Torah, The Light of Creation
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:3
What is this light that YHWH called into existence on the first day of creation?
What is Light?
In order to better understand what the light is that was called into existence on the first day of creation, let us explore the nature of light as it comes from Elohim / God. To this end we will look to the scriptures.
24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
Doctrine & Covenants 50:24
This is a statement that begins our exploration of what light is. Everything that comes from God is light.
17 Every good [Torah] gift and every perfect [Torah] gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father [YHWH] of lights [Torah], with whom is no variableness [no changing], neither shadow of turning [to left or right].
James 1:17
What else can we learn about light?
45 For the word of the Lord [Torah] is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit [behavior], even the Spirit [behavior] of Jesus Christ [Yeshua ha Mashiach].
Doctrine & Covenants 84:45
The connection between light and the Holy Spirit is also drawn in Alma 39:6 in the Book of Mormon. It is important to bear in mind that the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are two different names for the same concept, as my friend, Steven Retz shows in his post, The Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are the Same. So, when you see one or the other you can know that they are referring to light.
6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost [mind and will / Torah] when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light [Torah] and knowledge [Torah] of God [Elohim], it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.
Alma 39:6
Doctrine & Covenants 84:45 states quite clearly that the word of YHWH is light and draws the equivalence between the word of YHWH and the Holy Spirit / Holy Ghost. The equation goes like this:
word of YHWH (scriptures and revelation from YHWH) = truth
truth = light
light = Spirit [behavior]
From beginning to end it would read thus:
word of YHWH = truth = light = Spirit [behavior]
This teaching that the word of YHWH is truth and light harmonizes marvelously with teachings that we find embedded in the Tanakh and the New Translation of the New Testament
105 Thy [YHWH] word [Torah] is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105
A For the COMMANDMENT is a LAMP;
Proverbs 6:23
B and the LAW [Torah] IS LIGHT;
C and REPROOFS of INSTRUCTION are the way of life:
A To the LAW [Torah] and to the testimony [Torah]:
Isaiah 8:20
-B if they speak not according to this word,
A it is because there is no LIGHT in them.
AA 1 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son.
Inspired Version, John 1:1-5; JST JOHN 1:1-19 CHIASMUS
A-BA And the gospel was the Word [Torah],
A-BB and the Word [Torah] was with the Son,
A-BA and the Son was with God [Elohim],
A-BB and the Son was of God [Elohim].
AA 2 The same was in the beginning with God [Elohim].
-BAA 3 All things were made by Him;
-BA-B and without Him
-BAA was not anything made which was made.
-BBA 4 In him was the gospel,
-BBB and the gospel was the life,
-BBC and the life was the light of men;
-BCA 5 And the light shineth
-BC-B in the world,
-BC-B and the world
-BCA perceiveth it not.
The teachings of these verses also harmonize beautifully with the teaching that was expressed in the first verse that was cited from the Doctrine & Covenants 84:45 that all things proceeding from YHWH, our Elohim, are light (as opposed to darkness). Yeshua was in the bosom of our Elohim from the beginning and the Holy Spirit / Holy Ghost is His mind and will. The complete teaching on this is found in the Lectures on Faith 5:2. (The portions most relevant to our discussion are bolded.)
2 There are two personages [character assumed] who constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things—by whom all things were created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or invisible: whether in heaven, on earth, or in the earth, under the earth, or throughout the immensity of space—They are the Father and the Son: The Father being a personage [character assumed] of spirit, glory and power: possessing all perfection and fulness: The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage [character assumed] of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was formed after his likeness, and in his image;—he is also the express image and likeness of the personage [character assumed] of the Father: possessing all the fulness of the Father, or, the same fulness with the Father; being begotten of him, and was ordained from before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation [appeasing] for the sins of all those who should believe on his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh—and descended in suffering below that which man can suffer, or, in other words, suffered greater sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man can be. But notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of God, and remained without sin: Showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And also, that by him a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all who walk not in the law of God, may justly be condemned by the law, and have no excuse for their sins. And he being the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father—possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things: by whom all things were created and made, that were created and made: and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one: The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness: Filling all in all—the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father—possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father—a Mediator for man—being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
Lectures on Faith 5:2, Courtesy of seekingYHWH.org
I would highly recommend that those wishing to develop faith in Christ / The Messiah sufficient to salvation to become familiar with Lectures on Faith 5:2-3 as the reader will then learn the true nature of the being which offers salvation to them. I would also suggest that you study carefully the rest of the Lectures on Faith. The truths contained in the Lectures on Faith are born out in the scriptures. Search the scriptures because the word of YHWH is light.
What is the source of this light?
There are two great sources of light. The first one generates physical light whereby we can see the world around us and discern what we perceive. This process makes it possible to know where we are walking. The other is the spiritual light which lights our decisions and lets us know the way we should go, giving our lives purpose and meaning.
The physical light is the Sun, a created light, that should not be worshipped and was given to us as a timepiece to let us know days and years.
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
Genesis 1:14,16
…
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
The spiritual light is the Son, who created all things, because He was in the bosom of the Father at creation. The Father and the Son being the same God both gave, and fully taught Torah. The Son of God is the source of everyone’s spiritual light.
There are two lesser sources of light. The moon is the primary source of physical light at night. The stars are points of light that travelers often use to find their way at night. The lesser sources of light are created and not meant to be worshipped, just as the sun is not meant to worshipped. Both the Sun and the Moon were given to us to be used as timepieces in order that we may know our appointed times with YHWH Eloheinu. The sun primarily gives us the beginning of days and years. The stars can teach us the gospel thus serving as a guide for weary travelers seeking their way home to Elohim. I am not speaking of Astrology but of the Hebrew Mazzaroth, or constellations. The fact that even the stars teach the gospel shows us that Elohim has provided means for all to know of the only way that He has given us whereby we may be saved. We need to stop coming up with excuses for the necromancy inherent in vain and gnostic doctrines and practices like baptisms for the dead and other vicarious ordinance work for people who are dead and waiting for the resurrection. In fact, Temple work for dead people is roughly akin to the medieval Catholic practice of purchasing indulgences for their dead loved ones. Indulgences were purchased. Temple attendance requires that you pay a ten percent tax on your income. We can only repent while we are alive, therefore these purchased indulgences do nothing for them. Our dead family members are waiting for the resurrection and do not contact us or try to help us in our lives because they are asleep.
11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
Alma 40:11-13
12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
I have made several statements here that will be astonishing to some but these statements are backed up in the word.
Heck the Book of Mormon teaches against baptisms for the dead (see 2 Nephi (LDS 9:26) (RLDS 6:54-55), Mosiah (LDS 3:11) (RLDS 1:107), Mosiah (LDS 15:24) (RLDS 8:58-59), Moroni (LDS 8:22-23) (RLDS 8:25-27). Not to mention that the Book of Mormon teaches us we can not repent after we die (see 2 Nephi (LDS 2:21) (RLDS 1:107-110), Mosiah (LDS 2:33) (RLDS 1:74-75), Mosiah (LDS 15:26-27) (RLDS 8:61-65), Alma (LDS 34:32-35) (RLDS 16:228-234), Alma (LDS 42:13) (RLDS 19:94-95), Alma (LDS 42:28) (RLDS 19:111)).
The Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are the Same
Some people argue that the Sun, Moon, and Stars were brought into existence on the fourth day of creation. Let’s see how this assertion lines up with the scriptures. To this end we will look at what is said about light during the first day of creation. The scriptures tell us of a division that happens on the first day of creation.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1: 4 – 5
As we look at Genesis 1:4-5 we do see very clearly that God divided the light from the darkness. What divides the light from the darkness? During the day, when the Sun is dominant in the sky, it is light. At night, when the Moon is dominant in the sky and the stars are visible, it is dark. This is how physical light and darkness are divided. This is how we determine the day from the night. If God had not called the Sun, Moon, and Stars into existence prior to the first day he could not have divided the day and night as He did.
This often prompts the questioning mind to ask why then does it say that Elohim created the Sun, Moon, and Stars on the fourth day? This is a good question that one should ask. Let’s examine it.
14 ¶ And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:14-18
Let’s look at verse 16. It says that God made two great lights. Open and shut case. They were made on the fourth day, right? Not so fast. Let’s get back to the original intent of the author, as much as we are able to. The Hebrew word used in this verse for “made” is Asah. In all other instances that this word is used in the creation narrative, it is enacting the purpose of what has already been created. The item had already been spoken into existence by our Elohim and now its purpose and calling are being set forward.
Genesis 1:7
HEB:וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־
NAS: God made the expanse, and separated
KJV: And God made the firmament,
INT:made God the expanseGenesis 1:11
HEB: עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ
NAS: on the earth bearing fruit
KJV: tree yielding fruit
INT: trees fruit bearing fruit their kindGenesis 1:12
HEB: לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־ פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר
NAS: and trees bearing fruit
KJV: and the tree yielding fruit,
INT: their kind and trees bearing fruit withGenesis 1:16
BibleHub.com, Englishman’s Concordance
HEB: וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־
NAS: God made the two great
KJV: and it was so.And God made two great
INT: made God the two
asah: To do, to make, to accomplish, to perform, to act
Strong’s Concordance
Original Word: עָשָׂה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `asah
Pronunciation: ah-sah
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-saw’)
KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use
Word Origin: [a primitive root]
I could have put more examples but what I have shown suffices. In Genesis 1:11,12, Asah is translated into the words bearing or yielding, depending on the translation. Bearing or yielding fruit is the purpose of fruit trees which is the definition of the word “Asah” indicating that it means bringing about the purpose of a thing rather than its creation.
From this we can see that our sources of physical light were created on New Moon Day.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2
This first day of the week of creation begins in verse 3. For more information regarding New Moon Day See the post Abide New Moon Day, by my friend Steven Retz. The Sun and Moon were there to divide the day from the night on day one.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:3-5
Their purpose as timekeepers was mentioned on the fourth day.
The great source of Spiritual light is the mind and will of YHWH who is Yeshua, otherwise known as the Holy Spirit. It is given to every man but more abundantly to YHWH’s covenant people. Many Christians teach that the Holy Spirit was not given to man until after the coming of Yeshua Ha Mashiach. This would be contrary to the character of our unchanging Elohim. It also would be contrary to much of what we can read in the Old Testament.
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:7
The Holy Spirit is called the Ruach ha Qodesh. The word Ruach means Spirit, breath, and wind. Therefore, when Adam received the Ruach from Elohim he became a living soul. Those not walking in the way of the Spirit or Torah are dead men walking.
3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Genesis 6:3
How could YHWH’s Holy Spirit strive with man in the days of Noah if the Holy Spirit was not poured out upon people until after Yeshua’s mortal ministry?
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Genesis 41:38
The Spirit of Elohim was upon Joseph of Egypt.
16 ¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
23 And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
24 ¶ And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!
30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
Numbers 11:16-30
Two things of note in Numbers 11:16-30 are that a personage cannot be distributed among 70 people. A personage, or role/character assumed can only be assumed by one person. Not every actor in a play can play the same character. They must each adopt different personages or characters. Likewise, if the Holy Spirit were a personage, it could not be given to multiple people as it is here.
In support of the Holy Spirit not being a personage at all let’s read some words from Joseph Smith from the 5th Lecture on Faith.
2 There are two personages [exterior appearance] who constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things—by whom all things were created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or invisible: …
…
Q 3: How many personages [exterior appearance] are there in the Godhead?
A 3: Two: the Father and the Son. Lectures on Faith 5:1Q 4: How do you prove that there are two personages [exterior appearance] in the Godhead?
Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith 5
A 4: By the Scriptures. Genesis 1:26: (Also 2:6): And the Lord God said unto the Only Begotten, who was with him from the beginning, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:—and it was done. Genesis 3:22: And the Lord God said unto the Only Begotten, Behold, the man is become as one of us: to know good and evil. John 17:5: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Lectures on Faith 5:2
In the Book of Mormon the Holy Spirit / Holy Ghost is constantly referred to as IT not HE.
2 Nephi (LDS 33:2) (RLDS 15:2) But behold, there are many that HARDEN their HEARTS against the HOLY SPIRIT, that IT hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.
The Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are the same, Steven Retz
***
2 Nephi (LDS 31:8-9) (RLDS 13:10-11)
8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the HOLY GHOST DESCENDED upon him in the form of a DOVE. 9 And again, IT showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he [Jesus] having set the example before them.
2 Nephi (LDS 32:5) (RLDS 14:6) For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and RECEIVE the HOLY GHOST, IT will SHOW unto you all things what ye SHOULD DO.
Alma (LDS 34:38) (RLDS 16:237-238) That ye CONTEND no more against the HOLY GHOST, but that ye RECEIVE IT, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
Alma (LDS 39:6) (RLDS 19:8-9) For behold, if ye DENY the HOLY GHOST when IT once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny IT, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.
Moroni (LDS 2:2) (RLDS 2:2) And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall GIVE the HOLY GHOST; and in my name shall ye give IT, for thus do mine apostles.
The Holy Spirit is the Mind and will of Elohim.
… The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness: Filling all in all—the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father—possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father—a Mediator for man—being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments: …
Lecture on Faith 5:2
The mind and will of Elohim is imparted to all but as we act in accordance with its workings it is given to us more abundantly. These workings are revealed in Torah, which are the instructions for everyone on how to take YHWH / Yeshua’s name / character upon us.
4. Reputation; character; that which is commonly said of a person; as a good name; a bad name
9. Assumed character of another.
1828 Webster’s Dictionary, Name
The commandments do not change, but the instruction continues.
The second thing of note in Numbers 11:16-30 is a recorded instance of the gifts of the Spirit made manifest under what is termed in Hebrews as the Old Covenant or the 1st Covenant. This is a reference to the 1st covenant that Israel would have to go through before the times of refreshing and restoration that came with the sacrifice and resurrection of Yeshua Ha Mashiach, which ushered in a New (or rather renewed) Covenant. For more information on this topic see this page on the Law of Moses at seekingyhwh.org. The gifts of the Spirit were manifest to Israel under Moses. Stephen brings that Israel is the church as does Jude.
37 ¶ This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Acts 7:37-40
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Jude 1:9
I taught on Israel being the Church and the Church being Israel in a scripture study on June 27, 2024.
The more things change the more they stay the same. The church that Yeshua created chose that they would also rather follow after dumb (non-speaking) idols and worship as the Pagans do. Rather than dwell in the Holy Spirit or Set Apart Way, they chose a doctrine of compromise with the Pagan way just as the Jews did and had left YHWH’s way, through their traditions, by the end of the 1st century AD.
Now let us return to instances where the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is recorded in the Old Testament or Tanakh.
18 ¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;
19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.
Numbers 27:18-19
Joshua had the Spirit of God upon him just like Moses did. Again, more evidence that YHWH’s Holy Spirit was on more of the congregation of Israel than just Moses.
9 ¶ And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:9
Moses laid his hands upon Joshua, and he was filled with the Spirit of wisdom or the Spirit of YHWH. The following passage in psalms equates wisdom to the observance of the law, thus the law to the Spirit of Wisdom or the Holy Spirit.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:7
With the following statement Jesus equates His teachings with wisdom or the Ruach Ha Qodesh.
24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Matthew 7:24-25
Yeshua also ties his teachings to Torah more specifically in this passage.
17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil [make complete].
Matthew 5:17
The First and Second Comforters, greater and greater portions of the Ruach Ha Qodesh, were promised to Yeshua’s disciples if they believed and obeyed YHWH’s commandments.
15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:15-21
YHWH is He who is, He who was, and He who is to come. His ways are one eternal round. He does not turn to the right hand nor to the left. His gospel has been preached from the beginning of time without change.
Throughout the Book of Judges, it talks about the Spirit of Elohim coming upon the appointed judges of Israel. Samuel anoints Saul with oil to become king and gives him a sign that he will be anointed by YHWH’s Spirit and be made a new man. It comes to pass that Saul prophesies, displaying a gift of the Spirit, the gift of prophecy.
6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.
9 ¶ And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
1 Samuel 10:6-10
Saul alone is a refutation to once saved, always saved.
26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
1 Samuel 15:26-28
I do believe that I have cited enough examples to show that YHWH has poured out his Spirit more abundantly upon those who would believe and obey His word throughout time.
What Is the Purpose of Light?
Light illuminates. It makes all things visible. The law is likened to a light and a lamp.
105 Thy [YHWH] word [Torah] is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105
Light shows us the dangers surrounding us and reveals stumbling blocks and snares. Paul speaks of the role of the law in revealing sin to us.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions [suffering: G3804] of sins, which were [because of (breaking): G1223] by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence [coveting of carnal things]. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Romans 7:5-12
In the New Translation this passage reads this way.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were not according to the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the [punishment of the] law wherein we were held, being dead [sinful] to the law, that we should serve in newness of spirit [born again, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For once I was alive without transgression of the law, but when the commandment of Christ came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And when I believed not the commandment of Christ which came, which was ordained to life, I found it condemned me unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion, denied the commandment, and deceived me; and by it I was slain.
12 Nevertheless, I found the law to be holy, and the commandment to be holy, and just, and good.
Inspired Version, Romans 7:5-12, Restorations in bold
The law is holy, just, and good. It reveals sin but the law is not sin. Sin is the transgression of the law.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1 John 3:4
The wages of sin is death. Before we found Yeshua ha Mashiach all of us had sinned. We were walking after the flesh. The only way not to walk in the flesh is to keep Torah. The only way to be forgiven of our past sins is to come under the only covering YHWH has provided for our sin, Yeshua ha Mashiach. Without coming under Yeshua and coming to him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit we will be “under the Law”, or under the curse of breaking the law and commandments bring only death and judgment because we have sinned. Our sinful nature causes us to rebel against the commandments of YHWH Eloheinu. Our only hope is in the conviction that the Torah brings that drives us to our knees seeking a savior. When we do this, we come unto him with a broken heart and contrite spirit, putting off the natural man. This is put forward beautifully in the following scripture references
6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.
7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
2 Nephi 2:6-7
19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
Mosiah 3:19
Mosiah 3:19 beautifully explains the broken heart and contrite spirit spoken of in 2 Nephi 2:6-7. These scriptures work together brilliantly to show us what Paul is saying in Romans 7:5-12. I have written all of this out to explain this passage because even Peter says that Paul’s words are hard to understand.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
2 Peter 3:15-17
The law does not save us by itself. It was always meant to point us toward the means for our salvation, Yeshua ha Mashiach. It was meant to provide instruction on how the believer who has been saved through the righteousness of Yeshua may take upon themselves the name/character of YHWH/Yeshua. It instructs us in YHWH’s mind and will, or in other words His Holy Spirit. For this cause, it is not a stretch at all to equate the law and the Holy Spirit as they are described in the exact same manner. These instructions were given to Adam after the fall.
30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.
31 Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good—
32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.
33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son;
34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.
35 And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.
36 And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord; therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.
37 And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his word.
Alma 12:30-37
We go into greater detail on this passage in this scripture study, dated 01/25/2024.
This is also stated in the Book of Moses, an excerpt from the Inspired Version of the Bible.
5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.
Moses 5:5
Here is another citation from the same chapter.
58 And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.
59 And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in the world, until the end thereof; and thus it was. Amen.
Moses 5:58-59
Then there is this in chapter 6.
55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.
56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.
57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time.
58 Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:
59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;
61 Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.
Moses 6:55-61
Adam was obedient to YHWH and taught YHWH’s righteousness, the Torah, to his descendants, as well as the gospel. Noah’s understanding of the Torah was what allowed him to distinguish between clean and unclean beasts.
1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
Genesis 7:1-3
Abraham had the same Torah. If he did not have the commandments, he could not have kept them.
1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Genesis 26:1-5
From time-to-time God has given additional instruction on how to keep Torah including in our day, through Jospeh Smith who was instrumental in bringing forth more instruction in the form of the Book of Mormon and many other revelations that, when read from a Hebrew mindset, compliment that which has already been revealed quite nicely. Why does he do this?
39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
Moses 1:39
This brings us to our final question.
What is the Effect of Light?
The effect of light is that it dispels darkness and shadows. It makes known that which is unknown. It reveals what is hidden. It makes discernment possible. These are some effects of physical and spiritual light. I am going to go into another very real effect of light and truth for you to consider.
On the evening before the Passover at which Yeshua himself would be the Paschal and daily morning and evening lambs, he said this:
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6
When you couple this statement with this teaching from the Doctrine and Covenants:
45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Doctrine & Covenants 84:45
And add this from a Psalmist:
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:7
With these quoted verses, we ought to begin to realize that there is more to growing from grace to grace and Yeshua being the light than we had previously understood. Grace to grace means justification to sanctification. For more on this concept see the post All Things You Should Do from seekingYHWH.org
It is stated that Yeshua grew in grace with God and man. The Book of Mormon speaks of God condescending to take on flesh. The light broke out in darkness.
16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
1 Nephi 11:16-20
YHWH condescended to become man, even Yeshua, that he could ratify the covenant of salvation. He was born after the manner of the flesh. In all ways he became as we now are except that the law was written on His heart from the womb. It is stated that he grew in favor with God and man
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Luke 2:40
“Waxed” is King James English for grew. Yeshua grew strong in the Spirit. What is the Spirit?
…The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness: Filling all in all—the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father—possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father—a Mediator for man—being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
Lectures on Faith 5:2
This goes nicely with the following verses from the Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
15 And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son.
16 And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
17 And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
18 And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.
19 I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
Doctrine & Covenants 93:12-20
1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—
3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—
4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.
5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.
Mosiah 15:1-5
These passages along with the passage from 1st Nephi 11 and the citation from Lecture on Faith 5 paint a very clear picture of how Yeshua is the light. He showed us the way that we should follow and by condescending to take on the mortal experience complete with temptation, put off the natural man and receive of His fulness again by perfect obedience to His Torah.
…The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage [exterior appearance] of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was formed after his likeness, and in his image;—he is also the express image and likeness of the personage [exterior appearance] of the Father: possessing all the fulness of the Father, or, the same fulness with the Father; being begotten of him, and was ordained from before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation [appeasing] for the sins of all those who should believe on his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh—and descended in suffering below that which man can suffer, or, in other words, suffered greater sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man can be. But notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of God, and remained without sin: Showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And also, that by him a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all who walk not in the law of God, may justly be condemned by the law, and have no excuse for their sins. And he being the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father—possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things…
Lectures on Faith 5:2
Truly, he could say that he came not to do away with the Torah but to fulfill it, or in other words, give it perfect expression and cause it to be able to fulfill its purpose of bringing man into the mind and will (or Spirit) of Elohim.
17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 5:17
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil;
18 For verily I say unto you, one jot nor one tittle hath not passed away from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled.
19 And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled.
3 Nephi 12:17-19
Given that the Greek word that comes to us as “fulfil” is Pleroo, which doesn’t indicate a cessation but rather complete teaching and filling of the cup to the full, we gain a new appreciation for what the verses in 3rd Nephi mean when they speak of the law as being fulfilled.
pléroó: To fill, to make full, to complete, to fulfill
Original Word: πληρόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pléroó
Pronunciation: play-ro’-o
Phonetic Spelling: (play-ro’-o)
KJV: accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply
NASB: fulfill, fulfilled, filled, made full, completed, fill, made complete
Word Origin: [from G4134 (πλήρης – full)]Strong’s Concordance
- to fully, completely fill
- (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow)
- (figuratively) to fully supply, satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.
The sin debt has been paid, and the law serves the purpose which it always served which is to tell us how we are to walk in the Spirit, or Mind and Will of Elohim. The fact that Yeshua was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world shows that the law, or Torah, has always been the light by which we walk in the Spirit, converting our souls from rebelliousness to the likeness of Elohim as we walk in His mind and will.
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:7
Yeshua had to keep the Torah perfectly to be the Paschal and morning and evening lambs without blemish with bones unbroken. The fact that no bone could be broken was because of the symbology of bones. Bones represent laws. Yeshua could break no law or He would not be acceptable as the sacrifice for our sins as it states so beautifully in Alma.
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.
12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
Alma 34:8-16
This great and last sacrifice brought an end to the law of carnal commandments known as the Law of Moses but not to Torah. It renewed Torah without the attached punishment that was the Law of Moses. Since there is a resource in existence regarding the difference between Torah and the Law of Moses, I have simply embedded a hyperlink to that resource.
This passage in Alma also shows us that it is by His righteousness that we are saved. The passage in 3rd Nephi shows that we are to come unto him in order to be saved. This means that, after salvation, if we wish to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven then we must follow his example. Yeshua gave this commandment to those who were already His disciples and had come under His covering and were already saved in the Kingdom of Heaven.
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
3 Nephi 12:48
What does this commandment mean? Does it mean that we can never make a mistake if we wish to please Elohim? No. It means that we must walk in the perfect mind and will of Elohim / Ruach ha Qodesh / Holy Spirit. What is equated with perfection again, according to the Psalmist?
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 19:7
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105
So when YHWH teaches this doctrine through Joseph Smith in the 1800’s we see that He is not teaching a new thing but is rather restoring that which has been in place from the foundation of the world.
34 And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.
35 That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still.
Doctrine & Covenants 88:34-35
This is also not teaching us against salvation through the merits and mercy and grace of Yeshua ha Mashiach. It is teaching us how we stay in that grace and how that grace converts us through taking His name, or character, upon us. It shows us that the purpose for which the Law (Torah) was given and it shows the fate of those who will not come unto the Messiah (follow His example) with a broken heart and contrite Spirit, obeying the Law (walking in God’s Spirit) and thus offering the acceptable offering.
7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.
10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—
2 Nephi 2:7-10
20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
3 Nephi 9:20
So we see that we are saved through the merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah who is the way (Torah), the truth (Torah), and the life (atonement and Torah). He is the light and life of the world. He is that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He is the light that burst forth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. His Torah is the revelation of that light, whether by His mouth or by the mouth of His servants it is the same. Come to the light and be perfected in Him and the revelation of His mind and will, even Torah. Amen.
Eternal Torah, the Mind and Will of God 