Lesson 17

The Apostle Peter wrote that some of Paul’s writings were “hard to understand.” But because Peter was very familiar with the Scriptures (meaning the Old Testament, which were the only Scriptures available during that time), he was not about to distort Paul’s writings (a point we will discuss in more detail later in this article). Peter tells us there are those who are untaught, that do not know the Scriptures and are unstable or unsure of what the Scriptures actually say, who twist or distort some of Paul’s writings, as they do the rest of the Scriptures. For this reason, Scripture says, they will be DESTROYED. What is it that Paul could have possibly been trying to say that was of such a serious nature, that people who were untaught in the Scriptures would be DESTROYED for their misunderstanding of it?

“Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Master as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled [#113 ‘lawless’] men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Master and Savior, Yahshua the Messiah. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity” (2 Peter 3:14-18, NASB).

When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the Apostle James, who was a leader of the congregation in Jerusalem at that time, immediately confronted Paul about thousands of believing Jews who were zealous for the law--dedicated in obeying the law--as was the Messiah Himself (Matthew 5:17). Paul was told how they had misunderstood him in the things concerning the law. They (the thousands of believing Jews) thought Paul was saying that the law had been done away with--that we were no longer required to obey the law. This, of course, was NOT what Paul was saying.

Please consider the following carefully: “After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which Yahweh had done among the Gentiles through His ministry. And when they heard it, they began glorifying Yahweh; and they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children and not to walk according to the customs.’ What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law” (Acts 21:17-24, NASB).

Did you notice that there was “NOTHING” to the things they “thought” Paul was saying about ‘forsaking Moses’? The fact was that he, Paul, “…also walked orderly, keeping the law...” just as those thousands of ‘believing’ Jews were doing. Let’s go back and take a look at what Peter said about these ministers who are misleading people concerning Paul’s writings.

Contrary to what millions are being taught today by their ministers, Yahweh’s law, His perfect law (Psalms 19:7), has never been “done away with.” These laws include the feast days of Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16, the food laws in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, and the seventh-day Sabbath in Exodus 20:8-11. These laws are to be obeyed today, as closely as possible, as they were the day Yahweh gave them to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

In 2 Peter 3:17, Peter warns us of being carried away by “unprincipled” men. They are referred to as “wicked” men in the KJV Bible. This word “unprincipled” or “wicked” is #G113 in Strong’s Concordance and is defined as “lawless.” The word “lawless” implies people who do not understand Yahweh’s law or those who refuse to obey His laws.

Allow me to summarize what has been said thus far by Peter in 2 Peter 3:16-17. Some things that the Apostle Paul wrote concerning Yahweh’s law were hard to understand and “lawless” men who were “untaught” in the Scriptures (unlike the thousands of “believing Jews” who were “zealous” for the law in Acts 21) were twisting or “distorting” Paul’s writings in an attempt to say Yahweh’s law did not have to be obeyed any more. And because of this, the “lawless” ones would be destroyed.

“Thousands” of believing Jews “misunderstood” Paul in thinking he was telling people to forsake Yahweh’s law (something Paul never did). In the same way, many today, who are “untaught” in the Scriptures, twist or “distort” the things Paul said concerning Yahweh’s law in an attempt to say that the law no longer has to be obeyed.

Here are some of the passages Paul wrote that are oftentimes misunderstood: “…we are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14) or “…no man shall be justified by the works of the law…” (Galatians 2:16). These are passages which we’ll be studying soon.

To many today, the subject of Yahweh’s law is so totally irrelevant, they have no interest in even the mention of it. PLEASE believe me when I say that the misunderstanding of the things Paul said about Yahweh’s law is EXACTLY what will cause many to hear those dreadful words of the Savior on judgment day, “Depart from Me, I never knew you, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

In this booklet, we hope to show that Yahweh’s law was never abolished, although many today are being taught to disregard the keeping of His law in the Scriptures. Many also twist the “hard sayings” of Paul in an attempt to say that obedience to Yahweh’s law is no longer necessary for salvation. In this booklet, we’re going to take a look at some of those “hard sayings” of Paul.

These are some of the questions we will be addressing in this very important study. Please meditate upon these basic, yet oftentimes, overlooked concepts concerning the law.

WHY DID THE SAVIOR HAVE TO DIE?

In an attempt to better understand the things Paul said concerning the law, it is important to understand the reason Yahshua had to die. The Sacrifice Lamb came into the world to suffer and die. He did NOT come to do away with Yahweh’s law, but to put an end to SIN (Matthew 1:21; Romans 8:3). The Bible’s definition of sin is “breaking Yahweh’s law.” 1 John 3:4, “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (KJV). The Biblical definition of sin is the breaking of Yahweh’s law; the same law that many religious leaders and teachers say we no longer have to obey.

Here is an important point for those of you that might think that the subject of Yahweh’s law is irrelevant. Many today do not realize that since sin is breaking Yahweh’s law, He only had two choices in eradicating sin from the world.

Yahweh chose the latter. He chose to watch His Son die a torturous death. The Messiah had to die because Yahweh’s law cannot and will not be abolished. The Messiah Yahshua tells us in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (NASB)

The ones who will NOT inherit the Kingdom are those who practice lawlessness—breaking Yahweh’s laws. Those who do the will of the Father, those who keep or obey His laws, are those who will inherit His Kingdom.

In Matthew 5:17-19, the Savior could not have made it any clearer when He said that heaven and earth would pass away before the smallest stroke would ever pass away from Yahweh’s law. But even this verse is oftentimes distorted by ministers today. Let’s examine this passage, verse by verse, in an attempt to gain a proper understanding of the Messiah’s words.

Verse 17 says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” (KJV) I’ve heard ministers quote this verse and then explain that what the Savior really meant when He said He came to “fulfill” the law, was that He came to “do away” with it. Could this possibly be what He meant by the word “fulfill”? Let us substitute the term “do away” for the word “fulfill” to see if the verse becomes any clearer. Verse 17 (with substitution) says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law…I am not come to destroy, but to [‘do away with’].” The very thing that the Messiah is telling us not to do is the very thing that many ministers today are telling their people they should do. And they use the “hard sayings of Paul” to try to promote this “no law” concept. Because of our carnal or fleshly nature, man is very eager to embrace such an unscriptural doctrine as salvation apart from obedience to the law.

Verse 18 says, “For verily I say unto you, ‘Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.’” It should be clear that heaven and earth HAVE NOT passed away yet, therefore according to the Messiah, NOTHING, not even the smallest stroke from Yahweh’s law, has at this time been done away with.

Verse 19 says, “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.” They who are called “great” will be the ones who keep Yahweh’s commandments and who teach others to do likewise. In the Kingdom of heaven, who will be considered the least among men? They will be those who break the “least” of Yahweh’s commandments, and teach others NOT to obey. In which group would you rather be? The Apostle John describes perfectly those who will inherit the Kingdom in Revelation 14:12, “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of Yahweh and their faith in Yahshua.” (NASB)

Now we’re going to take a look at some of the things Paul said concerning the law; passages that even the Apostle Peter thought were hard to understand. And, of course, many Christians today, because of being unlearned or untaught in the things the Bible says about the law, “twist” and “distort,” as Peter calls it, to their own destruction.

Without digressing from our topic of Paul’s hard sayings, allow me to take a moment to briefly mention a few various aspects of Yahweh’s law, such as the 4th commandment, the Sabbath day, (Exodus 20:8-11) the 7th day of the week (not Sunday), and His feast days (Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 16), which we’ll look at later in the article. Colossians 2:16-17 is one of the more popular passages that some ministers use to “prove” that Yahweh changed His mind about His feast days (Leviticus 23:2, 14, 21, 41). This passage actually means just the opposite of what those ministers would like it to say. The Sabbath, feast days, etc., are a “shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:17). Later we will look at what Yahweh calls food (Leviticus 11:2; Deuteronomy 14:3-21; Acts 10; Romans 14), and why we DO NOT sacrifice animals today. We will be looking at reasons that go beyond the obvious ones.

As much as I’d like to discuss these different aspects of the law now, rather than later, I believe it is of greater importance that we consider the “hard sayings of Paul.” By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified… (Romans 3:20, KJV). When we break Yahweh’s law, either in ignorance or intentionally knowing but not caring, we’ve sinned. And clearly, Paul tells us the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). And in equally certain terms we’re told that ALL have sinned (Romans 3:23), from the cruelest serial killer, to the grandmother holding her granddaughter, while sitting in a rocking chair. Everyone that has ever walked the face of the earth has, at one time or another, sinned. It might even have been what we consider a minor sin (lying, cheating, or stealing, etc.) yet in Yahweh’s eyes that liar will be standing side by side with the abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars...in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone…(Revelation 21:8 NASV). (Of course it goes without saying that ‘ALL’ does not include the Messiah Yahshua. 1 Peter 2:22).

Can you imagine the horror of standing in front of the Messiah on that final day (Acts 17:30-31) and hearing the sentence of death pronounced against you (Matthew 7:23), before being thrown into the lake of fire? Can the death sentence be turned aside? Can anyone argue and try to justify themselves by weighing their good deeds against their sins? Would obeying the law of Yahweh for the rest of our lives cancel out the sins that we committed? Again, in language that would be hard to misunderstand: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight (Romans 3:20 (NASV).

There is a reason why the “works of the law” could never justify a single soul. For example, if a man is found guilty of stealing and is sentenced to ten years in prison, he can indeed justify himself by serving out his time. After serving the 10 years, he would have fulfilled his obligation and would be completely justified under the law. In the same manner, a murderer, given a fifty-year sentence, can be justified under the law by serving his fifty years. But suppose that instead of fifty years, the sentence was death. Can the prisoner justify himself by serving his time? Would fifty years of being a model prisoner justify him under the law? NEVER! If he worked a 100 years at hard labor, the sentence was not 10, 50 or 100 years, it was DEATH. Such is the situation when we sin by breaking Yahweh’s law. The wages of sin is not 5, 10, 15, or even a lifetime of good works. The wages of sin is DEATH. This is why a sinner can never be saved by the works of the law. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22-28). The law could not be satisfied without the shedding of blood, which is the meaning behind Paul’s words in Romans 8:3, For what the law could not do... Yahweh did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin. He condemned sin in the flesh... (NASV).

YAHWEH’S PLAN—HIS CHOICE

I believe that all those professing a belief in the Messiah MUST understand this: Yahweh had two options in doing away with sin.

Think it through for a moment. Yahshua had to die because the law had been broken. Sin demanded death. If the law could have been annulled, the penalty of sin would have been set aside also. For where no law is, there is no transgression, Romans 4:15 (KJV).

So strong was the authority of the unchangeable law that Yahweh Himself would not abolish it, not even to save His own Son. It cost something to uphold the law and pay the maximum penalty. No one will ever know how much it cost the Heavenly Father to have to watch His Son suffer and die. How thankful we should be that His love was as perfect as His justice. The Savior, in His own body, bore the penalty, satisfied the law, and justified the transgressor.

In all the universe, Yahweh could not have displayed a more convincing and irrefutable argument in favor of His law. Many today do not seem to understand that the law is a reflection of His holiness and righteousness. To speak of its abolition is to border on treason against the divine government of heaven.

NOT UNDER THE LAW

Romans 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. In an attempt to belittle Yahweh’s law, we sometimes hear the statement: “Since we are not under the law but under grace, we do not have to obey the law any longer.” Is this the way Paul meant for this to be understood? After just telling us that we establish the law through faith (Romans 3:31), is Paul now saying because we are under grace and not under the law that we are free from the obligation of obeying the law?

How easy it would be to avoid confusion if we accepted exactly what the Bible says. Paul explained his statement by asking the question, “What then?” or “How are we to understand this?” Many people were, and still are to this day, twisting the things Paul said concerning the law. They believe Paul was teaching that obedience to Yahweh’s law was no longer necessary. Recognizing this distortion by some, Paul went on to explain what he meant by not being under the law.

Romans 6:15, What then? Shall we sin [break Yahweh’s law], because we are not under the law, but under grace? Certainly not! In the strongest possible language, Paul states that being under grace does not give us a license to break the law. Yet, again, this is exactly what millions today believe, totally ignoring Paul’s specific and absolute statement: “Certainly not!”

If being under grace does not exempt us from keeping the law, then what does Paul mean by saying that believers are “not under the law?” He gives the answer in Romans 3:19, Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before Yahweh.

Paul equates being under the law with “being guilty before Yahweh.” In other words, those who are under the law are guilty of breaking it and are under the curse of it. But those who are repentant, even though they are still “under the law,” are not under the condemnation of the law. They are under the power of grace instead. By grace, Yahweh has forgiven them and has taken them out from under the curse of the law.

Later in his argument, Paul points out that the power of grace is greater than the power of sin. This is why he states so emphatically, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Grace overrules the authority of sin, giving the power to obey Yahweh’s law. This is the effective reason that we are not under the law’s condemnation (Galatians 3:13) and also why Paul states that we should not continue to sin.

Suppose a murderer has been sentenced to death in the electric chair. Waiting for the execution, the man would truly be under the law in every sense of the word—under the guilt, under the condemnation, under the sentence of death, etc. Just before the execution date, the governor reviews the condemned man’s case and decides to pardon him. In the light of extenuating circumstances, the governor exercises his prerogative and sends a full pardon to the prisoner. Now he is no longer under the law, but under grace. The law no longer condemns him. He is considered totally justified as far as the charges of the law are concerned. He is free to walk out of the prison and there’s not a policeman in the country that can lay their hands upon him for that crime. But now that he is under grace and no longer under the penalty of the law, can we say that he is free to break the law? Definitely not! In fact, that pardoned man will be doubly obligated to obey the law because he has found grace from the governor. In gratitude and love, he should be very careful to honor the law of the state which granted him grace. And according to Paul, this is exactly how true worshippers today should esteem the law.

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! Indeed, we establish the law. Here is the most explicit answer to the entire problem. Paul asks if the law is nullified for us just because we have had faith in Yahweh’s saving grace. His answer is that the law is NOT done away, it is ESTABLISHED in the life of the grace-saved believer.

Paul’s reasoning here should be obvious to all that are willing to hear, but because some have been so conditioned to avoid obedience to Yahweh’s law, we should expound upon this point a little further.

Have you ever been stopped by a policeman for exceeding the speed limit? It’s an embarrassing experience, especially if you know you are guilty. But suppose you really were hurrying to meet a valid emergency, and you put forth your convincing explanation to the officer as he writes you a ticket? Slowly he folds the ticket and tears it up. Then he says; “All right, I’m going to pardon you this time, but…” Now what do you think he means by the word “but”? Surely he means, “But I don't want to ever catch you speeding again.” Does this pardon (grace) open the way for you to disobey the law? On the contrary, it adds compelling urgency to your decision not to disobey the law again. Why should any true believer try to rationalize his way out of obeying Yahweh’s law? If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15).

Keeping the law has a very real and definite purpose. It will bring us to our Messiah—our Example—Who kept the law perfectly! If we’re commanded to follow in Yahshua’s footsteps, then we must, likewise, keep Yahweh’s laws. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto the Messiah, that we might be justified by faith (Gal. 3:24). A schoolmaster is a teacher or instructor. Let’s take the example of a carpenter, someone that served in an apprenticeship for a four-year period. While as an apprentice, or student, he studied under a “tutor” which, in this case, would be the master carpenter for his four-year apprenticeship. He learned all there was to know about the art of carpentry, being taught by the tutor, the master carpenter. After the four-year apprenticeship is over and the student has learned all there is to know concerning the art of carpentry, and is sent off on his own, what does the former student do with all that he was taught while under the tutor? Does he abandon all that he was taught while under the tutor? Of course, not. He applies all that he learned, while under the tutor, to his life. In the exact same sense, the law is our tutor… (Galatians 3:24). Therefore, the law has become our tutor to lead us to Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith (NASV).

Contrary to what many today are taught in the churches about salvation, which is simply bowing your head and saying a prayer, the Savior tells us that no one can come unto Him until they have been “TAUGHT OF YAHWEH.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me (JOHN 6:45, NASV).

The law is our instructor or tutor. It shows us how Yahweh expects us to conduct our lives. Once having been instructed from the law, it ...leads us to Messiah, (Galatians 3:24).

If we say we know Him and keep not His commandments, we are a liar and the truth is not in us (1 John 2:4).

If we say we abide in Him, we ought to walk in the same manner as He walked (1 John 2:6).

Once the law has brought us to the Messiah, we are free from the tutor. We’ve been TAUGHT OF YAHWEH, we’ve learned His will and now we have Yahshua, Our Example (1 Peter 2:21) of perfect obedience to Yahweh’s law. Galatians 3:25-26 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, [because] you are all sons of Yahweh through faith in Messiah, Yahshua (NASV).

The law is the will of Yahweh. Grace is the ability and authority of Yahweh to forgive, overlook, cancel punishment, and to do away with the curse received by breaking that law.

LESSON 17

The Hard Sayings of Paul

WHY DID THE SAVIOR HAVE TO DIE?

YAHWEH’S PLAN—HIS CHOICE

NOT UNDER THE LAW

Now, Click on "Questions" for More Studying!