Sometimes, people think the "Old Testament" is a lesser law and the "New Testament" is the higher law. Immediately that prompts a question, What would cause God to give less than the full plan to begin with? So, let us begin with the premise that the gospel and eternal covenants were given to man to begin with.

Commencing with Adam, who was the first man, who is spoken of in Daniel as being the "Ancient of Days," or in other words, the first and oldest of all, the great, grand progenitor of whom it is said in another place he is Michael, because he was the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spiritual blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the salvation of his posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first Revealed and through whom Christ has been revealed from henceforth. Adam holds the keys of the dispensation of the fullness of times; i.e., the dispensation of all the times have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning to Christ, and from Christ to the end of the dispensations that are to be revealed. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Four 1839-42 p.167)

It was later that the Children of Israel rejected the responsibilities (and subsequently the blessings) of the higher law, settling instead for a "lesser law." At least, Moses was able to keep the "lesser law" as a Messianic guideline. It was created to look forward to the Savior. That lesser law was predicated on performance related criteria rather than on intent or attitude. Simply put, do’s and don’ts became the law instead of the Spirit of God dictating the law.

The entire chapter twentieth of Ezekiel, he speaks of God’s sadness in giving his children less than the best. Some selected verses highlight his feelings of giving statutes (commandments) that were less than the best, resulting in judgements (rewards) that were less than the best. In fact, the lesser statutes and judgements were a pollution.

6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I wrought for my name's sake that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them . . .

17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

22 . . . I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts . . .

Both the physical and spiritual scattering of Israel is compared to heathens who want to worship with stone and wood images. The Israelites stayed away from those type of images, but resorted to rules of do’s and don’ts instead of the holy spirit. Yet, in the end, the children of Israel will be gathered and their original covenants will be restored. Ezekiel chapter twenty continues.

32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:

41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled . . .

47 . . . Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee . . .

48 And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

The world will truly see . . . "The spirit of God like a fire is burning." As of now, part of the family of Israel knows that the original covenants have been restored.

The everlasting gospel made known in the last days is nothing more nor less than the ancient religion restored. It is the commencement of the "restitution of all things, spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world was." (John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p.2-3)

A few more comments about Jewish philosophy on faith/belief and works (mitzvot) shows some wavering between the two.

"The developing rift between Christianity and Judaism and the animosity after their final split in the second century C.E. produced many great disputations. A crucial one occurred about the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt (C. 135 C.E.) between the Christian Justin Martyr and the Jew Tryphon. While the two adversaries expressed friendship toward each other, the argument became bitter. Justin challenged the Jewish concept of being the chosen people by pointing out their low position in the world, and argued that the Jews were made to follow laws as punishment by God. Tryphon countered by charging Justin with selecting his quotes from the Bible, and - proclaiming that true salvation comes from strictly following the law, not from faith in man. He argued."

" The medieval Jewish philosophers gave a great deal of thought to formulating articles of faith and disagreed among themselves as to how many there should be. Some even opposed any such formulation on the grounds that every mitzvah (deed or act) is an article of faith."

"One of the first formulations was that of Hananel ben Hushi'el who was an important Babylonian scholar of the 11th century. He saw, as basic to the Jewish religion, the following four principles:

(1) belief in God;

(2) belief in the prophets;

(3) belief in the World to Come; and

(4) belief in the coming of the Messiah.

That Messiah, still unknown by a part of the House of Israel (and most mankind) is the original author and finisher of our faith.

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)