TruthQuest International LLC; Bible Study Network

Tag: faith

  • Doctrines & Practices

    We begin with:

    • Ephesians 5:2 “Walk in love…”
    • Matthew 22:37-39 “…love…God…love thy neighbour…”
    • Deuteronomy 6:5 “…love YHVH thy God…”
    • Leviticus 19:18 “…love thy neighbour as thyself…”

    Do we follow Torah, The Jewish Messiah or The Apostle Paul’s instructions?

    The Apostle Paul was “SENT” by The Jewish Messiah to preach and teach Gentiles, and Peter, John and James were sent to preach and teach Jews.

    🌿 1. Isaiah 49:6 Was Delegated Directly to Paul (Acts 13:47)

    Isaiah 49:6 says:

    “I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles…”

    Originally spoken to the Servant of YHWH — the Messiah.

    But in Acts 13:47, Paul quotes this verse and says:

    “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles…”

    Paul does not say:

    • “This was spoken to Messiah.”
    • “This was fulfilled already.”
    • “This is not for us.”

    He says:

    “The Lord has commanded us.”

    Meaning:

    • The Messiah’s Gentile‑mission mandate is delegated to Paul.
    • Paul is the appointed vessel for Gentile salvation.
    • Paul is the executor of Isaiah 49:6 in the post‑resurrection era.

    This is the clearest textual proof that Gentile doctrine and Gentile mission flow through Paul, not through Messiah’s earthly ministry.

    🌿 2. Messiah Was Sent ONLY to Israel During His Earthly Ministry

    He says this explicitly — multiple times.

    Matthew 15:24

    “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

    This is not metaphor. This is jurisdiction.

    Matthew 10:5–6

    When sending the Twelve:

    “Go not into the way of the Gentiles… But go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”

    This is a geographical and covenantal restriction.

    Romans 15:8

    Paul confirms it:

    “Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.”

    His earthly ministry was:

    • to Israel
    • for Israel
    • within Israel’s covenant
    • confirming Israel’s promises

    He did not minister to Gentiles. He did not teach Gentile discipleship. He did not give Gentile doctrine. He did not establish Gentile practice.

    Therefore:

    Nothing Jesus said in His earthly ministry can be universalized as Gentile doctrine unless Paul reaffirms it.

    This is not disrespect — it is covenantal accuracy.

    🌿 3. Paul Is the Sole Authorized Doctrinal Transmitter for Gentiles (2 Tim 2:2)

    Paul says:

    2 Timothy 2:2

    “The things that you have heard from me, commit to faithful men who will teach others also.”

    Notice:

    • Not “the things you heard from Jesus’ earthly ministry.”
    • Not “the things you heard from the Twelve.”
    • Not “the things you heard from Moses.”

    Paul says:

    “The things you heard from ME.”

    This is a chain of custody:

    Christ → Paul → Timothy → faithful men → the Gentile ekklesia

    Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13). Paul is the wise master builder (1 Cor 3:10). Paul received the mystery (Eph 3:1–9). Paul’s gospel will judge the world (Rom 2:16). Paul’s pattern is the pattern (1 Tim 1:16).

    Therefore:

    Paul is the sole doctrinal authority for Gentile believers.

    Not Peter. Not James. Not the Gospels. Not Torah. Not Jesus’ pre‑cross instructions to Israel.

    Only Paul.

    🎯 Putting It All Together

    Here is the airtight jurisdictional chain:

    1. Isaiah 49:6 → delegated to Paul (Acts 13:47)

    Paul is the Messiah’s appointed light to the Gentiles.

    2. Messiah’s earthly ministry → exclusively to Israel

    He taught Jews under Torah, not Gentiles under grace.

    3. Paul → sole doctrinal authority for Gentiles (II Tim 2:2)

    Gentile doctrine flows through Paul alone.

    Therefore:

    Gentiles must not build doctrine from Jesus’ earthly ministry. Gentiles must build doctrine from Paul, the apostle sent to them.

    This is not anti‑Jesus. This is honoring Jesus’ own jurisdictional design.

    SALVATION EXAMPLE

    🌿 1. JESUS’ SALVATION MESSAGE (PRE‑CROSS, TO ISRAEL)

    When the Messiah speaks about “eternal life” in the Gospels, He is speaking to:

    • Jews
    • under the Sinai covenant
    • before His death
    • before the New Covenant
    • before Gentile inclusion

    So His answer reflects Israel’s covenant terms, not the Gentile gospel.

    Matthew 19:16–17

    “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

    Which commandments? The Torah commandments — because He is speaking to a Torah‑obligated Jew.

    Luke 10:25–28

    “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus: “What is written in the Law? … Do this and you will live.”

    Again — Torah, because the man is a Jew under Torah.

    Matthew 5:19

    “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments…”

    Again — Torah commandments, spoken to Israel, not the nations.

    Romans 15:8 (Paul’s commentary)

    “Christ was a minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers.”

    Jesus’ earthly ministry = to Israel, confirming Israel’s covenant.

    So His salvation instructions reflect Israel’s covenantal obligations, not the Gentile gospel.

    🌿 2. PAUL’S SALVATION MESSAGE (POST‑CROSS, TO THE GENTILES)

    Paul’s message is radically different — because the covenant has changed and the audience has changed.

    Acts 16:30–31

    “What must I do to be saved?” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…”

    No Torah. No commandments. No circumcision. No Sinai covenant.

    Acts 20:21

    “Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

    Ephesians 2:8–9

    “For by grace you are saved through faith… not of works.”

    Galatians 2:16

    “A man is not justified by the works of the law.”

    Galatians 3:11

    “No one is justified by the law.”

    Romans 3:28

    “A man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”

    Paul’s gospel is:

    Repent + Believe → Saved by Grace → Not by Torah

    This is the Gentile salvation formula, and it is the only one the apostles approved (Acts 15).

    🌿 **3. WHY THE DIFFERENCE?

    Because Jesus and Paul are operating in different jurisdictions.**

    Jesus’ earthly ministry

    • To Israel
    • Under Torah
    • Before the cross
    • Before the New Covenant
    • Before Gentile inclusion
    • Confirming the promises to the fathers

    Paul’s ministry

    • To the Gentiles
    • After the cross
    • Under the New Covenant
    • Apart from Torah
    • Revealing the mystery
    • Establishing the Gentile ekklēsia

    This is not contradiction — it is covenantal progression.

    🌿 4. The Apostles Themselves Settled This in Acts 15

    The Jerusalem Council ruled:

    • Gentiles are not to be circumcised
    • Gentiles are not to keep the Law of Moses
    • Gentiles receive four prohibitions, not Torah
    • Salvation is through grace, not Torah

    This is the official apostolic position.

    🌿 5. Paul Is the Doctrinal Authority for Gentiles (2 Tim 2:2)

    Paul says:

    “The things you have heard from ME, commit to faithful men…”

    Not:

    • the things Jesus said to Israel
    • the things Moses commanded
    • the things the Twelve taught before Acts 15

    Paul is the authorized transmitter of Gentile doctrine.

    🎯 Conclusion: Two Salvation Messages — Two Covenants — Two Audiences

    Jesus to Israel (pre‑cross):

    “Keep the commandments and live.” (Torah‑based covenant faithfulness)

    Paul to the Gentiles (post‑cross):

    “Repent and believe.” “By grace you are saved.” “Not by works of the law.”

    These are not competing messages — they are jurisdictionally distinct.

    Jesus spoke to Israel under Torah. Paul speaks to Gentiles under grace.

    And the apostles confirmed Paul’s gospel as the one binding on the nations.

    🌿 1. JESUS’ TEACHING: “Take No Thought for Your Life” (Matthew 6:25–34)

    Jesus says:

    • “Take no thought for your life…”
    • “Take no thought for what you shall eat…”
    • “Take no thought for what you shall drink…”
    • “Take no thought for what you shall wear…”
    • “Your heavenly Father knows you need these things…”
    • “Seek first the kingdom…”

  • Torah is for: “Jews Only”

    📘 Are the 614 Commandments of the Torah Exclusively for “the Children of Israel”?

    A Textual and Jurisdictional Demonstration

    The Torah presents itself not as a universal moral code for humanity, but as the national covenant constitution of a specific people: the biological descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

    The only mechanism by which a Gentile could come under this covenant was full conversion into Israel’s covenant community — a process the New Covenant explicitly does not require.

    ______________________________

    The following eight lines of evidence establish this with clarity.

    🌿 1. Torah is addressed to a specific covenant people: “the Children of Israel”

    The legal subject of the Torah is repeatedly and explicitly identified:

    • Exodus 19:3–6 — “These are the words you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
    • Leviticus 19:2 — “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel…”
    • Numbers 15:38 — “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make fringes…”

    This formula appears over 40 times. The Torah’s audience is Israel, not humanity at large.

    🌿 2. The Sinai covenant was made ONLY with Israel

    One of the clearest covenant‑boundary statements in Scripture:

    Deuteronomy 5:1–3

    “The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.”

    This excludes:

    • Abraham
    • Isaac
    • Jacob
    • all Gentile nations

    Sinai is not a universal covenant. It is a national covenant.

    🌿 3. Torah‑keeping is Israel’s covenant identity

    Deuteronomy 26:18

    “YHVH has declared you to be His peculiar people, that you should keep all His commandments.”

    Commandment‑keeping is the identity marker of Israel. It is not the identity of the nations.

    🌿 4. No Gentile nation ever received Torah

    David states this with unmatched clarity:

    Psalm 147:19–20

    “He shows His word to Jacob… He has not dealt so with any nation.”

    This is the strongest exclusion clause in the Old Testament. Torah was never given to Gentiles.

    🌿 5. The only authorized way a Gentile may keep Torah is through full conversion

    The Torah itself defines the process:

    Exodus 12:48

    “If a stranger wants to keep the Passover… let all his males be circumcised, and then he shall be as one born in the land.”

    This is full covenantal assimilation:

    • circumcision
    • joining Israel
    • becoming “as one born in the land”

    There is no Torah category for:

    • Gentiles keeping Torah as Gentiles
    • Gentiles keeping Torah without conversion
    • Gentiles keeping Torah as a moral ideal

    The Torah does not permit it.

    🌿 6. The Torah distinguishes Israel from the nations

    Examples:

    • Deut 4:7–8 — No other nation has these statutes.
    • Deut 7:6 — Israel is a “holy people” chosen from among the nations.
    • Lev 20:26 — Israel is separated from the nations by commandments.

    Torah is the boundary marker between Israel and the Gentiles.

    🌿 7. The New Testament affirms the same boundary

    Paul states:

    Romans 2:14

    “The Gentiles, who do not have the law…”

    The apostles at the Jerusalem Council ruled:

    • Gentiles are not to be circumcised
    • Gentiles are not to keep the law of Moses
    • Gentiles receive four prohibitions, not Torah

    (Acts 15)

    Paul commands Gentiles:

    1 Corinthians 7:17–20

    “Was anyone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.”

    This is the opposite of Torah conversion.

    🌿 8. Paul says Torah‑teachers who impose Torah on Gentiles “do not understand the law”

    1 Timothy 1:7

    “Desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things they confidently affirm.”

    Why?

    Because Torah was never given to Gentiles.

    🎯 Conclusion

    The textual evidence is overwhelming:

    • Torah is addressed to Israel alone.
    • Sinai is not a universal covenant.
    • Torah‑keeping is Israel’s covenant identity.
    • No Gentile nation ever received Torah.
    • The only way for a Gentile to keep Torah was full conversion.
    • The New Testament reaffirms this boundary.
    • Paul explicitly rejects Torah‑keeping for Gentiles.

    Therefore:

    The 614 commandments of the Torah are exclusively for the Children of Israel. Gentiles are not invited to keep them unless they undergo full covenant conversion — a process the New Covenant explicitly does not require.