I grew up as a Christian in America. I was taught to fully believe in Jesus and follow Him. I had no problem with doing so. I was taught that Jesus is the second part of the Holy Trinity and, therefore, God. I didn’t get it, but I submitted to the idea. So how did I go from that to teaching my children Torah?
In my young adult years, I pursued a deep relationship with YHVH. The question I held in my heart was How do I know what is right and what is wrong? What is to be the foundation of my moral compass? I started studying the Gospels, specifically the teachings of Jesus. I repeatedly saw the calling of His followers to keep the laws of YHVH, as well as believe that He is the Mashiach, Son of YHVH.
Matthew 5:17-20 (KJV)
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. “
Why the scribes and Pharisees? Because they know the law. The scribes write it and maintain the scrolls. The Pharisees study and teach it. Your righteousness is your knowing and keeping of the law of YHVH, which is written in the books of Moshe.
Matthew 19:16-22 (KJV)
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, YHVH: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, “Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”
It was part of the culture then and now, that when listing commandments in entirety, you list some from the beginning and the end of the Torah, implying all that was in between. This was done when saying them, and when writing them. Your average Christian knows the first commandments that were listed in this passage. What some may not know is that “Love thy neighbor as thyself” is also listed as a commandment. Leviticus 19:18 (KJV) “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am YHVH.” This implies keeping all of the laws of YHVH.
Keeping the commandments is also in the letters, one example being…
1 Timothy 6:1 (KJV)
“Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of YHVH and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren, but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness: He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of currupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness; from such withdraw thyself.”
The doctrine of YHVH is His written law. The believing masters are the Rabbis who believe Yeshua is the Ha-Mashiach. There were thousands of Jews, and many rabbis who believed that Yeshua was the Ha-Mashiach during that time.
In the book of Acts chapter 15, Peter, Paul, and several other rabbis met to discuss how to teach the converts the law and Yeshua. Some of these rabbis were still law-focused and felt that it should be taught first, and others, like Paul, felt Yeshua should be taught first because these converts were directed to YHVH by the work of the Spirit of YHVH. They decided that those who felt as Peter did – law first – would teach the Jews, who already operated under the law, of the Mashiach, Yeshua. And those who felt as Paul did – Yeshua first – would teach the converts of the Mashiach, Yeshua first, and law would follow.
If a man teaches you it’s only one or the other, not both the words of Yeshua and the laws of YHVH, withdraw yourself from him. He is a proud man (or she is a proud woman), knows nothing, destitute of the truth, etc. These are hard judgements because we all know someone who is incredibly kind and generous, but says we are not to keep the law, it’s all about Jesus. Or we are to keep only the law, and the Mashiach has yet to come. You don’t want to think of them as destitute of the truth, yet the Bible says it.
Revelation 12:17 states that during the last days when the dragon is on the earth he will “make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of YHVH, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” It is not either or, it is both and.
This is what brought me to keeping the Torah, because Ha-Mashiach directed me back to it.
So, back to the opening question, how do I know what is right from wrong? What is considered sinful? Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. The law isn’t our salvation, it is knowledge of what is sinful and what is righteous in the sight of YHVH as described by YHVH, interpreted by Moshe, and reiterated by Yeshua. I’ll know right from wrong by keeping the laws of YHVH.
Believing in and submitting to Yeshua Ha-Mashiach is salvation. Believing in Yeshua does not do away with the laws of YHVH; He said so Himself in Matthew 5. It is also reiterated in Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Our faith in Yeshua does not void the law. Faith in Yeshua would cause you to keep the law perfectly, meaning no adding to it, nor taking away from it.
I teach my children Torah now as well as who Yeshua is. I encourage you, Mom, to teach your children the laws, commandments, and statutes of YHVH, alongside teaching them salvation in Yeshua. How do you do that? My advice is to go the route that Peter took. Teach them the law first, and then teach them Yeshua. If you want more details on how, read my post on How I Teach My Children Torah.