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Summer
Greetings from HomeWorship 101™
It has been said:
- “When a
gentile comes to belief in the Messiah,
- all the
angels stand and shout for joy,
- and when a
Jew comes to believe in the Messiah,
- YHWH
HIMSELF stands and shouts for joy.”
I
often receive mail from Christians who are just discovering the Sabbath or the Festival of Tabernacles.
They are curious about the term Messianic, and the other Biblical
Holy Days. Also this year there have been many questions regarding the
BIG difference in the Holy Day dates between some groups.
Just
to clarify, “Messiah”
is the Hebrew word for “Christ,” and it means “anointed one,”
specifically YHWH’S Anointed One.
The term “Messianic” is generally known for Jews who have
come to believe in Yahshua/Jesus as the Messiah.
And lately, some Christians who are beginning to adopt some of
the Jewish habits that Yahshua/Jesus held to, have also adopted the
term.
Before
we start let me state
that I do not belong to any religious congregation. Nobody (but my wife) sponsors me. And I do not recommend any religious group.
(I generally say if you are happy with those you fellowship with
then continue – what you believe in your heart and practice at home is
private.) As a matter of
fact, generally the Jews think I’m too Christian, and the Christians
think I’m too Jewish. I
wonder, is that what the Bible means by following the narrow path?
“Once a
Baptist, now a Messianic”
First
let me say,
I know some folks on my mailing list do not like being lumped into a
religious category, some folks do not like the term Christian or church,
and some others are very rigid in protecting their religious
affiliation, so please excuse this very generalized discussion.
I felt the need to write an article on this topic for a while now
but I was reluctant to do so. I
have been wrestling with my good Angel for a while on this, because I do
not like debating theology – I don’t have that much energy.
And I certainly do not want to define it either.
Secondly, I really do not like email debates because I am a fast
talker, and a painfully slow writer and typist.
Although I am really uncomfortable defining theology, the
questions keep coming in and there are confusing issues to the new
comers that need straight answers – in the end my good Angel always
prevails.
Here
is a portion of an email
a lady recently sent in:
“Sure have enjoyed reading your commentaries about so many
things. My initial search
led me to you in preparation for a Study group series on the festivals
in Leviticus. Which now, I
find I have much more food for thought.
I went to join a Messianic Worship & Praise to welcome in the
Sabbath. Interesting.
Now, a woman there made the comment that she was once Baptist and
is now Messianic. She plans
to invite some of her other single Christian friends to a monthly
"home worship", and she said "many of my friends are not
Messianic, but I do think they are believers.”
HMMM. What?
Being covered by the Blood, believing that
Christ Jesus is the Messiah and that he will be returning to earth once
more as King, I am part of the universal church--as a gentile believer,
I am grafted into the body of Christ.
So, what in the world makes one Messianic vs. say Protestant
Christian?”
Many
times when some people ask me what I believe, I usually just say, “I am a non-religious
Bible believer.” Then
they will just look at me for a moment and say something like,
“Yea, that’s nice, but what do you believe.”
I say, “I am a Bible literalist, meaning I believe in the
Bible, the whole Bible, just as it is written.
Did you know that technically speaking, the Bible doesn’t
really teach a religion?”
Some
folks still prod me, wanting an answer that they can identify with, and then I say, “I am a
Protestant Christian with Messianic beliefs.
Or as some people call it Messianic-Christian, meaning I hold
more to the Hebrew customs of Jesus that predate Roman Christianity.”
Now they are really confused.
So I try to explain, technically speaking, Messianic and
Christianity are redundant terms, but it has come to mean people who
were Sunday keeping Christians are abandoning some of their traditional
Roman Christians habits they grew up with and are now adopting some
Hebrew beliefs from the first Jerusalem Messianic church (the Jerusalem
followers of Yahshua). Just
to simplify this discussion, I’ll call all the Christians who keep the
Sabbath, the Sacred Names, and the Bible’s Holy Days, as under the Messianic-Christian umbrella.
All the Jews who have come to believe in the Messiah, (such as
the Jews for Jesus, the Hebraic roots followers, the two houses
followers, etc.) would be under the Messianic-Jewish umbrella.
Some
would wonder why the two terms Messianic-Judaism / Messianic-Christianity?
What are the differences? Well,
it hit me a while back when I was reading through Messianic website and
they were saying how Messianic Jews are Jews who want to believe in
Yahshua as the Messiah and still hold to their Jewish traditions which
they grew up with. I think
that’s a good thing, and it’s an idea that needs to be encouraged,
so please do not misunderstand me when I say, personally, I have some
problems with Messianic-Judaism, and to keep this newsletter short
I’ll just touch on a few of the highlights.
- “…Why do you also transgress the
commandment of GOD by your tradition?”
- Matthew 15:3
I
often jokingly write
“Just because I gave up on the pope, doesn’t necessarily mean
I’m gonna jump in bed with the Jews – so to speak.”
What I mean by that is that it took over 25 years, to claw, kick,
and crawl, my way thorough all the mishegoss of the Christian religions
to get to the Messianic Jerusalem Church – and they did not make it
easy! Messianic-Judaism is
a branch of the original Jerusalem church we generally call Judaism.
We as Gospel readers know the Jews have their religious
problems, and they bring the problems over into Messianic Judaism.
Reform issues are always problematic, I always receive a couple
of unsubscribers when I raise the topic.
The problem is, as Gospel readers, we know Yahshua warned the
religious establishment (the Pharisee and Orthodox rabbis) that there
will be reform issues they must face, and if they do not resolve them,
then He (Yahshua) will reform them sometime in the future (Mat.3:7,
5:20,15:2-9, 23:1-36; Luk.11:37-54, 8:9-14; Jno.8:44).
When
you study Judaism and Roman Christianity, and reflect back on it, one can see many similarities.
Some Messianic Jews
will say if you take all the paganism out of Christianity there would be
nothing left. Well the
Roman Christians did a pretty good job of copying the Jewish religious
infrastructure. Both claim apostolic power, Jews have Moses, Roman Christians
have Peter, to change YHWH’s and Yahshua’s words – but neither can
prove it through scripture. They
both have men in black exercising power over the people - rabbis /
father-priests. The pomp
and ceremony of high priests reflects in the Jewish High Priest / Pope.
They both have a religious police force to enforce their
religious laws - Sanhedrin / Vatican.
Both teach more of man’s religious law and very little of
GOD’s Words in literal scripture.
I could go on and on, but I think you see the picture, and if you
think about it the Muslims have much the same problems.
The
religious curmudgeon
in me asks:
Explain it to me one more time why I should join up – and do it
slowly.
I
grew up around New York City
and back then there were more Jews there then in Israel.
There is a lot I admire about them, their business savvy for one,
and there some things about them I do not like.
I am interested in learning, and there is a lot I learned from
the Messianic-Jews but their religious problems are not my problems.
It is the same for the Christian Sabbath Keepers, Holy Name
keepers, Holy Day keepers etc., there is much I have enjoyed learning
from them, and there are things about them I do not like, for example
their endless criticism of the Sunday keeping Christians.
Once again, I am interested in learning, but their
congregation/religious problems are not my problems.
- “In reality,
- we Christians are nothing more
- then a sect of Jews.” - G. C. Lichtenber
The
Messianic Jews are right when they challenge the Christians saying, “Jesus was a Jew and if you
follow Him then you should hold to the many “Jewish” examples He
held to such as the “Jewish” Holy Days.
The holidays you Christians keep come mostly from pagan roots. What about the Messiah’s name - Jesus? Did you ever wonder how a Hebrew Messiah would come to have a
Greek name? Did you ever
wonder what mere mortal has the authority to change the name of the
Messiah? Jesus kept to the
Torah, and if you follow Him you have to except the authority of the
Torah, and you can’t just pick and chose what you want to keep in it,
you have to keep it all.”
It’s
an age-old argument that began in Acts ch.15. After
much research I have come to see that they are right – about some
things. But there are some
problems. Jesus was a Jew all
right, and the reality is, Jesus, at his adulthood was a perfect
orthodox Jew, and He held to Jewish orthodox observances few followers
would adopt today. For
example, He wore the tsîtsith ('tassel', Num.15.37-41;
Mat.9.20; 14.36; Luk.8.44). And
He even wore a tephillin ('phylacteries' Deu.6.8; Mat.23:5); they
are the small leather boxes bound to arm and head containing the
Scriptural verses of Exodus 13.1-16, Deuteronomy 6.4-9 and 11.13-21.
How many Torah observant, Messianic Jews do you know that wear
one? The truth is even Messianic
Jews do not hold to exactly everything Yahshua did as an Orthodox Jew.
The difference is that as an orthodox Jew (and Messiah), Yahshua
has some birthright duties to perform – we as gentiles do not.
Yahshua will return and reform the Jews, and to be accepted, that
reform has to come from inside the Jewish world.
As a gentile it is not my place to reform Judaism.
Yes as a descendent of northern German ancestry I might be part
of the ancient 10 lost tribes of Israel and thus be part of the
Israelite nation but that is something I have no proof of.
Besides, the Messiah/King/reformer will come from the House of
David, specifically the Judeans, and not from any other tribe.
Is YHWH
Jewish?
Is Yahweh
Jewish? I don’t think so,
I think HE is Hebrew – and there is a difference.
New Messianic followers must first understand that the Holy Days
of Leviticus ch.23 are YHWH’s Ordained Holy Days, not “Jewish”
holy days. Because of
persecution over the centuries, the Judeans took the Holy Days hostage,
made them their own, and over time the rabies have smothered them with
“Jewish tradition.” (In ancient times when Israel was one nation the Holy Days
were called the Holy Days of the Israelites or YHWH, and gentiles would
also visit the Temple in Jerusalem on High Holy Days to show their
respect to YHWH.) Another
point is that humanity’s basic Covenant Rites (the spiritual
power tools, and Holy
Day observance Rites, etc.) are Hebrew, not Jewish. They come from YHWH via the Melchizedek
Order, not the Jews, and they go directly to the faithful – no
mere mortal can stand in between (although they try).
There
are scriptural problems with Judaism’s holy days. The
Holy Day of Trumpets is coming soon and the Jews, even the Messianic
ones, call it Rosh Hashana or Happy New Year – but the Biblical New
Year starts in the spring. Many
Jews keep Passover on the 15th of the 1st month
instead of the 14th. The
Passover Seder has some Babylonian elements.
And there are problems with the observing the Holy Day of
Firstfruits, and dating Pentecost.
And
speaking of date setting, this year there is a large glaring problem with the Messianic Jews and
their Jewish tradition, it is the Jewish religious calendar.
I have been getting a lot of mail this year regarding the Holy
Day dates and why are many groups holding to dates that are a month
later? The answer is the
rabies keep to their man designed calendar and others watch the
scriptural (YHWH) signs for the beginning of the New Year – hence this
year there is a glaring one-month difference.
Some of the Messianic Jews have been almost rabid in defense of
their calendar. And when
they couldn’t defend their position by scriptures, they would try to
tear down the reputation of those that promote the scriptural position
– to me it is a clear sign of someone with a weak argument (the left
wing liberals use this tactic a lot in politics).
Long
ago Protestants passionately believed they were directly
empowered by GOD - and that is still a good thing. The Catholics believe the power goes to the pope and then to
the people, I think some Messianic’s believe the power goes to the
rabbi and then to the people. In
other words someone comes between you and GOD, and HE hates that
(Rev.2:6).
I
often say that in
my strange way of looking at the world the very first
Christians (the Jerusalem Messianic church) were actually Protestant
Jews! It is interesting to
note that in the beginning of the Protestant movement issues were
clearer and simpler, and they simply called themselves Protestant
Germans, Protestant French, Protestant Dutch, and so on.
Then in time dueling over doctrine began and Protestants took on
the names of their leaders such as Lutherans, Calvinists, etc.
Now we are a the forefront of the Messianic movement, wouldn’t
it be nice to say that we are Messianic-American’s, Messianic-Jews,
Messianic-Germans, etc.
We
could also spend hours dickering over doctrine
such as Age of Grace, the mystery of the Bride, herbal healing, Sacred
Name usage, rabbinic authority, etc. but every religious group,
including the Messianic Jews, has their different theological
viewpoints. I’m not a religious Nazi, what I like to do
is getting people to think about their Bibles more then I care to win
debates. My beliefs are a
product of my 30 years of research and education I don’t expect anyone
to blindly believe what I do without some study and much reflection.
In the Jewish world, the phenomenon of Christians
embracing their Hebrew Roots as the return of the lost Northern Kingdom
tribes of ancient Israel is called the Ephraimite movement. And
the orthodox community has been watching the development of the movement
with some interest, but they are not at all ready to endorse it.
What they feel is that there can be no excuse for taking the Law into
one's own hands and believe that the mishegoss / craziness,
would all disappear if the leaders of the Ephraimite, Two-House,
Messianic, Hebrew Roots movement, would defer to the legal authority of
the new Sanhedrin which was formed one year ago. Here we go again
it's all about control of the people. The Sanhedrin missed the
first coming of Christ and now what me as a Christian to submit to their
authority? With all due respect, I don't think so! (For more
exhaustive pro-con information do a word search for
Ephraimite, Two-House movement, Messianic, Hebrew Roots movement,
and then you will see why I try to stay out of the "religious"
debates.)
We are all as different as snowflakes,
and people shape their own destinies.
The Messianic faithful will be rewarded by what they did with the
individual characteristics given to them, and how they used their
talents as ambassadors in service for the Kingdom (2Cor.5:20).
Some are ashamed that they have not done more, they were not
given any rewards, yet they are still called to Heaven to serve
(1Jno.2:28). It is curious
that the rewards & crowns are not given for perfect Torah keeping,
or perfect Holy Day keeping, or perfect Sabbath keeping, or keeping a
perfect doctrine, etc.
- For good works and avoiding sin,
rewards and crowns are given to the Bride:
- [1] Ministers and teachers crown, 1Peter 5:1-4;
James 3:1.
- [2] Watching for the signs crown, 2Timothy 4:8.
- [3] Running the race faithfully crown,
1Corinthians 9:24-27; James 1:12.
- [4] Winning friends crown, 1Thessalonians 2:19.
- [5] Martyrs crown, Revelation 2:10.
My
spiritual goal is working towards the White Stone, which is a special
gift to those who overcome false teaching (Rev.2:17).
It proves that not everyone who is called by Yahshua will be
called because they keep a perfect theology.
There will not be one human being who will not be surprised when
they discover there is more to the theology then they understood from
their earthly education.
For those
who enjoy pondering prophecy,
think about this. During
the Tribulation period Bible evangelism will spread in spite of the
Antichrist’s effort to kill true believers.
I think the world religious movement will be some perverted type
of Messianic movement. Meaning
the “Jewish” Holy Days and some gospel reform ideals will become
popular. The Antichrist
will try to fulfill as many of the suffering lamb prophecies as possible
to convince the Jews that he is their god and king.
I think he will stage his deceptions around the spring Holy Days
of Passover, so he would want general knowledge of the Bible Holy Days
to become more commonly know because he will also need the western
worlds support. He will
also act a reformer to the Protestant Christians and will eventually
destroy the Vatican.
“Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29
In
closing, the lady who emailed me was correct; the blood of the Messiah saves us all – not our
religious affiliation. Many
in the religious debate forget, that all the previous created beings in
the Universe (Angels and other intelligent creatures Rev.ch.4) including
Adam & Eve immediately knew their CREATOR after they were given
life. Religious people
forget that for humanity in this age those who believe without seeing
are blessed and a special treasure for the Kingdom.
I do not want to sound too new age-ish, but through my website I
have talked to believers all around the globe and I have come to see the
worldwide body of believers at different levels of understanding, the
Bride is chosen not because she keeps a perfect theology but because she
has a good heart (Heb.4:12).
The
Jews are our older brothers and sisters in the faith and I am a Christian Zionist.
Even if I do not 100% agree with everything the Jews do, I would
stand next to them and fight for their right to be in their lands and
practice the faith of their fathers. And together we can all unite against the dark-side to pray
for the peace of Jerusalem, and for all those who stand with Israel
(Ps.122).
This
subject could easily become a very long discussion, but I’ll sign off
here. It looks like some of
Hurricane Katrina could be headed here and we must do some storm
preparations.
- Shalom
and Blessings, Errol.
- **********************************************
- Errol
Mueller, chronicler extraordinaire
- e-mail:
errol@homeworship101.com
- website:
www.homeworship101.com
- **********************************************
- Scripture
quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.
- Copyright
© 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.
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- #WSC
2005-09, posted 08/28 /05.
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