Get Back to the First Century: A Messianic Christian?

A Messianic Christian? (Acts 11:26, 26:28)

  

The name “Christian” is a misnomer today.  Scripturally, Christian means a Gentile who has converted in the sect of Judaism that followed in the footsteps of Yeshua Messiah by following Torah, called the Natsarim (Nazarenes).  This is thought by some to be a term that is/was a derogatory name given to the Gentiles who converted to Natsarim Judaism by the Gentiles who opposed them. This is equivalent to calling a black person the “N” word, or a Jew the “K” word! That is not what Christian means today.  The word Messianic is the Hebrew form of Christian.  Therefore, a Messianic Jew is a bit of an oxymoron, unless one means a religious Jew who believes in a Messiah that has come or is coming.  In that case, all Jews are Messianic Jews.

Most “Messianic Jews” today are nothing more that Protestants in Jewish clothes. They look like Jews, and participate in the Jewish culture, but they believe and live for the most part, like antinomian (anti-Torah/Law) Christians. Their motto is: “One faith, two expressions.” Most believe, like Christians, that most if not all the Law has been abolished in the death of Messiah.

Sadly, some people think that I believe all Christians are utter pagans and are going to hell. This is not the case; nothing could be further from the truth. I know many Christians who sincerely love and serve ADONAI with all their heart to the best of their ability with what they currently know. Scriptures say God winks at our ignorance (Acts 17:30). As long as we agree on the foundational issues; the Godhead, the inerrancy of the Bible, the virgin birth, sinless life, Divinity of, the atoning death, burial, resurrection, ascension and future return of Messiah, we are family and can fellowship. However, once a person knows the facts, knows the truth, and knows better, the ball is in their court and they are accountable for what they know and do with it. Christians need to take a hard look at Christianity, research its roots and ask the hard questions.  Be Bereans (Acts 17:11), study out what you are told.  Just don’t be spoon-fed and believe what everyone teaches in the name of ADONAI. Even this work you are reading.  As my former Rabbi, Rabbi Daniel Harris has said:

“For the record, I believe there will be MILLIONS of Christians going to Heaven.  GOD’s mercy endures forever and there are so many sincere Christians who really love the LORD.  They really have no idea of the pagan roots of their faith and are serving GOD to the best of their ability and knowledge.”  Also, “As far as ‘Christian bashing’ goes, all I can say is, it is incumbent upon me by Torah to DENOUNCE any and all paganism regardless of WHAT it is or WHO it offends (Ex.34:13; Mt.15:13).  I have no INTENTION to offend ANYBODY but it is inevitable if one preaches and teaches Truth (Ps.119:142; Ezk.3).”

-        “Confessions of a Legalist” Rabbi Daniel Harris, Kol Ha-Shofar vol.2.issue 5

I have been asked do I believe Christians are pagans. No, but they have pagan tendencies. They may have been raised with a form of the Torah, they have adopted a shadow of the ways of a Jew, but they practices the paganism that was adopted after the believing Gentiles split off from the believing Jews. They will go to heaven just as the believing Jew, however, they will go having lived out a watered down mingled form of the Nazarene faith and paganism of Catholicism.

It’s true that the Protestant Church broke off from the Catholic Church and therefore shed many of the pagan practices found in Catholicism but they still nonetheless cling tenaciously to customs and traditions that are nowhere found, encouraged or instituted in the Scriptures such as Sunday worship, Christmas and Easter which have factual and traceable roots in paganism.

According to Rabbi James Trimm:

“…In many Christian circles there is a teaching that says that originally Judaism was the true faith but that it has been now replaced by a new faith “Christianity” which is now the true faith.  This theology is totally counter to the teachings of the “New Testament”. The “New Testament” is plain in telling us that there is one true faith (Eph.4:5) which was given once and for all time (Jude1:3).  This means that theology that claims that Christianity is a true faith which has replaced Judaism which had been the previous true faith is absolutely false!  There is, according to the “New Testament” itself ONE TRUE FAITH and it was ONLY GIVEN ONCE.  Christianity is too young to be that ONE true faith that was ONCE given, that ONE true faith that was ONCE given therefore MUST be Judaism!”

-“Error of Two Torah Theology I”

Yeshua did not come to start a new religion; He came to bring fullness to the original one.  Here is what Jim Myers has to say about it, in his article, “Would Your Church Allow You to Really Be Like Jesus?” Found at: http://www.biblicalheritage.org/Jesus/would.htm

 “Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian and he was certainly not both. It is clear that Jesus was a practicing Jew who lived a very observant lifestyle. An amazing discovery for any Christian is the fact that there is simply no evidence that Jesus ever renounced Judaism and quit being a Jew. Also, his teachings do not indicate that he ever wanted any Jew to renounce their Judaism and join a new religion. How then, did he get credited with the distinct label that he was the person responsible for creating a new religion? Especially a religion which opposed the religion and way of life he continued to live?”

  

“Without a great deal of effort it becomes glaringly apparent that neither R. Jesus, the apostles nor the Paul of Acts 21, would be allowed to join a church. On the other hand, it is also clear that R. Jesus would not participate in any religion that not only opposes, but is actively dedicated to destroying his religion! Is it not true that the goal and stated mission of Christianity is to "save the world?" How is this mission to be accomplished? To put it very simply, the goal is to convert every non-Christian to Christianity. The convert must renounce any non-Christian religion, agree to accept the doctrines of Christianity and oppose any religion that opposes Christianity.

Instead of a physical Jihad (holy war), Christianity has engaged in a doctrinal Jihad. As I stated above, Christianity is an exclusive religion. Christians are not allowed to simultaneously practice Islam, Buddhism, Judaism or any other religion. Therefore, if Christianity was to attain its goal of "getting every person on the face of the earth to believe in Jesus," including all the Jews, Judaism would be totally destroyed and cease to exist.

This would accomplish something that the crusaders, the inquisition, Hitler and a number of others have failed to accomplish. How do you think R. Jesus would react to the idea that such a mission was being carried out in his name? This really gets weird when you think about it! Christians base their proof for their ultimate salvation on a Jewish rabbi named Yeshua (Jesus), who was an observant Jew who faithfully practiced Judaism. On the one hand, his religion would most probably not allow him to practice modern Christianity. On the other hand, modern Christianity would not allow him to practice its religion without first renouncing his religion -- Judaism!

This should present a very important challenge to every Christian -- If R. Jesus could not, and would not, practice a religion dedicated to destroying his religion, how can anyone who bases their salvation on R. Jesus participate in and perpetuate it? Would R. Jesus agree with a salvation message being based on such a system? Are you getting the drift of this discussion?”

“Christianity, almost universally, requires a Jew to convert to Christianity before he can become a member of the church or be saved. This conversion process forces the Jew to renounce his or her Judaism and terminate or redefine any Jewish practices.”

Christianity, as it is today is has great difficulty being compatible with Natsarim (Nazarene) Judaism and is not even Scriptural Christianity.  So the expression running rampant in Messianic Judaism concerning it and Christianity, “One faith, two expressions,” holds no water.  Christians fails to see the level of the deception.  How they have accepted the doctrine of men and of demons, of Rome and of Babylon.  How they have broken off, and have separated themselves from the 1^st century Natsarim (Nazarene) Believers.  They have essentially have created another religion.