AMF
International Mailbag
Q: I have read your answer
about "Is Judaism a Race or Religion?" I think that the big question is that
of Job 9,2: "How can a man be just before God?" For Judaism it is by observing
the mitzvoth in the Torah like Abraham in Gen. 26,5 and as clearly declared
in Deut. 30,14. The Apostle Paul takes the same verse in Rom. 10,8 by leaving
away the last part "that you may do it" and declares it as the "word of faith"
that is alone worth to be just before God which is the whole doctrine of his
writing. So is it by observing the law or by faith, that I'm just before God?
As I understand it the two opinions are so opposite that they can't be true
both. What do you think about.
A: Righteousness by Faith is not a New
Testament invention. The apostle Paul himself reminds us that Abraham was
justified by faith and not by works. (Romans 4:1-3, quoting Genesis 15:6 (
a verse of the Torah!). see also Hebrews 11) .
In Paul's day as now, many of the nation of Israel had allowed the commandments
to take the place of faith. They became self-righteous, believing that by
their own good works they could be justified before God. True Judaism revolves
around the Old Covenant between God and the Nation of Israel. The commandments
of the Torah are not conditions for eternal salvation, but conditions for
living at peace in the land they were about to possess. (Deuteronomy 30:16)
That they should own that land required no action on their part. It had already
been given to them by God through Abraham their father (see Genesis 15:7,
15:18, 17:8, etc) and "his gift and his call are irrevocable." (Romans
11:29) The Torah provides that even if they should be removed from the Land
because of disobedience, they would certainly be restored to it at some future
date. (Deuteronomy 30:1-10) To lose it completely and forever was impossible.
The land is the unconditional gift of God to the nation of Israel.
Christianity is about the New Covenant, which is a contract between God and
the individual believer, whether Jew or Gentile. (Romans 10:12) Salvation
is a gift to be received by faith. (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 6:23) Once saved,
the believer is assured of his place in the afterlife. (John 6:40, John 10:28,
John 11:25 and many others) At the same time, just as Israel could enjoy the
land only to the extent that they followed God's commandments, the believer
can fully enjoy his salvation only to the extent that he walks in righteousness.
(John 13:17, John 14:15, John 14:21, Romans 6:15, 8:12-13)
The same God is the author of both Covenants, therefore they must both be
true! Jesus himself declared the validity of the Hebrew Scriptures. (Matthew
5:17) The same God who commanded the nation of Israel to obey the commandments
of the Torah also sent his Son through that nation to become the Savior of
both them and the world. (Romans 1:16, Romans 9:4-5). The first covenant was
and is for Israel, and through it came the second covenant by which all people
may be saved. Both are based on faith in God, but both also expect obedience
to God in response to that faith.