Keep the commandments of the Creator given throughout the Scriptures, with the understanding that our heavenly Father does not change. The Torah, the first five books, gives all of the guidance, direction, and teaching that Yahweh wanted us to have. The remainder of Scripture is written in the form of history, commentary, and eyewitness reports about Messiah and the New Covenant in his blood. Thus, we learn from teaching and from examples.
FOLLOW TORAH
Messiah said:
Matt 5:18 (NIV) I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law (Torah) until everything is accomplished.
19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same 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.
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven [kingdom of Yahweh]. (Since, the Jews had stopped using the name, Yahweh, "heaven" was often substituted in such phrases).
For one’s righteousness to "surpass that of the Pharisees and the
teachers of the law," one must live it; the Pharisees were being
criticized as hypocrites for teaching the law, but not living it.
Matt 23:3 (NIV) So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Following Torah includes keeping the weekly, seventh day Sabbath
(Exo 20:8) and using the name of our Father that he told us to use (Exo
3:15, Ps 68:4), "Yahweh."
TORAH CALLED "LAW" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Hebrew Bible is referred to as "TeNaKh" (also spelled Tanakh and
Tenach); this term refers to the three part division of the Hebrew Bible,
with T standing for Torah ("Law"), N standing for
Nebi’im
("Prophets"), and K standing for Ketubim ("Writings").
In Matthew 22:40, Messiah refers to the "Law and the Prophets"; he
would have said "Torah and Nebi’im." "On these two commandments hang
all the Torah and Nebi’im." To keep these two commandments,
one must live in agreement with all the Torah and Prophet Scriptures.
Messiah’s words about the Law / Torah (in Matthew 5 above) are
quite clear.
Also, quite clear are statements by John:
1Joh 5:3 (KJS) For this is the love of [Yahweh], that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Joh 3:4 (KJS) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
MESSIAH AS THE SACRIFICE
We walk in this way, with the understanding that the Father’s forgiveness
is obtained when we each repent, obey his commandments, and
identify
by faith with an atoning sacrifice.
Repent:
To repent is to cease unrighteousness and walk in righteousness.(1)
Obey his commandments:
We love our heavenly Father and we love others by following His guidance,
direction, and teaching for our lives, Torah (2).
Identify with an atoning sacrifice by faith:
"The New Covenant in His blood" is that the atoning sacrifice of
Messiah exceeds the animal sacrifices which required the many priests,
utensils of service, and rituals. We must now identify (Lev 4:23-24)
with the Messiah’s sacrifice and receive atonement by faith in Messiah,
rather than by the works of the animal sacrifices of the Law.