Understanding How Law and Grace Work Together
TRUTH CARRIERS EDUCATION SYSTEM
Torah Foundations Series - Adult Study
This workbook destroys the false dichotomy between Torah and Grace. You will discover that Yahusha did NOT abolish the Torah (Matthew 5:17-19), that Paul upheld the Torah (Romans 3:31), and that true grace EMPOWERS us to keep Yahuah's commandments (Titus 2:11-14). The modern church's antinomian (anti-law) teaching is exposed as the "lawlessness" Yahusha warned about.
What makes this workbook unique:
Master these concepts before beginning the lessons
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Torah - From the root ืึธืจึธื (yarah)
Means: "to throw, shoot, point the way, instruct, teach"
NOT primarily "law" but "INSTRUCTION" or "TEACHING"
The Hebrew word "Torah" has been tragically mistranslated as "law" creating a harsh, legalistic impression. But Torah comes from the root meaning "to shoot an arrow" or "point the way." It's Yahuah's loving instruction manual for life - like a parent teaching a child how to live well.
Think of it this way:
| Component | Description | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Commandments (Mitzvot) | 613 instructions for living | Define righteousness and sin |
| Statutes (Chuqqim) | Decrees beyond human reasoning | Test obedience and trust |
| Judgments (Mishpatim) | Civil and social guidelines | Create just society |
| Testimonies (Edot) | Memorial observances | Remember Yahuah's acts |
| Precepts (Piqqudim) | Detailed instructions | Practical application |
The church teaches Torah is divided into:
THIS DIVISION DOES NOT EXIST IN SCRIPTURE!
It was invented to justify keeping some commands while rejecting others. Scripture NEVER makes this distinction. Torah is one unified whole (James 2:10).
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Torah until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Many claim "fulfill" means "bring to an end" but this is FALSE. The Greek word ฯฮปฮทฯฯฯ (pleroo) means:
Yahusha came to show us HOW to keep Torah properly, not to destroy it!
| What He Did | Scripture | Torah Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Kept the Sabbath | Luke 4:16 | Exodus 20:8-11 |
| Observed the Feasts | John 7:2-10 | Leviticus 23 |
| Wore tzitzit (fringes) | Matthew 9:20 | Numbers 15:38-39 |
| Ate clean foods only | Never mentioned eating unclean | Leviticus 11 |
| Taught from Torah | Matthew 22:36-40 | Deuteronomy 6:5 |
"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for Elohim is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Yahusha did."
How did Yahusha live? He kept Torah perfectly!
2 Peter 3:15-16: "...our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that Elohim gave him... His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
Peter warns that people twist Paul's words to their destruction! The primary twisting? Using Paul to abolish Torah!
| Scripture | Paul's Statement | Clear Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Romans 3:31 | "Do we nullify the Torah by faith? By no means! We establish the Torah!" | Faith ESTABLISHES Torah! |
| Romans 7:12 | "The Torah is holy, righteous and good" | Torah is GOOD, not bad! |
| Romans 7:22 | "I delight in the Torah of Elohim" | Paul LOVED Torah! |
| 1 Timothy 1:8 | "We know the Torah is good if used properly" | Torah is good when understood |
| Acts 21:24 | "You yourself are living in obedience to the Torah" | Paul KEPT Torah! |
| Acts 24:14 | "I believe everything in the Torah and Prophets" | Paul believed ALL Torah! |
| Acts 25:8 | "I have done nothing wrong against the Torah" | Paul never broke Torah! |
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"Hupo nomon" - "Under law"
Means: Under the PENALTY/CURSE of the law
NOT: Free from obedience to the law
UNDER LAW means:
UNDER GRACE means:
Grace doesn't free us FROM Torah - it frees us from the PENALTY and empowers us TO KEEP Torah!
"For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!"
What is sin? 1 John 3:4 - "Sin is transgression of the Torah"
So Paul is saying: Don't break Torah just because you're under grace!
"For the grace of Elohim has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It TEACHES us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hopeโthe appearing of the glory of our great Elohim and Savior, Yahusha HaMashiach, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all LAWLESSNESS and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, EAGER TO DO WHAT IS GOOD."
"The days are coming," declares Yahuah, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah... This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares Yahuah. "I will put my TORAH in their minds and write it on their hearts."
| Old Covenant | New Covenant |
|---|---|
| Torah on stone tablets | Torah on hearts |
| External commands | Internal desire |
| Human effort | Spirit empowerment |
| Failure inevitable | Victory possible |
The Torah didn't change - its LOCATION changed! From stone to hearts!
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and CAUSE you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
The Spirit doesn't free us FROM Torah - He CAUSES us to keep it!
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"Anomia" - Lawlessness
A (without) + Nomos (law/Torah) = WITHOUT TORAH
This is what Yahusha condemns!
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
The word "evildoers" is Greek ANOMIA = Torah-less ones!
| Torah Command | Church Practice | Excuse Given |
|---|---|---|
| Remember the Sabbath (Saturday) | Sunday worship | "Every day is holy" |
| No graven images | Crosses, statues, pictures | "They're just symbols" |
| Keep the Feasts | Christmas, Easter | "Jewish, not for us" |
| Clean foods only | Eat anything | "All foods are clean" |
| No usury | Interest normal | "That's Old Testament" |
The anti-Torah doctrine began with Constantine (321 AD):
Quote from Council of Laodicea (364 AD):
"Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day... If any be found to be Judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ."
The church CURSED Torah keepers!
The Misunderstanding: Being "not under law" means free from obedience
The Truth: It means not under the PENALTY/CURSE of the law
Proof: Romans 6:15 - "Shall we sin (break Torah) because we're under grace? NO!"
Romans 10:4: "Messiah is the end of the law"
Greek word "telos" (ฯฮญฮปฮฟฯ) means GOAL or PURPOSE, not termination!
Better translation: "Messiah is the GOAL of the Torah"
The Torah points TO Messiah, not away from Him!
Colossians 2:14: "The certificate of debt...nailed to the cross"
What was nailed? The CERTIFICATE OF DEBT (our sin record), NOT the Torah!
It's the criminal charges against us that were nailed, not Yahuah's instructions!
Acts 15:19-21 gives 4 immediate requirements for new Gentile believers
BUT VERSE 21 IS KEY: "For Torah has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
They would learn the REST of Torah every Sabbath in synagogue!
These were entry requirements, not the total requirement!
Mark 7:19 - Yahusha was talking about HAND WASHING, not food types!
Acts 10 - Peter's vision was about GENTILES, not food! (verse 28)
1 Timothy 4:4-5 - Foods "sanctified by the word" - the word (Torah) sanctifies only CLEAN animals!
Pigs, shellfish, etc. are still "abominations" (Leviticus 11, Isaiah 66:17)
The longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses) is entirely about loving Torah!
| Blessing | Scripture | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Wisdom | Psalm 19:7 | "Making wise the simple" |
| Joy | Psalm 19:8 | "Giving joy to the heart" |
| Light | Proverbs 6:23 | "Commands are a lamp" |
| Freedom | James 1:25 | "Perfect law of liberty" |
| Peace | Psalm 119:165 | "Great peace" |
| Protection | Proverbs 7:2 | "Keep my commands and live" |
| Prosperity | Joshua 1:8 | "Then you will be prosperous" |
Consider: Are traffic laws bondage or freedom?
Similarly, Torah creates the boundaries within which true freedom exists!
James 2:12 - "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom"
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of Yahuah, AND the faith of Yahusha."
The end-time remnant has BOTH: Torah obedience AND faith in Messiah!
Understanding Yahuah's Instruction Manual
What does the Hebrew word "Torah" primarily mean?
Is the division of Torah into moral, ceremonial, and civil law biblical?
According to James 2:10, how should we view Torah?
If Torah is Yahuah's loving instruction (like a parent teaching a child), how does this change your view of commandments? Are they burden or blessing?
Did Messiah Abolish or Establish Torah?
In Matthew 5:17, what does Yahusha say He came NOT to do?
How long does Yahusha say Torah will remain valid (Matthew 5:18)?
What does the Greek word "pleroo" (fulfill) mean?
According to 1 John 2:6, we must "walk as Yahusha walked." If Yahusha kept the Sabbath, feasts, dietary laws, and all Torah perfectly, what does this mean for believers today?
Clearing Up 2000 Years of Misunderstanding
What does Paul say about Torah in Romans 3:31?
What does "under law" (hupo nomon) actually mean?
According to Acts 21:24, how did Paul live?
Peter warned that "ignorant and unstable people distort" Paul's letters "to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). How is Paul being distorted today to abolish Torah?
How Grace Teaches Us to Keep Torah
According to Titus 2:11-12, what does grace teach us?
In the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33), where does Yahuah put His Torah?
According to Ezekiel 36:27, what does the Spirit cause us to do?
If grace empowers us to keep Torah (not frees us from it), and the New Covenant writes Torah on our hearts, how should this change the way you view Yahuah's commandments?
Why Yahusha Will Say "Depart From Me"
What does the Greek word "anomia" (lawlessness) literally mean?
In Matthew 7:23, why does Yahusha reject those who did miracles in His name?
What did Constantine do to the Sabbath in 321 AD?
Many sincere Christians who prophesy, cast out demons, and do miracles will hear "Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness." How can you ensure you won't be among them?
Refuting Anti-Torah Arguments
What does the Greek word "telos" mean in "Christ is the end (telos) of the law"?
What was actually "nailed to the cross" in Colossians 2:14?
Why does Acts 15:21 mention Torah being read every Sabbath in synagogues?
How would you respond to someone who says "We're not under law, we're under grace, so we don't need to keep the Sabbath or dietary laws"?
Why David Loved Yahuah's Law
What does Psalm 119:165 promise those who love Torah?
How does James 1:25 describe the Torah?
According to Revelation 14:12, what two things characterize end-time saints?
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible - 176 verses about loving Torah. What blessings have you experienced (or expect to experience) from following Yahuah's instructions?
Practical Steps for Obedient Faith
What's the best way to begin keeping Torah?
How should you respond when family/friends oppose your Torah observance?
What should motivate Torah obedience?
Based on everything you've learned, what specific steps will you take to align your life with both Torah and grace? Which commandments will you begin keeping? How will you rely on the Spirit's empowerment?
Review your understanding and check your answers
Q1: What does "Torah" primarily mean?
Answer: B - Instruction, teaching, pointing the way
Explanation: The Hebrew root "yarah" means to shoot an arrow or point the way. Torah is Yahuah's loving instruction manual for life, not harsh legalistic law. It's like a parent teaching a child how to live well.
Q2: Is the division of Torah biblical?
Answer: B - No, this division was invented by the church
Explanation: Scripture NEVER divides Torah into moral, ceremonial, and civil categories. This artificial division was created to justify keeping some commands while rejecting others. James 2:10 confirms Torah is one unified whole.
Q3: How should we view Torah according to James 2:10?
Answer: C - One unified whole - break one, guilty of all
Explanation: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." Torah cannot be divided - it's all Yahuah's instruction.
Q1: What did Yahusha NOT come to do?
Answer: B - Abolish the Torah or Prophets
Explanation: Matthew 5:17 - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets." He specifically warned against this false assumption.
Q2: How long will Torah remain?
Answer: B - Until heaven and earth disappear
Explanation: Matthew 5:18 - "Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter...will disappear from the Torah." Have heaven and earth disappeared? No! Therefore Torah remains.
Q3: What does "fulfill" (pleroo) mean?
Answer: B - Fill full, give full meaning, establish
Explanation: The Greek "pleroo" means to fill to the full, like filling a cup. Yahusha came to show Torah's true meaning and live it perfectly, not to destroy it.
Q1: What does Paul say in Romans 3:31?
Answer: B - Faith establishes the Torah
Explanation: "Do we nullify the Torah by faith? By no means! We establish the Torah!" Paul clearly states faith ESTABLISHES Torah, not abolishes it.
Q2: What does "under law" mean?
Answer: B - Under the penalty/curse for breaking Torah
Explanation: "Hupo nomon" refers to being under the PENALTY for breaking Torah (death), not freedom from obedience. Grace frees us from the penalty, not from obedience.
Q3: How did Paul live according to Acts 21:24?
Answer: B - In obedience to the Torah
Explanation: The elders testified: "You yourself are living in obedience to the Torah." Paul kept Torah his entire life, even after conversion.
Q1: What does grace teach according to Titus 2:11-12?
Answer: B - To say NO to ungodliness and live upright lives
Explanation: Grace TEACHES us to reject sin and live righteously. It's not a license to sin but empowerment to obey.
Q2: Where does Yahuah put Torah in the New Covenant?
Answer: B - In our minds and written on our hearts
Explanation: Jeremiah 31:33 - "I will put my Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts." The Torah didn't change - its LOCATION changed!
Q3: What does the Spirit cause according to Ezekiel 36:27?
Answer: B - Follow His decrees and keep His laws
Explanation: "I will put my Spirit in you and CAUSE you to follow my decrees." The Spirit enables Torah obedience, not lawlessness.
Q1: What does "anomia" mean?
Answer: B - Without Torah
Explanation: A (without) + Nomos (law/Torah) = Without Torah. This is the "lawlessness" Yahusha condemns.
Q2: Why does Yahusha reject miracle workers?
Answer: B - They were Torah-less (anomia)
Explanation: Matthew 7:23 - "Depart from me, you who practice anomia (Torah-lessness)." Miracles without Torah obedience = rejection.
Q3: What did Constantine do to the Sabbath?
Answer: B - Outlawed Sabbath, instituted Sunday
Explanation: In 321 AD, Constantine outlawed Sabbath observance and mandated Sunday worship, beginning the church's anti-Torah tradition.
Q1: What does "telos" mean?
Answer: B - Goal, purpose, aim
Explanation: Romans 10:4 should read "Messiah is the GOAL of the Torah," not the termination. Torah points TO Messiah.
Q2: What was nailed to the cross?
Answer: B - The certificate of debt (our sin record)
Explanation: Colossians 2:14 - The "certificate of debt" (our criminal record) was nailed, NOT Yahuah's Torah.
Q3: Why does Acts 15:21 mention synagogues?
Answer: B - New believers would learn the rest of Torah there
Explanation: The four requirements were entry-level. They'd learn the rest of Torah every Sabbath in synagogue.
Q1: What does Psalm 119:165 promise?
Answer: B - Great peace
Explanation: "Great peace have those who love your Torah." Obedience brings inner peace and stability.
Q2: How does James describe Torah?
Answer: B - Perfect law of liberty/freedom
Explanation: James 1:25 - "The perfect law that gives freedom." Torah creates boundaries for true freedom, not bondage.
Q3: What characterizes end-time saints?
Answer: B - Keep commandments AND have faith in Yahusha
Explanation: Revelation 14:12 - The remnant has BOTH Torah obedience AND faith in Messiah. Not one or the other - BOTH!
Q1: Best way to begin?
Answer: B - Start with Sabbath, gradually add more as you learn
Explanation: Begin with the Sabbath (the sign of the covenant), then add dietary laws, feasts, etc. as the Spirit leads and teaches.
Q2: How to handle opposition?
Answer: B - Share truth gently, live the example, be patient
Explanation: "Speaking truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). Your transformed life is the best testimony.
Q3: What should motivate obedience?
Answer: B - Love for Yahuah and Yahusha
Explanation: John 14:15 - "If you love me, keep my commands." Love, not legalism, motivates true obedience.