But Why and Why Not?...

Again, before you read this, please know that I have the utmost respect for people, as people whom God created. I do not wish to hurt anyone or start any fights.

I'm not sure I understand why accepting Yeshua as savior makes one no longer Jewish.

Why? Why is this? I'll use the example of marriage: Whether a person practices JUDAISM or not, per se, if they marry someone who is not Jewish...does that then make them no longer Jewish? No. They still have Jewish family, and a Jewish ancestry...most likely a Jewish name as well. These things are not erased just because they marry someone who is not Jewish...in fact, on the contrary...I would think that the person they marry would now be Jewish as well, because their spouse is Jewish, and the two have become one.

So, if a person accepts Yeshua as their savior, does this then change their Jewish parents or grandparents? Their Jewish family name...whether on their dad or their mother's side? Their Jewish ancestry? Of corse not. All these things still exist just as they always did. Let's say someone is born in Israel...does believing that Yeshua is the Messiah change the fact that they were born in Israel? Of course not. Now, just because someone is born in Israel does not automatically make them Jewish...I get that; but just to illustrate my point.

When I started this entry, I was going to back it up with all sorts of scriptures to prove my point. But instead, this time, I think I will just say what I think and how I feel. I probably still will use a few references, just so one doesn't have to take my word for it; but I understand that if one does not want to accept Yeshua as savior, they don't have to...and that's up to the individual.

This is not to try and make anyone change their mind or convince them of something that they do not want to be convinced of. I am seeking my own understanding here. So, first, I get that actions speak louder than words. For those who DO practice Judaism, and do it well, I think the belief can be that accepting Yeshua as savior means giving up their practices (if you will). But why? Why does this have to be true?

Any believer (in Yeshua) will tell you that their belief...is that Yeshua is G-d, right? Now, if you don't want to believe that Yeshua is G-d, that's up to you...but let's say someone says, "I can't believe in Yeshua because I won't be Jewish.". Again, why is this true? Do you no longer have the ability to honor your parents, or stay away from unclean foods? Can you no longer observe the sabbath? Do you think that believing in him is the same as making an idol? Perhaps. This might be the reason...but why would it be, when both Jews and Christians alike are "looking," waiting, believing in their Messiah? If someone Jewish believes that Jesus is their Messiah, sent by God...how is this idolatry, or blasphemy? (If someone disagrees with you about it...AND??). People have been disagreeing about whether the Messiah is "coming back" or "still coming" for thousands of years. There is nothing new about that.

I believe (Jesus) is the Messiah, and I keep the Sabbath every week...it's a choice I make. Believing in (Jesus) does not keep me from choosing to do this. (Just as an example). I still know that I am not to murder, or steal, or lie, or commit adultery. None of this "moral code" has changed at all...and it is (more than ever) the evidence of my faith. Yeshua said that faith without works is dead in the New Testament. Could it be said then, that Judaism is the best proof of this that there is...like, in the world? I would think that such a truth would be the biggest compliment of someone's life, rather than an insult!

But more & more, I'm finding that the reverse is true. In the book of John, when John himself baptizes Yeshua, a dove lands on Yeshua's head, and the voice of Elohim comes from Heaven, saying "This is my son, in whom I am well pleased." Now, I suppose if you don't read the New Testament, you may not know this...but I'm interested to know from someone who does not believe in Jesus's (Yeshua's) divinity...what do you think this voice was? Who said this? Where did it come from? And, why would it say "This is my son"?

Now, let me go over to the other side of the fence. In my opinion, those who practice Judaism would/will/do make the best believers in Yeshua there are. Why? Because of their ability and willingness to endure and be long-suffering. Absolutely! This is essential to living out our faith in Christ, so my heart was broken when I had to start learning that most folks who practice Judaism (whether they're born Jewish or not), want nothing to do with (Jesus). This also puzzled me terribly, because Yeshua WAS Jewish...was he not? He was part of the Biblical tribe of Judah...(descended from)in fact, he's known as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Now, let me just say that it is stupid for me to just assume that all folks who are Jewish are automatically even closer to Yeshua than any Christian is...but the truth is, many Christians, including me...believe this. Anyway, wouldn't that in fact be the case? We believe this and we think it's the most amazing thing! To our dismay, this is something that is really offensive to many Jewish folks.

"Why??," we(Christian's)wonder. We don't understand why those who are Jewish and practice Judaism, are not just tickled pink by this reality. The apostle Paul, in the book of Romans said that "He came to his own, and his own received him not.". In this case, "his own" refers to the Jewish people as a whole...and that doesn't mean only Israel itself. It's the Jewish people who are scattered throughout the earth, going all the way back to Mount Sinai when Avraham was given G-d's law, and the people waited at the foot of the mountain...until many of them (the 10 tribes) decided to go their own way & worship their own gods'. The tribes split, and separated themselves. Judah and Israel were the only two who came back, and G-d's covenant with Israel was renewed. As he says in the book of Hebrews: "I am going to do a new thing."

So, is accepting Yeshua as savior then an "abandonment" of Elohim? My answer would be thus: "You tell me!". Have you abandoned the Original covenant? If you have not (because you still faithfully keep it), how is this blasphemy? For that matter, many Christians feel quite an endearment to anything Hebrew, or associated with Hebrew or Jewish culture...because we desire a closeness with the person, we've accepted as the Messiah. Does this make us any less a believer in Yeshua himself? Does it "cancel" the fact that we've become a Christian? Does this erase the fact that we've been "saved" by his grace, and can rest in that truth? Of course not. We both are just desiring a closeness with the Messiah, are we not? Now, again, if you do not believe that (Jesus) is the Messiah, that's up to you. What I'm trying to figure out is how this belief makes a person no longer Jewish.

By the way, when it comes to deeds and commandments...we who think of ourselves as "New Testament Christians" maybe ought to just stick to the ten in the Original Covenent...because there are more commandments in the New Covenant Than there are in the original. Again, this is just my opinion, but I'm sure you get what I mean. Now, I believe that this, right here, is what puts a lot of Christians to shame actually. We love to quote Yeshua himself as saying "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" and then sorta call it a day. We don't keep the Sabbath, we don't stay away from certain foods, etc. because we claim that these things are not necessary, because we are under G-d's grace.

Listen, as it relates to Judaism, I understand well the argument that says "Yes, but I don't practice Rabbinic Judaism, I'm a Messianic.". Really? Cool! So am I, just FYI. Interesting...Yeshua was a rabbi as well, was he not? For that matter, he made things much harder (even) then the (613) commandments of the Original covenant, didn't he? Wow. So what are we to call this..."rabbinic Christianity"? We leave the "rabbinic" part out of it...but why should we?

Many "Christians" say they follow HIM...but the fact is...we LOOK as though we don't even try to keep the ten. I believe that to many people who've been practicing Judaism all their lives, they are truly mystified by this, because it's as though (we) are lying to their face. To put it another way, many Christians will say that it is not necessary to follow the Torah, and furthermore, it's useless because we can't do it perfectly anyway. Because for those who practice Judaism, their closeness with G-d has to do with how closely they attempt to (stay) to His commandments.

So, along those lines, how would we who call ourselves Christians be any less a believer in (Christ) if we made the decision to (try) and stay as close as we can to the same moral code? (except it's harder). Does this make us any less Christian because the idea comes from the Original Covenant? Hey, the basis for the New Covenant had to come from somewhere, didn't it? Do Christians seem as though (we) throw the moral code out? I think, many tmes , yes. At least, I know this is what happened to me. I'm not trying to say that I did anything overt, or that I blatantly behaved (not like) a Christian (although, I have). But more specifically, I truly believed that the Original covenant (I prefer to call it the Original instead of the Old)had nothing to do with me at all...because I'm not Jewish. Not by birth...I don't have Jewish family members, name or ancestry.

Wow, interesting...when one accepts Yeshua as their savior, don't we say they are re-born? Yes. But they are re-born a CHRISTIAN, right? Well, let's look at who a Christian say's they have accepted when they are "born again"... Now again, if you don't believe this, that's okay, but just bare with me. When someone is "born again" we say that we have accepted that Jesus Christ is the savior...the Messiah, yeah? Okay...so who is(was) Jesus?
What did he say about who he was? "I am the way, the truth, and the life...no one comes to the Father, but through me.". He told Niccodemus he must be "born again" and Nicodemus didn't see how this was possible, because he thought Yeshua was talking about physical birth. "For G-d so loved the world that he sent his one & only son, that whosoever would believe in him shall not parish, but have everlasting life.". So, who is this G-d that John 3:16 talks about? Now I know, we could argue about this forever...but, Judaism teaches, "I am the Lord your G-d, who brought you out of Egypt, you shall have no G-d's before me," right? So, let's say the Original covenant was the mandate for the New one? Who is this G-d? The G-d of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, yes? So, let's say that accepting Yahweh's son is then, part of Yahweh's instructions for us...

Incidentally, the 12 disciples were all Jewish men who followed Yeshua around, literally. Somehow I don't think that they believed that their (original) Jewish identity would just disappear for having done so (again), especially when we consider that Yeshua himself was also Jewish. On that note, Matthew, Mark, John, Paul...all those writers of the (translated Greek) New Covenant were also Jewish...Do you really believe that all these Jewish men who probably did not speak any Greek or Latin wrote their testimonies out in Greek originally? Luke was also Jewish, and I saved him for last because...instead of being born Jewish, Luke was "re-born" Jewish. Luke converted...to what... "Christianity"... created by a Hebrew rabbi?? I don't think so! No something tells me he converted to Judaism.

Now, to some, there is absolutely no such thing as Messianic Judaism...but again, I say... (you guessed it) "Why not?". Those who practice Judaism are holding on to the very sincere hope that the "Messiah" is on his way. Right? Even if you do not believe that (Jesus) is the Messiah, you still believe he's on his way, right? What's the problem? For that matter (and I've eluded to this already), why do we assume that Christianity must be void (if you will) of anything Rabbinic? Again, Yeshua was a Jewish rabbi...What's the problem? On that note, according to the law of the Original covenant, what sort of mandate or rules was a rabbi to live by? Something tells me that Yeshua was not unfamiliar with these practices. Would believing this to be true erase a person's Jewish identity or take away their ability to read and keep the Torah?

In the New Testament, it also says that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. So what does this new creation consist of? A new heart, transformed and made clean by Yeshua, son of Elohim, the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Is it just possible that this new creation of a new heart creates a new identity as well? I mean, even if we're not biologically Jewish, what happens when we say we've let the son of the Most high G-d, Elohim, G-d of the Hebrews rule and reign in our life? Don't we at that point take on his identity as well, like all children with their parents?

So where does the Word say Yeshua gets his identity from? Physically/biologically he got his identity from his Jewish mom Mary... I know he was immaculately conceived and that trips a lot of people up...I don't blame you...but Spiritually Jesus was a child of his heavenly Father Elohim, the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Is it not the same with us? Spiritually, whether we are Jewish and waiting for the Messiah to come, or Gentile, but waiting for the Messiah to come again, aren't we all created by our father who is in Heaven? I will now quote my friend Rebecca Park Totilo to wrap up...

"They're real big on deeds(those who are Jewish), we're real big on creeds(Christians or Gentiles)...we gotta get the two together.".

And in my opinion, those who have accepted the free gift of salvation through Christ have no excuse NOT to keep God's law as well as they can because we HAVE the grace of Yeshua's death to "cover" and protect us when our human imperfections simply fall short. In other words, Yeshua's death was necessary to take away the curse of sin and death...going all the way back to Adam & Eve. It was never designed to do away with his law and his instructions on how we should live, but mostly, rather than asking questions and learning from those who know how to keep G-d's laws quite well, we Christians want to explain, however gently, that those who keep God's Torah are only being legalistic. Christian, might I suggest that keeping God's Torah is the ultimate proof that you ARE a (Christian)...not that you are not? You believe in Messianic, Rabbinic Judaism...created by the Rabbi of all rabbi's, Yeshua Hamashiach himself.

To the Jewish individual, who thinks that they are not allowed to accept Yeshua as their Messiah because they will no longer be Jewish: Impossible. This is impossible because Yeshua himself was Hebrew. He came down to his people on Mount Sinai because he knew they could not ascend to him, and they were so frightened, they asked him to speak to Moses instead. So he came down to us again...as a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, so that he would identify with the weaknesses of being human. It was then that he was greatly overlooked, not having the mighty presence of a king that was so frightening before. Hey, is anything too hard for G-d?

He knows your heart, and he sees your efforts...but however wonderful they are...by themselves they don't meet G-d's perfect standard. The good news is, if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, all your desire and efforts to be close to him will be "credited" to you as a reward of closeness to him when you go to be in his presence someday. But I must tell you that the bad news is that if you do not accept the death of Yeshua on the cross as payment, as fulfillment (if you will) for what our efforts can't cover, then all of your work and effort and desire to be close to him will be counted against you as self- righteousness, rather then G-d's righteousness, because there is still sin involved that remains unpaid for. This sin will then still be grounds for seperation from G-d. Might I suggest that your Father just wants to make sure that all your efforts do not go to waste.

To both: The word "Christian" was never something that the Father or the Son came to establish. Might I suggest that men who did not really know love, because they did not know G-d, created a term designed to "cover up" the Hebrew identity of the G-d of the Hebrews. This is a whole other blog entry altogether, but, I personally believe (now) that the term Christian sort of throws a bunch more confusion into everything, because it contains within it so many different descriptions.

One last thing: May I suggest that we change the word Christian into "Believer" (if you like?). This way, perhaps we can stop "pushing" each other out of the way so that the other can "shine.". We both need each other's light, whether, we happen to believe the same thing or not. So let's learn from each other, forgive each other and come together, yeah? And so, because of all of the above, I say that (Christians) or believers can be Jewish, and still be believers, and Jewish folks can be believers, and still remain Jewish.

On that note, it is up to each one of us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; so let's do that, yeah?

PS...again there are little to no scripture references here...This time I told you what I thought and felt based on what I believe...rather then having scriptures do all the work for me. :))

PPS... SHALOM!