Obviously I don't, and while this is an excellent point.
Okay. I'm going to go over each verse you linked, point by point.
So, the Romans 2:15 verse you linked. If we read the context around it, we see that for one. It's talking to Jews (at least in this specific part), that are teaching Gentiles who are new to the faith (not Judaism, but being part of Israel)
Look at Romans 1:28-32
28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
So, here we see Paul talk pretty bad things about the 10 tribes for what they've done, and tells us how it starts: Them thinking that they knew better than God, and that their ways were better than God's. That world, looked an awful lot like ours today, but that's not the point. He then goes on to say in Romans 2:1
Romans 2:1
2 Therefore
thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another,
thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Here we see that he tells the Jews he's writing to in this chapter that they cannot judge, period. Because they do the same things as the people they're judging, so by judging, they're condemning themselves because to judge is to place faith and confidence in ourselves. BUT, if they have faith, they then will be found innocent of these things, even though they too are guilty of them, apparently.
BUT, then, just a few verses away:
Romans 2:25
25
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law:
but if thou be a breaker of the law,
thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
It's good to note that "thou keep" is from the greek word "prasso" which means to practice, or to exercise, and not to keep as we think of it today. What does this matter? I'll show you in a second.
So, we see here, that so long as you don't judge and do so humbly, you can practice the Torah, because whether or not you transgress it, doesn't matter. It only matters who your faith is in, otherwise, if fulfilling any of the Torah was an instant damnation, Timothy, whom Paul circumcised, would've been damned right then and there, as would all Jews, or anyone else who is circumcised. Is that the case? No. Seeing as, Paul made clear early on in chapter 2, that the important part, is that you don't judge unrighteously, because it's not you that's justifying you, but faith and humility, and you don't know why someone is or isn't in the situation they are in. Only God does.
BUT, aside from that, not only can you practice the Torah, but it will greatly benefit you as we see in verse 25. But, the only way you aren't held responsible for breaking the Torah, is if you have faith, and don't judge if you're struggling with the issue you're giving advice on as previous verses show. He then goes on to say in chapter 3 and 4:
Romans 3:31 -
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea,
we establish the law.
You might say that by faith, and no actions, do you establish the law, but then he goes on to say this in chapter 4:
Romans 4:9-12
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say
that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10
How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?
Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11
And he received the sign of circumcision,
a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised:
that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised;
that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision
to them who are not of the circumcision only,
but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
In verse 10, we see that the righteousness was reckoned to Abraham before the circumcision, BUT in verse 11, that his
seal of that righteousness, was the circumcision. Was that circumcision the
reason for his righteousness? No. It was the product of it, and the proof of it. We then see in verse 12, that all of Abraham's seed that are of the uncircumcision will then
walk in the steps of that faith.
What were the steps? They are. 1. Have faith. 2. Become righteous. 3. Get circumcised, sealing that righteousness.
What is my point? Because, that work, was not why he was saved, but it's the
proof of his salvation. The circumcision is part of the law, yet his seed is required to walk the same steps he walked, and get circumcised. And to do as he did and obey the laws, not
for salvation, but as their
seal of salvation. It's an action, showing your faith, so that Jesus will not describe you as one who confesses Him with your lips, while your heart is far from Him.
I'm glad you referenced these, for sure. Because they prove something that a lot of people miss. That we are the house of Israel. But you see, before, what Israel had to do before they were brought back into their land, historically, was repent. Come back into His law, and they would be salvaged. Historically, biblically, the lost 10 tribes were never brought back, meaning we're still in dispersion. The only way for us to come back, is for Him to lead us back. We will come again out of the nations, but only when He has cleansed us of all unrighteousness. We must stop bending our knee to ourselves, and devils, and once again follow His Torah, because after all, His Torah was for Israel, forever.
"which
keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
We don't have to observe 613 laws, Jesus fulfilled all of the sacrificial ones, even before we observed them He fulfilled them. They were never meant to take away our sins, God has always forgiven based on faith. Abraham, Moses, David, and all of the Prophets are testaments to this fact. Even Romans is a testament to this.
Romans 3:21
21 But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets;
That word "manifested" is taken from the greek word
faneroo:
1) to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way
Later on in 1 John chapter 4, he writes as follows:
1 John 4:13
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because
he hath given us of His Spirit.
What does it look like, when He imparts His spirit on to someone though? If faith, according to the book of Romans, means taking actions, and sealing your salvation in the works that you do?
Ezekiel 36:6-27 -
26
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and
I will take away
the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will
give you an heart of flesh.
27 And
I will put my spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them.
So, 26, shows us that the stony heart we once had, makes it so we DON'T observe the statutes and judgements of God, but the newness of spirit He gives us, makes it so we DO observe it, because He does what to our hearts? He softens it. It goes from stone, to flesh!
Here's another one, that shows what it looks like for someone to have His Spirit.
Romans 8:5-8
5For
they that are
after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but
they that are
after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For
to be carnally minded is death; but
to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for
it is not subject
to the law of God,
neither indeed can be.
8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
We see, that the spirit, is life, and the flesh is death. We also see, that
the carnal mind is an enemy of God,
because it isn't subject, or in submission to the law of God it then goes on to say that
it isn't even able to if it wanted to be.
Here, you're saying that the law couldn't write those things on the heart, but yet, there are numerous people all throughout the bible, showing otherwise. The truth of God, and what His plan was, was hidden, as it said in Romans chapter 3 in the verse I linked above, but the prophets, Moses, David, Abraham, all of the main people saw otherwise. Because they had the Spirit of God in them. If you're carnally minded, then no. But, if you are led by the spirit, because God is love, therefore His word is loving as well. This is what David reveals in the Psalms.
Would God write something that would work death in people? No. He wrote that which gives life, but our corrupted minds perceived it otherwise.
It's not really the Mosaic law either. Genesis 26:5
Abraham had it.
Genesis 7:2
Noah had it, and Lot had it.
It's only a death sentence if we're so arrogant as to think that through our obedience we will be saved. Our obedience isn't what saves us, it's merely the seal on that which is already done. Our salvation, is that of the work of God, but our seal to that salvation as I pointed out earlier in this post, is faith that results in the actions that prove our faith isn't just all talk and no action.
The verses in Galatians 3, show us exactly what all of Pauls writings do, as well as the rest of the bible. Most people, aside from a few (David, Moses, Abraham, the Prophets, etc.) all were in the flesh. Therefore, they didn't see what was there and obvious in the law. They felt that they had to keep the law for salvation, when it's written that no one can do that. It was a mystery, that those who lived and were called righteous, were righteous because God justified them, not themselves. They would do the same works as everyone else, but the difference was, they were only doing it to be obedient, and as a seal of their righteousness, not to gain that righteousness in the first place. This is what the schoolmaster was to teach us, that we needed a savior. Not that God's law was sinful, or impossible to keep. It's kept not by keeping it all, but by desiring to keep it, and knowing that if you fail you will be kept alive out of the infinite mercies or rather "sure mercies" as David puts it, of our Elohim, our Father.
If you then read into Galatians 4, he quotes something from Isaiah.
Galatians 4:27
27 For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that nearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travails not: for the desolate hath many more children than she hath an husband.
Then, we go to see what he was quoting, because people don't just quote things for no reason in the bible. There's a reason. It applied to them.
We then go to see that it was Isaiah 54:1,
We see that all of this chapter, is about the salvation that is to come by faith. To many nations, Jews, and Gentiles alike. All of those that believe and have faith in God to justify them, aside from doing works of the law. You win right? Not quite, because as we keep reading, we see the same exact theme in the next chapter. Then, in chapter 56, we see that, even though it's talking about the same exact people group, and is going on to identify them even more, while staying on the same topic, in Isaiah 55:6-9, God tells us that He is higher than us in every way, and that we should remember no longer our wicked ways.
It then says in Isaiah 56, while talking about the same people group, and the same mercies, that if we are to remain faithful, and trusting, and to merely do this simple thing, then our names will be written in the everlasting book of life.
Isaiah 56:2
2 Blessed is the man that doth this, and the son of man that layette hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
This demonstrates the seal of faith, but then, the next verse, demonstrates the importance of keeping that faith that originally made us right with God
Isaiah 56:3
3 Neither let the son of the stranger (which is us by the way), that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
Basically, don't let them wither. He said feed my sheep, in other words, if you hear a brother that needs to be fed, feed them. Those thoughts displayed in verse 3, aren't congruent with scripture. They are thoughts given them by demons, and unclean spirits, and need to be quenched with the word of God. Faith justifies them, and according to the promise of Abraham, nothing they can do can undo that, except for rejecting that promise, but once they enact that seal, regardless, they are saved no matter what. Period. Their seal, is their work, but their salvation, is in their trust of the Father. Not their works. This is what the schoolmaster was teaching, but due to the flesh, it was not understood.
We then go to the Galatians verse you linked in chapter 5
if you read a bit further, he states that the circumcision isn't what saves you, and in fact, if you get circumcised with the misunderstanding that you're being saved when it's done, you're exactly the opposite. This is the only thing that it could mean, as proven in the fact that in verse 11
Galatians 5:11
11 And I, brethren,
if I yet preach circumcision,
why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased.
Paul was preaching circumcision to others, which means that he was still teaching the law. He wasn't teaching it for salvation, as previous verses have shown, but he was still teaching it, this can be proven in the fact that he then circumcised Timothy to preach literally AGAINST circumcision for salvation. This is because one, he was going to preach to Jews, and two, it's the seal of being saved, not the thing that saves us.
Insanely long response I know, but I had to respond to each of those verses in context. I doubt that we will ever agree, but it is what it is. I don't work on trying to practice the Torah for salvation, nor do I do it to brag to others. Not many people receive any information implying they should practice Torah well, so if I was doing it to brag, I'd be doing the wrong thing in the wrong way. It's the seal of my salvation, but God is the root of my salvation. Jesus, or Yeshua, depending on which you prefer.