It is not “I obey, therefore I am accepted,” but rather, “I am accepted, and that is the obedience (ὑπακούω) of faith.” The opposite of sin is not virtue but faith, as Paul said: πᾶν δὲ ὃ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως, ἁμαρτία ἐστίν, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). Putting it the other way around, trust is the means of attaining God’s righteousness and blessing (Eph. 2:8, Rom. 3:20-27). Paul calls this the “law of faith” (i.e., torat ha’emunah: תּוֹרַת הָאֱמוּנָה). Accepting that God is “for you” and “with you,” and trusting that you are accepted — despite your unacceptability — is the first and most fundamental step of faith, since this honors the love and blessing of God. It is not your wisdom or cleverness that enlightens your way in the truth, however, but the miracle of disclosure from heaven. It is all a gift: you need God to even see that you need God! Right thinking is indeed a path to God, but it is the givenness of truth that enables the seeker to seek; it is the reality of the Teacher (the Savior) that is all-important. By itself true belief does not conjure divine favor, and indeed it may hide the deeper truth that the heart exists in untruth despite the head’s “true” doctrine. Likewise, while goodness is indeed a path to God, true goodness is found in God’s righteousness that makes the way right for the trusting heart… Genuine obedience to the truth of God – inner connectedness rather than merely outer obedience – marks the divine mercy of transformation.
“Not by works of righteousness (מַעֲשֵׂי הַצְּדָקָה) which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us (ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸναὐτοῦ ἔλεον ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς), by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit (רוּחַ הַקּדֶשׁ), whom he poured out on us richly through Yeshua our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7). The meaning of the gospel is, among other things, that you believe in the love of God that forever heals us through the life of Yeshua. To those who have ears to hear, this is the deeper meaning of “shabbat” (שַׁבָּת), chaverim!
Note: Of course(!) moral obedience is necessary for us, but that obedience is manifested by the life of Messiah, by our union with Him, by our love relationship, our connection to Him, and by the blessing from heaven (i.e., the Spirit of God)…. We “do” Torah truth by means of the One who is the Living Torah, the Heart of Torah, and the Goal of Torah.
Hebrew Lesson:
