Founder’s Blog

"Working Choices"

"Why are you trying to put Christians under the Law"� a Messianic Rabbi recently asked me. He was genuinely concerned that First Fruits of Zion was teaching legalism. I responded, "I am not going to tell anyone what they should, must or have to do." You see, I have learned that these imperatives threaten people more than they motivate them; they separate people rather than unite them.

I would hate for our encouragement to keep the whole of God's Word, our exhortations to be dedicated disciples of the Master, and our appeals for the continued validity of the Torah to be misconstrued. We don't believe in passing judgment on others, nor do we consider Torah folks superior to others in the greater Body of Messiah. This is not the goal of our publications, nor does it define the internal culture of our organization.

My friend Phil uses the term "working choices" in reference to his decision-making processes. When I asked him to explain this, he responded that, "Certain choices help me produce the results, experience, relationships and quality of life that enhance my life and life around me"� That sounds good, and we intend to do just this. For us, the life of Torah is not a "must," "should" or "have to", but it is definitely a good "working choice." We'll leave the mandates up to God.

Here is our heart: We see the Torah as a central part of the life of the redeemed. It is the very description of right and wrong, clean and unclean, holy and unholy. It is the righteousness of God revealed in written form. We believe that Yeshua did not cancel the Torah. Rather, by His own testimony He came to interpret it properly. We are of the conviction that our salvation is not gained nor maintained by the observance of any commandment. Rather, our salvation is the free gift of God. It is a complete act of grace. As the redeemed of God, we are new creations and are fully equipped to obey God's life-giving Word. Paul says it better than I can:

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Torah. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah. (Romans 3:28�31, emphasis mine)

Torah was never intended to be the means by which to achieve salvation through obedience. It is a covenant of grace, given by God, to His redeemed. It places before us a good working choice. We choose between behaviors that produce life in His kingdom (i.e. obedience to the whole of His Word) and behaviors that bring death (i.e. sin). Our faith in the Messiah does not nullify the Torah. In Messiah, we have become God's own children, recreated to display our Father's righteousness and wisdom by living submitted, holy lives.

With this said, please note the new direction we are taking in the "Through the Window" section in our flagship publication, messiah magazine. In previous issues, we've allowed this section to be a forum for opposing authors to express their viewpoints and for our staff writers, in turn, to "hash it out" publicly with them. But, sadly, the Body of Messiah has enough argumentation and division already—doesn't it? Therefore, we are retooling the section to be a positive voice for the life, mercy and love of God that characterizes our walk in Messiah's footsteps. We hope that this section gives a glimpse of Torah manifest—Torah lived out before our Christian brothers and sisters as they peer through the window at us. As we do, we hope to help more people make better "working choices."

About the Author: Boaz Michael is the President and Founder of First Fruits of Zion.

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