Am I A Gentile Living Out a Law Only For the Jews?
Short answer: no.
Long answer: continue to read.
Being a non-Jew, I often get quizzical looks when people learn that I eat Biblically clean, keep the Sabbath (on the seventh day), and celebrate the feast days. Often people ask if I’m a Jew, or if I’m trying to be one. They tell me that the Law was given to the Jews and so it isn’t applicable to me, being that I’m a Gentile. I’ve heard arguments that Hebrews shows the Old Covenant is passing away so the Law is void. I’ve heard that the Law was done away with when the temple was destroyed. I’ve heard that Paul taught against the Law so that means we don’t have to do it. I’ve heard that Jesus fulfilled the Law so we no longer have to do it. I’ve heard that I’m spitting on Jesus and trying to earn my salvation. I’ve heard that I’m a member of a cult. I could go on…
But are these statements correct?
Let’s start in the beginning. To the book of Genesis we go! What do we see in Genesis?
-
The seventh day is sanctified. (Genesis 2:3)
-
There are sacrifices. (Genesis Chapter 4 & 22)
-
Clean and unclean animals. (Genesis 7:2, 8-9)
-
Some form of priestly system. (Genesis 14:18)
Interesting. These are all things commanded in the Law, but we see them prior to the Law being given. Prior to Israel as a people even existing.
We can either assume that God’s creation naturally knew about these things upon being created – it was something that was automatically ingrained in them, or we can assume that God had commanded these things prior to the Exodus, and we simply have no record of it. Taking on either of these assumptions, we can all agree that these things – and more – were further explained, and were written down when the Law was given to Moses.
Now that we’ve addressed Genesis, let’s move a little bit further down the timeline. When the Israelites left Egypt, they didn’t leave alone. We know that a “mixed multitude” of people came with them (Exodus 12:38). These people did not leave the Israelites during their Exodus, because we see them later mentioned in Numbers 11:4, and Deuteronomy 29. We know that there was at least one child born to an Egyptian man and Israelite woman (Leviticus 24).
What’s the big deal? Why is the mixed multitude significant? Well, God makes it very clear that the people who came with the Israelites are held to the same standards in regard to: sacrifices and offerings, Passover, murder, injuring others, being judged in the court of law, sexual relations, and so on. We also see in Isaiah, there is prophecy about the Gentiles that bind themselves to the Lord will be keeping the Sabbath day.
​
​
​
-
Sacrifices/Offerings: Numbers 15:1-29, *14-16, *29
-
Passover: Exodus 12:48-49, Numbers 9:14
-
Murder/Injuries: Leviticus 24:17-22
-
Court of Law: Deuteronomy 1:16-17
-
Sexual Relations: Leviticus 18: 1-30, *26
-
The Sabbath: Isaiah 56:6
To further prove that – at least in Old Testament times – the Law was for everybody wanting to join themselves to God, go read all of Deuteronomy 29. The people are getting near to the promised land. Moses is getting near to dying. They’ve been in the wilderness for decades, and here Moses is making another covenant between Israel and God. But, it’s with more than just Israel. It’s with the foreigners too. And this covenant? It’s to establish them as His people, and Him as their God. The foreigners are becoming part of Israel, and they’re expected to follow the Law. All of it.
The foreigners/aliens were not exempt from the Law just because of their bloodline.
“You stand today, all of you, before the Lord your God: your chiefs, your tribes, your elders and your officers, even all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and the alien who is within your camps, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, that you may enter into the covenant with the Lord your God, and into His oath which the Lord your God is making with you today, in order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your God, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob….The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:10-13)
This idea of foreigners becoming “His people” and making God their God is further carried into the New Testament times as well. Gentiles still are becoming part of Israel – in Old Testament times, New Testament times, and today. Jesus was the Messiah who came only for the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24). The New Covenant was for Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34). God’s people are Israel – whether in flesh or in spirit.
The two following scriptures by Paul show this idea of Gentiles becoming part of Israel, and they also both mention God’s promise.
“But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in.” (Romans 11:17)
“To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Ephesians 3:6)
Because you have become part of Israel as a believer in Christ, you can now join into the promises that Israel receives. Is the Law contrary to the promise? Paul says “May it never be!”
“Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.” (Galatians 3:21)
The Law wasn’t ever given for righteousness, that’s what Paul is saying here. It was given to point out sin. (Romans 7:7) The Law was never able to forgive sins. It was never meant to. (Hebrews 10:6, Psalm 40:6) Things have always been pointing to the Messiah – Jesus.
The final scripture I’ll mention about Gentiles becoming a part of Israel, and a part of receiving their promises, is in Ephesians 2. The passage starts off by saying that Gentiles now have citizenship with Israel, they can now receive the promises (like we read above).
“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands – remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-13)
But, as Paul continues on into verses 14-16, is where people start to misunderstand.
“For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.” (Ephesians 2:14-16)
Okay, let’s break this down.
Jesus is our peace. Check.
Jesus made both groups – Jew and Gentile – into one. Check.
Jesus broke the barrier of the dividing wall, abolishing the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances. So, he abolished the Law. Right? No.
It says that he broke the barrier of the dividing wall. Paul is being literal. When the second temple was built, the Jews added some extra things to it. They had a court for women, and they had a Court of the Gentiles. Only male Jews were allowed to go into the temple itself. The women and Gentiles were required to stay outside of it, in varying distances. This was not a command of God, but rather a tradition – an ordinance – that was enforced. The word there for ordinance is transliterated as dogma.
Every. single. time. it’s translated in the Bible it’s always used to describe a man-made decree. Every time. One of the times also being in Colossians 2:14, which is another misunderstood verse.
So how did they keep the Gentiles out of the temple you might ask? Well. By a literal dividing wall.
.png)
And just in case the Gentiles weren’t sure what that wall meant, the Jews put up signs in multiple languages that basically read: If you pass this line and you’re not a Jew, we’re going to kill you. How pleasant and inviting.
.jpg)
Jesus broke this barrier (figuratively) in order to reconcile them both to God. He didn’t break the barrier of the Law. He broke down walls between Jew and Greek so that both could come before God. That’s why you and I can come before God today, not of Jewish descent.
​
Let’s tackle some more of the common arguments against the Law.
​
The old is wasting away and the new is ready to be established.
In Hebrews 8:13 it reads: “When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.”
Can this mean that the Law has been done away with? No. Why? Well first off, it’s referring to a covenant, not the Law. Second, it’s referring to the covenant that took place before the people even received the Law.
Hebrews refers to the covenant in Exodus 20-23. If you read Hebrews 9:18-21, it explains what happened in Exodus 24:4-8 when the blood necessary for the covenant was shed.
Essentially what took place was: God wanted to speak to all the people, they were too afraid to hear His voice (Exodus 20:18-19), so He conveyed the requirements of the covenant through Moses (Exodus 20:21-22). Moses relayed the message and the people agreed (Exodus 24:3). Following this, Moses has a meal with the elders and then goes up to the mountain to receive the tablets (Exodus 24:12). The covenant is a separate occurrence from the Law. So, the covenant becoming obsolete has absolutely nothing to do with the Law becoming void.
​
Was the Law done away with when the temple was destroyed?
No. Why? 70 AD was not the first time the temple was destroyed, and yet God’s people were still expected to be obedient without the temple in prior times. It’s true that with no temple there are several things that cannot happen – priestly system, sacrifices, feasts held in Jerusalem, etc. – but you do the best you can. Can you still honor your parents? Yes. No temple needed for that. Can you still help your enemies? Yes. No temple needed for that. Can you still love God? Yes. No temple needed for that. Can you still keep the Sabbath? Yes. No temple needed for that. The temple being destroyed has nothing to do with the Law becoming void.
​
Did Paul teach against the Law?
No. But was he incredibly confusing at times? Yes, even Peter says it himself, and he warns the readers to be on guard against the error of the lawless (2 Peter 3:16-17). Even all the way back in New Testament times, people believed that Paul was teaching Gentiles not to obey the Law of God. Go read all of Acts 21 and 22. In summary, people were accusing him of teaching Gentiles not to keep the Law.
In order to prove to them that he was not teaching against the Law, he went and took part in the Nazarite vow. Why would Paul do this if their accusations were justifiable? If it were accurate, he would be encouraging them to believe it, not making an effort to show that he taught otherwise.
​
Did Jesus abolish the Law?
No. Let’s do a Q and A style approach with responses being only what Jesus and Paul said from the scriptures:
​
Q: So, when Jesus died the Law was done away with, correct?
A: “"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
Q: Alright, so it’s not done away with, but it’s fulfilled. Same thing. What exactly does it mean to fulfill the law?
A: “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:10)
Q: Exactly! So, all we need to do is love. Those are the two greatest commandments after all.
A: “"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)
Q: What? But what about faith? I can’t earn my salvation by the commandments of the law.
A: “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Romans 3:28)
Q: Paul’s getting what I’m saying. I’m not justified by the law. And besides, I’m not a Jew. I’m a Gentile.
A: “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Romans 3:29-31)
​
​
Over and over in scripture, the authors say that the Law is good (Romans 7:12, 1 Timothy 1:8, Psalm 119). I think we’re so far removed from what the Law actually contains in it, that we assume it’s all about slaughtering animals and trying to earn salvation – that’s basically what I used to think. But the Law was never about earning salvation, and it’s not all about slaughtering animals.
God has always wanted a repentant heart more than any sacrifice. The Old Testament writers knew that well. Jesus speaks of this repeatedly as well. Every one of these scriptures below shows that God’s main objective is righteousness, a surrendered heart, and devotion to Him.
Jesus did not teach against the Law. On the contrary, he perfectly kept the Law. Without his obedience he could not be the Messiah. Jesus taught repentance, and he raised the bar even higher. The law no longer was only on stone, but through him the Law was getting ready to be written on hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).
​
The law says fornication is sin, Jesus says even just lust is sin. The Law says murder is sin, Jesus says hatred is sin.
​
The bar has been raised; the Law is now on your heart, not done away with. Jesus says if you don’t do even the least of the commandments, and you teach others to do so as well, that you’re “least in the kingdom of heaven”.
​
Paul did not teach against the Law. He also kept the law. Instead, he taught against works-based salvation. He taught against the confusion of the times with people teaching that their righteousness came from the Law. Paul makes it clear that the Law does not bring righteousness. But, because of this do we nullify the Law? No, Paul himself says we “uphold the Law”.
​
The Law is not outdated. It’s not evil. It’s not a burden. It’s not impossible to do.
​
Maybe some of the commands don’t make sense to us. Maybe they seem silly. But who are we to question the Creator of everything?
We love God by keeping His commandments. We find those commandments in the Law.
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.”