Being active within several online Noahide groups, one of the current topics is about how and what is the proper way of spreading the message of the Seven Laws to the world.
For many of us, evangelism was a big part of our spiritual upbringing. Because of this, it has a tendency of sticking with us for a long time. For example, I am around 10 years out from the time I left the religion I was in, and from time to time I find myself tempted to apply the evangelizing method to teach the Noahide laws to the world around me.
I have been apart of many discussions with other Noahides, about how do we spread the Noahide Laws to a world that desperately needs it moral framework without evangelizing them like a religious missionary.
We are not trying to get people saved or cram another form theology down their throats. It is about repairing the world, bringing people to a place of what I call Divine Humanity – the Noahide Laws were Divinely given for us humans to live by and settle the earth with, to produce moral and harmonious societies. These Divine instructions if lived by would fade out, greed, hate, bigotry and many more negative human traits. They would bring morality brotherhood back to humanity and change the world.
One morning this week, the subject about reaching the world around me with the 7 Laws was on my mind again. That morning as I was eating breakfast before work, I pondered the issue. My wife and I work at the same company, thus we ride together everyday, so on our commute, I began to share with her my thoughts on the subject. After hearing me out, she told me how she understood it, and doing so gave me a new title for this blog, which I think is a whole lot better than what I had started with, and I think it really says a lot in only two words. I went with it.
The general thought I had begun with that morning was more in the form of a question. If we do not evangelize, then what should we do? The answer that popped into my mind was, ‘motivate’.
The conclusions I came to from pondering this idea, came from analyzing those around me on a day to day basis. People need to be motivated to not only do the right thing but to choose the proper and moral path to everyday situations.
This is where my wife’s discernment kicked in – “people need a nudge in the right direction” not preached at, that is already being done by religion, they just need a Noahide Nudge.
We that have taken on the Noahide Laws as our walk with the Creator knows this is not a door step confession to a missionary – it is a long and slow journey of self improvement with the 7 laws as our guideline.
My wife gave me an example of something that happened this week with her. A person she knows was showing off something they got. The item for the most part is a marketing freebie that a lot of companies use. But this person assumed it was free without asking. She nudged the person into contemplating their actions in the matter to not assume something is free before taking but to make sure first.
We all can relate to this – everyday we are in a situations to nudge – motivate someone toward the right path of the Divine instructions without hammering them with theology.
Being a living example of Divine humanity is a powerful nudge/motivation for others.
Our world is swamped and drowning in theft of all kinds. This prohibition is probably our deepest and most detailed prohibitions we have. Theft in all its forms has wrecked havoc on mankind since the beginning. There is so much theft around us everyday, I think it would be a good place to start nudging and motivating people to ponder their actions.
There is a big hurdle I see that is kind of a road block. As one who lives in the Christian south, I see and know many who have religion – a belief system but they lack a God conscience. One of the issues I have seen for years even when I was in religion – many proclaiming their deity, were major thieves on many levels. In my book, this is because one has religion or belief but no God conscience – relationship with the Creator – belief in something does not constitute relationship. And that even applies to the 7 Noahide laws.
Hopefully, a Noahide nudge into the right direction will help motivate a fellow human being to choose a proper action. And through their choice, lead them to develop a God conscience that will in turn motivate them in choosing a lifestyle of living by the instructions of the Creator for all mankind.
Terry W. Hayes
5/2019
Photo credit: LinkedIn Sales Navigator on Unsplash
Emuna Trek 
Interesting…..GOD conscience. Never really thought about it. (I call the lack of one “lip-service.”) I like that Noahide Nudge title.
I am telling you that it is not easy to spread 7 laws to the world. The christian will say Noahide is new religion. They will say,”Show me the verses about 7 laws.” I admit that I couldn’t find the verses. I do not understand why HaShem did not say about 7 laws except converts. The Bible says converts and Jews are same laws. Why no mention about 7 laws for gentiles? The christian don’t believe oral law. And also, I think frequently Why in future 2/3 rd world will destroy and 1/3 rd will be saved. Who are they from 1/3 rd? Noahide and Jews?
The reason why so many do not see the 7 laws is because they have not learned how to properly study from those who have studied the same scripture for 3300 years in its original language. Studying a translation is really starting out with a loss.
Spock from Start Trek Discovery season 2 said it best, “Translation is not the essence of understanding.”
What better verse to start with than the one where God said that Noah was righteous, What did God see to make this statement? What did Noah do to be called righteous by God? What sins did the people do at the time of the flood to warren being wiped out?
And the statement to show a verse is a sign biblical ignorance – the whole reason there are Hebrew Scripture verses from the Torah to begin with is because God commanded Moses to write them down – thus the Scriptures belong to Israel not the world, Genesis is the first book of the Sinai Covenant. Those of that covenant has the authority to teach us what it says, everyone else is an outsider so their opinions on what it says is mute. And that was a hard lesson for me to learn.
My issue with those who oppose the 7 laws is this – what is it about, do not murder, do not steal, do not have forbidden sexual relationships, do not eat the meat of a living animal, set up a just court system, do not be an idolater – believe in the One Creator God, and do not curse God.
What is threatening about them?
I would ask them, where in the Hebrew Scriptures does it command the belief in a messiah for the salvation of your soul?
Yes it is tough to spread the 7 laws in a world that wants religion over a relationship with the Creator.