“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says Yahweh Sabaoth. (Zechariah 4: 6)
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Concerning Grace and “the Law”, Confusion Abounds
Grace is arguably the least understood concept in the Bible. So, what is grace?
The literal meaning of grace is “unmerited favor”. Romans 5: 8 points to what grace means in believers’ lives:
“But Elohim demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, the Messiah died for us.”
Yahweh poured out His unmerited favor (grace) on us by sending the Messiah to die for us while we were sinners. He is our atoning sacrifice.
This is how John explained it:
“He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (1 John 2: 2)
Genesis 6: 8 is the first verse in the Bible that mentions grace:
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.”
“Chen” is the Hebrew word that’s translated as “favor” in Genesis 6: 8 . It means grace.
What did Noah do that caused him to find favor with Yahweh? How was he different?
Noah heard Yahweh’s voice and obeyed Him. Genesis 6: 1-8 provides the context:
Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of Elohim saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then Yahweh said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Then Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Yahweh was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Yahweh said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor [grace] in the eyes of Yahweh.
During Noah’s day, evil was rampant. “The sons of Elohim” were on the earth. They are called the Nephilim.
Nephilim is derived from the Hebrew verb “naphal” which means “to fall”. Thus, we are told that fallen angels consorted with the daughters of men and had children by them. During Noah’s day, the Nephilim had infected the world with their progeny. Noah was different because he did not descend from the Nephilim and he obeyed Yahweh.
Yahweh told Noah to build and ark. It was no simple undertaking. It took Noah about 100 years to complete the task. Prior to the flood, there was no rain on the earth (Genesis 2: 5). A mist watered the ground. Thus, Noah built the ark on dry land.
The Nephilim, their descendants, and everyone else besides Noah and his family had no idea what was coming, but Yahweh used the flood to wipe them off the face of the planet. While Noah and his family obeyed Yahweh by building the ark, their neighbors mocked and ridiculed them. Little did they know that the ark was designed to provide salvation (deliverance) for Yahweh’s righteous remnant.
These three verses from Genesis chapter 7 provide the gist of what happened:
- Genesis 7: 1—“Then Yahweh said to Noah, ‘Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.’”
- Genesis 7: 5—“And Noah did all that Yahweh commanded him.”
- Genesis 7: 16—“Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as Elohim had commanded him; and Yahweh closed it behind him.”
Yahweh shut the door, sealed them in, and saved His righteous remnant. Paul explained it this way in Hebrews 11: 7:
“By faith Noah, being warned by Elohim about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
So, it’s clear that Noah found favor (grace) with Yahweh because he was obedient and because his bloodline wasn’t infected by the Nephilim. That’s why Yahweh bestowed His unmerited favor (grace) on Noah and his family.
Even so, a troubling notion about grace persists. Many Christians mistakenly believe that because of grace the Law has ceased to apply. That’s not true. For instance, take a look at Luke 11: 28. The Messiah is speaking:
“On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of Elohim [Yahweh’s Law] and observe [obey] it.”
John explained it this way in his gospel:
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of Elohim abides on him.” (John 3: 36)
Interestingly, John 3: 16 says,
“For Elohim so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Doesn’t it strike you as curious that so many believers who can recite John 3: 16 from memory completely ignore an important companion of that verse. Simply believing is not enough. Our faith must be accompanied by obedience.
James explained it this way:
“You believe that Elohim is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” (James 2: 19)
Demons believe in Yahweh, but they aren’t saved. Why?
They don’t have faith in Him and they don’t obey Him. Therefore, saving faith and obedience go hand-in-hand. In the lives of the righteous remnant, they are inseparable.
I have heard Christians say that they nailed the Law to the cross, meaning that the law is no longer binding. That is not what the Messiah said. Take a look at Matthew 5: 18. The Messiah is speaking:
“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Obviously, Yahweh’s Law still applies because heaven and earth haven’t passed away yet.
This problem contributes to the confusion. In Israel while the Messiah was with us, two laws applied. One was from Yahweh—i.e., the Law (a.k.a., the Old Testament or the Tanach). One was man-made—i.e., Halacha or man-made rules with the force of law that came from Jewish sages.
They are not the same thing. In Jeremiah 14: 14, Yahweh said this about people who made up things and pretended that they came from Him:
Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My Name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.”
Halacha is also called the Oral Law or the traditions of the Jews. Jewish religious leaders during the Messiah’s time and even today believe that Halacha has precedence over Yahweh’s Law.
John chapter 8 provides an interesting example of the Messiah explaining the primacy of Yahweh’s Law to a group of Jewish religious leaders who rejected that notion while ordinary Jews watched in amazement. Some of the ordinary Jews were believers. Take a look:
So the Messiah was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word [Yahweh’s Law], then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
They [the religious leaders] answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
The Messiah answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word [Yahweh’s Law] has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
The Messiah said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth [Yahweh’s Law], which I heard from Elohim; this Abraham did not do. You are doing the deeds [Halacha] of your father.”
They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: Elohim.”
The Messiah said to them, “If Elohim were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from Elohim, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word [Yahweh’s Law]. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father [Halacha]. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth [Yahweh’s Law] because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth [Yahweh’s Law], you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth [Yahweh’s Law], why do you not believe Me? He who is of Elohim hears the words of Elohim [Yahweh’s Law]; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of Elohim.”
The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
The Messiah answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word [Yahweh’s Law] he will never see death.”
The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?”
The Messiah answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our Elohim’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word [Yahweh’s Law]. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
The Messiah said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
[Yahweh refers to Himself as “I am”. That’s the literal meaning of His Name. Without a doubt, the Messiah was claiming to be Yahweh. All the miracles that He performed in Yahweh’s Name right in front of their eyes was not enough to convince the religious leaders that He was who He claimed to be. Eventually, the Messiah was killed, murdered, on a cross for saying “Yahweh”. According to Halacha, that’s the literal meaning of blasphemy (see Sanhedrin 7: 5), the “crime” for which He was convicted by the religious leaders. The Messiah said that Halacha came from Satan Himself.]
Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but the Messiah hid Himself and went out of the temple. (John 8: 31-59)
People who don’t understand that two laws are discussed in the Bible miss an integral part of the message in John 8. The Messiah came to accomplish several things. For example, He came to be our atoning sacrifice. He also came to restore the use of Yahweh’s Name because Halacha prohibited its use. Just as important, He came to explain that Yahweh’s Law is supreme and that Halacha originated with Satan himself.
It’s impossible to sugarcoat what the Messiah said.
Take a look at the verses below. In both of them, the Messiah is speaking:
- Matthew 15:3—“And why do you, by your traditions [Halacha], violate the direct commandments of Elohim?”
- Mark 7:8—“You have let go of the commands of Elohim and are holding on to human traditions [Halacha].”
It is a grievous error to believe that Paul’s explanation of grace deviated from the Messiah’s message one iota. That’s just as wrong as believing Halacha has precedence over Yahweh’s Law.
Yahweh said that we are saved by grace through faith in Him. But saving faith is more than just believing in Yahweh’s existence. Saving faith has legs that are willing to go where Yahweh’s Spirit leads. In other words, faith and obedience go hand-in-hand.
This is a simple question the answer to which can solve a lot of problems: since the Messiah’s death on the cross was an atoning sacrifice to pay the price for our sins that is required by Yahweh’s Law, did His death on the cross also nullify Yahweh’s Law?
The answer is NO! That’s preposterous. The Messiah’s sacrifice demonstrated Yahweh’s grace because we deserve the penalty, but He did not. Yahweh paid the price for our sins. That’s the essence of grace.
John 19: 30 is arguably the worst translated verse in the New Testament. It typically reads something like this:
Therefore when the Messiah had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
He did not say, “It is finished!” He said, “Paid in full!” That’s what an atoning sacrifice does. It pays the price for our sins in full.
The Messiah did not pay the price for our sins so that the Law could be made null and void thereby enabling us to do anything we want with impunity.
I hope this explanation helps.
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“If My people who are called by My Name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14)
Change that Yahweh calls “good” begins in the hearts of believers—people who are recognizable because they are different.
We are different because we belong to Him and are called by His Name. We are Yahweh’s people, His followers.
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His Name is Yahweh, the website, is a companion of the book His Name is Yahweh.
To download His Name is Yahweh: Revised Edition for free in PDF format, click on the title below:
- His Name is Yahweh: Revised Edition in PDF format
His Name is Yahweh has been downloaded and shared in congregations all over the world. Please take advantage of this opportunity to read and share essential information about Yahweh.
You have my permission to copy and print His Name is Yahweh: Revised Edition as many times as you want. Please, don’t sell it. Give it away.
To purchase His Name is Yahweh: Revised Edition in paperback or in eBook, click here.
To see videos that explain the importance of Yahweh’s Name, click here.
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“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17: 22-24)
See “His Name is Yahweh”.
