Do non-Torah religions conflict with the 7 Noahide Laws?

There are rungs of ascending spiritual levels that one can achieve as a Gentile. The most basic level of righteousness, which G-d expects from every Gentile, is to refrain from actions that would transgress any of the Seven Noahide Commandments, regardless of what your beliefs are about the source or basis of those commandments. Thus, adding on observance of the eternal 7 Noahide Commandments to whatever you are presently following is a very positive and worthwhile step, that will certainly bring you into a more personal relationship with G-d.

Going to a higher level

Beyond the obligation to observe just the letter of the Seven Commandments, a Gentile can progress further to take on the Torah-based faith of the Noahide Code. The Noahide Code as a faith extends beyond the general concept that there are Seven Noahide Commandments. It includes a set of basic principles about G-d, prophecy in the Hebrew Bible, and the Five Books of Moses (the Written Torah). By accepting and following the details for the Seven Noahide Commandments because they were given directly by G-d in the Torah through Moses (after they were originally given through Noah), a Gentile can merit the reward of eternal life of the future World to Come.

A Noahide on this higher level is waiting for the true Messiah who will be descended from David. (The Messiah is called “Moshiach,” in Hebrew.) G-d promised in the Hebrew Scriptures that the Messiah will rebuild the Holy Temple, gather the dispersed Jews back to their Holy Land, establish the universal peace and prosperity of G-d’s Kingdom in this world, and teach the inner knowledge of G-d to all people). Also, he recognizes that every Gentile has a personal responsibility to repent directly to G-d for any transgression that was done. A person’s sincere repentance to G-d brings forgiveness, and G-d cleanses the person’s soul from the stain of the sin.

One of the commands that G-d gave to Moses is that all Gentiles should observe the Seven Commandments for the Children of Noah. The proof we have that there are Noahide Commandments and a Noahide Covenant is that G-d instructed Moses at Mount Sinai to write the story of Noah and his commandments in the Book of Genesis, and to preserve the details within the Oral Torah. This is their basis from that time on.

What it means to be a “Pious Gentile” in G-d’s eyes

The pious Gentiles (who earn a place in the World to Come) are those who follow the Seven Commandments for the Children of Noah according to the details of the Noahide Code that G-d commanded through Moses. Therefore, a pious Noahide accepts that the One True G-d revealed Himself at Mount Sinai to the entire Jewish nation (at least 3 million people), that He commanded to them their own separate and larger set of eternal commandments, and that Moses was the foremost true prophet for all time and the receiver and transmitter of G-d’s eternal Word which is the Torah.

Besides the two Torah-true paths that were given by G-d – one for Gentiles and one for Jews for all time – there are later man-made religions that were promoted in the world that now have many branches and sub-branches. In addition, each individual has his own personal interpretation of his own current religion, which influences what he believes and practices (and what he doesn’t believe and doesn’t practice). Every Gentile should consider his present actions and convictions in comparison with the requirements of the Noahide Commandment that forbids idol worship, with this prohibition being based on acceptance of the One True G-d.

To go into more depth on this issue, you can read the books “Seven Gates of Righteous Knowledge” and/or “The Divine Code” by Rabbi Moshe Weiner.

Principles of Faith

By way of introduction, consider the first of the Principles of Torah Faith enumerated by Maimonides, which includes the following:

“… there is in existence a [Supreme] Being, perfect in respect of all modes of existence, Who is the Cause of all things in existence, through Whom their existence is possible, and from Whom their existence ensues.”

This can be expressed as the principle of the Truth of G-d’s Being, which supersedes and transcends any other possible Truth, for by virtue of His True Being all the spiritual and physical creations are continuously brought into existence.

The Noahide principles of faith (some of which are incorporated in the Noahide Commandment that prohibits idolatry) recognize the truth of the absolute unity and non-physicality of G-d.

Historically, there were Gentile followers of the Noahide Code up until the destruction of the Second Holy Temple and the exile of most (but not all) of the Jewish People from their Land of Israel. Up until that time, there were faithful Jews who instructed and inspired Gentiles about this. Now that the prophesied time for the Messianic Era and the end of the concealment of G-d’s Divine Presence has finally arrived, large numbers of Gentiles are again becoming motivated to return to the One G-d through observance of their Seven Commandments.