How many Jews.....

I was reared in a "Christian" church but since I
started studying for myself, I wanted to go
toward Judaic practices. I could not, however,
because I knew nothing of Messianism. As
soon as I found a shul, I got it with "both barrels"
from the Christian community, something that
has not ended. 8o)

But those who practice Judaism don't like us
either. 8o) While they obviously disagree, I say
that they are afraid of people who look like them
and love the Lord: they are afraid they are losing
their identity, because Messianism is growing
and people are moving from their groups to ours.
But some will admit they like our music! 8oD

Mine is a Baptist-based very orthodox group
which uses a siddur and is on the three-year
Torah reading program. I say that it is "orthodox"
rather than "Orthodox" because no group which
believes our Lord is the Messiah could actually
be Orthodox. We have two pastors, and our
group, by count this past wekend is @130, plus.

There are approximately seven other Messianic
groups in our area. Ours is the only one I know of
them that has a synagogue; most rent churches,
which is a good idea for both them and the church
for economic reasons.

 

Well, it took me awhile but I may as well be counted.

My father is Jewish and my mother was half Jewish. No, I was not brought up practicing Judaism, though holy days were celebrated in a somewhat kosher manner

My parents allowed a neighbor to take me to a Presbyterian church growing up. They probably figured I'd never hear the gospel there. LOL
Thank God for youth leaders! My mother eventually accepted Yeshua as Messiah. She always seemed more spiritual than my dad. My dad on the other hand thinks I'm loony. He loves and accepts me, but the subject of religion is pretty much off limits.

I agree with you, Abiyah, that the Messianics are not well liked by either the Christians or the Jews. Not much has changed since the first century.

My husband is Irish and brought up Protestant. For a couple of years we have been in interesting place as far as church attendance. Bouncing between a Baptist and an Episcopal Church. I have felt pulled for some time to a Messianic Assembly but it is a good hour from our home. I'm debating if this is really a valid excuse.

Blessings,
suzanne

 

My father's family, as much as they want to deny it, is of Jewish heritage. Once I got a little older and a few bits and pieces started to fall in, I asked, and my great aunt said, "Kelly, we don't talk about that." Gotta love her.

 

Help me to understand Messianic Judaism.

You practice Judaism, but believe Jesus Christ was the Messiah and your salvation is repentance and belief in Christ? Why then do you still practice Judaism?

 

OliveBranch --

Of course, I don't know, but I don't believe that
any member here is practicing Judaism.

 

Even if you were Abiyah a strong argument could be made that Jewish worship within the context of Jesus as Messiah would be the closest we could have to New Testament worship.

Joshua

 

From the posts I've seen, this is my interpretation of Messianic Jew. PLease correct my understanding. I don't understand that if you have Baptistic practices, then why the shul? Why the synagogue? Why celebrate Rosh Hoshana?

Help me to understand. I truly am curious. I live in a Jewish community, with Orthodox Jews.
They are not Messianic Jews, but they pray in a shul, go to a synagogue, and have just begun the celebration of Rosh Hoshana. Beside a belief in Christ (and from other posts, the way you dress), what are the differences?

 

I agree with that, Joshua, but there certainly is a
huge difference between Judaism and
Messianism: that difference is our Risen,
Returning Lord. Many Christians still do not
understand this difference.

If, by chance, this is what OliveBranch intended
by her question, then the following is my answer:

A Messianic group is a Jewish-based group
which recognizes our Lord as the one and only
Son of YHVH, who died and rose again, whose
return is promised, who reigns as the King of
kings and Lord of lords, the Lamb of Revelation.

Some Messianic groups are restricted to those
Jews whose mothers and grandmothers are/
were practicing Jews and/or Messianics.

Some Messianic groups have the same restric-
tion, but they allow a certain very protected per-
centage of others to join. (Example: 20% but no
more may be of that definition.)

Some Messianic groups are started and minis-
tered by those whose heritage is Jewish but
who know our Lord to be Lord, and their inten-
tion is to minister to both Jews and Gentiles.

Some Messianic groups are begun by Gentiles
who wish to go back to the roots of the believers,
but they have no formal training at all and are
very loosely governed and taught.

These are the main Messianic groups, and there
are some in between.

I hope this explains Messianism more fully.

[ September 12, 2002, 01:04 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

Thank-you, Chrys and Abiyah, this is what I was asking, in a fumbled sort of way. I had always heard the term Messianic Jew, this is why I worded my question in this way.

I would have to think , then , that there are many Baptists that come close to the "loose" way of Messianism. They choose to hold the "ways " of the Jews, but our Messiah has come. Many of our neighbors have accepted us in many ways. We dress as they do, so they came to us, thinking that we were Jewish. We have discussions about their practices and ours and they are amazed at the "outward" likenesses. We do not have a "kosher" kitchen, so they won't eat or drink, but they do sit with us and we generally have a wonderful time discussing backgrounds.

 

I am sorry, OliveBranch: I did not see this post.

Our services and classes are simply held in a
building called a synagogue or a shul, just as
Christians hold their services in a church or a
school. Shul, pronounced as "school" only
with an "sh" sound rather than an "sk" sound,
is simply a Yiddish word for school.

These are simply terms used to designate
particular buildings. If I told someone in my
place of worship, "I am going to church this
weekend," they would never imagine I meant
that I am coming to our place of worship; they
would understand that I am going to a Christian
church.

Yes, I celebrated Rosh Hoshana; we are now in
the Days of Awe, headed toward Yom Kippur,
which will soon be followed by Sukkot. These
holy days were also celebrated by our Lord.
They will save no one, and they will not make one
holier than another, but they are what our God
calls His holy days. They cause one to reflect
upon ones life, to consider the present, and to
look forward to the future with our God for
eternity.

 

Rosh Hoshana and the coming holidays and festivals have been explained to me by some of our Jewish friends. They told us that we should try "it" as in doing what they do, because we do alot of the things they do already. I guess they are looking at us to participate in a friendly sort of way. It ws a funny thing when we first were in amongst the Jews at work. They look, but never pry or force their ways on us. They have a high respect for us as they ahve learned our ways and as we have taken an interest in theirs.

 

I usually don't post outside of the 'basement', so don't know if I'm allowed. However, I couldn't resist posting on this topic. I'm not Jewish, but am a Messianic 'Jew'(non-Jew?)LOL. I was raised Baptist, and "converted" to Messianic Judaism in the fall of '98.

 

Whats wrong with a Jewish person accepting Christ as their Messiah but continuing to celebrate the Passover? It would only be that much more meaningful. It is a beautiful picture of redemption through Christ. We have some saved Jews in our church and one has even gone to the mission field to bring the gospel to the large Jewish community in Toronto Canada. We dont call them "saved jews" or "Messianic Jews" but Completed Jews. I see no reason why a completed Jew cant continue Judaistic practices as long as they dont consider them works for salvation.

 

As a matter of fact the Passover is probably more Christian than is Easter!

 

Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God... Gina I'm not a Jew by Race but a Jew by Grace... Does that count?... Brother(Shalom)Glen

 

Like Bro. Glen, me too.

Shalom.

 

Most of you already know that I am. My orthodox friends love me and accept me even though I am a Baptist Christian with a Jewish Heritage. Maybe if I have time sometime, I will tell you more.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Brother Joseph you are just the person I wanted to talk to an authority on Jews!... Got one question was Jesus a Jewish Baptist?... Brother Glen