Eternal Life: Harmonizing Yeshua, James, and Paul

Paul wrote, “Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law” (Rom. 3:28; cf. vv. 21-22; Gal. 2:16). In contrast, James wrote, “...by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith” (James 2:24). 

At first glance, it appears that Paul and James are contradicting each other. However, a closer examination will reveal that their statements on justification are actually in complete harmony. 

Peter noted that some of Paul's letters contain difficult teachings that “…untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:14-16). This suggests that we would do well to strive to understand Paul’s statement in its proper context.
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Hanukkah: Should Torah-Observant Believers Keep It?

John’s good news account tells us that Yeshua was at the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah, which in Hebrew means “dedication” (John 10:22-23). Hanukkah was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus in 164 BC in memory of the cleansing of the temple after Antiochus Epiphanes, the Greek ruler of Syria, had desecrated it by placing an altar to the pagan god Zeus in the temple and sacrificing a pig, an unclean animal, on the Altar of Burnt Offerings. It is an eight-day, annual feast that is celebrated for the rededication of the temple altar beginning on the 25th of Chislev, which corresponds to the middle of December.

Since Yeshua was at the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah, some Believers in the Hebrew Roots community chose to keep it. In contrast, others chose not to, mainly because it is not a commanded observance in the Scriptures. So, should we keep the Feast of Hanukkah, or shouldn’t we? There is much more to consider than what is plainly stated in the Hanukkah account. If we want to decide as to whether or not we should keep the Feast, then we need to understand it in its full context, which starts in chapter 7. So, let’s get started.
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