What comes to mind when you hear “the Law”? Most people I meet in mainstream Christianity immediately associate “Law” as something negative. Something harsh. Something undesirable. Something they want to get away from.
I know pastors who teach that “the Law” is impossible to keep. Furthermore, they teach that God intentionally made “the Law” impossible to keep. I’ve sat through sermons that say God’s Law only existed to make a point that we suck, that we don’t measure up, and that we’re no good. Then, we are told, Jesus got rid of “the Law” so that we are now free to disobey it without consequence…if we are “saved”. This teaching completely misunderstands God’s Law and Jesus’ purpose; and, it profanes the name of God.
What if we were to clear ourselves of the bias? What if we were to stop immediately associating Law = bad and, instead, study “the Law” with a positive mindset? What if we were to consider “the Law” is part of God’s word, He gave it to us for some good purpose, and we might actually benefit from studying it? How would our approach to “the Law” change? How would our interpretation of everything left of Matthew change if we were to approach it with a positive mindset instead of expecting it to be brutal and terrible?
What is Torah?
What is commonly referred to as “the Law” is actually Torah. The Hebrew word תּוֹרָה (Torah) properly means teaching, instruction, direction, guidance, or commandment. Torah is often translated and described as “Law”, and it does include the concept of commandments or laws, but it more properly means teaching or direction.
The word “Law” carries a very negative connotation in mainstream Christianity. We’re conditioned that when we hear “Law” we immediately associate this with “bad”, “burdensome”, “oppressive”, “harsh”, or “undesirable”. “The Law” is generally not even taught, or not taught well; it’s presented as this terrible thing the Jews had to live under until Jesus got rid of it. This is incorrect, and it disparages God to think of His teachings in such a way.
Torah is God’s instructions for our lives. Torah defines righteousness and sin, clean and unclean, holiness and abomination, good and evil… Discipline and punishment under the Torah might seem harsh if we don’t understand it; but, the point of Torah is actually to instruct us in advance so that we can avoid the need to be disciplined or punished. The purpose of Torah is not to “get us”. Frankly, if God wanted to get us then every one of us would already have been gotten. No, the purpose of Torah is actually to keep us from evil by telling us in advance how to recognize and avoid it.
We don’t violate Torah because it’s impossible to obey
We violate Torah because we desire what is evil, and we hate authority
Torah doesn’t punish us because it’s harsh
Torah punishes us because it’s just, and we can learn from our affliction
The first step to changing our perspective of “the Law” is to understand what it is, how it functions, and why it was given to us in the first place.
Try this: Study the Torah with the mindset that it’s God’s teachings and instructions. Keep in mind that God gave us His teachings in advance so that we can recognize good and evil, so that we can make right choices in life. Torah is not a harsh penal system; rather, it tells us in advance how to walk in God’s ways so that we can avoid sin and its just penalty.
It Was Given For Our Good
And now, Israel, what does YHWH your God require of you, but to fear YHWH your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of YHWH, which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)
Moses related to us what God requires of us. And what does God require of us?
We are to revere God. English translations commonly render this as “fear”. This verse uses the Hebrew root word יָרֵא (Yaw-ray), which can mean “fear” but can also mean “revere” or “stand in awe of”. In the context of Deuteronomy 10:12-13, “revere” is the better understanding of the word. God wants us to have a sense of reverence and awe towards Him; He doesn’t want to terrify us.
We are to walk in all God’s ways. Torah instructs us on what is right and wrong, clean and unclean, righteous and sin. Torah defines God’s ways, and putting Torah into practice is walking in God’s ways.
We are to love God. To love God is to obey His commandments; and, His commandments are not a burden (see 1 John 5:1-5).
We are to serve God with all our heart and soul. Torah defines God’s will for us. How can we serve God in any way other than obeying Him and doing His will?
We are to keep God’s commandments, which were given to us for our good.
Every aspect of our relationship with God hinges on Torah:
We revere God by knowing Him and His deeds
Knowledge of God and His deeds are learned by studying Torah
We walk in all God’s ways by putting His Torah into practice
Knowledge of God’s ways are learned by studying Torah
We love God by obeying His commandments
Knowledge of God’s commandments are learned by studying Torah
We serve God by adhering to His Torah
Knowledge of how to serve God is learned by studying Torah
We keep God’s commandments and statutes by clinging to Torah
Knowledge of God’s statutes are learned by studying Torah
And the kicker is…it was all given to us for our good
Try this: Study the Torah with the mindset that it was given for our benefit. As you read God’s teachings, instructions, and commandments ask yourself, “How does this benefit me?” If you begin your study with a positive mindset that God’s instructions are beneficial, and if you seek the benefit in everything He told us, your entire outlook on Torah will change. You will find blessing, benefit, holiness, and perfection in all of God’s commandments.
It’s More Precious Than Gold
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter of the Bible…and it’s all about how great God’s Torah is. The psalm is a praise of Torah, speaking of all the blessings and benefits of obeying God’s instructions and commandments. Please read and meditate on Psalm 119; an honest reflection on Psalm 119 will change your perspective on Torah.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your torah. (Psalm 119:18)
According to the psalmist, God’s Torah contains wondrous things for us to seek. We should emulate the psalmist’s prayer and yearning, that God will open us to study His Torah and give us insight and understanding of His teachings. And like the psalmist, we should approach our study of Torah with the expectation that it contains truly wondrous things.
Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your torah! (Psalm 119:29)
Torah is the antithesis of falsehood. If we want to pursue truth we ought to turn to Torah and commit ourselves to study, meditation, and practice of it. This makes sense; if Torah teaches us the will of God, clean versus unclean, and righteousness versus sin…why wouldn’t we want to diligently study it and put it into practice?
And, we see the “g-word” in verse 29. It’s by the grace of God that He gave us His teachings, instructions, and commandments so that we can know Him and walk in His ways. Too often we misunderstand “grace” as getting off the hook and not having to obey “the Law”. The exact opposite is true. It’s an act of God’s grace that He teaches us His Law so that we can understand His will and distinguish between righteousness and sin. By grace, God taught us His will and His ways. By grace, God forgives us when we violate His will and His ways. If we think to get God’s forgiveness then intentionally go on violating His will and His ways…that is the ultimate abuse of grace.
I long for your salvation, YHWH,
and your torah is my delight. (Psalm 119:174)
Salvation is not an escape from Law. Law is not the enemy of salvation. Rather, we should long for God’s salvation without letting go of His Law. This idea is also reflected in Revelation 12:17, where we see that the faithful remnant of God’s people are those who both keep His commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
God’s Law is a delight, and to obey God is the aim of salvation. We don’t receive God’s salvation so that we can be free to disobey Him. No, we receive God’s salvation so that our relationship with Him is restored and the penalty of our Lawlessness is resolved. Then, when our relationship with God is restored, we ought to begin obeying and serving Him as He requires.
Try this: Study the Torah with a mindset that it is very highly esteemed and praised by the greatest figures in the Bible. Men like David, driven by God’s inspiration, wrote psalm after psalm in praise of Torah. Moses insisted the people commit Torah to their hearts and minds, and that they teach it to their children. If you read Torah with the perspective that it’s our greatest treasure, your view of Torah will completely change.
Others Will be Impressed by It
See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as YHWH my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as YHWH our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this torah that I set before you today? (Deuteronomy 4:5-8)
God’s Law is so great and so perfect that it should impress the nations that lack it. People should see the wisdom and benefit we gain from obeying God’s Law, and they should want it for themselves. People should see how much better God’s ways are than their ways, and it should urge them to acknowledge God’s perfection and supremacy. When we put Torah into practice, it should naturally impact the people around us who do not put God’s instructions into practice.
Try this: Study Torah with the mindset that it’s better than every world system in existence (past, present, and future). Consider how each of God’s instructions is better than what the nations of the world have. Consider why God’s ways are better. Consider how God’s ways would impress the nations of the world if they saw it put in action. When we approach our study with the understanding of how God’s Law impacts the world, it will change the way we view and interpret Torah.
Give it a Go
Read Genesis through Deuteronomy. As you do so, approach the text with a positive mindset. Keep in mind that this is the word and will of God. Look for the good, the blessing, and the benefit in God’s Torah. Be mindful of how much value the greatest prophets and kings placed on Torah. Expect to find wondrous things in the Torah. Compare God’s ways to the world’s ways, and see if God’s ways aren’t clearly better.