Q.  Once a gentile becomes a believer in Yahshua does he have to follow all the laws that Yahweh gave to Israel. If I read it correctly in the Old Testament the laws were given to the Jews only and not the gentiles. Do you think that gentile believers have to obey the sabbath and take Saturday to rest?

A.  At creation Yahweh made the 7th day holy. Most would agree that the 10 Commandments should be observed, but I’ve heard ministers say they keep the “Christian Sabbath.” To me this doesn’t make sense since I know they’re attending on the 1st day of the week while Yahweh says to keep the 7th day holy. Most any dictionary will tell one that Saturday is the 7th day. Acts 15 indicated that the gentiles were to stop doing the most horrendous things initially, then continue to learn since Yahweh’s law is taught each Sabbath, verse 21.
       Is the law for the Jew only? Not at all. Here's a little trivia: Did you know that Abraham was neither a Jew nor an Israelite, but was in fact a Hebrew? Jews are descendant from just one tribe of the 12 tribes of Israel. As you probably know, Jacob is the one who became Israel and he had 12 sons whose descendants became the 12 tribes of Israel. The laws of Yahweh were given to all of Israel and any who joined with them. What is the new covenant all about? Are we not given a new Spirit as spoken of in Ezekiel 36:26-27? Though this prophecy is spoken in part, we are the start of it in the New Testament. In fact, before we receive the Spirit we must recognize what sin is (1 John 3:4) and then turn away from it so we can start being obedient to our heavenly Father, Act 5:32. By the way, Abraham was a man of faith. That is emphasized by many today, but they fail to mention that he was also obedient, Gen 26:5.
       Today we find a lot of traditions that are man-made and unholy. We’re told to be holy as Yahweh is, and He hasn’t changed the 7th day to the 1st day of the week. It may help to understand that in the New Testament they didn’t have the New Testament writings. Yes, they had letters. But, they studied Scripture and taught out of it, 2 Tim 3:16-17. They would have taught that Israel was to be a holy nation, and that we are to be a holy nation today, 1 Peter 2:9. Where is Peter quoting from? Isn’t it from the Old Testament? Isn’t he quoting about Israel? Today, we are being grafted in as wild olive branches to the root of the olive tree, which is in fact, Israel, Romans 11:17, 26-27; Jeremiah 11:16.
       It is the penalty of sin (death) that is taken away with the perfect sacrifice of the Messiah, Yahshua. We are justified in Him. It doesn’t mean that we should walk contrary to the law. What did the Apostle Paul say again and again, “shall we sin, so that grace may abound? Yahweh forbid!” If Yahshua had done that, that is, “sin,” He wouldn’t have been the sacrifice we needed. Neither would He be the perfect example to follow. However, He is, and we are to follow in His footsteps. Paul said to follow him as He followed Yahshua, 1 Cor. 11:1. Even with that, He continued and said that Yahweh is the head of Messiah. Remember, Yahshua did the Father’s will and not his own. This is just another reason why we do as Yahshua said, Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4. Again, He is quoting from the Old Testament. The New Testament is an agreement. We have agreed to accept the Salvation of Yah (Yahshua) for the forgiveness of sins. We then are now not under the death penalty, because we have faith in the Savior’s sacrifice of Himself, Rev. 14:12. Yahshua becomes our elder brother, a Jew, which allows us to become part of the family of Israel…being grafted in, in the spiritual sense. However, we’re still a physical people and there are instructions to live by. When it gets right down to it, are we not to worship in Spirit and in truth? (John 4:23)

 
                   
         
     
                   
               
                         
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