I am confused by Paul’s writings in Romans. How can one reconcile the following verses: “For not the hearers of the law [are] just before Yahweh, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom. 2:13). Compare that with: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 3:20) …Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28).

Paul is not contradicting himself. He is in essence saying faith justifies the man, while works justify faith. Paul says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of Yahweh,” Romans 3:23. He then says, “The wages of sin is death,” Romans 6:23.Paul addresses justification as it pertains to carnal mankind. He also refers that term to those who have seen the error of their ways and become baptized into Yahshua’s Name. These two situations must be dealt with separately, one applying to the unconverted individual, the other to one who has accepted Yahshua as his personal Savior.

The only way we can stand before Yahweh is if we had never sinned or if we accept His Son’s sacrifice through baptism when all previous sins are washed away. Yahweh has set forth His Son Yahshua to be “a propitiation [appeasement, reconciliation, expiation of sin, offering of atonement] through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are PAST, through the forbearance of Yahweh” (Rom. 3:25).

When we realize that we have sinned we are to “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahshua the Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)

From baptism onward we obey Him because we are given the power of the Holy Spirit to keep His law. This is where Romans 2:13 fits in as we now become “doers of the law.” We daily seek to obey Him, asking forgiveness when falling short of complete obedience, trusting in the shed blood of Messiah to cover our sins.

Any attempt of man to keep Yahweh’s law aside from faith in Yahshua’s atoning work falls short, because no human can keep Yahweh’s law perfectly, only Yahshua did. Noble people like Mahatma Gandhi, who try their best to live a moral, righteous life always fall short without Yahshua: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight,” (Rom. 3:20). All the good things man does outside the Messiah are of no avail.

We are justified because of our faith and belief in Yahshua the Messiah without the deeds of the law, Romans 3:28. Following baptism and becoming a part of His body, we strive to be free from sin, living a life of obedience. We are then obligated to keep the law to be a witness to the world—an example of righteous living befitting a True Worshiper. After we come to a deeper understanding of His Word and are baptized into Yahshua’s Name, if we sin willfully we are essentially trampling into the dirt the precious blood of our Savior.

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Elohim” (Heb. 10:26-27, 31).

In summary, Paul reveals that trying to be approved or justified by our own works is impossible. Only Yahshua is qualified to receive the promises made to Abraham: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Messiah” (Gal. 3:16). Once we realize that we have sinned against Yahweh’s holy law, we are to repent and change from our past life to become followers of the Messiah. We obey the law as He taught.

Paul also wrote that whoever con-fesses the name of [the Messiah] must turn from sin, 2Timothy 2:19

Yahweh won’t redeem a rebellious, unrepentant evildoer, but is the “Author of salvation unto all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:9.

Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 6:9-10: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of Yahweh? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of Yahweh.”

All of these sins break Yahweh’s laws. Do works matter? They do when it comes to eternal rewards!

    Please explain 1Corinthians 10:27. Does it mean the dietary laws are no longer necessary?

The passage reads, “If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and you be disposed to go; what­soever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.”

Here is another one of those verses that need to be read in their entire context for proper understanding. Going back to verse 18 we see that Paul is discussing the eating of sacrifices that have been offered on the altar. Just as Israel ate of the altar sacrifices and became participants in the rite, so those who deliberately ate of what is offered to pa­gan deities also became participants in heathen worship.

In verses 19-20 he explains that (clean) food is okay except when that food becomes part of a sacrificial rite. In that case we must not become participants in wrong worship by know­ingly indulging in eating such food as part of the sacrificial worship.

What was not eaten in the pagan’s sacrifice was sometimes sold at the market where it could be purchased and taken home to eat. This is what Paul is addressing in verse 27. If you are a guest at a home of an unbeliever, it is unnecessary to inquire as to the source of the (clean) food. But if you are told that it was used in a pagan rite, verse 28, then don’t eat it for the sake of your guest and his learning. Your actions become a teaching tool.

Note verse 31: “Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of Yahweh.” If these passages are discussing eating food that Yahweh has declared unclean then eating of the unclean food would not be for the glory of Yahweh who condemned such. Nowhere are we given permission to eat food that is prohibited in the laws of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.

Our desire is to live clean and eat clean as we are directed by the One who made us.