning of moral decay if our culture continues to reject the instruction of God...His Laws! It must begin with the revitalization of the Gentile Church. It must be revitalized, by regrafting itself in its Judaic root and restore the Hebraic view of morality, decency and integrity as defined in God's Torah. In the final analysis, it becomes a question of conformity and identification.
Answer for yourself: Does the Gentile Church continue to contextualize itself with the culture of the world and maintain the current traditional, nominal and unprincipled life-style that has resulted? Or do we identify with God's way of life as expressed in Torah?
God's way is designed to sustain and advance life, not escape or transcend it. God's way of life is anchored in the practical needs of man and it is fully responsive both to his instincts and his aspirations. God's way is a devotion to morality, decency and integrity. The source of this devotion is God himself. The motivation is love for God and man who is created in the image of God.
Although the foundation of God's house was Judaic [Hebraic thought and culture], it has been constructed with primarily Hellenistic [Greek thought and culture] building materials. The question that must be asked is whether once the house has been built what do we do? Do we just add on to the existing structure as so many do? Do we refurbish the interior and the exterior or do we tear down the house and build again upon the foundation laid by God? Many say it is impossible to turn the clock back and restore the full Jewish roots of the early Kingdom Movement of Yeshua to the Gentile Church. They are convinced that the Gentile Church is so De-Judaized and that it is such a product of the Gentile world and culture that it can never be completely reformed. Although there are many obstacles, the primary one is ignorance. That is where we must begin. There are sufficient areas where the Gentile Church has neglected its Jewish heritage to its own detriment. It is these areas that must be initially addressed and the proper Hebraic teaching offered.
As one looks at the Gentile Church, it becomes obvious that the Church suffers from an identity crisis. We simply do not know who we are. Although many proposals as to our identity have been offered over the last 2000 years, we are unable and unwilling to agree on which movement, what denomination or schism best identifies our relationship to God and each other. Not knowing who we are has led to the insecurity of not knowing what we believe. Our faith and practice has been redefined time and time again, only to be redefined by cultural standards which defy accurate historical understanding. We need to refocus upon Paul's analogy of the Olive Tree. We must accept that apart from the root of the tree we have no hope of identifying ourselves. History has taught us that if we continue to sever ourselves from the Olive Tree we are subject to our own imaginations, ideas and conclusions as to what our faith and practice should be. But if we will restore ourselves to the Olive Tree, then we will find our true identity, the identity that God intended for engrafted [believing] Gentiles. We will find continuity with the Patriarch Abraham and the Jewish people, with the Jewish prophets, the Jewish Messiah, and the rich heritage and instruction of the Jewish Sages. However, one cannot approach the subject of returning to our Judaic root in a purely academic manner. One may begin there, but it must evolve into something deeper within the inner man. This has been described as having a Jewish heart. It is a personal, living fire burning within (Jeremiah 20:9). It includes a profound and abiding appreciation for Hebraic thought and culture, a revelation that one's deepest spiritual identity is with a Jewish Lord and that salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). It requires the repentance of pride and arrogance which has for nearly 2000 years caused barriers to be built between the Olive Tree and cheap imitations. Mankind is naturally stubborn and has an affinity for prejudice. No one likes to admit they are wrong, for it takes much more moral courage to face historical and theological truth, than to maintain the status quo. However, we must repent and be revitalized in these last days before the coming of Messiah.
The general condition of the Gentile Church can be likened to the soil of Israel in the month of September. During the hot summer months the land receives no rain. By fall the ground is hard packed and parched, the roots of vegetation begin to wither. This lifeless setting anxiously awaits the early Fall rains to revitalize the withered roots and to enable the hard ground to be broken and become productive again (Hosea 10:11-12). In the same way, the Gentile Church is in need of revitalization. Its roots long for reviving. But the drought of pride, arrogance and self-sufficiency make it almost impossible for this to happen. The roots of the Olive Tree run deep, they are able to provide the nourishment and stability the Gentile branches need for abundant life.
There are many terms used today to identify Gentiles who have come to faith in God through the legacy of Yeshua. Historically, they were identified as Christians in Antioch as recorded in Acts 11:26. They were also identified as Nazarenes in Acts 24:5 which in Hebrew is Notzrim. In addition they were called followers of the way (Acts 9:2; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14). Perhaps a modern term which would to some degree distinguish the cultural and nominal religion known today as Gentile Christianity, would be Messianic Gentile. A Messianic Gentile is one who accepts the Biblical concept of the coming of God's anointed messenger to implement the Kingdom of God on the earth. Today, traditionally most non-Jewish believers maintain a faith in the Messiahship of Yeshua, and claims to be his disciple [talmidim] and thus identifies with his Jewishness. Tragically this "religious belief system" is hollow and devoid of so much truth and facts pertaining to the true Jewish prophecies it is not my intent in this article to address the matter. Let is suffice to say that one day the Messiah will come and the true Jewish Scriptures will be fulfilled. Then we shall know his name. But before that will ever happen the Christian need to regain a sense of need for restoring the Jewish roots of his faith and practice since he practices, knowingly or unknowingly, a form of "Replacement Religion" which is offensive to both God and His anointed.
As talmidim [disciples] of Yeshua our view of Torah must be restored to reflect his view of Torah:
Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill [To bring to a greater understanding] For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away the smallest letter or stroke shall not pass away from the Torah, until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)
Woe to Torah-teachers [scribes] and P'rushim [Pharisees]! You pay your tithe of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah justice, mercy and trust. These are the things you should have attended without neglecting the other matters of Torah. (Mat.23:23)
The Torah-teachers [scribes] and the P'rushim [Pharisees] sit in the seat of Moses [meaning they have authority to determine how to apply the Torah in specific instances] So, whatever they tell you, take care to do it. (Matthew 23:2,3)
Gentile Christianity hardly knows what to do with Torah or how to fit it in with the New Testament documents. The most urgent task of theology today is develop a proper perspective of Torah. In the last thirty years, Christian Theologians have made serious and important efforts to correct the misunderstanding of the Torah (W. D Davies, Paul and Rabbinic Judaism, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980; Daniel P. Fuller, Gospel and Law: Contrast or Continuum, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980; Hans Huebuer, Law in Paul's Thought, Edinburgh: T T Clark, 1984; E. P. Sanders, Paul, and the Law and the Jewish People, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983).
The need is so great because Gentile Christianity, with its anti-Jewish bias, misunderstood many of Paul's writings and concluded that the Torah is no longer valid. In misunderstanding the usefulness of Torah, it created a major impediment to a clear understanding of its faith and caused a barrier to be built between Gentile Christianity and the Jewish people. Sadly because of this the Laws of Noah, properly understood as the non-Jews' Covenant responsibilities before God, are either ignored or never known...that is until we die and find out our religious "denominational" belief systems were wrong!
An answer to the fundamental question: "Did the ministry of Yeshua end the law?", must be sought. Consider Romans 10:4, which states in a typical translation, For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Consequently, because of this passage alone, most Gentile believers conclude that Christ [Jesus as believed to be the Messiah by most Gentile Christians] terminated the Torah. However, the Greek word translated "end" is "telos" which does not mean termination but rather the goal or purpose of something. The attention to and faith in the Law and the Commandments of God is the goal and purpose toward which the Torah aims, the logical consequence and result of observing the Torah out of genuine faith, as opposed to trying to observe it out of legalism in order to "earn" eternal life by obeying the Law without every sinning which is impossible.
An answer must also be sought that will bring understanding to the terms "under the law and works of the law". Most of Gentile Christian theology concerning the Torah is based on a misunderstanding of the two Greek phrases found in Paul's letters. The first is upo nomon, it appears ten times in Romans, 1 Corinthians and Galatians, and is usually translated under the law. The other is erga nomou, found with minor variations 10 times in Romans and Galatians, translated works of the law. Gentile Christian theology usually takes the first to mean within the framework of observing the Torah and the second one acts of obedience to the Torah. This understanding is wrong! Paul, in the earlier parts of his life, did not oppose the observing of Torah, which is evidenced by the fact that even though he believed in Yeshua as Messiah, he still maintain his Torah observance as a Jew (Acts 16:3, 18:18; 21:20-26, 20:16). After the two incidents with the Jersualem Church sadly Paul's views would change and it behooves the Gentile reader to see the total picture of Paul correctly in the New Testament where Paul's religious beliefs concerning the Torah would change toward the end of his life with the frustration he received in "selling" his message. This is a study in itself but understand Paul did not always oppose the Torah. This was the major stumbling block he had with the Jerusalem church.
We should understand erga nomou as legalistic attempts to observe particular Torah commands, and upo nomon as any subjection to a system that results from perverting Torah into legalism. It is important to note that in context where upo nomon is found, there is a clear element of subjection and oppressiveness that comes from legalistic observance. But in 1 Corinthians 9:20 he does not use upo nomou when referring to his relationship with Christ, there it is ennomos Christou or legally bound to Messiah.
Galatians 3:10-13 also has presented numerous stumbling blocks to the Gentiles having a proper understanding of the status of the Torah. A proper Hebraic translation should help clear the intent of Sha'ul:
For everyone who depends [for salvation] on legalistic observance of Torah commands [erga nomou-the LAW] lives under a curse, since it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the scroll of the Torah." [Deuteronomy 27:26] Now it is evident that no one comes to be declared righteous by God through legalism [nomos] since 'The person who is righteous will attain life by trusting and being faithful' [Habakkuk 2:4)
Furthermore, legalism [nomos] is not based on trusting and being faithful, but on a misuse of the text that says, 'anyone who does these things will attain life through them,' [Leviticus 18:5]. Jesus' death, IN A CERTAIN WAY, delivered Gentile believers from the curse (the curse is that the soul that sins..it shall die) pronounced in the Torah on all those disobedient and ignorant of God and His Covenant Laws by becoming cursed on our behalf (his death precipitated a moment to the world were the Covenant of Noah and the Laws of Noah would be taken for the salvation of the world); for the Tanakh says, "Everyone who hangs on a stake comes under a curse." [Deuteronomy 21:22-23]
The above paragraph is loaded with meaning and it the ONLY proper understanding of the death of Jesus. Many prior stories of the sun-god saviors of the Gentiles would be later applied to various aspects of Yeshua's life...but this is just plagiarism by the Gentiles. You have to have a prior understanding of comparative religion in order to spot such "copying" of the lives of sun-god saviors and the insertion of such events into the life of a Jewish Rabbi in the New Testament. This material is extensive I am say to say but for your benefit it is address in other articles in other website (http://www.paganizingfaithofyeshua.freeservers.com).
The curse of the law is not the curse of having to live within the framework of Torah, for the Torah is itself, good and holy. Nor is it the curse of being required to obey the Torah but lacking the power to do so. Rather it is the curse pronounced in the Torah itself for disobeying it. The point is that if anyone, Jew or Gentile, uses the Torah in a legalistic way in order to establish their own self-righteousness, then the curse will apply. For Paul such an approach to the Torah is already disobedience. In the Tanakh [Old Testament] obedience is required, but it is always to emerge from faith (David H. Stern, Messianic Jewish Manifesto Jersualem: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1988, pp. 125-146).
Restoring a more proper understanding of Torah and implementation of its principles in the life of Christian believers will be a major ingredient in defining who Gentile believers are in the context of the congregation of the Olive Tree of Israel.