Tag Archives: Obedience in the New Covenant

Jesus’ Ministry: Torah to Fruit – attainable obedience…

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Jesus’ ministry: a methodical transition from Torah Law to Holy Spirit obedience…

Though Jesus was born under the Law Covenant and Jesus fulfilled that Law in perfection for our redemption, Jesus incrementally moved His ministry from one of Law/Torah to one of the production of divine “fruit” via the Holy Spirit by which all law is fulfilled; this is something that Torah could not accomplish.

Jesus condensed the 613 Mosaic laws down to two-greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37-40) and Jesus’ ministry methodically progressed toward the initiation of the New Covenant established in His blood (Luke 22:20); Messiah strategically moved from “keep my Commandments” (John 14:15) to “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:8)

Finally, Jesus taught how one should discern authentic teachers of the word from false teachers and in doing so, Jesus provided the impetus or sign by which honorable teachers would be identified contrasted with false teachers: “So then, you will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:20) Again, another reference by Jesus to divine fruit and its applicability in the New Covenant.

We see that Messiah’s ministry, having begun under the Law Covenant, slowly and methodically transitioned into a ministry that emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit dwelling within Him and the strategic method of producing obedience in His disciples, then and now, through the production of divine fruit (Galatians 5:16-23) via the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) who is a promised Guarantor of redemption in the New Covenant established in the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:13-14; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:27; Hebrews 8:10).

Why do Christians reject Torah Law?

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Theological question: “Where do Christians get the idea that they no longer have to obey the law?” Romans 6:14

Christian response,

Has nothing to do with “NOT” keeping laws but that keeping letters, laws, days, diets, traditions, feasts, such as those legislated, mandated, in Torah no longer apply to those in the New Covenant as obedience, moral-judgment, pleasing the Father through obedience (John 15:8), changed; this, for a more efficient and exacting Way to pursue obedience that actually pleases the Father.

A New and NOVEL WAY to obedience,

Those redeemed by faith in Jesus in the New Covenant, uniquely possessing the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), are anointed by the Spirit to produce divine fruit (Galatians 5:16-23) and it is this fruit that replaces chasing letters and mandates, CODIFIED LAWS that are subjective and argued over concerning their meaning, their application, the definition of their particular legal elements; CODIFIED LAWS that are easily rationalized away by the sin-nature of the human conscience; this is confusion, this is fertile ground for obfuscation whereas the Spirit eradicates the confusion of letters and true obedience in the New Covenant is defined by the pursuit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and it is these attributes/divine fruit of the Spirit that fulfills all law; both codified and spiritual; this, void the legalese and subjectivity of letters.

It’s NOT that the Christian is disobeying Torah or rejecting Torah but that the New Covenant, due the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit residing within the redeemed in Jesus (Jeremiah 31:33; Jeremiah 32:39–40; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26–27) provides a better Way to please the Father, a better Way to walk in obedience to the Father’s will for our individual and corporate lives.

New American Standard Bible

“And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances.” Ezekiel 36:27

Galatians 5:16-18

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. / For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. / But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”