An assessment of the Messianic Synagogue movement is difficult because it exists in so many forms, but some general observations to cover all the forms are possible. Early in the twentieth century, a Jewish Christian named David Baron evaluated the Messianic Judaism of his day. In the movement he saw specific dangers for the body of Christ, stressing how the movement tends to destroy unity in the body of Christ by erecting a wall of partition between Jewish believers and Gentile believers. Similar concerns about the Messianic Jewish movement prevail in its revival during the last several decades. They touch on biblical-theological matters, including the movement’s bringing into the present the Judaism that Paul relegated to the past (cf. Gal 1:13-16), its tendency to promote divisions among Christians (cf. Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-22), its emphasis on the shadow rather than the substance of NT fulfillments (cf. Col 2:16-17), and its tendency to redefine Jesus’ deity. Other concerns arise in historical and pragmatic matters: a return to the Judaism of apostolic times is impossible; history teaches that Messianic Synagogues are not more effective in witnessing to the Jewish community; taking Jewish believers away from churches contributes to ‘Gentilization’ of the church; Messianic Synagogues may become an excuse for the church to transfer efforts in Jewish evangelism; and emphasis on non-biblical Jewish observances is subject to Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees’ Oral Law. The early church in Antioch of Syria in its assimilation of Jewish and Gentile believers into one body offers a suitable model for the contemporary church to follow. – William C. Varner, Professor of Bible and Greek at The Master’s College, Santa Clarita, California Articles Classic Q&As from Dave Hunt on “Messianic Jews” Who Is Sid Roth? Does He Teach The Truth? Links For a Gentile to Keep Feasts Today Would Be a Fraud OT Legal System Abolished at The Cross The Dangers of the Hebrew Roots Messianic Movement Hebrew Roots Movement (Cult) By Pastor Carl Gallups Hebrew Roots at a Glance What is HEBREW ROOTS and Why is it Splitting Churches and Families? What is the Hebrew Roots movement? Are the Sabbath Laws Binding on Christians Today? Bewitching Believers Through the Hebrew Roots Movement Gateways into the Hebrew Roots Movement – An Examination of ‘Identity Crisis’ and Related Teachings of Jim Staley How I Became Aware of the Hebrew Roots Movement Do We Need Messianic Synagogues? – Biblical, Historic, and Pragmatic Issues Sid Roth: Truth and Illusion Is ‘Messianic Judaism’ a Good Idea? Jew-Tile Silliness About God’s Name(s) Audio/Video Are Gentile Christians Part Of The Lost Northern Tribes Of Israel? Chris Rosebrough: The Hebrew Roots Movement Messianic/ Hebrew Roots | Christian Research Service christianresearchservice/category/messianic-judaism
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 03:32:49 +0000
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