Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Religion of My Messiah

It has been awhile since I have written a post once again. These past few weeks have been both shocking and amazing at the same time. As most of you know, I grew up in a "christian" home and was blessed to have had the Bible a part of my life. My parents were first generation Christians and so they did the best they could despite their lack of knowledge and lack of family support. I grew up quite conservative and never once questioned my faith. Throughout the years I met some wonderful "Christians" and also some terrible ones. At many times the "bad" ones seemed to outweigh the "good" ones. Sadly, many of these "bad" ones were closely related to the "church" and at times they were the pastors themselves. Though many men let me down, I know my eyes had to stay on the only perfect man -- Jesus. While I most certainly was a "Christian", I was not well educated in my faith. Sure I believed that God sent his only Son who died on a cross for my sins. I believed that He rose from the grave three days later and one day will return again. I remember that wonderful night when I knelt down in my bedroom and asked Jesus to come into my heart. As a teenager I followed the Messiah's example by also being water baptized. I even went to Bible college for two years! But after all that I still didn't know my heritage. I had always believed that I had been adopted into God's family. But what does that mean? My Messiah was a Jew. What did I know about my Messiah and His people? The very sad answer was, no! The more I saw how "Christians" acted, the more I was convinced this is not how my Messiah wanted His followers to act. I understand we are all humans and make mistakes and sin, but the sins and offenses that seem to be within the "Christian" circles and churches seem to be so frequent and so hateful at times. There is so much division, so much judgement passed, so much gossip and so much arguing. Surely these were not character traits that my Messiah wanted me to emulate. I must admit I was guilty of of being in that crowd to! God forgive me! As a follower of the Messiah I should have been different. I should have been the one to turn the other cheek. But pride got in my so many times and a desire to be right. As I began seeking God once again and reading His words to me, I began to realize their must be something missing. Where was the faith that the apostles taught? Where had the New Testament Believers gone? The very early "Christians"? The ones who were known by the Romans to live meagerly and to love everyone. The Believers who wouldn't even take their "brother" to court. Who met in homes weekly with other like minded Believers to study scripture, share a meal and remember the Lords death. Where did they go? So I began to earnestly study!

History about the groups that followed the apostolic traditions is very sketchy and comes almost exclusively from the church fathers (who were considered Catholic at that time). Under Theodosius and later on an emperor names Valentinan, all writings hostile to the Catholic church -- including "christian" works deemed heretical, were burned! Jewish Christians who maintained the apostolic legacy were accepted by neither Jew nor professing Christian. From the middle of the second century Catholic churchmen strongly condemned their beliefs as unworthy of Christ. Very likely the group known as the Nazarenes represented the Jewish Christianity taught by the apostles. The term "Nazarene" is first mentioned in Acts 24:5.

The conflict between Judaism and Catholic belief become sharper from the second century onward. Instead of accepting their common heritage, the church fathers sought ways to reinterpret the Scriptures and to show the superiority of their new religious movement.

In the 430's, the Christian Council of Laodicea ruled in detail against Christian observance of the Jewish Sabbath, their acceptance of the unleavened bread from the Jews, and their keeping of Jewish festivals. Later on, even Martin Luther who was considered a key person in the Protestant Reformation, began to show a hatred for the Jewish people when they did not accept his version of religion. He made many comments and even wrote about the Jewish people which was full of hatred. He wanted Jews to be done away with once and for all. Later on, Hitler (a professing Christian!) claimed to finish the work that Martin Luther had wanted. How sad and tragic! Martin Luther and many other church fathers had started to believe in what we call Replacement Theology. This theology leads to a dangerous path! They believe the promises and covenants made with Israel in the Scriptures are no longer valid. They believe that the Jews were the Messiah killers and that they are now they scum of the earth because of this and have forfeited their blessings. They believe the blessings and promises to come will be given to the "church" instead. The Bible is not to be taken literally when it comes to Israel, but rather metaphorically (they believe). I don't believe that God breaks His covenants or promises! It is this theology that has crept into many evangelical churches today. I am reminded of just how deceptive Satan can be. This theology was fuel to the Holocaust and was even fuel to the White Supremacy movement. What a tragic thing! Now so many people who believe in Replacement Theology might not even realize its anti-Jewish origin and agenda. I never had any idea either until I studied.

The more I studied, the more I realized just how far we have strayed from our Jewish roots. Our Messiah was a Jew and yet we dont often much about the Jewish people or their feasts and holy days. The Bible is so rich with information on the feasts. I know many will say that we are no longer under the law because Jesus destroyed the Law. But I believe that the Bible says that Jesus came to fulfill the Law and to give a New Covenant (which in the translation is a renewed covenant). Just as we have a new moon, yet it is not truly "new" but rather a renewed moon, so the Covenant has been renewed. I believe that God is unchanging and His word can be trusted. He would never break a covenant, He only added to it in the New Testament. Not only were we to not murder, but hatred was the same as murder. And He gave us a new commandment, to love one another (one we sadly do not follow much). The Messiah wrote these renewed and amended commandments on our hearts now. While I dont believe we are under the legalism of the old law, I do believe that a faith in the Messiah brings forth a desire to obey and honor His law. I have so much more to learn and perhaps shall write more when my journey is further. In the meantime, I desire to learn more about the life my Messiah lived. I desire to start celebrating the feasts as He did not out of a legalistic requirement, but as an act of love and out of a desire to walk more in His footsteps. I believe the feasts were rich with meaning. I look forward to celebrating Passover and remembering that Jesus was the Passover Lamb who was slain for us. I am eager to celebrate the feast of Trumpets which reminds me that one day the trumpet shall sound and my Messiah will return! I am compelled in my heart to remember Him as often as I can and to learn the significance of the things He did or participated in. I want to become more like the New Testament Believers of the very early "church". I want to shy away from the politics and apostasy that I see in so many church buildings. I dont believe that sharing the good news of my Messiah was ever intended to be a paid career, but rather an obligation of every Believer. I want to remember that the greatest of these is love! I dont want to get into the trap of pride by believing that I am any better of a person for believing any of these things or by celebrating the Biblical feasts. I want to be known by others as someone who loves people! I desire to unified with other Believers, not separated by different denominations. I desire to heed the admonition and warning of the apostle Jude when he urged Christians at the end of the first century.

"Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under the gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day -- just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire." Jude 3-7

I write this with a humble heart and full of love. We are all equal in His sight and He desires us all to come to a saving knowledge of His son, Yeshua, our Messiah. May I be faithful until the end!

2 comments:

  1. What a wonderful blog! I look forward to following.
    Joycelyn

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  2. Thank you! I enjoy writing my thoughts and beliefs out online to share with others. Thanks for joining in following my journey!

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