I Did It My Way!
Is there such a
thing as being too old-fashioned? Yes, when you become so old-fashioned that
you blindly and ignorantly impose and peddle your cultural ideas, customs and
traditions as if the whole world should hold to them.
I know this and
have seen this all too many times growing up in Protestant Christianity that
has been influenced by the culture of the Southern United
States . In sermons, preachers have constantly imposed Southern
culture upon the characters of Scripture and painted them, from Moses to Paul,
as being Southern Baptist style Christians. Sadly, such foolish sayings and
songs have emerged as a result:
“If it was good
enough for Paul and Silas it is good enough for me.” This is usually in
reference to exclusively using the King James Translation of the Bible. But
Paul and Silas didn’t have a King James Bible, they Only had the Tanak (Old
Testament), which they fiercely obeyed!
“Give me that old
time religion,” as if Moses, David, Paul or Yeshua sang southern style hymns
and worshipped in a church. No, they kept and followed Torah, that was the old
time religion for them.
There is also a
thing of not being old-fashioned enough, in that one refuses to look beyond
their own cultural interpretation of the Scriptural and foundational absolutes
and does not live and apply them from the ancient framework into an acceptable
modern adaptation that does not take away from the core absolute.
We must look upon
our culture through the lenses of Torah and not look upon Scripture through the
lenses of our culture.
ADOANI and His
ways come before any man-made cultural standard. There is nothing wrong with
one’s indigenous culture as long as it does not contradict or twist the
Commands of Torah. One’s culture can honor GOD as long as we bend it to the
ways of Torah and do not attempt to bend Torah to fit ones culture. This is
especially important when ministering as a missionary in a foreign culture.
Catho-Christianity
is classically known for synchronism in regards to its missionary evangelistic
activities. By this, I mean molding ones culture and indigenous religion to fit
the missionary’s religion. This is why we see such hybrid cults like
Catho-Christian influence on voodoo that comes out of Haiti Louisiana Mexico Constantine
There must be
integrity and purity in bringing Torah and Messiah to other cultures.
Most Jews agree on observing all 613 Mitzvot (Commandments), but we all
differ on how, and to what extent we keep the Commandments. The way any particular Jewish sect keeps the
Commandments is called, “Halakah”, meaning, the way one walks. Keeping Torah does not mean one loses their
cultural distinctiveness. In Judaism,
there is Sephardic Jews, Yemenite Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, Karite Jews, Nazarene
Jews, etc. These are all Jews who follow
and keep Torah. Yet within these and other groups, there is enough room for
them to keep Torah in their own way, and maintain their unique cultural
identity, such as dress, food, music, customs, etc. Each group has their own way of tying
tzitzit, and laying tefillin. The Torah says to do them, but not how. Culture and custom help define this, as Frank
Sinatra sang, “I did it my way!” And,
each group’s way of fulfilling the Commandments vary and are so pregnant with
meaning and depth.
Needless to say, a
Holy careful balance needs to be struck. We have to see faith through the
original language and culture to which it was written in, and find ways to
adapt them today without compromising the original intent.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
This may shock
some when they find out I’m not a big fan of Messianic Jewish Music or that I
do not like Ashkenazi cuisine. I like more of the folky, coffee house style of
praise and worship. I also like Christian Rock and Heavy Metal. And as far as
food goes, I love Asian and Indian food.
You don’t have to
like culturally Jewish things to be obedient to Torah, God’s Commandments. The
Torah has enough elbow room to express ones likes, tastes, flavors and ethnic
culture.
Because I keep
Torah to the best of my ability, doesn’t always mean I dress or practice my
faith like a European Orthodox Jew. Some people like, and due to their
personality, needs that kind of structure and expression. Not me, I’m more of a
hippy. I like to keep the Faith, Sola Scriptura (Obeying the Scriptures only),
and I don’t concern myself so much with Jewish custom and tradition.
For me, if I’m a
stickler for keeping custom and traditions on top of the Torah itself, I tend
to get bogged down and the rituals end up becoming robotic, mechanical and lack
heart and that does not please the Father. God let Israel know just this when
they began to worship God with no heart.
10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto
the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11 To what purpose is the
multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat
of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of
he goats.
12 When ye come to appear
before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13 Bring no more vain
oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the
calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn
meeting.
14 Your new moons and your
appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear
them.
15 And when ye spread forth
your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I
will not hear: your hands are full of blood. – Isa. 1:10-15
If I feel led and
or inspired, I’ll participate in the cultural aspects of Jewish life. For me,
that way, they fresh and meaningful and I enjoy them instead of end up
distaining them as a drudgery.
Culture vs. Commandments
Tradition vs. Torah
There is a vast
difference between the Commandments of Adonai and Hebraic culture that can’t
help but get meshed together. To put it another way, there is a vast difference
between God’s Torah (Law) and man’s Traditions related to Torah.
Torah and
Commandments are non-negotiable Laws and Instructions from the Father Himself.
Culture and
Tradition are man’s ways to express obedience to those non-negotiable Commands.
You’ve heard the
expression, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat”? Well, there is more than
one way to keep a commandment. For example, the commandment of mezuzah, to
write God’s Law on your doors. Judaism has come up with a tradition to write
out certain passages of Torah on a parchment, roll it up and put it in a
cylindrical container and affix it to your door frame. But equally as valid is
one can paint, print with a Sharpie, chisel or burn God’s Word on one’s door
frame with a wood burning pen.
An example of
culture would be the kippah, the “beanie” looking skull cap we Jews wear.
That’s a custom, or a tradition. Only the Levitical Priests were commanded to
cover their heads, but because God called Israel a nation of priests (Exd.
19:6) it was reasoned that we all could cover our heads and so it became a
tradition (not a Command) to cover our heads. This happens to be a custom I
choose to keep.
A Man Made Construct.
Many want to be
Jewish or practice Judaism because Jesus was Jewish and practiced Judaism.
However, Judaism in and of itself is a manmade construct, like culture and
social acceptable behavior and expectations. Judaism, like Christianity was
simply a way to arrange and organize Biblical belief and practice in a way that
was practical, cultural and made sense. It’s neither right nor wrong, but just
a way one can choose to express and practice Biblical belief and principles.
Jesus was raised
in and submitted to and worked within the framework of Jewish belief and
practice, except when it contradicted God’s Word itself.
As a Torah
Obedient Believer in Messiah Yeshua, I straddle the fence of Judaism and
Christianity. Respecting both, but bowing to neither. I only bow to God and His
Word.
Beginning and End
Gen. 2:16-17, 3:8,
15. Rev. 14:12. It began with guarding and obeying God’s Torah (Law/Instructions)
and keeping the Faith with and in Messiah Yeshua and so it will end. Continuous
from beginning to end the Law has not been done away with.
