What’s Wrong With Natsari Judaism III
Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr
The elders which are among you I
exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and
also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither
as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. And
when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that
fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves
unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with
humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. –
I Peter 5:1-5
As long as
an elder is not being abusive with the power of his authority over those under
him, they are to be honored and obeyed. This also implies elders should be
servants, so as to give us the proper example to go by.
The words “being
lords” is translated in other versions as, “exercising lordship” and it comes
from the Greek word “Katakurieuo” meaning to exercise dominion, to overcome and
it implies a dictatorship.
Two major
problems I see here in Natsari Judaism is:
1. Leaders abusing their power and authority
and has become a dictator over the people and is not a good example of a
shepherd to be followed and emulated.
2. Laity not properly submitting to
Leaders who do NOT “lord” over people and yet ironically submit to the
ones who DO “lord” over the people as a dictator and or cult leader.
1. Regarding Leaders:
I’m not
calling for a witch hunt, but am simply giving one general guidelines to go by
in order to flesh out such corrupt dictatorial leaders (Rom. 16:17-18).
“Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our
Lord Yeshua Messiah, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches
deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Above all
else, the very first thing you should go by is if your spirit and or gut feels
uneasy about a religious or ministerial leader and or minister. TRUST
YOUR GUT AND SPIRIT!!!
A Leader
should be weighed by the Scriptures. For
example, I Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9 gives us a good list to go by
regarding qualifications of a religious leader. Things such as marital
fidelity, humility, has an all-around good reputation publically and privately,
is not greedy or hungry for money or power, has a good and stable family life,
doesn’t speak out of both sides of his mouth, not a substance abuser, not a
“know-it-all”, and not a new converts. The last mentioned is also reiterated in
I Timothy 5:22.
Galatians
5:22 and Ephesians 5:9 gives us the fruit of the Spirit in which to weight a
religious leader. Do they display the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience,
gentleness, kindness, meekness, faithfulness, and self-control.
I
Corinthians 12:28-31 and Ephesians 4:11-12 gives us the five -fold ministry
which a leader should be operating in one or more of these offices/gifts of
Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist. If they fit these Scriptural
criteria, they should be respected and submitted to.
The
following are general and not absolute guidelines, nor are they an exhaustive
list of red flags to watch for among Natsari leaders. Also, please note that they are not given in
any particular order.
· If they have a Criminal Record. This
is NOT a solid or soul indicator because “His arm is not too short to save
(Isa. 59:1).” Because people can change. Messiah’s salvation after all saved a
thief on the cross (Luke 23).
· If they are on the sexual offenders
list. Again, this is NOT a solid or soul indicator, but a stronger indicator
than a simple criminal record because on the rare occasion some are falsely
accused and again Messiah changed the demoniac (Mark 5, Luke 8) and sexual
crime has been demonized by the majority of modern society.
· If they go by many aliases without
acknowledging or denying that they go by other names.
· If they have multiple names, titles,
profiles and ministries spanning multiple religions and or denominations and
sects with in a given religion.
· If they have current affiliations with
other religious groups and or secret societies.
· If they attempt to break away from
the sect they are in, begin their own sect and drastically change theology,
doctrine and or traditions and reveal new, secret, mystical knowledge and or
revelation.
· If they are not forth coming about
their credentials, testimony or past and or experiences.
· If they are caught contradicting or
changing their credentials, testimony or past and or experiences.
· If they do not or cannot produce the
credentials they claim they have.
· If they are not transparent and are
extremely secretive about their life or themselves.
· If they have a one dimensional
personality.
· If they are extremely egocentric.
· If they attempt to draw more
attention to themselves more so that God, Messiah or the Scriptures.
· If they proclaim some sort of supreme
authority, rule, or knowledge over something.
· If they claim to personify or be a
reincarnation of or a fulfilment of some Biblical or religious personage.
· If they demand absolute
authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
· If they encourage you to pull away
from other believers or teachers and belittles them.
· If they have no tolerance for
questions or critical inquiry.
· If they express unreasonable fear of
the outside world in regards to persecution, conspiracy theories, apocalypse,
etc.
· If you run into a former follower and
they share a pattern of stories of abuse and reveal warning signs you have seen
but choose to ignore.
· If they make you feel you are never
good enough or will never measure up.
· If they constantly talk to you in
such a way that elevates themselves and diminishes you.
· If they habitually wield or abuse
their authority and or position which has nothing to do with or contradicts
Torah and tends to attempt to micro-manage others’ lives.
· If they use exclusivity as a tool for
motivation and allegiance.
· If they plagiarize; often claiming
quotes and teachings of others as their own.
· If they act as if they are above
social, personal, religious, tradition, customary or halachic boundaries and
excuses himself from breaking them.
· If they are prone to extreme mood
changes and decision changes (James 1:8).
· If they are constantly being caught
in contradictions or outright lies.
· Failure to admit if they are ever
wrong of they were even caught in a lie or mistake.
· If they always attempt to justify or
spiritualize a lie, mistake, bad behaviour, wrong action or contradiction.
· When they fail to answer simple and
direct yes or no questions directly, especially those dealing with integrity
and or morality and instead dance around the issue or try and give a spiritual,
mystical or ambiguous answer. Or tries to change the subject all together.
· If they have familial, flirtatious
and otherwise inappropriate (sexual) relations with others that is not their
spouse or immediate family members.
· If they tell you that you must
confess your sins to them or go through them in order to get to God,
absolution, deliverance and or healing.
· If they employ unusual, non-biblical
or biblically out of context, cruel, humiliating, inhumane and or violent
physical and or mental punishment to those who disobey them or break group
rules.
· If they do not provide one choices
and instead gives demands or ultimatums.
· If they attempt to isolate their sect
or group from family, friends, others and or the world in communal religious
living.
None of us
are perfect, besides being perfectly flawed and thus always have things to work
on personally, but if a religious leader you know or are involved with exhibits
5 or more of the things listed above, you are likely involved with a conman and
or cult leader. Make like Lot, run and don’t look back and do not submit!
2. Regarding Laity:
Ultimately
we should all do our best to walk in the footsteps of Yeshua our Messiah by
walking and following in the Torah.
“Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our
Lord Yeshua Messiah, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches
deceive the hearts of the simple.”
And Proverbs
6:19b says that God hates, he that sows discord among brethren.
What will
characterize such “red flag believers” are such things as extremism,
judgementalism, rebellion, anger, and negativity. The following again is not an
absolute or exhaustive list on things to watch for and disassociate yourself
from in others who claim to be believers in the Messianic and or Natsari
movement. Again, given in no particular order.
· If they disagree with the cardinal
absolutes of the virgin birth, death, burial, resurrection and divinity of
Messiah as well as the inerrancy of the Scripture.
· Refusal to open mindedly and
objectively evaluate their own beliefs.
· Refusal to open mindedly and
objectively look at information that may challenge their own beliefs.
· Majoring on the minors and minoring
on the majors (Matt. 23:24). For example asking asinine questions like: “Why do you or do you not wear a kippah or
Star of David?” Or, why do you say Yeshua instead of Yahshuah, or HaShem
instead of Yahweh?” etc.
· Cannot agree to disagree agreeably in
love.
· Refuse to fellowship with other
Messianic or Natsari groups outside their own or who believe slightly
differently than they do.
· Openly criticizes other believers or
ministries by name instead of simply disagreeing with them or instead of
exposing falsehoods they may teach or proclaim.
· Focusing on or wanting to study Rabbinical,
Kabbalistic or other religious literature more than the Tanak (Old Testament)
or Brit Chadasha (New Testament).
· Focuses more on Jewish/Hebraic custom
and traditions more so than Torah.
· Accusing other ministries and
believers of being “Too Christian” or “Too Jewish.”
· Promotes their sect or ministry or
leaders thereof more so than Faith, Torah and Yeshua.
· Focuses more on division than unity
(Prov. 6:16, 19).
· If they resemble their sect or leader
more than Yeshua Himself.
· Easily and often offended (Ps.
119:165).
· Extremely angry, negative and
critical of Christianity from which they likely came.
· Looks to purposely oppose or stand
out from and are overly critical of the majority in order to simply justify
their own rebellious attitude and ways.
· If they attempt to integrate Islam or
another religion into the Faith.
· If they believe circumcision or any
other adherence to Jewish tradition is essential for salvation.
· If they confuse culture, custom and
tradition with Torah commandments.
· If they are involved with “red flag”
ministries, congregations or leaders within the Messianic and or Natsari
movement.
· If they tend to be a lone or rogue
believer and associates with virtually no one and has a “Me and God, Us and
Them” mentality.
· If they make conspiracy theories and
eschatology more of a focus of their faith than Torah and Messiah.
· If they believe that they alone and
no one else has the correct interpretation of any given passage of Scripture.
· Has a bad habit and or history of
“congregation hopping,” in other words does not stay settled within a
congregation or ministry for very long.
· Demands and or are over eager to take
on a leadership role or position.
· If they feel they are not being moved
to the front of the class fast enough by a leader.
· Treats other believers (especially
Gentiles) as inferior and or second class citizens.
· Believes they are right and everyone
else is wrong and that they are somehow better than other believers. In other
words, prideful.
· If they bear the opposite of the
Fruit of the Spirit.
· If they have a martyr complex or play
the victim and blame everyone else for their troubles but themselves.
Such
believers we should love and pray for, yet not associate or fellowship with
lest their ways rub off on us, as the Proverbs warns. And we should not try and
change such a believer unless the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) clearly makes
them open to listen to reason and be lovingly corrected and urges us to reach
out to them. Otherwise…
Give not that which
is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls
before swine, lest they trample them under their
feet, and turn again and rend you. – Matt. 7:6
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. – Prov. 26:4-5
Let us take
the words of Sheliach Kefa (Apostle Peter) seriously as Leader and Laity and lead
by example and humbly submit to those who properly lead by example.
