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<h3>Recommendations</h3>
<p><a href="/books/hownottosudythebible/401-music-store-manager.html">Only Jesus</a> (great song by Big Daddy)</p>
<p><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/jwoogm-20?node=1&amp;page=2">What Did Jesus Say?</a> (2012) - 7 topics&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/justjesus0ece-20">Just Jesus: His Living Words (2011)</a></p>
<p>None above affiliated with me</p> </div>
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<h1>Email Exchange On Law Applicable Today</h1>
<h3>Wheeler M. email May 26, 2010:</h3>
<p>I have recently found your site and am reading through it with great interest. If I may, I'd like to ask a question. In your view that the law of Moses is still binding for the Christian, does this include the ceremonial law? The food laws? Many thanks in advance for your consideration of these questions.</p>
<h3>My Response</h3>
<p>Hi Wheeler,<br /><br />My view on the Law is simple...If it says it applied to a foreigner/sojourner, it applies to Gentiles. Otherwise, it applies only to Israelites, <em>e.g.</em>, circumcision in Lev. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus%2012&amp;version=KJV">12:1-3</a>. These foreigner-directed laws represent a very small set of commands -- largely the 10 commandments - which applies to Gentiles. (More can be found between Lev. 17-22.) See my article LAW FOR SOJOURNERS below.</p>
<p>Luther in <em>Antinomian Theses</em> and Bonhoeffer in<em> Cost of Discipleship</em> reduced it more-or-less simply to the 10 commandments, but I think that is too narrow. Many of Jesus' moral statements were paraphrases of the Lev. 17-22 section. Tyndale is consistent with how I interpret the scope of the Law on Gentiles, and thus what Jesus meant for us to teach in Matt. 5:17-19.<br /><br />As a result, none of the ceremonial laws or clean-unclean laws apply to foreigners/sojourners unless expressly stated to apply to foreigners/sojourners, of which are few. (I keep the food laws as health laws, and not laws of right/wrong, because Jesus said the food that goes in you does not make you a sinner. Hence "clean" "unclean" signified a health issue, not a moral one.&nbsp; Eating idol meat was in Exodus -- in a different text from food laws -- and was a moral wrong. Not much concern today about that.)<br /><br />Also, in my opinion, any of the temple laws are in suspense for reasons explained at this<a href="http://knol.google.com/k/standford-rives/why-law-of-sacrifice-is-suspended/g6z6g2l2q6zj/11"> knol.</a><br /><br />I also believe Jesus' sacrifice entirely fulilled the sacrifice principle under the law, as the Epistle to Hebrews concluded.<br /><br />Did this help?<br /><br />Doug</p>
<h2>Law for Sojourners Today</h2>
<p>The Law of God is perfect and unchanging. Ps. 19:7; James 1:25. It is "<em><strong>eternal for all generations</strong></em>" -- a statement repeated 11 times:&nbsp;Ex. 27:21; 30:21; Lev. 6:18; 7:36; 10:9; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 41; 24:3; Num. 10:8.</p>
<p>But Charles Ryrie, the famous Paulinist evangelical scholar, insists "the Law was<em><strong> never given to Gentiles</strong></em>, and was <strong><em>expressly done away</em></strong> for the Christian." (Charles Ryrie, <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=wCjXQwAACAAJ&amp;dq=ryrie+balancing+the+christian+life&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=u8diTYGLIpK0sAOBsLzpBw&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CD0Q6AEwAA">Balancing the Christian Life</a></em> (Chicago: Moody Press, 1969) at 88, quoted in Mathison: 88.)</p>
<p>Charles Mathison, a Reformed Christian, correctly responds -- albeit from within his Reformed world-view: -- that Ryrie errs</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">But that claim cannot be substantiated Biblically. Throughout Scripture there is only one ultimate standard to which God holds not only the Jews<em><strong> but also the "stranger" among them</strong></em> (Lev. 24:22), "the nations" (Ps. 9:4-5), "the world" (<em>id.</em>, vv. 7-8), that is the Gentiles....God is the universal king over "all the earth," and not only Israel. (Ps. 47: 2, 7-9)...In many passages, Scripture teaches that non-Israelites have the same moral standards as Iraelites and are punished for breaking them (<em>e.g.</em>, Lev. 18:24-27; 2 Kings 17:24-41; Ps. 119:118-19; Prov. 14:34; 16:12; 17:15; Isa. 10:1; 24:5-6; Dan. 4:24-25; Amos 1:3, 6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6.) (Keith Mathison, <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=UZ4LAAAACAAJ&amp;dq=mathison+dispensationalism+rightly+dividing&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=6MliTbqqHonSsAPzwMHaCA&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA">Dispensationalism: Rightly Dividing the People of God?</a></em> (P&amp;R Publishing: 1995) at 88.)</p>
<p>Mathison is correct that there is one Law, and the Gentile was subject to the commands therein, often referenced by the name 'strangers' or 'foreigners.'</p>
<p>How do we know when it extends to strangers or foreigners? In my opinion, there are five types of Laws in the Original Testament that apply to Gentiles.</p>
<p>First, under the Law, certain commands were open-ended, applicable to all. I put the Ten Commandments here.</p>
<p>Second, some applied only to the sons of Israel, such as the circumcision command. See Lev. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus%2012&amp;version=KJV">12:1-3</a> ("sons of Israel").</p>
<p>Third, some were extended to both Israel and sojourners equally (such as the moral commands between Leviticus 17 and 22 and sprinkled elsewhere in Leviticus). Some of the food laws are within this category too, <em>e.g.</em>, not to eat animals killed by other animals. Lev. <a href="http://bible.cc/leviticus/17-15.htm">17:15</a>.</p>
<p>Fourth, some applied equally only depending upon special circumstances (<em>e.g.</em>, if a sojourner wanted to participate in Passover seder, they had to be circumcised)(Ex. 12:48).</p>
<p>Finally, some of the Law was extended solely to non-Israelite sojourners, <em>e.g.</em>, eating animals that died naturally which Israelites were prohibited from eating. Deut. 14:21.</p>
<p>For more detailed information, see below: "Encyclopedia References to Law Applicable to Gentiles Under the Torah."</p>
<hr />
<h2>So What Laws Apply to Gentiles In The Torah?</h2>
<p>The Ten Commandments appear open-ended and have universal application to Israel and Sojourners / foreigners living in community with Israel. But others argue the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) are not open-ended, implied from Exodus 20:2 which says "I...brought you out of the Land of Egypt."</p>
<p>This is largely irrelevant. You can find specific mention of most of the Ten Commandments imposed on sojourners: blasphemy -- using God's name in vain / insultingly (Lev. 24:16; Num 15:30); murder (Lev. 24:17); Sabbath-breaking (Deut. 5:12-15; Lev. 25:6; Exo 23:12); adultery (Lev. 20:2, 10), etc.</p>
<p>Even if the Decalogue as a whole does not apply, Bonhoeffer says Jesus extended the Decalogue to all in the New Covenant when He spoke to the young rich man. (Matthew 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-26.) See Bonhoeffer,&nbsp;<em>Cost of Discipleship</em> (1937) at 72-84.</p>
<p>To find more, I suggest one start by reading Leviticus 17 to the end of Leviticus, and highlight any command you think applies to foreigners / sojourners or is open ended.</p>
<h2>God Promises Salvation to Foreigners/Sojourners Who Obey Sabbath and The Law</h2>
<p>In Isaiah 56:1-7, we read about the salvation terms for the "son of the stranger" (<em>i.e.</em>, the non-Jew who joins with the Jews):</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>1</sup>Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>2</sup>Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>3</sup><strong><em>Neither</em></strong> let the <em><strong>son of the stranger</strong></em>, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, <strong>saying</strong>, The LORD hath<em><strong> utterly separated me from his people:</strong></em> neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>4</sup>For thus saith the LORD unto the<strong><em> eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me</em></strong>, and take hold of my covenant;</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>5</sup>Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls<strong><em> a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters</em></strong>: I will give them an<strong><em> everlasting name, that shall not be cut off</em></strong>.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>6</sup>Also the <strong><em>sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant</em></strong>;</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><sup>7</sup>Even them will<em><strong> I bring to my holy mountain</strong></em>, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (Isaiah <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2056:1-7&amp;version=KJV">56:1-7</a> KJV.)</p>
<p>This passage makes crystal clear that laying hold of the covenant and doing things pleasing to God, including taking our Sabbath rest, are the conditions of salvation for Gentiles.</p>
<p>The inclusion of Gentiles was in the Law itself.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Deuteronomy 32:43 -</strong> Rejoice, O ye nations,&nbsp;<strong>with his people</strong>: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.</p>
<p>And in the Prophets, Jeremiah <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jer.%203:17&amp;version=YLT">3:17</a> reads:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Yahweh; and<strong><em> all the nations shall be gathered unto it</em></strong>, to the name of Yahweh, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.</p>
<h2>What About Passover?</h2>
<p>Passover dinner, which precedes the feast of unleavened bread, is optional for the Sojourner. However, if he "will keep it," then the Sojourner has to be circumcised. (Exo 12:48; Nu 9:14.)</p>
<p>Thus, Passover was an honor for a non-Jew sojourner to celebrate. If he chose to do so, he must be circumcised.</p>
<h2>Supplemental Comments</h2>
<p><strong>Blessings of God After A Meal</strong></p>
<p>There are certain laws that are wise to follow. &nbsp;For example, the Law apparently commands a blessing after one has eaten and is satisfied. See&nbsp;Deuteronomy <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%208:10&amp;version=NIV">8:10</a>.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">When you have eaten and are satisfied, <strong><em>praise the LORD your God</em></strong> <strong><em>for the good land</em></strong> he has given you.</p>
<p>It apparently is a&nbsp;safeguard against ungratefulness and idolatry. Cf. 8:12; 31:20. There is no command to bless God prior to a meal.</p>
<p><strong>What Of Levitical Interpretations of the Law?</strong></p>
<p>The Levites had a special authority under the Law to provide binding interpretations of the Law (not to extend it or nullify it):</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in&nbsp;those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou&nbsp;shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall&nbsp;choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform&nbsp;thee<strong><em>: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee</em></strong>, and according&nbsp;to the judgment which they shall tell thee, <strong><em>thou shalt do</em></strong>: thou shalt not decline from&nbsp;the sentence which they shall shew thee, [to] the right hand, nor [to] the left. And the&nbsp;man that will do presumptuously,<strong><em> and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth&nbsp;to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall&nbsp;die</em></strong>: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel." Deuteronomy 17:9-12.</p>
<p>What do we do now that there are no more Levites to turn to? In my opinion. God took them away so our High Priest Jesus / Yashua, would be the one whose words interpreting the Law would be paramount. We would not sway to the left or right, but "listen to Him," as Yah spoke twice from heaven about Jesus / Yashua -- once at His baptism and second at His transfiguration.</p>
<h2>Encylopedia References to Law Applicable to Gentiles Under Torah</h2>
<h4><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C&amp;pg=PA562&amp;lpg=PA562&amp;dq=Certain+rights+were+conceded+to+them&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=Fuo3Dkw-xy&amp;sig=du5LhrkRXBWD7vETc3Xs7nKmDA4&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=u6tzUO2fNaXKyQHa1IGoAw&amp;ved=0CE8Q6AEwBg">The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia </a>reads in its article "Sojourners":</h4>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"The Mosaic legislation was<span> quite <strong><em>open to receive outsiders into the covenant community</em></strong></span> (hence the LXX rendering of&nbsp;<span>ger proselytos</span>). Certain rights were conceded to them, including sabbatical rest (Ex. 20:10; 23:12; Dt. 5:14), a fair trial (1:16), access to the cities of refuge (Nu. 35:15; Josh. 20:9), and participation in the Feasts of Booths and Weeks (Dt. 16:11, 14). Their sustenance was to be guaranteed by provision for gleaning (along with other needy groups, Lev. 19:10; 23:22), by the triennial tithe (Dt. 26:11f) and by the produce of the land during the Sabbatical Year (Lev. 25:6f). Indeed, the juxtaposition of ger with "<span>native of the land</span>" (e.g., Ex. 12:19, 48), "<span>your countrymen</span>" (lit "your brother"), "<span>sons of Israel</span>," and similar expressions clearly indicates that<strong><em> <span>sojourners were to be treated for the most part just like ordinary Israelites</span>.</em></strong> Their&nbsp;<span>privileges </span>and<span>responsibilities </span>thus included observing the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29), the Passover (Ex. 12:49; Nu. 9:14), Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:19); sacrificial procedures (Lev. 17:8; 22:18; Nu. 15:1416);&nbsp;<span>atonement for unintentional and defiant sin</span> (15:2631); purification rites after eating unclean meat (Lev. 17:15; Nu. 19:10), sacrifices to Molech (Lev. 20:2); blaspheming the name of the Lord (24:16), sexual and moral purity (18:26),<span>lex talionis</span> (24:2022). Lev. 19:33f summarized the idealized position of the&nbsp;<span>ger's [Heb. native born]</span> position was so secure that his prosperity could conceivably exceed that of the native Israelites, and the latter could become servants for the former (Lev. 25:4755). Covenantal infidelity would bring these conditions as a curse upon Israel (Dt. 28:43)..... Whereas Lev. 17:15 forbids the native and the&nbsp;<span>ger </span>to eat animals that have died a natural death, Dt. 14:21 suggests that such animals could be given to the&nbsp;<span>ger </span>or sold to foreigners for consumption.... At an early period Israel probably adhered to these ideals (Dt. 29:10f [MT 9f]; cf. also 31:12, which included the <em><strong>sojourners in the assembly of those gathered for instruction in the Torah and the fear of the Lord).</strong></em><span> The </span><em><strong><span>gerîm </span><span>were also present at the covenant renewal ceremony</span></strong></em> conducted at Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim (Josh. 8:33). ...&nbsp;<span>Second-class treatment of sojourners may, however, be documented from later history</span>. The&nbsp;<span>gêrîm </span>noted separately in Davids census (2 Ch. 2:17 [MT 16]) became the basis of Solomons work crews, some of which consisted entirely of sojourners (cf. 1 Ch. 22:2). Nevertheless, in&nbsp;<span>Ezekiels vision of the restored community (47:22), the identification of the&nbsp;<span>gêrîm </span>with native Israelites is almost complete, even to receiving an inheritance of land in the midst of the tribe in which they resided</span>. [<em>ISBE</em> (Editor Geoffrey Bromiley)(1995) Vol. 4 at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C&amp;lpg=PA562&amp;ots=Fuo3Dkw-xy&amp;dq=Certain%20rights%20were%20conceded%20to%20them&amp;pg=PA562#v=onepage&amp;q=Certain%20rights%20were%20conceded%20to%20them&amp;f=false">562</a>, with some bracketed corrections.]</p>
<p>"Alien," <em>Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible </em><em>reads:</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>Foreigners or sojourners had certain rights but also certain limitations while in Israel</span>. They could <strong><em>offer sacrifices </em></strong>(Lv 17:8; 22:18) but <em><strong>could not enter the sanctuary unless circumcised </strong></em>(Ez 44:9). They were allowed to participate in the three great Jewish festivals (Dt 16:11, 14) but <em><strong>could not eat the Passover meal unless circumcised</strong></em> (Ex 12:43, 48)....They were <em><strong>not to work on the sabbath</strong></em> and the Day of Atonement (Ex 20:10; 23:12; Lv 16:29; Dt 5:14) and could be stoned for reviling or blaspheming Gods name (Lv 24:16; Nm 15:30). Foreigners <strong><em>were forbidden to eat blood</em></strong> (Lv 17:10, 12) but could eat animals that had died a natural death (Dt 14:21). Israels code of <em><strong>sexual morality also applied to the foreigner</strong></em> (Lv 18:26).&nbsp;<span>There were prohibitions against Israelite intermarriage with foreigners, but it was nevertheless a common occurrence </span>(Gn 34:14; Ex 34:12, 16; Dt 7:3, 4; Jos 23:12). ...<span><em><strong>Civil rights were provided for foreigners by the Law of Moses</strong></em></span> (Ex 12:49; Lv 24:22), and<span> they came under the <em><strong>same legal processes and penalties</strong></em></span> (Lv 20:2; 24:16, 22; Dt 1:16). They were to be treated politely (Ex 22:21; 23:9),<span> loved as those under the love of God</span> (Lv 19:34; Dt 10:18, 19), and <em><strong>treated generously if poor and receive the fruits of the harvest</strong></em> (Lv 19:10; 23:22; Dt 24:1922).&nbsp;<span>They could receive asylum in times of trouble</span> (Nm 35:15; Jos 20:9). <em><strong>Foreign servants were to receive treatment equal to Hebrew servants</strong></em> (Dt 24:14). A foreigner could not take part in tribal deliberations or become a king (17:15). The prophet<span> Ezekiel looked forward to the messianic age when the foreigner would share all the blessings of the land with Gods own people</span> (Ez 47:22, 23) in Israel.</p>
<h1>Email on July 20, 2012</h1>
<p>D writes me:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">You may recall I told you we were having a Bible Study in our home conducted by a Messianic Jew.... and at one time we had 20 people attending. Slowly, one by one, they stopped coming. In retrospect, I believe there was too much Jewish tradition that was not explained. At least, that was the case for me.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">For example, wearing a&nbsp;shawl or a scull cap when praying. I understand all Jews follow this tradition. At present, I'm not sure, as a gentile, exactly what I should and should not be doing. One thing that turned me off regarding the Messianic movement was when I saw on the Internet a bunch of Jew wannabees wearing a scull cap along with a long beard. HOWEVER, I'm simply seeking truth. If I discover I need to be wearing certain things while praying, I will do so, to be obedient to our heavenly Father.<br />What is your understanding or belief regarding what you wear while praying? For example, at sundown on Friday night, while praying in the Sabbath.<br />I'm currently studying the feasts mentioned in the Torah. There seems to be a lot of blessings we are missing by not celebrating these dates. What are your thoughts on this subject? Have you written anything on this subject?</p>
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<h2>My Reply to D on July 21, 2012</h2>
<p>To answer how to know what laws apply, I start first with Yashua's words - Yahweh appointed him in Deuteronomy 18 as "the prophet" -- the obedience to whose words would be "required." This is a universal principle for Jew and Gentile stated in the Law.</p>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Next, I read the Law as having often distinct commands to Israel versus "sojourners" or "foreigners" (not Israelites) who lived in Israel. The latter are now known as Gentiles. If they live in community with Israel, some but not all commands applicable to Israel applies to the Gentiles by the strict reading of the Law itself. So Leviticus 12:1-3 says Israelites must be circumcised, but the Law has no blanket command to Gentiles to do so. It implicitly says they don't have to be circumcised in all cases to live in community with Israel because elsewhere it says if the Gentile (sojourner / foreigner) wishes to celebrate Passover (no compulsion to do so), they must be circumcised. Exodus 12:19. I believe these kind of distinctions in the Law are why James in Acts 15 found circumcision applies to Jews not Gentiles -- by strictly reading Leviticus 12:1-3 which narrows its application to the "sons of Israel."</div>
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<div>Thus, the issue about a prayer shawl must turn on the text of the command, if any, found in the Law, and then whether it also applies to Gentiles.</div>
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<div>WIkipedia on the Tallit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallit">http://en.wikipedia.<wbr />org/wiki/Tallit</a> has this to say:</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<blockquote>The&nbsp;<strong>Bible does not command wearing of a unique prayer shawl or tallit</strong>. Instead, it presumes that people wore a garment of some type to cover themselves and instructs them to add fringes (tzitzit) to the 4 corners of these (<a target="_blank" title="Book of Numbers" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Numbers">Numbers</a> 15:38, <a target="_blank" title="Deuteronomy" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuteronomy">Deuteronomy</a> <wbr />22:12). These passages do not specify tying particular types or numbers of knots in the fringes. Nor do they specify a gender division between men and women, or between native Israelite/Hebrew people and those assimilated by them. The exact customs regarding the tying of the tzitzit and the format of the tallit are post-Biblical and rabbinical and can vary between various Jewish communities.</blockquote>
<p>Hence, there is no command to pray with a shawl. (Paul taught a woman must have a head covering, but even Paul had no command a man use a prayer shawl.)</p>
<p>Incidentally, the fringes command only applies if you are wearing a 4 cornered garment, but there is no command to wear a four cornered garment (like a poncho). Thus, it is largely anachronistic -- meaning clothing practices of today rarely involve where one puts on a four cornered poncho. It can happen. But I don't concern myself about it because I do not wear such clothes.</p>
<p>By the way, the command about not cutting one's beard in a certain way is not a command to have a beard. It is a command not in effect to have a Fu Manchu shaped beard. I have a page on that if you need it. It is in JWO. Hence, having a beard, even for a Jew, is not required.</p>
<p>Hence, a lot of traditions are just that ... traditions.... or hedges around the Law -- exaggerated readings to prevent any possible theoretical violation. Jesus / Yashua told us not to live with such excessive unnecessary burdens not in the Law itself.</p>
<p>Perhaps the people attending at your home faded away when non-Biblical traditions were being suggested while the true Law was being denied validity by the Pauline rabbi you mentioned.</p>
<p>I personally celebrate Passover because it was an option for a circumcised Gentile under the Law to do so (Exodus 12:19), and I love its meaning. I don't understand the other high holy days as applicable to Gentiles. Booths clearly is for Jews. The Day of Atonement critically depends upon the Temple, but I celebrate it anyway in a spiritualized sense.</p>
<div>The key is to not let Pauline thinking contaminate us where the "letter of the Law kills" and "incites" sin in us. That is blasphemy. Instead, the Law is good for us, frees us, settles us, guides us, comforts us, teaches us, and ultimately helps us admire and love God for His goodness and mercy.</div>
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<div>That's my take on things....Shabbat Shalom D.</div>
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