I could choose to start in many places with this subject but I will choose Galatians as it is often used to show the Feasts of the L-rd or even the Sabbath do not apply to christians. I think this also will show some of us that Paul was not anti-Torah, but rather, like Peter said, was easy to misunderstand. 4:8-10 "[b]But then indeed, when you did not know G-d, you served those that were not gods by nature: but since you did not know G-d, or rather are know by G-d, how do you return again to be subjected to the weak and inpoverished principles, or heavenly bodies which you want to serve over again? You scrupulously observe days and months and seasons and years[/b]." It is always amazing to me to watch how quickly the right hand can betray the left hand. Christians will teach the fact that this letter was written to believing Gentiles who were being coerced by 'Jewish converts' to believe that in addition to salvation in Yahshua, they must obey Torah and be circumcised. That the blood of Yeshua was not enough to save, and they needed to add Torah obedience as well. But after establishing that Paul's audience was Gentile, They quickly turn the same audience into 'legalistic' Jews. All of the sudden the 'weak and impoverished principles' become Torah and the observances of days, months, times and years became 'Old Testament' observances. Here we have the most profound case of blindness, for even the most cursory examination of the cultures of any civilization are filled with the study and observation of days, months, times, and years. Why do so many christians jump to the conclusion that these are 'Jewish' observances? This identification of Gentiles as being those who in the past worshipped other gods and 'knew not G-d', continues to fit the context of the letter which is to Gentiles. They are the ones who did not KNOW the Messiah and it is them that Paul is pleading not to return to their former pagan life. Who is our audience here? Gentiles! The Tanach is full of warnings by G-d to stay away from the astrologers, observers of times, and stargazers of the nations ([b]Deut. 4:19, 18:10-11; Isaiah 47:3; Daniel 2:2[/b]). These ungodly cultures sought the movement of celestial bodies to advise their lives and their futures. They depended upon heavenly formations as indicators of the coming wrath of the gods or the pouring out of their grace. Certain days and months were bad luck because of the positions of various constellations. These observances kept their followers in bondage to them. This verse has nothing to do with the ordained beginning of months, times, and years, or Sabbath as given to us by our Creator from the very beginning. I would like to know what it is that lives within us that drives us to accept the teaching that Yeshua made obsolete the observances that His Father gave, but has no problem with the pagan observances of days, months, times, and years (christmas, easter, thankgiving, and the other one). I would take that a step further. Why does the Christian religion teach that man's laws are for today but G-d's laws are not? It has always been true that man, in general, cannot tolerate the 613 commandments of the G-d of Israel, and only rarely complains about the tens of thousands of laws propagated by his own country.

Post edited by: barry, at: 2007/05/06 01:03

That last paragraph sums it up quite nicely. I've heard the phrase "Render unto Caesar..." misused so many times, to say that we should just do whatever we're told by our government to do. Nothing could be further from the truth. Messiah Himself told us not to fear he who can kill the body, but only He who can kill both body and soul in hell (G-d). He also told us that a man cannot serve two masters, for he will love the one and hate the other. Yet we try to do just that: remain among the most patriotic Americans, while at the same time claiming to serve G-d above all others. How, then, shall these same people who say that it is not too much to ask that we keep the thousands upon thousands of pages of laws, from local to county to state to federal, civil and criminal, CASE law, so complicated neither we nor many LAWYERS can even KNOW it(instead speciailizing in a type of case).. How can these same people claim that 613 rules are too much to follow? "If you love me, you will keep my commands" John 14:15 There are many who say that Jesus IS G-d, that they are one and the same; indistinguishable. To these, I ask, Do you love Jesus? Do you keep His commands? All of them? But it doesn't matter whether He is or isn't G-d for this matter. If they are separate, Do you love G-d? Do you keep His commands? [b]"Don't think that I have come to abolish Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish, but to complete" [/b](Or 'not to destroy, but to fulfill') -Matthew 5:17 There is no "new covenant" and "old covenant." Your Bible may divide these two sections, but this is a manmade division. G-d is eternal and unchanging, as it His Word. We have one Father, one family, one blood, one home, one love. Our G-d is no respector of persons, nor races. What He wants, He wants from us all. Was Torah always a lie, or is it, then now and forever, His Holy Word for all who seek to do what is pleasing to Him, and trust in Him for their redemption? I say the latter.