199 Galations 5 | nazareneisrael2house

Galatians 5.

Let’s commence in verse 1 of Galatians 5, like this: ‘It was for freedom that Messiah set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.’ Yahshua has set us free from the slavery of sin. He provided us with freedom from sin – not freedom of Torah as some believe. Sin is in fact the transgression of the Law (or Torah) as we read in 1st John 3: 4, like this: ‘Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.’ Since any attempt to obey Torah by ourselves is futile, without Yahshua, we cannot trust in anything but Him to give us the power to overcome sin. Continuing from verse 2 of Galatians 5, we read: ‘Behold I, Shaul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Messiah will be of no benefit to you.’

Circumcision does not ensure our salvation. Yahshua the salvation of YHVH is the only way for us to attain Salvation. He is the door and if we do not go through Him, we remain lost, circumcised or not. We read accordingly from verse 3, ‘And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law.’ Like Abraham, we should not be circumcised before we are sure that we want to follow Yahshua all the way. The first step in our walk with Elohim is as Rav Kepha explained to those who came to believe in Yahshua, in Acts 2: 38, like this: “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins (transgressions of Torah); and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit.’ Without having taken this step, it is impossible for us to obey Torah. Circumcision is the final step that we should take, because without the Set-apart Spirit indwelling us, we cannot obey Torah. By the time we are ready to ask for circumcision, we will want to obey Elohim fully, and will therefore want to be circumcised out of our own free will.

Torah applies to all who follow the way of Elohim, as we read in Exodus 12: 49, as follows: “The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.” We know that this was in fact talking about the fact that those who partake of the Passover should be circumcised. However, it also implies that all the commandments apply to those who follow the way of Elohim, as is confirmed if Numbers 15: 15, as follows: ‘As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before YHVH.’ Despite those who deceive believers to believe that Yahshua came to do away with Torah, He said just the opposite in Matthew 5: 17 – 19. As explained in a previous haftarah portion, when Yahshua became the sacrifice (for the sins of the world), the only portion of the Law that was abolished, was the Sacrificial Law in respect of sin. The covenant of circumcision made with Abraham, was at least 430 years before the introduction of the Sacrificial Law, and was definitely not part thereof. In addition we know that Yahshua was both immersed (as per Mark 1: 9) and circumcised (as per Luke 2: 21); we the called out ones, who follow His perfect example should therefore do likewise. But, before we continue, we need to understand that neither the keeping of the Law nor circumcision ensures our salvation. We are saved by the grace of YHVH through faith. However, it is as we read in James 2: 24, ‘You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.’ We prove our faith by what we do. If we say that we believe in the Sabbath and Feast Days of Elohim, but refuse to attend services during these days, our faith is of no use.

It is therefore easier to understand what Rav Shaul is saying to Gentiles and those who were not circumcised eight days after birth, in verses 4 & 5 of Galatians 5, in this way: ‘You have been severed from Messiah, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (5) For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.’ As sinners we need to repent first, then be immersed and only then will we want to obey Elohim from the heart. After immersing a new believer, the teacher who immersed him/her is according to the commission given us by Messiah (in Matthew 28: 18 – 20); responsible to teach the believer everything that Yahshua taught His disciples. That is why Yahshua introduced a discipleship program, to ensure that there will always be teachers available, who were themselves taught by someone who has gone through the same discipleship program before them. It is during this discipleship program that new believers are taught about the additional requirements of Torah, such as the Sabbath, The Feast Days of Elohim, clean and unclean foods, the wearing of Tzitzit, and eventually circumcision. As mentioned in an earlier haftarah portion, Acts 15: 21 informs us that new believers will learn these additional requirements as they attend synagogues near them, or through internet ministries such as ours.

Continuing in verse 6 of Galatians 5, we read: ‘For in Messiah Yahshua neither circumcision nor un-circumcision means anything, but faith working through love.’ It does not matter whether you were circumcised or not, before coming to believe in the way of Elohim, as He is only interested in those who obey and serve him from the heart (through faith). If you were circumcised thinking that it will assure your salvation, you are wrong. However, if your motivation for circumcision was out of love, because you know that those who belong to Messiah are Abraham’s offspring; heirs (of the Promised Land) according to the promise (or everlasting covenant) that He made with YHVH (as we read in Galatians 3: 29), you are on the right track. Proceeding with the idea of faith working through love, we read from verses 7 & 8, ‘You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? (8) This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.’ Our Father does not want us to do things against our will and will never persuade us to do so. He is only interested in obedience from the heart – He gave us free will because He is not interested in robots, all made to follow Him because they are made (or forced) to do so. With this in mind, let’s continue reading the remaining verses as follows: (9) ‘A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. (10) I have confidence in you in the Master, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. (11) But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision (for salvation), why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. (Those who demand that new believers be circumcised immediately, sometimes scare such people away – the point is that such believers will eventually in their walk with Elohim, learn the true reason for circumcision and decide to obey from the heart, when they are ready.) (12) Would that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. (13) For you were called to freedom (from slavery of sin), brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.’