Obeying The Law: can we do it?

I have just come across a remark on a page saying that those who try to practise the Law (Torah) have a false sense of self-righteousness. It went on to say that such people, who think they are righteous, will have to face their King (Messiah) on judgment day when He says, "I do not know you". It alleges that such Torah observing people have never kept a relationship with Yeshua or YHWH but instead have merely followed rules, tradition and laws to keep themselves self-deceived.

I would like to point out a number of erroneous statements from the above.

(1) The Law gives those who practice the Law a false sense of self-righteousness,

This is incorrect. It is those who do NOT practise the Law that have a false sense of righteousness.

James 1:22 tells us, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

Even Paul himself, whose teachings have been debated by many, admitted in Romans 2:13, "For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified."

In fact, if we state that those who practise the Law are given a false sense of self-righteousness, we are contradicting the word of God recorded in Deuteronomy 30: 11-14, where Moses told the people of Israel :

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."

Notice verse 14 above says that the Law is very near you, that you may DO it. Can we say that Israel has been hoodwinked into a false sense of self-righteousness by Moses when he told them to practice the Law? when he told them to DO the commandments?

If we are incapable of 100% obeying the law, why did Moses tell the people in Deut. 30:14 that they can DO the commandments?

And similarly, why did the Master Yeshua teach in Matthew 5:17-20 that our righteousness should exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees when it comes to doing and teaching the commandments?

Matthew 5:17-20 NKJV
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For 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. Whoever 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. For 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."

If we cannot obey the commandments perfectly, why did our Master teach that we should be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect? (Matthew 5:48)

Furthermore, if no one can obey the Law 100%, why were the parents of John the Baptist both described in Luke 1:5,6 as "they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."?

In fact Paul once referred to himself in Philippians 3:6 that he was blameless when it came to righteousness in the Law. Wouldn't that contradict the notion that no one can obey the Law completely?

(2) On judgment day, the King Messiah will say to such "self-deceived" people who observe the Law (Torah), "I do not know you".

No, it is not to those who keep the Commandments of the Torah that the Messiah will say, "I do not know you". Instead it is to those who have no Torah in their lives. It is to those who practise Lawlessness, those Lawless ones, that these words will be uttered. The Gospel according to Matthew records for us the words of the Master Yeshua on this matter:

Matthew 7: 21-23 NKJV
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Notice that such Lawless people may address the Messiah as Lord. They may prophesy in the Name of Messiah. They may even perform many wonders in the Name of Messiah! How can such people who virtually do great works in the Name of the Messiah be declared as Lawless people? How can such people end up hearing from the very Messiah whom they called Lord all their lives,

"I do not know you"?

There is only one answer: they have not obeyed the commandments.

Brothers and Sisters, let us avoid Lawlessness. Let us obey the Commandments in the Torah.

We can do it.