While some Nicene Christians believe every positive mitzvot in the Tanakh is theirs for the taking while few of the negative or restrictive mitzvot apply to them, many Noahides believe seem to believe that most of the negative and restrictive mitzvot apply to them while most of the positive one do not!
Oy Vey! There is so much confusion but its not that difficult if one simply reads the texts with understanding!
It is true that the Torah does place a few restrictions on the Goyim (Gentiles) that do not apply to Jews and some prohibitions on Jews that do not apply to Gentiles. However most the verses people cite concerning these are matters of divisive interpretation rather than actual prohibitions. For instance consider these two verses about Pesach (Passover):
Exodus 12:43 ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, "This is the regulation for the Pesach lamb: no foreigner is to eat it.
Seems clear enough right?
The English translation appears to bar the Goyim from observing Pesach and eating of the Pascal lamb. However now consider this instruction:
Numbers 9:14 If a foreigner is staying with you and wants to observe Pesach for ADONAI, he is to do it according to the regulations and rules of Pesach - you are to have the same law for the foreigner as for the citizen of the land.
Is this a contradiction? No!
Exodus 12:43 forbids a foreigner -- a "bane nay-kawr" or one who is a stranger to the Ways of Adonai and His people from taking part, whereas Numbers 9:14 allows a foreigner -- a "ger" (or gare, a ger tzadik as Noahides became known later), to partake. There is a difference between a "bane nay-kawr" and a ger tzadik!
So what then is the biblical requirement for one who would observe Pesach in honor of HaShem and His people? He must be a worshiper of HaShem -- whether a Jew or a Gentile.
This is exactly the same as Adon Y'shua Passover rite:
I Corinthians 11:28 So let a person examine himself first, and then he may eat of the bread and drink from the cup; 29 for a person who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 This is why many among you are weak and sick, and some have died! 31 If we would examine ourselves, we would not come under judgment.
Anyone can partake of the Lord's Supper, as long as that person is a Believer.
Such celebrations and rites are specifically set in place by HaShem to and for those who worship Him. Unbelievers are not to take part in such observances.
Likewise, clearly it would be wrong for one who does not accept the God of the Bible as Creator to observe His Shabbat (Genesis 2:1-3) while it is incumbent upon all those who do -- whether a Jew or a Gentile.
Isaiah 56:1 Here is what ADONAI says: "Observe justice, do what is right, for my salvation is close to coming, my righteousness to being revealed."
2 Happy is the person who does this, anyone who grasps it firmly, who keeps Shabbat and does not profane it, and keeps himself from doing any evil.
3 A foreigner joining ADONAI should not say, "ADONAI will separate me from his people"; likewise the eunuch should not say, "I am only a dried-up tree."
In verse 2 the English word "person" translates the Hebrew word en-oshe (enosh) or "mortal." In other words, Happy is the human being (not just the Jew)... who keeps Shabbat.
Those rabbis who forbid us from obeying Torah and keeping Shabbat, Pesach and so on are seeking "to keep us separate from Adonai" and this is their grave error.
An added consideration applies to those Noahides who have embraced the B'rit Hadashah or New Covenant implemented by Adon Y'shua ("Master Jesus"). We have been grafted in to the Tree of Israel and therefore we have the same rights, responsibilities and privileges as they.
Romans 2:25 For circumcision is indeed of value if you do what Torah says. But if you are a transgressor of Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision!
26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the Torah, won't his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?
27 Indeed, the man who is physically uncircumcised but obeys the Torah will stand as a judgment on you who have had a b'rit-milah and have Torah written out but violate it!
28 For the real Jew is not merely Jewish outwardly: true circumcision is not only external and physical.
29 On the contrary, the real Jew is one inwardly; and true circumcision is of the heart, spiritual not literal; so that his praise comes not from other people but from God.
Shalom,
~ Yochanan
~ John of AllFaith
