​​Welcome  to    Joy By Surprise

Anarchy and chaos would take over if all laws were abolished. Imagine for a moment a single country without laws:

• No Highway Code to control the movement of traffic,
• No Property Law to control the possession and sale of houses and land,
• No Food and Hygiene Laws to control the nations health,
• No Moral Law to control the behavior of individuals

Just everyone doing exactly as they pleased. Now imagine, if you can, the universe run along those lines. No gravitational law to control the movement of galaxies, stars and planets, no magnetic laws, no heat, light and sound laws - no laws at all. Every thinking person will immediately see that the result would be unimaginable chaos. In other words, without law there can be no order, no health and certainly no happiness. Lawless societies, lawless organizations and lawless individuals are, as most authorities know, the biggest threat to peace and happiness they face. I need not elaborate on this obvious fact.

Today I want to speak about moral laws, laws which define human behavior. Moral laws tell us what is right and what is wrong. Governments the world over struggle daily with the repercussions of the behavior of their citizens:

• The cost of defense against terrorist attack, espionage or outright war
• The rising cost to the public purse of crime: vandalism, burglary, theft and fraud
• The rising cost to the public purse of drug and alcohol abuse
• The rising cost to the public purse of broken homes: single parent families, homelessness, child abuse, battered wives.

These are all moral issues and they must be controlled by moral laws. And yet, strange as it may seem, it is extremely difficult to legislate on moral issues. Parliaments around the world are unable to formulate moral laws. No sooner have they passed one law, which even remotely relates to a moral issue, when a few years later they amend, update or even scrap it. Why this dilemma?

The answer is: because moral issues are spiritual territory, the prerogative of YaHuWaH the Almighty Elohim! He created the human race; so He alone has the ability and the right to legislate on moral behavior. We humans may fool ourselves into thinking that we can enter the territory of morals and make laws as to how people should live: what they should do, and what they should not do. But we deceive ourselves, because we just do not have the wisdom, the knowledge or the authority to legislate on moral issues. We may try, but the world's present chaotic state is proof that we have miserably failed. The fact is, only YaHuWaH can dictate as to moral behavior. His commandments are the final word in moral matters. By them we are able to determine what is right and what is wrong.

Any attempt to ignore or change YaHuWaH 's Torah will end in disaster. Sooner or later this vital fact will become evident to the whole human race. Till such time as it does, people and governments will blunder along vainly attempting to define their own moral codes; and the cost to the public purse will rise year after year. Better that we go straight to YaHuWaH 's Word and accept His laws before we bankrupt the human race.

YaHuWaH 's Torah defines sin. It tells us what is right and what is wrong. The Bible says:

In other words, you have committed a sin when you break one or more of YaHuWaH 's commandments. "Rubbish!" I hear someone say. "I am a free moral agent, and I can - and will - do as I please."

My answer to that is: Don't be hasty, calm down and read this passage slowly. It says that if the wicked person turns from his/her wickedness he/she will not die - but live! It also say that if a good person turns to a life of sin, he/she will die.

We need YaHuWaH 's Torah to tell us what is right and what is wrong, the Bible makes it perfectly clear that the Torah has limitations. It cannot force you to do right. It cannot stop you sinning if you want to sin. For example consider the traffic laws; they lay down speed limits, they point to various places, they inform the motorist as to how to use the road. But traffic laws cannot force you to be a good driver. They cannot make you go right if you are determined to go left (or wrong). It is exactly the same with YaHuWaH 's Torah. It is a spiritual signpost. It shows you the way and the path of righteousness. That is its purpose.

You choose life or death by choosing to obey or disobey the Torah.

Every judgment is based on law and all laws are instruments of judgment. Go into any courthouse and you will see judgment being applied according to law. I am not saying that all laws are good. Everyone knows that some laws - even in this country - are not good. What I am saying is that laws are instruments of judgement. That is why laws are sometimes referred to as "judgments" because people are judged by them. Sentences are handed out by judges in accordance with law; and even the judges themselves are guided by what the law says. Here we can see the importance of law. Visit any courthouse and you will appreciate this fact. On the great Day of Judgment the whole universe will recognize the value and weight of YaHuWaH 's holy law. By it men and angels will be judged.

At that Judgment we will be weighed against YaHuWaH 's law. All judges act according to existing laws. Indeed their very judgment must be in accordance with law. It is the same with YAHUSHUA the Messiah. On the Day of Judgment He will judge mankind according to His Father's Torah. At the moment He offers to be your solicitor. But one day He will be your Judge. The Almighty has already appointed the time and the Judge for that great day.

Much has been written and spoken against the law of the Most High. Next to His own holy character YaHuWaH 's Torah is the most misunderstood thing in the universe. Sad to say even millions of Christians are under the false impression that YaHuWaH 's Torah is done away with, abolished and no longer of any practical use to the believer. This error has paved the way for sin and confusion too terrible to describe. From the highest to the lowest rank, iniquity is rampant in all countries: and YaHuWaH 's Name is blasphemed every time sinners (who were made in His image) break it. What then should the true believer's attitude and outlook be towards YaHuWaH 's Torah? What must we remember?

• That we need YaHuWaH 's Torah: for without it the universe would spiral into moral chaos.
• YaHuWaH 's Torah defines sin and without it we would not be able to tell right from wrong.
• That it has its limitations. It cannot force us to do good. It can only identify sin and point the way to salvation. Th Bible tells us in Psalm 19:7 "The Torah of YaHuWaH is perfect, converting the soul...
• YaHuWaH 's Torah will be used on the Day of Judgment: for by it all our actions will be judged, whether they be good or whether they be evil. On that awesome Day YAHUSHUA the Messiah will be the Judge.