Tim Keller and the Torah : FFOZ Blogs

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Tim Keller and the Torah

Tags: gospel coalition, law, Old Testament, Tim Keller, Torah

By D. Thomas Lancaster | Comments
July 16, 2012

According to a posting on "The Gospel Coalition" blog last week by the coalition founder Tim Keller, any Christian who follows the mandates of the Torah "denies the power of Christ's death on the cross." Keller says, "Those who really believe in Christ must follow some Old Testament texts and not others." He goes on to explain which laws Christians must not follow.

Among the laws that a Christian must not observe and if he does, he will deny the power of Christ's death on the cross, are the "'the clean laws' of diet and practice." In addition, Keller says a Christian "can't offer animal sacrifices."

The Dietary Laws
How does eating kosher deny the power of Christ's death on the cross?

We know that all the apostles kept kosher. Were they denying the power of Christ's death on the cross? To learn about eating kosher, Peter's vision of a sheet in Acts 10, Yeshua's statement about "all foods clean" in Mark 7, and other questions, click here for our book Biblically Kosher.

Animal Sacrifices
We know that we cannot bring animal sacrifices. The Temple no longer exists, and the Bible forbids offering sacrifices in any place except the holy Temple in Jerusalem. But the Temple did exist in the days of the apostles, and we know that the apostles participated in the sacrificial system.

The most obvious example is Paul of Tarsus, offering sacrifices for purification and the completion of Nazirite vows in Acts 23. Was Paul denying the power of Christ's death on the cross when he brought sin offerings and burnt offerings at the completion of his vow?

To learn more about the meaning of sacrifices, why we don't bring them today, and why they will be offered again in the future, click here to see our book "What About the Sacrifices?"

The Foolish and Erroneous Bible
Keller explains that when we understand that Jesus cancelled the ceremonial and civil aspects of the Torah, "It all falls into place. However, if you reject the idea of Christ as Son of God and Savior, then, of course, the Bible is at best a mishmash containing some inspiration and wisdom, but most of it would have to be rejected as foolish or erroneous."

Which laws of the Torah does he think we should reject as foolish or erroneous? Obviously, he means the purity codes, the dietary laws, the holy days, and the penalties of Torah.

More Consternation over Homosexuality
Why is Tim Keller taking shots at the Torah? Is he concerned about Messianic Jews and Judaizers? No. He is reacting to the constant barrage of mainstream blather that criticizes Christians for condemning homosexuality while failing to observe other "Old Testament" standards. After all, the prohibition on homosexuality is in the part of the Bible that Christians believe to be obsolete.

You have to admit, they have a pretty good point. And nothing irritates conservative Christians more than the homosexual agenda. (The prohibition is also mentioned in the epistle to the Romans and included under the frequently mentioned, apostolic prohibition on sexual immorality, but most of the voices lodging that claim have never actually read the Bible.)

So Tim Keller is trying to save the day by explaining to everyone that certain parts of the Old Testament are cancelled and other parts are not.

Torah for Christians
In Messianic Judaism, we don't believe that Jesus cancelled any of the eternal unchanging Torah. Instead, Jesus said that heaven and earth would disappear before a single jot or tittle would disappear from the Torah.

At First Fruits of Zion, we covered all of this from a Messianic Jewish, Torah perspective in my book "Restoration: Returning the Torah of God to the Disciples of Jesus."

You can read a pertinent section of the book at this blog post: Is the Bible B.S.?

About the Author: D. Thomas Lancaster is Director of Education at First Fruits of Zion, the author of the Torah Club programs and several books and study programs. He is also the pastor of Beth Immanuel Sabbath Fellowship in Hudson, WI (www.bethimmanuel.org).

Discussions

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Archived Comments

D. Thomas, thanks for both your factual presentation and non-incendiary tone.

Daniel | August 9, 2012 2:33 PM

I just came across this post and want to weigh in. I value both movements. I teach from Keller's material on the gospel and genuine biblical engagement with culture because it's great. (http://bit.ly/ygCITO) Yet I value Torah for many of the same reasons as FFOZ, seeing no conflict with the gospel (assuming right motives, of course). In my experience - even with personal interaction I've had with peers of these men such as my own pastor - we can respectfully and even passionately disagree on eschatology and Jewish election as brothers while loving Jesus and advancing the gospel that saves.

Daniel | August 9, 2012 2:31 PM

prioritizing ecclesiology over the Gospel, combining it with some anti-intellectualism and throwing in a random (yet seemingly obligatory) charge of anti-semitism and wow, even a bonus reference to hitler...gotta love this movement. thanks for the insight reb.

-kevin

KC | July 29, 2012 8:48 PM

KC and others:

Lets not offer too much praise to Presbyterian Pastors, whom are indeed Good "Talkers" (I did not say "teachers").

They also teach anti-zionism, and supersessionism (replacement theology) at the same time. (FYI: Supersesionism is the misguided anti-semetic doctrine that the church has replaced Israel as the People of G-d.)

So Keller is a Good Talker. He has a Ph.D. Good for him. AND?

History is full of Good TALKERS. Adolf Hitler was a Good TALKER too. It doesn't mean we should follow his teachings, now does it?

Instead, "Test every spirit".

Reb Benzion Halevi | July 27, 2012 10:08 AM

kind of doubt anyone is interested, but here's nearly an hour of keller on the TNK, rather than a few paragraphs. DTL has always reminded me a little of keller, in regards to delivery, sense of humor, etc. see what you think...

http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/getting_out

these guys (piper and keller) get the Gospel right and teach plenty of Torah. so they don't get the "ceremonial" bits right, in our opinion; i say big deal-they have far more depth to offer on everything else than most writers/teachers in our movement. these are not the folks we should be mocking/disrespecting.

KC | July 23, 2012 8:32 PM

watched the piper video; i thought he answered the ? biblically.

are we UNDER the law? no, paul clearly teaches we are not UNDER it. should we live by it? yes,piper says we should hang them on our wall and live by them. he says we show our love by our obedience. he says we're to strive to be holy. he's simply stating we are NOT justified by them; do you disagree?

yes, we Torah folk will have a different list of which ones are "the loving ones," but i hope none of us is teaching or believes we're justified by their keeping.

hopefully people watch the video and think for themselves.

KC | July 23, 2012 8:19 PM

FFOZ publicly rebuking another minister/ministry by name by ban those who do it to them?! SMH....

Sidney W. | July 23, 2012 6:56 AM

Modern mainstream Christianity has become a religion based solely on the Statement of Faith. "Anything to further the cause of the Statement of Faith of my denomination!" is quickly becoming the new battle cry; even at the expense of truth.

A real love of the truth smashes all man-made Statements of Faith.

Ken Lane | July 19, 2012 5:20 PM

This is a very troubling matter.
Troubling because it reveals an underlying conflict within modern Christianity.
In a Q&A interview, John Piper is asked "Are Christians under the 10 commandments". He answers "no". He goes on to explain and ultimately responds by quoting 1 John "Love is demonstrated by keeping the commandments". He laughs as he realizes the contradiction and rhetorically asks "Well, which commandments?" He answers his question with, "The ones that are loving."
What is to be made of a pop-pastor who confuses himself?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR6l87FiR_8

Dr. Chris Greene | July 17, 2012 8:49 PM

I was once told by a Presbyterian pastor that any Christian who keeps Shabbat was "denying the Resurrection." It's one thing to have a brother or sister in Christ disagree with your practice or theology. It's quite another to have them question your faith.

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