Category: Walking Torah

The Lips of the Righteous

By Boaz Michael, June, 2003

"The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of understanding." –Proverbs 10:21

Effectively Sharing Torah with Others

First Fruits of Zion attempts to teach those in the Messiah about their relationship to the covenant of Torah. We believe that as the greater Body of Messiah begins to submit to Torah–living out the fullness of Scripture–that all of the necessary components fall into place for Adonai to work in and through the community. Evangelism, discipleship, accountability, training in stewardship, demonstration of genuine Messiah-like love, and mentoring no longer need to be developed in programs; instead they become the natural characteristics of the Torah community.

It is also our experience that embracing the Torah draws one into a deeper understanding of, and relationship with, the Messiah. Submitting to the Torah is essentially submitting to the Messiah–truly making Him the Lord of our lives by submitting completely to His Lordship, thus allowing Him to live in and through us.

Our life in the fullness of the Messiah, and in our recognition of the covenant relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is indeed rewarding. It has taken our faith to a new level of awe and respect toward the One who has called and redeemed us. However, communicating this new life can, at times, be frustrating and discouraging. We become frustrated when we communicate with those who are un-moved by our new insights. They make neither physical nor mental effort to hear or act upon the truth of Scripture. We become discouraged when others call us legalists, rebuke us for our practice, censor us, and worse yet, no longer fellowship with us. I am sure that each of us has experienced some form of rejection when attempting to share the validity of Torah with others.

I still laugh when I recall the words of D. Thomas Lancaster from a recent article in Bikurei Tziyon, "...I am trying to explain Acts 15 while battling off Galatians 3. I am trying to advance Leviticus 23 while being bludgeoned with Colossians 2. I am trying to talk kosher while being whacked with Acts 10. I am trying to defend the Shabbat while Hebrews 4 is being used like a folding chair in a WWF match.[1]"

Daniel's light-hearted account of sharing Torah truths is unfortunately very realistic. Our hearts go out to each of you as we identify with the difficulties that come with sharing this message with others. Read the heartrending words of this pastor:

As a Baptist minister who has been guided by the Lord's Spirit for more knowledge of Messiah Yeshua, my parents and siblings have suddenly turned on me and my own family as if we were traitors. I have not demanded that they be like us. We have just stuck to our convictions of serving the Lord and not condoning sin in our daily lives. Even my "pastor brothers" seem to classify me as someone trying to bring the Church back under the law!


I'm thankful that His calling has real substance and I'm looking forward to continually being sanctified to Him.[2]

How do we effectively share Torah with others? How can we see genuine change in people's lives? Is there hope? Or are we destined for a life of loneliness without friendship or fellowship? Don't despair–there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope!

The starting place for sharing the significant role that the Torah plays in our life is in our self-identity–our security in His call and in our position.[3] It is our conviction that being fundamentally secure and confident in the completed work of Messiah equips us to effectively share Torah with others. Once we are certain and confident of who we are, there are some practical ways we can help others see their relationship with the Land, the People, and the Scriptures of Israel.

"The Righteous is a Guide to his Neighbor..."[4]

I have found the following approaches effective for expressing the Torah's validity and value. FFOZ has not always won the case for the Torah in the believer's life; however, by the grace of Adonai, we have had some measure of success. Here are some of our guidelines:

It is "Us" not "Them"

Recognize your historical and cultural connection to the people of both Judaism and Christianity, even if you are not directly associated with either contemporary religion. Remember that you are on the same side as the believer with whom you are communicating: two confessing believers share the most fundamental reality of being united in the Messiah.

Maintain the Scripture's Integrity

Use biblical language, maintain contexts, and be familiar with historical backgrounds of the scriptures that you are quoting or using. Many in the church are guilty of selecting Scripture out of context to make their points. Do not be guilty of this same misuse. It will inhibit you and cause your listener to distrust you. "A righteous man who walks in his integrity–how blessed are his sons after him." Proverbs 20:7

Slow to Speak–Demonstrate Humility

The words "I do not know" are not bad words. In fact, they can give you and your message credibility. Do not feel that you must give an immediate response. Simply say, "That is a good point, I will need to look into that, spend some time in prayer and in the Word, and get back with you." The Scriptures encourage us to be wise by being slow to speak (James 1:19). Do not feel compelled to answer every question at the time it is posed. After all, anti-Torah theology has taken over 2000 years to develop; you deserve a little time to develop your answer. "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer..." Proverbs 15:28

No Peddling, Pushing, or Persuading

Remember that you are not God's salesman–you are His representative. Avoid using the words "should," "must," or "have to" in relation to Torah commands. Let God speak for Himself by pointing out the Scriptures which speak commandingly about the authority that the Torah has in our lives as believers. The words "should," "must," or "have to" have been used legalistically by many propagating the Torah. Our brothers and sisters in the church are listening for legalism and if you give a hint of this they will disregard your message–and rightfully so.

Let your light shine

Make the Torah a living reality in your life. Live it more than you speak it. This is hard for those of us who have been trained in a Greek or Western mindset. For most of our lives, there has been a separation from one's belief and one's practice. This is no longer acceptable. We are called live a life of submission and obedience to the Word. This comes from action, not thought. If you teach Torah, yet your life falls short of a consistent demonstration of the commands or principles of Torah, your message will understandably be rejected. Read Deuteronomy 4 for the amazing results of Torah application. Torah will be a light that draws, not a blow torch that fries.

Patience

There has been a recent renaissance in Torah understanding and application. For the first time in almost two millennia, life in Yeshua is being understood in its fullest context on this scale. Since God is restoring the Torah to the Body of Messiah, many believers are responding by desiring to live holy and sanctified lives in a Hebraic context. Realizing this, many are seeking Torah-based communities in order to live in a way that puzzles our society and culture–that is, a life submitted to the Torah, by the Spirit, in Messiah. Through these communities the Torah will be best represented and displayed in holiness and godly living. Over time, this testimony will provoke and encourage many to embrace this message.

By nature of being in Yeshua, the Torah is now being written on our hearts, which leads us to obedience. Those who are chosen will be active in their passion and pursuit of holiness. The fruit of a regenerated life will be evident. The Chosen will be righteous and live a Spirit-led, sanctified life. Salvation is the beginning of a humble love relationship between the person and their Creator. For such a person, discipleship is not optional![5]

Pray

Pray the words of Psalm 119:17-24 for your family and friends. Particularly focus on verse 18 which says, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from your Torah." Realize that it is ultimately of His Spirit's work to open one's eyes to the Torah (and, for that matter, the whole of Scripture).[6]

Stick to the Word

Be careful when incorporating extra-biblical Jewish tradition into your walk, especially in the early stages of embracing the Torah. Make sure the tradition hits the mark and makes the mitzvot more meaningful for you. Be sure to understand the difference between Torah and tradition so that you do not give them equal weight in your walk. Do not emphasize tradition when witnessing to people because it might confuse people and give them "the out" for which they are already looking. For example, how quick we are to keep the traditions (lighting the Sabbath candles for example) while discarding the commandment not to slander our brother!" Wearing a kippa might help you identify with the land, people and Scriptures of Israel, but unless you intelligently articulate why you are doing so, you may lose credibility. Even worse, you may hinder the entire Torah movement when observers see you focusing on Jewish custom rather than God's Word.

Go Slowly & Be Consistent

I have many wonderful experiences of watching friends in Israel return to religious life. The rabbis were very patient and walked them through a process of change very carefully. They would not allow these secular Jews that were becoming religious to move forward too fast. Why? Because they wanted them to excel and be consistent with the newly embraced Torah commands. For example, to boldly proclaim that you are going to keep Shabbat, but then have a garage sale the following weekend demonstrates hypocrisy that will discredit your message. Be mindful of the full biblical injunctions surrounding Torah commands before setting any standards. One step at a time, little by little.

Ask Questions Rather than Making Statements

Don't be the first to speak. Wait until you are asked. When you are asked, rather than preaching a sermon, be prepared to answer with some simple questions that demand biblical answers. Encourage people to go to the Scriptures to discover the answers. Let Adonai speak, convict, and reveal truth to them using his Word. Here is an example of a question that will get the ball rolling:

Do the commands in Acts 15:19-21 supercede Jesus' commands in Mark 12:30-31? Who is right? What set of rules am I, as a Christian, to conform my life after? Jesus' or the words of His disciples? Am I missing something?

It Works

My wife and I have been fortunate to watch many of our friends and family come to the understanding and application of Torah. The most rewarding has been my father and mother-in-law. They have been such an incredible blessing to me and to FFOZ[7] over the years and have embraced the Torah in their personal lives without reservation. Just the other day my wife told me that they now are referring to their formal dining room table as their "Shabbat table." This may seem like a subtle nuance to many but this terminology is quite profound. You see, Shabbat has become a cornerstone in their home: it is a day of delight, a day of study and fellowship, a day of rest and refreshment. They have actively taken the principles outlined in this article and have successfully presented the Torah to many of their friends, encouraging them to become "disciples of the Torah." They have personally benefited from the structure the Torah has given their faith and have reaped many blessings from living a Torah submitted life. Their life is a constant encouragement to us and a reminder of the fruit produced by gracefully sharing a Torah submissive life.

I pray that Adonai will use each of us to display the legitimacy of the Torah. We are His ambassadors–we are His representatives. May each of us become deeply convicted in our call, and with all our hearts, minds, and strength[8] work towards the renewing of our minds by living a holy and godly life. Coupling our thoughts with actions can give us the long-term witness that we need to be a living testimony of the value and importance of the Torah. People that we love may not embrace the Torah on our timing or terms, but that is ultimately in the hands and sovereign care of Adonai.

Do Not Reprove a Scoffer...

No matter how we approach sharing, teaching or modeling a Torah lifestyle, some people just will not receive the message. When this happens, be patient and consistent in your personal walk. Allow your life to be a testimony of the Messiah's work and the covenant of His Torah. Speak with actions, not words, as it is written, "He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you..." Proverbs 9:7-8

The proverb goes on to say, "Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning."[9] Many people are truly seeking the Scriptures for understanding and application of God's word. Many righteous people realize the need for a restoration of biblical values and are seeking truth. I encourage you to apply the Torah fully and completely to your life. Allow the Messiah Yeshua to live fully and completely in and through you. In the end you will look back, see the fruit of your life and recognize that God has effectively used you to share His Written and Living Torah with others.

Endnotes

1. "The Great Omission–Raising Up Disciples," D. Thomas Lancaster, Bikurei Tziyon issue 75. First Fruits of Zion.
2. Name reserved for confidential purposes.
3. See my article series on Identity entitled "Before and After" starting in Bikurei Tziyon issue 77 and continuing in future issue.
4. Proverbs 12:26a.
5. Jeremiah 31:33; Luke 6:45.
6. See Luke 24:45-49 for example of one's eyes being opened. Verse 45 states, "He [Yeshua] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures..."
7. Mike and Rebecca Cundiff serve FFOZ faithfully in the area of administration.
8. Deuteronomy 6:4.
9. Proverbs 9:9.

© 2006 First Fruits of Zion. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rewritten or redistributed. From Bikurei Tziyon #78 | June, 2003. For more information about this publication, click here.

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