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As we concluded in part five, no man is justified by the Law. Regardless of what legalists and Torah-observant Jews want to believe, the Law -- meaning the Torah -- cannot save anyone. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Furthermore, as James wrote, if we violate even a single law in the Torah, then we are guilty of breaking all of them. So much for trying to establish our own righteousness. It is an impossible task. The only way to merit Salvation and the "World to Come", is through genuine repentance -- or Teshuvah -- and embracing Christ. If one's repentance does not turn him away from sin and towards Jesus for his Salvation, then it merely amounts to a bogus display of self-righteousness and nothing more.

As we learned in part five, the Lord demonstrated what true repentance is like when He shared the Parable concerning the two men who went into the temple to pray. The one man -- who was a self-righteous Pharisee -- patted himself on the back and boasted of how much better he was than everyone else. Oh how he bragged of his "good deeds"! On the other hand, the Publican fully and humbly recognized his sinful condition, and said "God be merciful to me a sinner." That is a true attitude of repentance, because it depends solely on God's Mercy and Grace, and on nothing else. This is the very same attitude we see in King David's prayer in Psalm 51. David depended totally on God's Mercy and Grace alone, and not on some perceived righteousness of his own. David knew that he had sinned grievously before the Lord when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then had her husband murdered. Allow me to share Psalm 51 with you in its entirety:

"[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.] Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar."


To reiterate our previous point, no man is justified by the Law. Observing the 613 mitzvoth -- or commandments -- of the Torah -- if it were even possible -- won't get any of us a single inch closer to Salvation. It is through Christ alone. There is simply no way around this Scriptural truth. Unless, of course, one chooses to intentionally reject what Paul and others have written regarding this issue. Tragically, that's precisely what so many legalistic, supposedly Torah-observing Jews -- and even certain legalistic Christians -- have done. They have simply written off the Apostle Paul, and accused him of being a blasphemer, usurper, false prophet and false apostle who started his own brand of Christianity. That is to say, Pauline Christianity. But this is an absolute lie.

Why do these misguided legalists attack Paul so viciously? Because Paul had been freed from the bondage of the Law, and he encouraged his readers to do the same. He totally exposed the error in the legalists' thinking by focusing on Christ, and by his refusal to place his faith in keeping in the Law for his Salvation. That is why they hate Paul. Personally, I have seen these Paul bashers launch their tirades a number of times on Facebook, sad to say. The truth of the matter is that Jesus preached this very same message. Jesus wanted to free men from the legalistic burden of the Mosaic Law, as becomes evident by verses such as the following:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."


"For they [the Scribes and the Pharisees] bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."


"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free . . . If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."


"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"


"And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers."


As I explain in a number of other articles, such as "Is Jesus the Only-Begotten Son of God?", "The Blood Atonement: In Jesus' Own Words" and "The Nature and Consequence of Sin and God's Solution", a key component of God's Salvation plan is Christ's Blood. This is precisely why practicing Teshuvah is meaningless if it does not involve turning to Christ. As any Torah-observant Jew knows, and as many Christians also know, during the Old Testament period, animal sacrifices involving the shedding of blood was a very essential part of religious observance. Why was this necessary? Because as we read in the Scriptures, "without shedding of blood is no remission [of sins]." As I point out in the aforementioned articles, these Old Testament animal sacrifices were merely a reflection and a foreshadow of what Jesus Christ would accomplish for us as the sacrificial Lamb of God in the New Testament. That is to say, we can be symbolically washed clean of ours sins through faith in His Blood, just as Moses sprinkled the people with lamb's blood in the Old Testament. Consider the following group of verses which verify this important point:

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION.‭"


"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS."


"And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."


"And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."


"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS that are past, through the forbearance of God;"


"And he [Jesus] commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God ‭to be‭ the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive REMISSION OF SINS."


"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN."


"And HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."


"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS."


"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, AND WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD,"


"And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB."


"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to THE BLOOD OF SPRINKLING, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."


"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."


Now, here is where the dilemma lies. Because these Jewish rabbis and Orthodox Jews have rejected Jesus' Sacrifice on the Cross, they have a serious problem. That problem is that the Torah not only demands repentance, but it also requires a blood sacrifice for the remission of their sins. So for the sake of argument, if we assume that a third temple will be built in East Jerusalem as they desire, how do these Jews intend to navigate around this problem? Actually, I already provided you with the answer to this question. In part four of this series, I quoted part of Rambam's Mishneh Torah from Book 14, Section 5 Chapter 11 where he writes the following:

----- Begin Quote -----

"The King Messiah will arise and re-establish the monarchy of David as it was in former times. He will build the Sanctuary and gather in the dispersed of Israel. All the earlier statutes will be restored as they once were. SACRIFICES WILL BE OFFERED, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years will be observed, as commanded in the Torah."

----- End Quote -----

So you see, according to rabbinic tradition, at some point in the future, once the King Messiah appears on the scene, he will re-establish the throne of David, rebuild the temple of Solomon, gather the Jews back into the State of Israel, and re-implement animal sacrifices, because Christ's Blood apparently was not good enough for them. Are all of these events really going to occur as outlined by Maimonides and other respected Jewish rabbis? As we learned in part one, many Orthodox Jews in modern Israel obviously believe so. After all, they have been preparing for these events for literally decades now. In fact, some time ago, I read an interesting news article which described how the Orthodox Jews had performed an animal sacrifice test run.

Personally, I have my doubts about all of the aforementioned events really happening for a variety of reasons. Allow me to give you one simple example. Considering the mentality of the world today, and in particular, the attitude of organizations such as PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- Greenpeace, ASPCA -- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, AHS -- American Humane Society, HSUS -- Humane Society of the US, RSPCA -- Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -- Eurogroup for Animals, and so many other organizations, do you honestly believe that people will just stand quietly by while the Orthodox Jews of Israel abuse live animals by sacrificing them during their religious rituals? Won't said organizations view such killing as an extremely barbaric act? It is very hard to imagine that Jewish ritual animal sacrifices would be permitted. No doubt it would result in very swift condemnation of the nation of Israel from around the world.

Yet, at the same time, it is likewise true that the Jewish people, and Israeli leaders, have a record of thumbing their noses at the rest of the world, including at the presidents of the United States of America, when it suits their purpose. Sometimes they will do something which is very unpopular and opposed by the rest of the world, and then just hunker down until the wave of criticism passes. One case in point are the illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jewish expansionism. So, it is possible that if a third temple were to be built, ritual animal sacrifices -- or oblations -- could possibly be re-implemented, despite what the rest of the world thinks.

But that is not the only problem I see in regards to animal sacrifices being conducted in a rebuilt temple. Even if the Orthodox Jews really do manage to get that far with their misguided plans, and such sacrifices are somehow initiated, as a Bible-believing Christian, are you convinced that said sacrifices will even be acceptable to God? Well, if you are sufficiently familiar with the Scriptures, then your answer should be a resounding "No!" Why? Because as I explain in the aforementioned series "Is Jesus the Only Begotten Son of God?", the Bible makes it very plain that not only did Jesus become our High Priest, but He also offered up Himself as the Final Sacrifice for sin. He died ONCE for the sins of all men, and He is not going to do it again, as we see by the following group of verses:

"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God."


"But this man, [Jesus] because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did ONCE, when he offered up himself."


"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in ONCE into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."


"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now ONCE in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself . . . So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."


"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE for all."


"For Christ also hath ONCE suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"


Regarding Jesus Christ becoming our final and only necessary High Priest -- meaning that there is no need for any future human high priest as seems to be anticipated and expected by these misguided rabbis and other Orthodox Jews -- consider the following group of verses as well. Their meaning is quite clear:

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings . . . Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil . . . For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, THAT HE MIGHT BE A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."


"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR PROFESSION, CHRIST JESUS;"


"Seeing then that WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST, THAT IS PASSED INTO THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."


"So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; CALLED OF GOD AN HIGH PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC."


"Whither the forerunner is for us entered, EVEN JESUS, MADE AN HIGH PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC."


"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: WE HAVE SUCH AN HIGH PRIEST, WHO IS SET ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF THE MAJESTY IN THE HEAVENS;"


"But CHRIST BEING COME AN HIGH PRIEST of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;"


Let me also add that the ransom price for our Salvation has been paid in full through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As such, what possible need could there even be for any future animal sacrifices on an altar in a rebuilt Jewish temple in Israel? Obviously, there is no such need whatsoever. If the price was already paid in full by Christ when He poured out His Blood on the Cross, and when He said "It is finished", as all Christians believe, then any future animal sacrifice in Israel in which blood is shed, is a moot point. Consider the following group of verses which verify this point:

"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY."


"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY."


"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, WHICH HE HATH PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD."


"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."


"YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; be not ye the servants of men."


"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance UNTIL THE REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION, unto the praise of his glory."


"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; WHO GAVE HIMSELF A RANSOM FOR ALL, to be testified in due time."


As we have already seen, God's Word is abundantly clear in stating that remission of our sins has already been granted through Jesus' shed Blood. Now, because we receive remission of our sins through our faith in Christ's Sacrifice, there is no longer any need to make any additional offerings for sin. Period. In other words, as I said a minute ago, any kind of animal sacrifice in the future in Israel is really totally unnecessary. In fact, I am inclined to believe that God would view any such animal sacrifices as an abomination, an insult, and a slap in His face, being as He has already offered up His own Son as the Final Offering for sin. That such sin offerings are no longer necessary is made quite clear by the following verse:

"‭‭Now where remission of these ‭is, there is‭ no more offering for sin."


So as you can plainly see by that one verse alone, remission of our sins through faith in Christ's Sacrifice means that ritual sin offerings -- as is desired by legalistic Orthodox Jews -- are no longer necessary whatsoever. To not believe this is to contradict the Scriptures, and that is why any future blood sacrifices will be an abomination to God.

As I have likewise already explained, based on rabbinical teachings, one clear sign that Moshiach ben David -- or King Messiah -- has finally arrived in the nation of Israel, will be that after almost two thousand years without a central place of worship, this false messiah will be responsible for rebuilding the temple of Solomon. This feat will in fact be one of his crowning achievements; and it will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt to the Orthodox Jews that he is indeed the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy and rabbinic teachings. He is their long-awaited Jewish messiah. However, in light of everything I've already shared with you, will such a rebuilt temple even be necessary? This is a question I will be fully addressing as we continue our discussion in part seven of this series.

Please go to part seven for the continuation of this series.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

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