Thursday, December 5, 2013

Being a 'Messianic Jew' vs. a 'Hebrew Christian'

Through the years I have been asked repeatedly by both Jew and non-Jew about the difference between 'Messianic Jew' and 'Hebrew Christian'.   They not only want to know the definition of each term, but why it should matter.   Many Jewish believers have come to be convinced that just knowing Yeshua as Savior is enough.   Many times they have come from a religiously observant childhood and are trying to escape what they saw as 'dead religiosity'.   So, they go to church with their Gentile counterparts and, save, perhaps, for the surname, you would not know them to be Jewish in any way.  Many of them have totally and completely abandoned their Jewish heritage and traditions.   They are 'Hebrew Christians'.  They are Jewish by bloodline, but are totally devoid of anything 'Jewish' in their lifestyle and practice.   Instead, they have totally embraced the church and all of the 'Christian' celebrations and holidays.   I completely understand.   During a seven-year period of time in my life (between 1982 and 1989) I did nothing for God and didn't want to have anything to do with the people of God, because I was trying to do the same thing.   It is a fact that religiosity is dead and not worth any investment of time - it is a time waster.

BUT ... there is a big problem with this!  My Jewish brethren, listen up!  We are not living within the purposes and will of HaShem for us if we are Jewish and living a totally 'Christian' lifestyle.  According to the very Word of HaShem, we, the Jews, are not to be like everyone else in the world.  We are to be different, and enough so, so as to be recognizably different.  When an individual looks at us and our life, they should be able to know that we are Jewish.  Why?   Because we are to be a witness that HaShem has kept His promises to Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov!   All of the promises that HaShem has made are crucial.  We must all be about partnering with Him, in this earth, to bring forth His Kingdom here.  In order to do that, we have to play by His rules, not ours. And, His rules are very specific.   If we want success, and don't want to find ourselves fighting His will, we have to do it His way.

When we integrate into society (especially Gentile Christianity) and look like everyone else, we do HaShem and His calling on us a disservice.   Our being a peculiar people and being sanctified as His royal priesthood and holy nation, shouts to the world that our God is able to keep His promises.  If our people integrate and disappear into the landscape of society, then we give the rest of the unbelieving world the ability to mock our God and say He is not the powerful God He says He is.   In fact, if we read the Nevi'im (the Prophets), we find out that our being scattered throughout the world brings a reproach on HaShem's reputation.   That is why I encourage and financially support aliyah.  We have even set up a fund to help North American Jews make aliyah.   One of these days, I too will make my way back to Eretz Yisra'el, but first I must finish my assignment here in helping others to get back.

The Nevi'im tell us that once all of the Jewish people are gathered back in The Land, HaShem will sprinkle clean water on all of us and remove our iniquities from us, as a nation.   Then, as it says in Romans, "all Israel will be saved."   I would encourage all Jews who are in the church to lay aside their fears and take up the calling that HaShem has placed on us as a Jewish people.  Live and worship as a Jew who believes in Yeshua as his Jewish Messiah, rather than as a Christian that just so happens to be a Jew.  When we come to faith in Messiah Yeshua, it should actually make us more 'Jewish', not less. Yeshua was the Jewish Messiah, after all!

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