I received an email from parents concerned about their teenage daughter. She was confused by a YouTube video that appeared to be Jewish but was produced by missionaries.
What upset their daughter was the missionary’s claim that Jews must accept Jesus because the God-given commandments are impossible to observe.
Although many Christians believe the commandments are too difficult to keep, I was able to explain to this family why this is incorrect.
The apostle Paul promoted this idea in the New Testament with statements such as, “Those who rely on the law are under a curse” (Galatians 3:10). Considering the Torah’s many positive statements about the law, Paul was faced with a dilemma, as he admitted, “If righteousness comes through the law, Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:21).
To validate his belief that Jesus replaced the law, Paul had to discredit the Torah.
However, in this week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20), there is a powerful passage that puts Judaism’s detractors in their place. God declares that the commandments of the Torah are not impossible to keep. They are actually “Very easy for you to carry out with your mouth and heart to do them” (Deuteronomy 30:14).
Additionally, God does not demand perfection. God desires that we try our best, and, if we falter, we should correct our ways and return to God. This is stated clearly when the prophet Samuel witnesses the Jewish people sinning and tells them, “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following God, but serve God with all your heart.” (I Samuel 12:20).
Repentance is a cornerstone of Jewish belief. In Hebrew it is referred to as teshuvah, which means to “return,” as in the verse, “Return to Me and I will return to you” (Zechariah 1:3). In addition, the prophet Ezekiel says, “When a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life” (Ezekiel 18:27).
Missionaries argue that without sacrifices we cannot do teshuvah. However, they are mistaken and are ignoring this prophecy, “For the sons of Israel will remain many days without a king or prince and without sacrifice or sacred pillar.... Afterwards, Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king” (Hosea 3:5). (Note that God and David their king [the messiah] are separate entities)
This passage demonstrates that Jews can return to God even when sacrifices are unavailable.
Furthermore, the prophet Hosea tells the Jewish people that they can return to God by offering “their prayers in place of sacrifice” (Hosea 14:1-3).
