Page 43 - The Road from Babylon to Zion

practices, he does well. Where he gets into error is when he begins to draw
applications to his findings. This author is teaching other Christian saints to return
to keeping the Torah, or Law. He describes himself as being “Torah Observant” and
he argues that all saints today should be so. The phrase “Torah Observant” is simply
a euphemism that means Law Keeper.

I have noted a whole mass of saints that are seeking to return to being Torah
Observant. This is a result of many of the saints finding out how riddled modern
Christianity is with pagan practices and false doctrines. In a sincere effort to return
to a foundation of truth, many saints are seeking to go back and discover how the
early church walked and to conform to their beliefs and practices. Many equate a
return to Jewish heritage, words, and practice as being a return to truth and a
separation from apostasy (it is a mistake to equate Judaism with early Christianity).
One of the things the Jews were known for was their observance of the Torah, the
Law of God.

However, a return to an observance of the Law is not the same thing as fleeing from
Babylon, as some would suppose. It is merely exchanging one bondage for another.
Many of the early saints in Jerusalem were former adherents of Judaism. We are told
that a great number of priests believed, as did multitudes of the Jewish people (Acts
6:7). Unfortunately, many of these saints did not want to transition completely to the
New Covenant established in the blood of Christ. There were many who wanted to mix
the Old Covenant with the New. This is a tragic mistake, and Paul in writing to the
Hebrews tells them plainly that the Old Covenant has been replaced. Many of the early
believers wanted to treat the New Covenant as merely an addendum to the Old. They did
not want the Old to pass away.

Hebrews 8:6-7, 13
But now [Yahshua] has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as
He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on
better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would
have been no occasion sought for a second... When He said, "A new
covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming
obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Many saints become confused because there are many New Testament scriptures that
indicate that the Law is righteous and holy and it still has a purpose in this age. Indeed,
the Law does have a purpose. It continues to lead people to Christ as it exposes sin and
reveals unregenerate man’s utter inability to conform to Yahweh’s righteous and holy
standards. The Law makes known man’s need for a Savior. Paul is quite emphatic about
this issue.

Galatians 4:21-25
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For