Question of Law

[Muko]

Heya I was told that I was allowed to ask earnest questions of y'all if I wanted to, and being as I actually do have a question, I'll ask it

It's a question about the Law, as you probably already have guessed from the title, but anyway... In Galatians 3 and many other places in fact, it talks about we are no longer bound by the curse of the Law because Yeshua became a "curse for us."

In part it reads (NIV)...

1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
6Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/...sh&version=NIV&x=16&y=13#footnote_717090538_3 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/...sh&version=NIV&x=16&y=13#footnote_717090538_4 12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

[...]

21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

So, my actual question is this. Am I missing something here? I'm sure y'all have all read such Scripture, am I interpretting this wrong? If so, what is the correct interpretation?

Thanks in advance for answering my question, and God Bless you-all

 

[Bon]

Heya I was told that I was allowed to ask earnest questions of y'all if I wanted to, and being as I actually do have a question, I'll ask it

It's a question about the Law, as you probably already have guessed from the title, but anyway... In Galatians 3 and many other places in fact, it talks about we are no longer bound by the curse of the Law because Yeshua became a "curse for us."

In part it reads (NIV)...

1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
6Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/...sh&version=NIV&x=16&y=13#footnote_717090538_3 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/...sh&version=NIV&x=16&y=13#footnote_717090538_4 12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

[...]

21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

So, my actual question is this. Am I missing something here? I'm sure y'all have all read such Scripture, am I interpretting this wrong? If so, what is the correct interpretation?

Thanks in advance for answering my question, and God Bless you-all

Hi Muko,

It is not the Law that is the curse, it is the PENALTY of the Law that is the curse, the eventual second death.

Yahshua's atoning sacrafice takes away the decrees written against us (the death penalty written for our sins) when we repent, keep the commandments of Yahweh and the faith of Yahshua Messiah.

Romans 2;13-14 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Romans 7:12 The Law is holy , and the commandment is holy, and just and good.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the Law.

Matthew 5:17-20
17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.


Revelation 12:17And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14
12Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

It's important to put scripture into it's correct context.

To believe that the law is done away with or nailed to the cross, as many believe, is a major contradiction of the overall message in scripture.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

CERTAINLY NOT!

We learn from scriptures in the NT that the Law is no longer our means to salvation but now it is our Faith in Yahshua by the Grace of Yahweh which gives us our salvation.

But the Law is not abolished......that would make us Lawless......and we know that SIN is LAWLESSNESS.

Scripture must be studied prayerfully, asking our Heavenly Father to show us the truth in His word, to help us grow in wisdom and knowledge toward spiritual maturity.

I always ALWAYS look for harmony of the overall scriptures...and to interpret that the Law is done away with leaves many holes and unanswered questions throughout the word of Yahweh.

May Yahweh guide you into His truths.

Shalom from Bon

 

[Henaynei]

well put Bon

Muko - remember this:
the Law/obedience/works does not and NEVER did save anyone - it has ALWAYS been faith *as demonstrated* by obedience - remember in James where it says "faith without works is dead"? and "show me your faith without works and I'll show you my faith BY my works"? When we have faith/trust/love in the Messiah we will obey Him - "If you love me, obey my commandments."

For Messianics - we obey BECAUSE we love Him - no Messianic believes that any act or obedience will earn them anything, in fact I find that MJs know this more than most church folk as we live and think and study about it almost every day We are fully aware that our "righteous acts" are equivalent to "filthy menstrual rags" if offered to demonstrate our "worthiness", and are in fact "wood, hay and stubble" that will be consumed and become ashes when they pass through the fire!! BUT when done to honor and please HaShem, as an offering of our love they are then "gold and silver" and will pass purified through the fire

 

[Muko]

Well, that actually brings more questions to mind, if y'all don't mind me asking them I'm not trying to be argumentative, but rather trying to understand.

What of this passage?

Mark 7:14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' "

Now in context (which I never meant to take it out of context earlier if I did, I tried to keep the context of that chapter while taking out a few verses that I felt were unrelated, I'm sorry if I failed), he is talking to the Pharisees who are complaining that his disciples did not have a ritual handwashing before eating, but would this not extend to all things when Jesus said "Nothing outside a man"?

Also:

Acts10:9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

What affect does this have on not eating pork? Wasn't, by these two passages, pork made a clean animal, suitable for eating? (I'm not well versed on Jewish laws, so forgive me if I'm misunderstanding something here). And then there is also circumcision that makes me wonder.

Acts 15:5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Again, I'm just trying to understand. If MJ is what God wants me to be, then so be it, but I need to know that that is actually what God wants, because human doctrine is nothing compared to the Word of God.

Anyway, thanks again for answering my questions, and God bless.

 

[Henaynei]

Let's start here - read this post Peter's Vision - and see where that leads you?

 

[Muko]

hmm... it leads me to think I should meditate on the Word more often and more deeply

I guess I'll get back to you on this then

 

[Henaynei]

hmm... it leads me to think I should meditate on the Word more often and more deeply

I guess I'll get back to you on this then

enjoy spending deep time with Him see you when you get back

 

[Bon]

WOW! Muko,

I can see that our Heavenly Father has truly blessed you with an inquisitive mind.....to search, learn and live His will.

Don't give it up. Yahweh will open your eyes to the truth....so strive to gain His spiritual wisdom and knowledge. He has some great plans for you.

Well, that actually brings more questions to mind, if y'all don't mind me asking them I'm not trying to be argumentative, but rather trying to understand.

What of this passage?

Mark 7:14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' "

Now in context (which I never meant to take it out of context earlier if I did, I tried to keep the context of that chapter while taking out a few verses that I felt were unrelated, I'm sorry if I failed), he is talking to the Pharisees who are complaining that his disciples did not have a ritual handwashing before eating, but would this not extend to all things when Jesus said "Nothing outside a man"?

I am quoting from Matthew.

Yahshua explains in verse 19, what it is that defiles a man.

If we get the context of this verse clear, you will understand that what Yahshua is speaking of here is spiritual food or what we feed our spirit.

Yahshua is not talking about clean and unlcean food in this chapter but the fact that the scribes and Pharisees were complaining that He and the disciples were transgressing the traditions of the elders by not washing their hands when they ate the bread.


Matthew 15
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? HERE IS THE QUESTION
for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

shalom from Bon

Also:

Acts10:9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

What affect does this have on not eating pork? Wasn't, by these two passages, pork made a clean animal, suitable for eating? (I'm not well versed on Jewish laws, so forgive me if I'm misunderstanding something here). And then there is also circumcision that makes me wonder.

Acts 15:5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Again, I'm just trying to understand. If MJ is what God wants me to be, then so be it, but I need to know that that is actually what God wants, because human doctrine is nothing compared to the Word of God.

Anyway, thanks again for answering my questions, and God bless.

Again, it is not clean and unclean food being mentioned here in these verses, but the fact that the Jews now had to accept the Gentiles as fellow receivers of the promise of eternal life. In the eyes of Yahweh there would be no difference between them.
And there will be only ONE way to salvation for ALL......by the Grace of Yahweh through our faith in Yahshua.

Remember, Yahweh does not change....His Laws are perpetual (for ever).

You see when He told Peter to "Kill and eat".....Peter said, "Surely not!" He refused to eat what was unclean.

If your read on from verse 17

Acts 10:17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate. 18And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.
19While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. 20Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."

Peter was wondering what the vision had meant.....He wasnt sure what it was that Yahweh was telling Him to do...and then he finally understood that the vision was a metaphor about the Jews and the Gentiles now being regarded as one in the sight of Yahweh and the Jews were to accept the Gentiles in the same manner. Equal recipiants of the promise.

Shalom from Bon

 

[Muko]

I was sitting in the sound booth and the choir had just taken a break from rehearsal and went to get ready for the service, so I had some time to just read. I started in Acts 10, reading about Peter's vision more closely. I have to agree that the interpretation that y'all gave me is, at the very least, a possible meaning of the vision. I kept reading for a few more chapters, and was about to flip on into Romans and Galatians and such and skim through parts of them while I still had time, but then Acts 15 caught my eye. I already mentioned some things in Acts 15, but missed the larger picture of it.

Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

Acts 15:6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Acts15:19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." [the significance of verse 21 seems to escape me... It seems to me that it must mean something, useless information isn't really written down in the Bible. What, if any, bearing does this have on the passage that you can tell?]

Acts 15:23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Being a Gentile, this (IMHO) says that I don't have to follow the Law, besides a few main points, but it doesn't actually say that I can't follow the Law, if I so choose. Any thoughts on this? And I'm probably starting to look argumentative now, but I'm more arguing with myself than anything.

 

[Yahudim]

Hi Muko,


These scriptures and subjects are currently being explored at:http://www.christianforums.com/t1146900-acts-1529-2125-what-is-expected-of-the-gentiles.html I hope you find these interpretations enlightening.

 

[koilias]

Mark 7:14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' "

Now in context (which I never meant to take it out of context earlier if I did, I tried to keep the context of that chapter while taking out a few verses that I felt were unrelated, I'm sorry if I failed), he is talking to the Pharisees who are complaining that his disciples did not have a ritual handwashing before eating, but would this not extend to all things when Jesus said "Nothing outside a man"?

Interesting things to keep in mind in reading this passage:

1) The washing of hands was never a requirement of Torah, neither the written nor the oral. David Flusser (a scholar of early Rabbinics) said that even the most bigotted village Pharisee would have shaken his head in utter perplexion at the thought that the washing of hands was incumbent upon someone by the Oral Torah. It was simply the "tradition" but not the commandment. Oral Torah is never called "tradition of man", it is called "the commandments and ordinances" (of G-d).

2) In Rabbinic Judaism coming to contact with anything impure NEVER in and of itself makes one physically impure (unclean). Yeshua's statement is in perfect agreement with this. One keeps the purity laws ONLY because they are the ordinances of HaShem. In Rabbinic Judaism even eating unkosher food does not "pollute" the body (it just violates the commandment).

On this last point Rabban Yohannan ben Zakkai said:
"Indeed, it is not the dead who make you unclean, no is it water, but it is an ordinance of the King of kings. G-d has said, 'I have established My statute. I have settled My ordinance.' For it is written, 'This is the statute of the law which HaShem has commanded.'"

 

[Bon]

I was sitting in the sound booth and the choir had just taken a break from rehearsal and went to get ready for the service, so I had some time to just read. I started in Acts 10, reading about Peter's vision more closely. I have to agree that the interpretation that y'all gave me is, at the very least, a possible meaning of the vision. I kept reading for a few more chapters, and was about to flip on into Romans and Galatians and such and skim through parts of them while I still had time, but then Acts 15 caught my eye. I already mentioned some things in Acts 15, but missed the larger picture of it.

Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

Acts 15:6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Acts15:19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." [the significance of verse 21 seems to escape me... It seems to me that it must mean something, useless information isn't really written down in the Bible. What, if any, bearing does this have on the passage that you can tell?]

Acts 15:23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Being a Gentile, this (IMHO) says that I don't have to follow the Law, besides a few main points, but it doesn't actually say that I can't follow the Law, if I so choose. Any thoughts on this? And I'm probably starting to look argumentative now, but I'm more arguing with myself than anything.

Hi Muko,

You'll find my response at the same thread that talmidim quoted. (Post No. 15)

http://www.christianforums.com/t1146900-acts-1529-2125-what-is-expected-of-the-gentiles.html


Shalom from Bon

 

[chunkofcoal]

there seems to be a lot of people asking this question about the law (myself included).
I'm thinking about how God said that He would write His law on our hearts. I think the struggle people are having is that what people are feeling led to do is a contrast of what they have believed or been told. There has been a dividing line between what is "Christian" and what is "Jewish"; but we are supposed to be gathered into one - like in Nehemiah 8:1 "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man"