Hard Sayings of Paul - Part 1

Explaining 2 Peter 3:14-17 and

"Why the Savior had to die?"

2 Peter 3:14-17: Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Master as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled [Strong's #113, "Lawless"] men and fall from your own steadfastness,

The apostle Peter tells us that some of the things Paul said are "hard to understand"--not just hard for you and I to understand, but hard for even Peter to understand! And because of these things (i.e., Paul being hard to understand), those who are "untaught" or "unlearned" in the *Scriptures are twisting them. For that reason, they will be destroyed.

What is it that Paul could have possibly been saying that was of such a serious nature, that people who were "untaught" in the scriptures would be DESTROYED for their misunderstanding of? For many Christians and Messianic Jews today the subject of Yahuweh’s Law is so totally irrelevant they have no interest in even the mention of it. PLEASE believe me when I say that THIS, the misunderstanding of the things Paul said concerning the Heavenly Father’s Law, is EXACTLY the reason so many will hear those dreadful words Judgment Day, Depart from me I never knew you, you "workers of Lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23).

Contrary to what millions of people are being taught today by their "ministers," the Father’s Law, His Perfect Law (Psalm 19:7), which includes the Feast Days (Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 16), the Food Laws (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14) and the 4th Commandment, the Sabbath Day (Exodus 20:8-11), has never been done away with or changed. Those things are all to be obeyed today, as much as possible, as they were the day Yahuweh (the L-RD) gave them to Moses on Mt Sinai.

This, the Father’s Law, the Torah, is the very thing that people were misunderstanding about Paul's writings, and consequently, according to the apostle Peter, they will be "destroyed" for that misunderstanding.

Turn to Acts 21, and lets take a look at the reason Peter made the statement he did concerning Paul being hard to understand. In Acts 21:17-20, when Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the Apostle James, who was the head of the congregation in Jerusalem at that time, immediately took Paul aside and explained to him about the "thousands" (footnote, Lit. ten thousands) of believing Jews who were all "zealous" for the Law, who were misunderstanding Paul in some of the things he said concerning the Law.

They, the thousands of believing Jews, thought Paul was saying that the law has been done away with, that it did not have to be obeyed any longer. That, of course, was NOT what Paul was saying. So, James, the head of the Jerusalem congregation at that time, wanted Paul to prove to these Jews that they were misunderstanding him, and that he, Paul, also "walked orderly, obeying the Law."

Please consider the following carefully:

Acts 21:17-24: After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which Yahuweh had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying Yahuweh; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands [Lit: ten thousands] there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. "What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.

Did you notice that "there was nothing" to the things they "thought" Paul was saying, about "forsaking Moses"? The fact was that he, Paul, ...also walked orderly, keeping the Law just as those thousands of "believing" Jews were doing. This misunderstanding of the things Paul said concerning the Law, IS the very reason Peter said what he did about some of the things Paul said, "being hard to understand."

Paul, of course, followed and obeyed the Law, and commanded all who would hear him to do the same (Romans 2:6,11-13). We will discuss this fact in much more detail in Parts 2-4. For now, with that in mind, let's go back and take a look at what Peter said about these "ministers" who are misleading people concerning Paul's writings.

In 2 Peter 3:14, after Peter admonishes us to be diligent, that we might be "found by Him…spotless and blameless…," he goes on to warn us of the "lawless ministers" who through their deception, will cause many to fall from their own steadfastness.

2 Peter 3:17: You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,  (NASV)

The word "unprincipled," translated as "wicked" in the KJV Bible, is defined as “Lawless” (#113 in the Strong’s Concordance). Peter is warning us here not to follow after so-called ministers who do not obey the heavenly Father's Law, and who are teaching others that they do not have to obey it either (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). These "ministers" are using things Paul said that are "hard to understand" in promoting this demonic teaching of Lawlessness (2 Peter 3:14-16).

I’m not saying your minister is evil. It is very possible he has being mislead also. But it’s up to us to embrace the truth when it’s presented to us, and to thank Yahuweh for opening our eyes up to things we might not have seen previously, before it is to late.

Years ago, I was debating a Christian minister on a radio show as to whether we had to obey the heavenly Father's Law or not. I was showing from the scriptures that the Law was NOT done away with, and that the Almighty expected His children to obey it. The "minister" was saying that we didn't have to obey it. At one point during the program he made the comment that what I was saying was of the devil. I was taken back by that to say the least. So I asked him, "I'm telling people that they should obey the Almighty's commandments, His Law, and you're telling them they don't have to obey it. Which one of us is clearing doing the work of the devil?"

Friend, you ask yourself that question, "is it the devil telling you to obey the heavenly Father's Commandments?" Of course not. Satan takes great satisfaction in knowing that multitudes will die in their sins, because they've "misunderstood" some of the things Paul said concerning the Law.

Romans 7:13: Therefore did that which is good the Law become a cause of death for me? Yahuweh forbid! Rather it was sin [1 John 3:4], in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

The Messiah died to do away with "sin," not to do away with His Father's Law. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law (Romans 2:11-13).

Let's summarize what has been said here thus far by Peter in 2 Peter 3:13-17. In verses 13-15, Peter tells us that since we're eagerly awaiting the new heaven and the new earth, we should be found by Him "spotless and blameless," just as our beloved brother Paul tells us in all of his letters. As amazing as it may seem to some, Paul does exactly that. He tells us over and over again in his letters to be found "spotless and blameless" at the appearing of our Master and Savior, Yahoshua. Here are but a few of the times we're admonished by Paul and others to be found "spotless and blameless" (i.e., found not sinning [i.e. practicing sin]), at the appearing of our Master Yahoshua the Messiah: 1 Corinthians 1:8; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:22; Philippians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Timothy 2:19; Philippians 2:15; Philippians 3:6; Luke 1:6; Revelation 14:5).

In verse 16, he explains how many people through their lack of understanding in the Scriptures, meaning the Tanak* (so-called Old Testament), are twisting some of the things Paul said that are hard to understand, concerning the Law, and because of their misunderstanding they will be destroyed. It will become very obvious in this series of articles that the things Paul said that were hard to understand, were absolutely things concerning the Law.

Then, in verse 17, he warns those being made aware of this, to be on guard against false ministers, lawless men who are preaching against the Almighty's Law, telling people they don't have to obey it (Genesis 3:4). You see, just as the "thousands" of believing Jews who "misunderstood" Paul in thinking he was telling people to forsake Yahuweh's Law (something Paul never did), many Christians today who are "untaught" in the scriptures, twist or distort the things Paul said concerning Yahuweh's Law, in an attempt to say that the Law no longer has to be obeyed. The difference between these Jews who incorrectly thought Paul was saying the Law didn’t have to be obeyed and the millions of Christians today that are misled into thinking Paul said the Law doesn't have to be obeyed, is the difference between "salvation and destruction" as Peter tells us (2 Peter 3:16).

The Jews in Acts 21 who, although they misunderstood Paul in thinking he was speaking against the Law, never quit obeying the Law. Christians and so many Messianic Jews, on the other hand, are misunderstanding Paul in thinking he said the Law does not have to be obeyed and they "don't obey it." Therefore, they have never turned from their sins. On Judgment Day they will hear the words of the Savior, Depart from me I never knew you, you workers of "Lawlessness," Matthew 7:23.

Many, because of the fact that they're untaught in the Scriptures, twist some things Paul said in an attempt to say that obedience to the Law is no longer necessary for Salvation. We are going to take a look at some of the "Hard Sayings of Paul." Such sayings as:

1. In what sense are believers today, "...not under the Law but under grace" (Romans 6:14);
2. How are we "free from the Law" (Romans 8:2)?;
3. Why is it that "...no man will be justified by the works of the Law...." (Galatians 2:16).

These questions and others are addressed in parts 2 through 4. Allow me to first point out a few basic and yet often times overlooked things concerning the Law.

Why did the Savior have to suffer and die?

In an attempt to better understand the things Paul said concerning the Law, it is important for us to understand the reason the Messiah had to die. First of all it has to be understood that there is only "one" Law, and One Lawgiver, not two (James 4:12; John 7:17). It is the same law for Israel and the stranger that joins themselves to Israel (Numbers 15:16,29; Romans 2:25-26).

Why do we join ourselves to Israel? Because to Israel "according to the flesh" belongs everything, "…the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service and the promises," (Romans 9:1-4). If a gentile, a non-Israelite, wants to gain access to those "promises" they MUST be "grafted into the natural olive tree" (Romans 11:11-26), which is Israel.

It is only through the blood of Israel's number one citizen, Yahoshua the Messiah, that we join the "commonwealth of Israel" (Ephesians 2:11-13). It is only Israel and those that join themselves to it that will be saved. According to the Torah, the Law, if someone sinned "unintentionally," that is not realizing it at the time, that person could offer up a sacrifice and he/she would be forgiven (Leviticus 4; Numbers 15). But if someone committed a sin intentionally, that is knowing what they were doing was against the Torah, such as violating the Sabbath Day, cursing father or mother, blaspheming the Name, not observing the Feast days, etc., that person would be cut off from being among Yahuweh’s people Israel. That person was completely and utterly cut off.

Numbers 15:29-31, You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them. But the person who does anything defiantly [intentionally], whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming Yahuweh; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of Yahuweh and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be on him.

To sin wilfully meant a person was completely cut off from being among Yahuweh's people and there wasn’t anything in the Law that could change that. Never are we told to offer a sacrifice that could atone for those sins unto death that were committed "intentionally." The penalty was "death." Since the Law completely and utterly condemned us for the sin or sins that one might have committed, what hope could one have? Paul gives us the answer to that question over and over again throughout his epistles. Quoting Habakkuk 2:4, Paul tells us that the just, or righteous, shall live by faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). In other words, when we realize that according to the Law there isn’t anythings we can do to be reconciled back to the Heavenly Father, we have no choie other then to "live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:7), trusting that the Heavenly Father would make a way in which we could be reconciled back to him. Of course, He made that way, by sending His only begotten Son, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, into a wicked and corrupt world to die in order to justify us from the sins that we could not be justified from under the Law (Acts 13:39; Romans 8:3). We will talk about "repentance" at the end of Part 4.

You see the Father had two choices in ridding mankind of sin.

1. He could have done away with His Law, thus doing away with sin. For "where there is no Law there is no transgression of the Law," as the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 4:15, OR
2. The Father could send His only begotten Son, the first born of all creation, into the world to die on our behalf; to be cruelly mocked, spit upon, tortured and left hanging naked on the tree as an atonement for our sins, to die in our place.

The Father chose the latter. He chose to watch His Son die a torturous death rather then doing away with His perfect, holy, righteous and good Law (Psalms 19:7; Romans 7:12). The Messiah had to suffer and die, because the Torah (the Law), was too important to do away with. It wasn't the Law that the Savior died to do away with, it was for sin, yours and mine. Romans 7:13 says, Was then that which is good [the Law] made death unto me? Yahuweh forbid. But rather it was sin…. The reason the Savior came into the world to suffer and die was to put an end to the works of the devil, "sin" (1 John 3:8-9; Matthew 1:21; Romans 8:3), NOT to do away with His Heavenly Father’s Law. Sin is a violation of the Law--the same law that so many preachers today, preachers that Peter warned us about, are telling their "flock" they no longer have to obey (2 Peter 3:17). 1 John 3:4, Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

The Savior warned us in

Matthew 7:21-23: Not everyone who says to Me, "Master, Master," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, "Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me you who practice LAWLESSNESS [iniquity]."

Will you be among those "many"? The ones that will not inherit the kingdom are the ones who practice lawlessness, which will include all those who, through their misunderstanding of the things Paul said concerning the Law, refuse to obey the Law. Those that will inherit the Kingdom are those that "do the will of the Father," which is to obey his Law.

I realize that many today mistakenly think that when the Savior died He did away with the Law. If that were true, which of course it is not, answer this question, what was the “will of the Father” when the Messiah made the statement He made in Matthew 7:21-23? Clearly, Messiah is talking about the Torah, Yahuweh’s perfect will in our lives. The Apostle John, in Book of Revelation, describes perfectly those who will inherit the kingdom. Revelation 14:12 says, Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of Yahuweh and hold to their faith in Yahoshua, the Messiah.

Friend, it is sadly true that most people blindly follow whatever it is their ministers tell them, but the fact is that if your minister is preaching that the Law has been done away with, whether through ignorance or deliberately, he will find himself and those that follow him, in the Lake of Fire someday soon, after they hear the words of the Messiah, Depart from me you workers of Lawlessness, Matthew 7:23. For the Messiah tells us that if the blind lead the blind, they'll both fall into the pit (Matthew 15:14). Ignorance “is not” an excuse for disobedience. Today, with bibles so readily available, if someone doesn’t know what it says it is only because they never took the time to look; and they obviously are not seeking Elohim with all their hearts (Deuteronomy 4:27-29). It may be that your minister has sincerely been deceived over the years in believing the Almighty’s Law no longer has to be obeyed. Show him that which is being said here, before it is to late. It may be he will thank you for making him aware of it.

My sincere prayer is that something you’ll read in this article will help you come to see that the Father did not change His mind concerning his Law (Malachi 3:6).

Click to continue to Part 2.

Footnotes:

*Scriptures: In the days of the Messiah and apostles the only scriptures that were available to them was the Tanak, or what is commonly called the Old Testament today. For none of the letters of the apostles, the gospels or epistles were, nor would they be, written until decades after the resurrection. John’s gospel for instance--most scholars believe it was written in 98 A.D., almost 70 years after the resurrection. Mark‘s gospel was written in 65 A.D., and Mathew and Luke’s gospels, in 67 and 68 A.D., respectively. It’s recorded that Eusebius was commissioned by Emperor Constantine, in 325 A.D. to put together 50 copies of the writing of the apostles into book form. But whether he ever did it or not is unknown. The Canon as we have it today, the books from Matthew to Revelation, as far as we know from history, were first compiled into the book form we have in 364 A.D. by Athanasius, a Bishop of Alexandria. It’s important to realize that the “New” Testament as we have it today did not exist, not one letter, until decades after the resurrection. Whenever the apostles went into the Synagogues and opened the Scriptures it was always the Tanak they were preaching and teaching from.  

*Tanak: The word “Tanak” is an acronym taken from the letters TNK. The "T" stands for "Torah," the first vie books of the Bible, also known as the Law. The "N" stands for "Nevieim," meaning the books of the Prophets, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jerimiah, etc. The "K" stands for "Ketuvim" or the "Writings," such as Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, etc. The Messiah spoke of the Tanak in Luke 24:44.