When Doctrine Misses the Mark: Torah Twisted - Part 3
When Obedience Becomes Oppression and Instruction Becomes Imposition
Torah Twisted: Part 3
When Obedience Becomes Oppression and Instruction Becomes Imposition
The Word Was Never Meant to Be a Weapon
Torah was a gift.
Given in covenant.
Given in love.
Given to a redeemed people, not to redeem them — but to teach them how to live free.
But when you remove the heart from Torah, it becomes a weapon. A checklist. A system. A yoke of slavery instead of the path of life.
And that’s exactly what happened — in both directions:
Some twisted the Torah into a web of extra laws and oral traditions that Yah never gave.
Others rejected the Torah altogether, calling it “legalism,” and forgetting that Yeshua called it the good and perfect will of the Father.
In both cases, the Torah is twisted — either by overloading it or throwing it out entirely.
But Torah — in the hands of the Spirit, written on the heart — is still Yah’s instruction for covenant life.
What the Scriptures Say
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”
— Matthew 5:17“The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
— Romans 7:12“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
— Matthew 23:4“You shall not add to the word… nor take from it.”
— Deuteronomy 4:2
What Happens When Torah Is Twisted
Adding to It: Legalism Masquerading as Faithfulness
Rabbinic oral law becomes equal to written Torah
Denominational rules override the words of Scripture
Identity and righteousness are rooted in observance rather than covenant relationship
This is what Yeshua condemned when He said:
“You nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition.”
— Mark 7:13
It’s not Torah that burdens people — it’s man-made fences around it.
Taking Away from It: Lawlessness in Disguise
Calling Torah “Old Testament baggage”
Using Paul to dismiss what Paul himself upheld
Redefining obedience as optional, legalistic, or only “for the Jews”
This is not freedom — it’s disobedience masked as liberty.
Torah isn’t bondage. Sin is.
What Torah Was Always Meant to Be
“Torah” doesn’t mean “law.”
It means instruction — the loving guidance of a Father to His children.
The Torah:
Reveals Yah’s character — holy, just, compassionate
Protects community and preserves justice
Points to Messiah — the Word made flesh
Is fulfilled and fully embodied by Yeshua
Is now written on hearts, not just on scrolls (Jeremiah 31:33)
Yeshua didn’t come to cancel the Torah — He came to teach us how to walk it.
Signs You’ve Encountered Twisted Torah
Obedience is framed as a means of earning salvation
The Spirit is replaced with systems and checklists
Torah observance becomes a performance or identity marker
Or, conversely, Torah is dismissed as irrelevant or Jewish-only
Torah is reduced to rituals, not expanded as a whole way of life
Three Practical Applications
Reclaim Torah as Covenant Instruction
Not a burden. Not abolished. But fulfilled, renewed, and written on your heart.
Read Psalm 119 — all of it.
Stop Adding and Stop Subtracting
Reject both legalism and lawlessness. Let the Word stand as Yah gave it — whole, holy, and alive.
Walk Torah with Yeshua, not Without Him
Don’t imitate Jewish tradition or pagan Christianity.
Follow the Messiah who said, “Follow Me” — in obedience, in mercy, in truth.
Five Discussion Questions
Why do so many associate Torah with legalism?
What’s the difference between written Torah and added traditions?
How does Yeshua fulfill the Torah — and how should we respond?
What does it mean to have the Torah written on our hearts?
How can we walk in Torah without falling into self-righteousness?