Many people speak about "Judaism," who have very faint ideas of what it is. When they hear of some who keep the Sabbath according to the fourth commandment, they speak of them as "Judaizing," because they think that Judaism means the religion enjoined in the Old Testament. But that is a great mistake.
Judaism means the religion of the Jews; but neither in the days of Christ and the apostles, nor since that time, have the Jews understood and believed the teaching of the Old Testament. If they had, they would have been Christians; for the religion of the Old Testament is Christianity.
Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews: "Had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?" (John 5:46)
From these words we learn that the Jews did not believe the writings of Moses. Therefore it is evident that the religion of the Jews--Judaism--was not and is not the religion taught by Moses. The religion taught by Moses was that which he received directly from the Lord, and it set forth Christ and Him only.
The Apostle Paul says that in his earlier days he made great progress in "the Jews' religion, ... being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers." (Galatians 1:14)
The Jews' religion, therefore, or Judaism, consisted in following tradition. But this was directly opposed to Old Testament teaching, for Jesus told them that by their traditions they made void the commandments of God,--"But He answered and said unto them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" (Matthew 15:3)--and said of them: "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9)
Here again we see that Judaism is the rejection of the Old Testament, instead of the acceptance of it. No man, therefore, who faithfully follows the religion of the Old Testament, can be called a Judaizer. On the contrary He is a Christian.
Again, the Apostle Paul tells us that a veil was upon the hearts of the Jews, even in the days of Moses, so that they could not understand what Moses delivered to them.
"And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." (2 Corinthians 3:13-16)
He says, "Even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart." But he adds that when the heart turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. This shows still further that the religion of the Old Testament is Christianity, and that the Jews, who reject Christ, do so solely because they do not really believe the writings of Moses. What then is Judaism? It is the rejection of the Gospel, as set forth in the Old Testament, and a following of tradition.
When therefore we find people who know that the fourth commandment requires the observance of the seventh day of the week, commonly called Saturday, and who keep Sunday instead of that day, although they know that the Scriptures nowhere sanctions it, either in the Old Testament nor the New, but that Sunday observance stands wholly on tradition and custom, we may know that they are following the essential principles of Judaism, which consists in substituting tradition for the commandments of God. They may differ from the Jews in regard to the tradition which they follow, but they are one with them in principle.
Further: we have read the words of Jesus to the Jews, telling them that they could not believe Him, because they did not believe Moses. The reason is that Moses wrote of Christ. It is evident, therefore, that they who do not see Christ in the Old Testament, even in the writings of Moses, do not understand and believe the Old Testament. But they who do not believe the Old Testament, including the writings of Moses, do not really believe in Christ. Therefore they who reject the Old Testament writings, do really also reject the New Testament. They are in precisely the same condition as the Jews, for both fail to see Christ in the Old Testament.
Every word of God is pure and true, and has life. A person, therefore, who knows only a very small portion of the Bible, may know and believe in Christ. But it is impossible for any to be real believers in Christ, when they reject any portion of the word which He has spoken, and which testifies of Him. And it was His Spirit that testified in all the writers of the Old Testament.
"Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (1 Peter 1:10-11)
Let no one fear that by keeping the commandments of God, as set forth in the Old Testament, he will be a Judaizer. He cannot keep those commandments except by faith in Christ. They are in Christ, and Christ is in them.
The keeping of the commandments of God, by the faith that appropriates the life of Christ, is true Christianity. He kept the commandments,--If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. (John 15:10)--and He is the same today that He was when on earth in the flesh.
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8)
All that He did on earth was in order "that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us." (Romans 8:4, NASB)
"He that says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." (1 John 2:6)--Present Truth, June 7, 1894.
E.J. Waggoner