Statement of faith

Welcome to Torah For Gentiles. We are a group of Singaporean Noahides from different ages and backgrounds, yet are brought together during our individual search for biblical truths. Many of us came out of Christianity and Messianic Judaism theology after years of searching and struggle. It is our duty and joy to share our experiences with those who are confused by the conflicting theology and doctrines of Christianity and Messianic Judaism. We hope you’d find the topics helpful and if you need someone to talk to, please drop us an email at the contact us page.

For a start, here’s our Faith Creed:

Israel has collectively accepted these Thirteen Principles, which are restated in every Hebrew Siddur, or prayerbook, and repeated in the daily Hebrew prayers. Naturally, every Ben Noah — every non-Jew — need not personally subscribe to each and every Principle. Even though Israel believes that one needs no inspiration but only logic to distill them from revelation for oneself. Correct knowledge of God has never been one of the minimal requisites of decent human conduct. But study, and logic, always lead back to these same Thirteen Principles.

God exist.
He is one.
He is spirit, not matter.
He is eternal.
He alone may be worshipped.

God communicates with humanity through His prophets.
Moses is and was unique among all God’s other prophets.
The Lord Revealed His Law — His Torah — through Moses.
His Law is eternal and immutable — the Law won’t be replaced by another set of laws.

The All-Knowing One knows every action and every thought.
He rewards those who obey His will and punishes those who reject Him.
Before the Earth ends, the Messiah will come.
Some of the dead will live again.

The First Covenant – God’s covenant with the children of Noah

What is a covenant?

A covenant is an agreement between two contracting parties, originally sealed with blood; a bond, or a law; a permanent religious dispensation. A biblical covenant is a religious covenant that is described in the Bible. All Abrahamic religions consider biblical covenants important. Of the covenants found in the Torah, the Noahic Covenant is unique in applying to all humanity, while the other covenants are principally agreements made between God and the biblical Israelites.

Noahic Covenant

God’s Promise

In Genesis 9: 8-17 God made the first covenant with his creation – a covenant with the children of Noah and the living creatures to never destroy the earth again with a flood (due to Man’s wickedness) and sealed it with the sign of a rainbow. Since Noah and his family were the only human survivors after the flood, God’s covenant with him and his sons applies to all of humanity. The Oral Torah explains what this covenant is about and the obligations of the covenant-keepers.

Man’s Obligations

1) Not to worship any created thing

Idolatry, be it material or spiritual, live or inanimate, mundane or celestial. This includes any human being, however one may believed him to be, such as the ancient kings of Egypt or Jesus. It also includes worshipping the idol as an intermediary or agent between oneself and the One True Creator of the Universe, serving the idol as if it were attached, included within, or as part of the One , True Creator of the Universe. Acknowledge that there is only one God who is Infinite and Supreme above all things. Do not replace that Supreme Being with finite idols, be it yourself, or other beings. This command includes such acts as prayer, study and meditation.

2) Not to curse a name of God

It’s forbidden to curse the Creator, the Sustainer of all existence, by any name referring to Him in any language. This need not be any of the sacred Hebrew names, but even cursing Him even by the name “God”. Respect the Creator. As frustrated and angry as you may be, do not vent it by cursing your Maker.

3) Not to murder

Not to murder, commit suicide, or even to abort an unborn human fetus that is 40 or more days old from conception. This includes all degrees of murder such as intentionally leaving a severely wounded person to die, medical murder and disproportionate use of force during self-defence. Respect human life. Every human being is an entire world. To save a life is to save that entire world. To destroy a life is to destroy an entire world. To help others live is a corollary of this principle.

4) Not to have forbidden sexual intercourse

Not to commit adultery, incest, beastiality, homosexual anal intercourse between males. It is the act of forbidden intercourse that makes one liable, not one’s sexual orientation nor the feelings in their heart. Respect the institution of marriage. Marriage is a most divine act. The marriage of a man and a woman is a reflection of the oneness of God and His creation. Disloyalty in marriage is an assault on that oneness.

5) Not to steal

This broad prohibition includes kidnapping, rape, robbery, theft, not retuning borrowed property, not returning a lost object whose owner has not given up on finding, fraud, use of fraudulent weights or measures in business, dishonest representation of any article for sale or rent by the owner or seller, causing damage to property, unlawful trespassing the border of a neighbour’s property, not paying damages incurred in causing physical injury to someone else, an employee making idle use of paid time, withholding wages from a worker, not paying debts or fulfilling financial obligations of lawful contracts on time, not paying just taxes in accordance with the laws of one’s country of residence etc. Respect the rights and property of others. Be honest in all your business dealings. By relying on God rather than on our own conniving, we express our trust in Him as the Provider of Life.

6) Not to eat meat removed from a living animal

Not to eat raw flesh or cooked meat removed from an animal before it has completely ceased to convulse after slaughter or death by other means, be it a domesticated or non-domesticated mammal. Respect God’s creatures. At first, Man was forbidden to consume meat. After the Great Flood, he was permitted – but with a warning: Do not cause unnecessary suffering to any creature.

7) To establish courts of justice

To maintain courts of justice providing legal recourse. Maintain justice. Justice is God’s business but we are given the charge to lay down necessary laws and enforce them whenever we can. When we right the wrongs of society, we are acting as partners in the act of sustaining the creation.

God thus made a special covenant with Noah and his sons, (that includes us the non-Jews) requiring us to preserve and show due regard for all human life, while pledging the preservation of the order of earthly life for all generations.

In the next section, we shall take a look at the covenant God made with the biblical Israelites and see why non-Jews are not obligated to keep the 613 Commandments that God gave to the children of Israel.

The Mosaic Covenant

God established the Mosaic Covenant with the Israelites after he saved them from slavery in Egypt in the events of the Exodus. From it is derived the 613 commandments. The Mosaic covenant was presented to the Jewish people and converts to Judaism (which includes the biblical proselytes) and does not apply to non-Jews.

Exodus 19: 1 – 8

In the third month after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. And when they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mount. And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying: ‘Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if you will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak unto the children of Israel.’ And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said: ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do.’ And Moses reported the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exodus 31:12 – 18

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: Speak also unto the children of Israel, saying: Verily you shall keep My sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctify you. You shall keep the sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you; every one that profane it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whosoever does any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.’ And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Obviously God made the Mosaic Covenant with the children of Israel exclusively and sealed it with the sign of the sabbaths.

Many Messianic /Hebrew roots Christian groups claimed that it is necessarily for Torah-keeping gentiles or believers to observe the sabbaths and to keep the Old Testament commandments but a simple reading of these two verses above tell us plainly that it is not so. A Noahide who wishes to worship and draws near to God does not have to behave like a Jew. He is not obligated to behave like a Jew. He is not obligated to keep the 613 commandments unless he chooses to convert to Judaism. It is also offensive to God to create new religions for ourselves by incorporating rituals and festivals that were not meant for us.

Proverbs 1:7

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline. “

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Click these links below to download Jewish teachings from NLEresources.com

The Jewish View of Ecology and the Environment

The Centrality of the Land of Israel

The Power of Tzedakah

Close Encounters of the Transcendent Kind: The Temple and the Sacrifices

Click these links below to download Jewish teachings from NLEresources.com

Bein Adam L’Chavero

Contemporary Issues

Core Beliefs

Dating, Relationships, Love and Marriage

Ecology and The Environment

Ethics

Finding Your Soulmate

Holocaust

Israel

Jewish Calendar

Jewish Leadership

Jewish Life Cycle

Mitzvot

Money and Possesions

Personal Growth and Development

Prayer

Purpose of Man in The World

Spirituality and Kabbalah

Temple and Sacrifices

The System of Halacha – Jewish Law

Understanding Anti-Semitism