|
h"b | ||||
|
|
||||
    |
|||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Classical Christian
theology teaches that “the Church” is a new work of
“The church which is his body” began to be formed at Pentecost through the new ministries of the Spirit. Believers, at that time and through the baptism of the Spirit, became an organism by virtue of a divine life indwelling all, and that life was Christ. … Thus the formation of the body began at Pentecost and since that time the Lord has “added unto the church daily such as should be saved.” ()
“The Rapture occurs when the Church is caught up to meet Christ in the air, before the tribulation; … at the Rapture Christ comes as the Bridegroom to take unto Himself His bride, the Church. … At the Rapture the Church, like Enoch, is taken out of the world. Jesus promises to keep the Church from, or (ek) out of this tribulation, … The elect, a portion of Israel, will be gathered back to Jerusalem, and pass through the fire, or great trial. Like Enoch, the Church escapes from it.” (
Contrary to classical Christian theology, we believe there is only one true and universal “Miqra” (the “Called Out” Holy Community, erroneously translated as “church” in most English Bibles), which is the Body and Bride of Yeshua HaMashiach, that it is a spiritual organism, of which Yeshua is the Head, and that it is made up of all the redeemed (“born-again”) persons of all historical ages or epochs, including all the “righteous” of both Israel and of “the nations,” all of whom are included equally in the Commonwealth of Israel, that is, the extended family of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Ya'akov.
We agree with the Sh'ma (Deut 6:4) which says: “Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one].” We thus believe that Yeshua HaMashiach and Abba (the Father) are ADONAI echad (a plural unity). (See “Concerning G-d”). Since the Tanakh clearly teaches that Israel is ADONAI’s bride (Isa 49:18, Isa 61:10, Isa 62:5, Jer 2:2, Jer 2:32), and the Apostolic Scriptures teach that the Miqra is the bride of Yeshua HaMashiach (Eph 5:27, Rev 19:5-9), then the Miqra must be the same as Israel, who was first “married to” HaShem. In fact, in the Revelation to of HaMashiach to Yochanan, HaShem says that Yerushalayim is the “bride of the Lamb” (Rev 21:9-27).
We believe that the establishment and continuity of local assemblies (also called congregations, synagogues, or erroneously “churches”) is clearly taught and defined in the Ketuvei HaShalichim (the Apostolic Scriptures or erroneously-called “New Testament”), that the members of this one spiritual Body are directed by Adonai Yeshua to associate themselves together in local assemblies, which are to be true communities of believers, not just organizations, and that those local assemblies should willingly cooperate with each other for the presentation and propagation of the “the faith which was once and for all passed on to God's people.” (Jude 1:3)
Primacy of the Local Assembly
We believe in the absolute autonomy of the local assembly, composed solely of truly “born-again” believers, free from any external authority or control, with the right to be totally free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations outside of that local assembly. We believe that each local assembly, through its Zaqenim (Elders) and their interpretation and application of the Scriptures, is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation with other assemblies, as well being the sole judge of all matters of membership, policy, discipline, benevolence, and government (remembering that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation without the illumination of Ruach HaKodesh).
Critical Definitions
Adonai Yeshua said in the language of the Hebrews,[1] “… on this rock I will build my miqra, and the gates of She'ol will not overcome it.” (Matt. 16:18) When his words were translated into Greek, the word ekklesia was substituted for the Hebrew “miqra” that He actually spoke. A comparison of the two words will show the accuracy of that substitution.
|
ejkklhsi ekklesia a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly a. an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating b. the assembly of the Israelites … |
arqm miqra convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together a. convocation, sacred assembly b. convoking c. reading |
The inaccuracy of the common interpretation in the modern “church” comes not in the translation from Hebrew miqra into Greek ekklesia, but rather in the later translation of the Greek word ekklesia into English. It should be clearly understand that the use of the word “church” in the English “New Testament” has absolutely no valid linguistic reason or precedent beyond Gentile (specifically Roman Catholic) tradition (more below). It is a mistranslation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is a valid translation of the Hebrew word miqra, and which should be translated as either “called out” or “called out ones,” “assembly,” or “community.”
The word arqm (miqra) is repeatedly used in the Tenakh (the Hebrew Bible, erroneously called the “Old Testament”) to speak of the holy convocation or holy assembly of the faithful, particularly for the observance of the Feasts of Adonai. The word is based on the root word arq (qara') which means to call and commission or endow, to be chosen, or to be called out, or to be named. It is specifically used of those who are “called by the name of Adonai” in 2Ch 7:14, Isa 43:7, and
Acts 15:17. We therefore conclude that Yeshua’s true Miqra includes all the faithful of Israel both before and after His death and resurrection, into which holy assembly the believing Gentiles have been grafted or adopted.“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you - a wild olive - were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, then don't boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. So you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don't be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won't spare you! So take a good look at God's kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God's kindness toward you - provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree! For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won't imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra'el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; and that it is in this way that all Isra'el will be saved. As the Tanakh says, "Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya'akov and this will be my covenant with them, . . . when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:17-25 CJB, Read This Chapter)
Although it cannot be absolutely proven beyond doubt, there is significant evidence to be found that the modern English word “church” is either derived from or related to the Middle English word chirche or kirke, which is related to “circle,” which is in turn related to the name of the false goddess Circe, and refers to the practice of worshipping Circe while standing in a “circle.” (In Roman mythology, Circe and Odysseus had three sons: Romus, Anteias, and Ardeias who respectively founded three cities called by their names: Rome, Antium, and Ardea.) Our personal research of the subject leads us to believe that in its later application during the centuries immediately before and after the birth of Messiah, the term also refers to the “inner circle” of priests of Roman version of the the Babylonian Mystery Religion[2]) which was the “official” state religion of Rome. (Apparently, this “inner circle” of priests stood in a “circle” to worship Circe, the mother of the founder of the city of Rome.) When Emperor Constantine, pontifex maximus (“supreme bridge” or high priest) of the Babylonian Mystery Religion blended early fourth-century Messianic Judaism with the Mystery Religion to create what he called “Christianity,” he named this “inner circle” of pagan priests as “bishops” over his unified apostate Roman religion. It is our considered opinion that this same group of pagan priests is now the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church. After creating “the Church,” Constantine continued on as pontifex maximus of the Mystery Religion, and although tradition says that he received “Christian baptism,” it was not until he was on his death-bed, and there is no evidence that he ever actually came to faith in Messiah.
Many within the Messianic Restoration object to the use of the word “church” to refer to true Believers in Messiah for three primary reasons:
(1) there is absolutely no linguistic reason to have ever translated either the Hebrew word miqra or the Greek word ecclesia as “church” except in deference to the apostate Roman Church (thus, to call the assembly of Believers a “church” is to submit to the authority of the Pope, the successor to Constantine);
(2) because of the pagan origin of the word and what it originally represented; and
(3) because of the historical persecution of the Jews by the apostate Roman “Church” and its many descendants.
While we strongly agree with each of those three reasons, the primary reason that we object to the use of the word “church” to refer to any part of the Holy Community is that the only function that the word serves is to perpetuate the singular error that for almost 1700 years has been the primary dividing wedge separating Jewish and non-Jewish members of the Body of Messiah, that Israel and “the Church” are two separate entities.
We also strongly object to the blatantly anti-Semitic practice of using the word “church” to either teach or support:
a. any form of separation between Jewish and non-Jewish believers in Yeshua (the idea that the “church” and Israel are two separate entities is a foundational doctrine of Christian theology, and is taught by almost all Christian denominations; see the opening statements to this article by Chafer and Blackstone), or
b. any form of “replacement
theology” in which the Gentile believers in Yeshua (the “church”)
“replace” Israel in HaShem
c. artificially elevating Gentile believers to an
imagined position that is superior to
We are firmly convinced that neither Yeshua HaMashiach nor the Shliachim intended to start a “new religion,” but rather only to fulfill, complete, and correct what was missing in the Judaism of the Second Temple Period. We therefore believe that the most valid form of worship is that practiced by Yeshua and His talmidim (disciples). We have therefore chosen to identify ourselves with that group of believers that is known variously as “the Messianic Movement,” “Messianic Judaism,“ or “Messianic Restoration.” Furthermore, the Scriptures teach that under Messiah’s earthly reign, the Commonwealth of Israel will teach and lead the nations in the worship of HaShem in the Temple (Zech 8:19-23). If all Believers, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, will be following the Jewish style of worship in the Kingdom, does it make any sense to wait until then to do so?
We further believe that much of the conflict that exists between Jewish and non-Jewish Believers in Mashiach has been caused by anti-Semitic and anti-Gentile language that has crept into the household of faith. For example, the word “Jesus” is nothing but a compounding of errors. Nobody who every knew Yeshua in the flesh ever referred to Him by that word. In fact, it is grammatically impossible to say that word in either Hebrew or Aramaic, as neither language has the “jay” sound.
When His name was transliterated from the Hebrew of the original Apostolic Scriptures into Greek for transmission to the Gentile and Greek-speaking Jewish Messianic Believers in the Diaspora, the name was rendered in Greek as “Iesu.” When the “church” became centered in Rome and the Greek Scriptures were translated into Latin, the Romans added an “s” on the end of His name (because virtually all masculine Latin words end in “s”) making it “Iesus.” Then the Germans came along during the Reformation and changed the “I” to a “J”" making the word “Jesus.” And then the men who translated the Latin and German version of the Scriptures into English didn’t bother to correct the error.
In the meantime, as more and more Gentiles were brought
into “Nazarene Judaism” (or “The Way”), Yeshua HaMashiach became thought
of less and less as “Yeshua the Jewish Messiah” and more and more as
“Jesus the ‘New Testament’ Gentile Christian
As the Gentile “church” became more and more anti-Semitic and the persecutions against the Jews “in the name of Jesus” became increasingly severe, Jews around the world began to hate that word more and more, and for good reason. But just stop and think how difficult that persecution would have been if the Gentiles had remembered that they were nothing more nor less than “adopted” members of a distinctly Jewish sect. And how much more difficult it would have been to persecute Jews “in the name of” Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah.[3] (See also our discussion on the word “Jehovah.”)
In an attempt to help “restore” the Biblical faith to that form practiced by Yeshua and the Talmidim, we have chosen to identify ourselves as a Messianic Jewish fellowship, refer to ourselves as either Miqra, Assembly, or Congregation instead of “church,” and are currently learning to follow the Jewish forms of worship.
Responsibility of the Miqra
We view the responsibilities of the Miqra to be as follows:
1. Our Responsibility Toward HaShem
We agree with the
Westminster Shorter Catechism that “Man’s chief end is to glorify
When
one of the Scribes asked Yeshua HaMashiach, “Which
mitzvah[4] is the greatest of all?”
Mashiach answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Yisra'el, the Lord our
Anyone who does not love HaShem as
Mashiach commanded is under the divine curse of
The Bible
says that Yeshua HaMashiach became obedient to Torah (and to much, but not
all, of the Oral Tradition) so that the Goyim[6]
would glorify
The Bible says that because He has
bought us out of bondage to sin, we live to glorify Him: “… you were
bought at a price. So use your bodies to glorify
Adonai Yeshua said that if we love
Him we will obey Him (John
3:36;
14:23,24), and the Apostolic Writings confirm that we are to obey Him
(Acts
5:29,32;
Rom 2:8;
6:16;
2Thess 1:8;
3:14;
Heb 5:9;
1Pet 1:2;
4:17). This glorifies
The Bible says that we have become the Bride of Mashiach and that we will reign with Him forever (Rev 19:6-9; 21:1-22:7).
2. Our Responsibility Towards Torah
We believe that HaShem’s Torah is the one and only single standard of righteousness by which all mankind is to be judged, both in the present and in the olam habah, and that all mankind, not just Israel, has an obligation to follow all of the commandments of Torah that can be followed (realizing that some of the commandments cannot be obeyed because they refer specifically to life within Eretz Yisra'el, life under theocratic rule, and/or life in the presence of a Mishkan Kodesh [Holy Temple]). Further, again contrary to classical Christian theology, we hold that Yeshua HaMashiach specifically commanded all Believers in Him to be obedient to Torah.
3. Our Responsibility Toward Our Family
Because HaShem created the family millennia before He created His Miqra, we believe that our responsibility toward our family comes second only to our responsibility toward our HaShem. Yeshua set this model before us in that, as He hung dying on His cross[7] at Calvary, He committed the care of His mother into the hands of the Beloved Talmid.[8] HaShem’s Torah, which our Lord declared is unchangeable, provides for strong family bonds and responsibilities. Our Lord taught that the man who fails to care for his family is worse than an infidel.
Concerning relationships within the Family, our Lord taught that Mashiach is the head of the husband and the husband is to be subject to Mashiach. He also taught that the husband is the head of the wife and the wife is to be subject to her husband (Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18; 1Pet 3:1-6; Titus 2:5). The Bible teaches that the husband is to love his wife “just as Mashiach also loved the Miqra and gave Himself up for her,” and to treat her gently, “as a weaker vessel” (Eph 5:25-33; Col 3:19; 1Pet 3:7). The Bible also teaches that a husband and wife are to “become one flesh” (Gen 2:24; Eph 5:31).
The Bible teaches that children
are to be obedient to their parents and honor them (Col
3:20;
Eph 6:1-3). Fathers are not to exasperate their children or provoke
them to anger “but [are to] bring them up in the discipline and
instruction of the Lord” (Col
3:21;
Eph 6:4). Parents are to instruct their children in the laws of
In all the teachings and functions of our congregations, therefore, we must commit that we will keep the family foremost, and that our families will be built on the sure foundation, which is Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach and His Word.
4. Our Responsibility Toward the Body of Mashiach
When speaking about the greatest of all mitzvot (commandments), Yeshua said, “The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other mitzvah greater than these.” (Mark 12:31). Yeshua also said, “This is my command: that you keep on loving each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. … This is what I command you: keep loving each other!” (John 15:12-17). We are commanded to fervently love each other (1Pet 1:22; 4:8-9; 1John 3:11,23; 4:7-12; 2John 1:5).
This kind of love means placing others’ well-being before our own (Rom 12:10; Phil 2:3,4; 1Thess 3:11-13; 5:15).
We are to meet one another’s needs (Rom 12:13; 2Cor 9:11-14). We are to obey our spiritual leaders and submit to their authority over us (Heb 13:17). We are to be devoted to one another (Rom 12:10-13). We are to “pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Rom 14:19-20). We are to “be of the same mind with one another according to Mashiach Yeshua” (Rom 15:6) and to accept one another (Rom 15:7). We are to admonish one another (Rom 15:14; Col 3:16).
We are to
give honor to one another (1Cor
12:24-26;
1Thess 5:13). We are to “show forbearance to one another in love,
being diligent to preserve the unity of Ruach HaKodesh[9] in the bond of peace” (Eph
4:1-6). We are to lay aside all falsehood and speak truth to each
other (Eph
4:25;
Col 3:9). We are to be kind and tenderhearted to each other (Eph
4:32). We are to forgive each other as
We are to submit to each other (Eph 5:21). We are to comfort one another (1Thess 4:17-18). We are to encourage one another (1Thess 5:11; Heb 3:13; 10:25). We are to build each other up (1Thess 5:11). We are to live in peace with each other (Rom 12:18; 1Thess 5:13). We are to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24). We are to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another (James 5:16). We are to serve each other (1 Pet. 4:10). We are to act humbly toward each other (1Pet 5:5-6). We are to have fellowship with each other (1John 1:7; Heb 10:25).
We are not to judge one or to put obstacles or stumbling blocks in each other’s way (Rom 14:13). There are to be no divisions among us (1Cor 12:25). We are not to “bite” one another (Gal 5:13-16). We are not to become boastful, challenge one another, or envy one another (Gal. 5:26). We are not to repay evil with evil (1Thess 5:15). We are not to forsake our own synagogue (Heb 10:25). We are not to complain or speak against each other (James 4:11; 5:9; 1Pet 4:8-9).
5. Our Responsibility Toward the Lost
At His ascension, Mashiach gave His Shliachim[10] the following Commission: “Going, therefore, make talmidim of all the goyim, immersing them in the name of Abba,[11] and of HaBen,[12] and of Ruach HaKodesh,[13] teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you …” (Matt 28:19-20, literal). He also told them, “But you will receive power when Ruach HaKodesh has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Yerushalayim,[14] in all Yehudah[15] and Shomron,[16] and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). We believe that commission, in its primary application, was given directly to the Shliachim and that they literally fulfilled that commission prior to their deaths before the end of the first century.
However, we believe that the principles of our Lord’s instructions are clear, and that those principles apply to the local assembly today. They require us, as ambassadors for Mashiach, to carry on the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-21) by taking every opportunity to present the Gospel (Good News) of Yeshua HaMashiach and His Kingdom to a lost and dying world.
Grammatically, the imperative (the mitzvah or command) is to “make talmidim” (students who follow the teaching they are given and strive to become like their teacher). “Going,” “immersing,” and “teaching” are all participles, which means that they are how we are to make talmidim. The Lord’s command to His Miqra is clear: we are make talmidim wherever we can. And we are to make talmidim by going, immersing, and teaching.
a. We are to Make Talmidim
A talmid (plural, talmidim)
is one who sits under the teaching of another, and who strives to become
like the teacher. As we lead the lost to Mashiach for salvation, we are to
lead them to a local assembly of believers for their growth and nurturing
in the Word of
b. We are to Make Talmidim by Going
There is no provision for us to
wait for the lost to come to us. We are proactively to seek ways and
opportunities to present the Gospel of
c. We are to Make Talmidim by Immersing
Those whom we lead to a relationship with Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach, we are to make talmidim. One of the first steps of becoming talmidim is obedience to the Lord’s instruction that talmidim are to be made by being immersed. As the lost are won to Yeshua, it is our responsibility to make talmidim of them by immersing them.
d. We are to Make Talmidim by Teaching
We are then commanded to be
teaching them all those things that were taught by our Lord and by His
Shliachim. We know this instruction as “the Apostles’ Doctrine” or the
“Doctrine of the Shliachim” which has been given “for the equipping of the
saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of
Mashiach; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of
6. Our Responsibility Toward Israel
We believe that Israel has been
elected by
We believe that, although a great
many individual Israelites immediately received the Good News of Mashiach
and became His talmidim, corporate Israel (that is, the political nation
of Israel, not the Jewish people) fell from her exalted position among the
nations of the world because of her repeated idolatry and her corporate
rejection of Mashiach when He first appeared. Therefore,
We believe that
We
believe that the Miqra, the Body of Mashiach,
properly understood, is thoroughly Jewish. Mashiach and all His Talmidim
were Torah-observant Jews who worshipped in the Temple and in the
synagogues throughout Eretz Yisrael[17]
and the Diaspora.[18] The Bible,
including the TaNaKh and the Apostolic Writings, is a thoroughly Jewish
book, written by Jews, about Jews, to a Jewish audience, about the Jewish
Messiah, in the Jewish language. Yeshua told the Samaritan woman that
salvation is from the Jews (John
4:22), and Sha'ul wrote that “the Good News of Messiah, … is the power
of
Furthermore, while there were certainly some non-Jewish believers in the first century, we believe that the clear historical record is that the Miqra was predominately, if not almost exclusively, Jewish for the first hundred years after the Resurrection of Yeshua HaMashiach. It was not until the Bar Kokhba rebellion in approximately 132-135 CE that Jewish Believers in Mashiach separated themselves from the synagogue, and then only because Chief Rabbi Akiva declared that Bar Kokhba, and not Yeshua, was the Mashiach. Until the time of Emperor Constantine there was never a question of “how does a Jew become a ‘Christian?’” The question was, rather, “how is it possible for a Gentile believer to become a follower of the Jewish Messiah without first becoming a Jew?”
We believe, therefore, that the
true nature of the Miqra, HaShem’s “Called-Out Ones,” now know as the Body
of Mashiach (erroneously and ignorantly called “the church”), is as it has
ever been since the call of the nation out of the land of Egyptian
bondage, to be the faithful remnant of Israel, and that for a non-Jew to
be a part of that Body he/she must be adopted into the family of Israel.
“Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘In those days, ten
men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will
take hold of the skirt [literally, take hold of the tzitziot (fringes) of
the tallit (prayer shawl)] of him who is a Yehudi, saying, “We will go
with you, for we have heard that
We believe that Gentile Believers
in Mashiach are heirs to salvation and to the wonderful promises of
Additionally, when Mashiach returns to establish His earthly kingdom, all nations of the earth will be judged by the way they have treated corporate Israel (Matt 25:31-46). Therefore, even more is there an obligation to treat all Israel righteously, for they are the brethren of our own dear Lord Yeshua, and it is the Gentiles who have been adopted into their family.
Concerning Authority in the Miqra
We believe that
the one and only supreme authority for the Miqra is Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach, and that the
order, discipline, and worship are appointed through His sovereignty. As
we believe the Bible to be the literal written Word of
We believe that the
Biblically-designated shepherds serving immediately under Yeshua and
directly over the congregation are called Elders, Overseers, or Pastors,
and that these three titles are properly used interchangeably. We
understand that the term “Elder” refers to the man’s spiritual maturity
and position within the family of
Concerning Leadership in the Miqra
We specifically reject any idea of apostolic or prophetic succession through which the offices of Apostle and Prophet are present in the Miqra today in the technical sense of those titles. We do, however believe in the continuance of all four functions fulfilled by the Elders as recorded in Ephesians 4:11, namely:
-
Apostles (in the generic sense), which we understand to refer to Traveling Elders, those elders whom
G-d has called to travel from place to place as messengers or missionaries; -
Prophets (also in the generic sense), or Preaching Elders, whom
G-d has called to specialize in preaching the Word ofG-d ; -
Evangelists, those Elders who have been called to specialize in presenting the Gospel (the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Adonai Yeshua) to the unsaved, or “Gospelizing” Elders; and
-
Pastor/Teachers, those Elders whom
G-d has called to fulfill a shepherding ministry over a local assembly of believers, also called Shepherding Elders or Ruling Elders.
We believe that the pattern clearly established in the Bible is that there are to be multiple Elders in every local congregation. The number of Elders in not specified in Scripture, but we believe that there should be a sufficient number of Elders to effectively meet the spiritual needs of the congregation and to efficiently conduct the ministry of the Miqra. As the first-century synagogue, from which we are descended, had as their rule a minimum of three Rabbis to serve as “beit din” (literally, house of judgment; those who had to make halakhic and legal decisions for their community), we believe that three should be the minimum number of Elders for each local assembly. We believe that the duties of the Elders include, but are not limited to, the following activities defined in Scripture:
-
Their primary duty is to give themselves fully to study, prayer, and the ministry of
G-d’s word (that is, as their full-time occupation whenever possible). -
They are to lead
G-d’s people by their example in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity. -
They are to benevolently rule over the local congregation of Believers and, when necessary, they are to rebuke and exhort with all authority.
-
They are not to be dictatorial in their leadership, but are to be to the congregation as a loving father is to his family.
-
They are to equip the saints to do the work of ministry.
-
They are to pray for the sick and visit those in their time of need.
-
They are to oversee the entire ministry, willingly and eagerly, knowing that when Messiah the chief Shepherd appears they shall receive a “crown of glory that does not fade away.”
We believe that all
Elders must initially meet and then maintain rigid spiritual
qualifications, and that
Elders are called and
specifically gifted by
They are to be appointed for the congregation by the other Elders (Titus 1:5), and never elected or “hired” by the congregation.
If a spiritually
qualified man, believing that He has been called by
Concerning the Activities of the Miqra
We believe that the four essential continual activities of the community of faith are to be (Acts 2:42):
1. Devotion to the apostles’ teaching,
2. Constant fellowship both at and away from the meeting place,
3. The breaking of bread (frequent communal fellowship meals), and
4. Prayer without ceasing.
We believe that personal evangelism and spiritual and numerical growth of the assembly will be the inescapable result of these activities.
We believe that Messiah has established two memorial ordinances which are to be faithfully and frequently observed by the Miqra until His bodily return: tevilah (ritual immersion) in a mikvah and the so-called “LORD’s Supper,” which is actually the Passover Seder.
Concerning Tevilah or Water Baptism
Inasmuch as we believe that the clear teaching of Scripture is that salvation is by grace through faith apart from any form of works, we therefore believe that the act of tevilah, or water baptism, is in no way a condition of salvation, nor any part of the salvation process, but is rather a memorial of Messiah Yeshua’s death, burial, and resurrection and an outward demonstration of the inner change (the irrevocably positioning of the believer by Ruach HaKodesh [the Holy Spirit] into the mystical Body of Messiah with its resultant salvation and positional justification) which has already taken place in the life and heart of the Believer.
In the Levitical system
established by
Messiah has established His Body as a Royal Priesthood and has commanded that all members of that priesthood should undergo their own tevilah for entrance into that priesthood. It is the responsibility of all His people to be obedient to His command.
We recognize the right of
each Believer under grace to disagree with us on any doctrine that is not
essential to salvation and, having defined tevilah as not essential to
salvation, we defend the right and responsibility of each Believer to
decide for him/herself whether to be obedient to that ordinance.
Therefore, any blood-bought child of
Nevertheless, since we believe that this tevilah is to be the newly-born-again Believer’s first public act of obedience to Adonai Yeshua, and since evidence of a life of obedience is a responsibility of membership in this fellowship, we therefore require obedience in this matter to be a prerequisite to membership in this congregation. We further urge in the strongest possible terms that all Believers who have not previously done so submit to this ordinance in obedience to the LORD.
A complete, 4-lesson Bible study on the subject of Believer’s baptism may be found here.
Concerning “The Lord’s Supper”
In ancient Jewish tradition, it is the date of a person’s death that is memorialized rather than the date of one’s birth. We believe that the so-called “LORD’s Supper” is an acted-out memorial “drash” (sermon or teaching) established by Messiah at His final Passover Seder. We believe that when Messiah told His disciples to “Do this as a memorial to me” (1Cor 11:24-25) He was referring to the entire Passover Seder, not just the loaf and cup alone. We therefore believe that all Messianic Believers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, have an obligation to observe Passover in its Messianic context. As an integral part of the Passover Seder, this memorial ceremony looks back on His life and death, and looks forward to His soon return.
Concerning Stewardship
We believe that the rule for giving the in Miqra is twofold:
1. That the work of the ministry be adequately supported; and
2. That the needy be provided for.
We believe that giving within the Body of Messiah is therefore to be done:
1. Cheerfully;
2. In proportion to
3. Into a private fund (“put aside”) at home (1Cor 16:2) from which fund the Believer makes distributions according to the direct leading of Ruach HaKodesh; and
4. Presented to the Elders regularly when the congregation meets to celebrate Shabbat.
Every Believer should be a faithful steward of all his resources (time, talent, Spiritual gifts, finances, and other material possessions) for the support of the local assembly and the furtherance of the Gospel at home and abroad. We believe that the example established in the Apostolic Scriptures, and that which we are to follow, is that the congregation is to deliver their gifts to the Elders for distribution according to the direction of the Lord. We further believe that a Believer relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made.
Inasmuch as the primary
responsibility of the Elders is to give themselves fully to
study, prayer, and the ministry of
Concerning the Miqra and Civil Government
We believe that
We categorically reject as totally unbiblical the false and arbitrary concept which is commonly referred to as “the separation of Church and state” as it is commonly interpreted by our federal, state, and local governments.
We believe that the only
true form of government that is acceptable to
We therefore believe that the Miqra of Yeshua HaMashiach owes allegiance to the civil government in all areas except those which infringe upon our allegiance to our Savior and only Sovereign LORD Yeshua HaMashiach and to our obedience to His clear commands, precepts, and principles.
Concerning Discipline in The Miqra
We believe that the Bible
requires the Elders of the Miqra to lovingly discipline the children of
Discipline within the Body of Mashiach is a very serious matter and one not to be taken lightly or entered into without extensive and agonizing prayer. However, inasmuch as the Miqra is required by her Lord to remain an example of purity and integrity before the world, He has commanded that there be no sin found within His Bride. Disciplinary action is to be undertaken only as a last resort, and must only and always be conducted with the goal of restoring an erring member to full fellowship.
A. Disciplinary Procedure
The procedure to be followed is to be in accordance with the Lord’s teaching as found in Matthew 18:15-17.
1. All members of the assembly are expected to demonstrate special loyalty and due concern for one another. When a member becomes aware of an offense of such magnitude that it hinders the spiritual growth and testimony of another member of the congregation or of the congregation as a whole, he/she is to go alone directly to the offending party and seek to restore his/her brother/sister. Before he/she goes, he/she should first examine him/herself, then go with a spirit of humility and have the goal of restoration. The matter is to be handled with absolute privacy and confidentiality, with due regard for the reputation, feelings, and well-being of the offending party.
2. If reconciliation is not reached, a second attempt should be made to resolve the matter in the presence of two or three witnesses. This second step should also be preceded by self-examination and exercised in a spirit of humility with the goal of restoration, again with absolute privacy and confidentiality, and with due regard for the reputation, feelings and well-being of the offending party.
3. If the matter is still unresolved after steps 1 and 2 have been taken, the matter is to be brought directly to the attention of the Elders by all persons involved in steps 1 and 2, without involving or informing any other person.
4. At the sole discretion of the Elders, the offending party may be required to appear before the Elders to answer the accusation. If such action is deemed necessary by the Elders, all the accusers shall also be present at such appearance.
5. If the matter remains unresolved after steps 1 through 4 have been completed, the member who refuses to repent and be restored is to be expelled from the congregation upon the unanimous decision of the Elders, and their decision is to be announced to the congregation. In any event, the decision of the Elders must be unanimous and shall be final.
6. If an unrepentant offending party is expelled from the congregation, all contact with him/her from that point forward by the members of the congregation (except for that of family members) must be for the sake of restoration.
B. Reconciliation Procedure
Every effort must be made at every point in the disciplinary procedure to effect total restoration. If at any point either during or following the procedure, the offending party confesses and repents of his/her wrongdoing and makes an appropriate attempt at restitution with the offended party or parties, the matter shall immediately considered closed and the offending party immediately restored to full fellowship.
In the event that it becomes necessary for any person to be expelled from membership, the Elders shall see that every reasonable effort is made toward total restitution and reconciliation.
Concerning Missions and the Miqra
We believe that
Concerning Denominationalism Within the Miqra
We believe that there is only one true and universal Miqra of Yeshua HaMashiach. We believe that within the Body of Messiah there is room for differences of opinion concerning nonessential doctrines and Miqra polity, and that Messianic Believers of similar preferences in the nonessential areas should fellowship together. (Click here for the areas of doctrine that are the absolute minimum essentials for a fellowship within Messiah’s Body.)
However, we are firmly convinced that any form of strife, jealousy, or spirit of unhealthy competition, or any form of divisiveness either within or between any congregations of the LORD’s Elect is an abomination before the LORD.
See also: Messianic Conversion
NOTES:
1. There is much debate over the language that was spoken in Israel during the Second Temple Period and the language in which the Apostolic Scriptures were originally written. We hold that the primary language was Hebrew from the evidence of the Apostolic Scriptures themselves:
• Roman law required that charges against a condemned prisoner be publicly posted (a) in Latin, the official language of the empire, (b) in Greek, the lingua franca (language of commerce) of the empire, and (c) in the local dialect. The charges against Yeshua were posted in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew [ebraisti, Hebraisti] (John 19:20).
• The Apostolic Scriptures refer to several place-names, specifically stating that the place-names are being given in Hebrew (Joh 5:2, Joh 19:13, Joh 19:17, Re 16:16).
• Yochanan says that Miriam of Magdala spoke to Yeshua in Hebrew at His tomb (Joh 20:16).
• Luke says that Rav Sha'ul addressed the mob at the Temple in Hebrew (Acts 21:40, Acts22:2).
• Rav Sha'ul says that Yeshua spoke to him in Hebrew on the road to Damascus (Acts 26:14). [Return]
2. The Babylon Mystery Religion is
the first (and therefore oldest, and the foundation of all) false religion
in the world, and is the foundation for all Mother/Son worship. It
is the worship of Nimrod (the first king of Babel[on] and Nineveh [Gen
10:8-12]) and his mother, Semiramis, and was developed in Babylon by
Semiramis. After the death of Nimrod, his adulterous wife Semiramis
gave birth to a child who she claims was “supernaturally conceived.” She
taught that her son Tammuz was Nimrod reborn, and that she and her child
were divine. Among the Chinese, the Mother Goddess was called Shingmoo or
the “Holy Mother.” The ancient Germans worshipped the Virgin “Hertha” with
child in arms. The Scandinavians called her Disa, Etruscans called her
Nutria, and among the Druids, the “Virgo-Paritura” was worshipped as the
“Mother of God.” In India, she was known as Indrani, who was also
represented with a child in her arms. The Babylonian Mother was known as
Aphodite or Ceres to the Greeks, Nana to the Sumerians, and as Venus or
Fortuna to the pagans in Rome, and her child was known as Jupiter. For
ages, Isi, the “Great Goddess” and her child Iswara, have been worshipped
in India. In Asia, the Mother was known as Cybele and the child as Deoius.
The Bible mentions this Mother-Goddess worship when the children of Israel
fell into apostasy.
Judges 2:13 says, “They forsook the LORD, and
served Baal and Ashtaroth.” Ashtaroth (Ashtoreth) was also called “the
queen of heaven” (Jeremiah
44:17-19). In Ephesus she was known as “Diana of the Ephesians” and in
Egypt she is Isis and her child is Horus. She is worshipped as the “Queen
of Heaven … by [some] Christians, mainly Catholic, Anglican,
Lutheran, and Orthodox Churches, to whom the title is a consequence of the
Council of
Ephesus [431 CE], where the Virgin Mary was proclaimed
Mother of God”
following the tradition of the Babylon Mystery
Religion. [Return]
3. If Adonai Yeshua
HaMashiach is NOT HaShem, then the Apostolic Scriptures are a lie,
“Jesus” and the Shliachim were all false prophets, and all Messianic
believers (and Christians) since about 30 CE are guilty of idolatry for
worshipping a mere mortal.
If Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach IS in fact HaShem as the
Scriptures clearly teach, then to call him “YAHshua” or “Fred” or “Barney”
or “Jesus” (or “Jehovah” or “YAHovah” for that matter) is a violation of
the Third Commandment. It makes absolutely no sense at all to nonchalantly
speak of Him as “Jesus” and then carefully (often even superstitiously)
avoid speaking “The Name” (yud-hey-vav-hey) which is His. At the very
least, it is totally disrespectful to address someone by the wrong name if
you know their real name. Would YOU feel that you were being shown proper
respect if someone insisted on calling you Enrique or François after
learning that your name is Roger? [Return]
4. hwcm mitzvah is Hebrew for “command,” “commandment,” “precept,” or by inference “good work.” [ Return ]
5. Scripture references are quoted from the either the Complete Jewish Bible (because of its distinct Jewish “flavor”) or the New American Standard Bible (because of its grammatical accuracy). [Return]
6. ywg goy (plural, goyim) is Hebrew for “nations,” usually used for anyone who is not an Israelite, therefore “Gentiles.” [Return]
7. Within Messianic Judaism there is considerable debate as to the form of the instrument upon which Yeshua was executed. We happen to believe that the instrument was in the form of the traditional Roman cross with a cross-beam, but we view this as a matter or opinion rather than of doctrine. We find no fault with those who prefer the term “execution stake” as less offensive to Jewish persons. [Return]
8. dymlt talmid (plural, talmidim) is Hebrew for “scholar” or “disciple” — one who learns — specifically one who learns at the feet of another and who strives to become like the teacher. [Return]
9. xwr ruach is
Hebrew for “wind,” “breath,” “mind,” or “spirit,” and often refers to the
Spirit of
10. xlXm Shliachim is Hebrew for “those sent forth” or “emissaries,” and signifies a person who is sent forth as a representative with the full authority of the one doing the sending. The Greek equivalent is apostoloß apostolos from which we get the word “Apostles.” in the State of Israel, their foreign ambassadors are called Shliachim. [Return]
11. abba Abba is Hebrew for “Father.” [Return]
12. !bh HaBen is Hebrew for “the Son.” [Return]
13. Xdqh xwr Ruach HaKodesh is Hebrew for “the Holy Spirit.” [Return]
14. ~lXwry Yerushalayim is Hebrew for “City of Peace” or “Jerusalem.” [Return]
15. hdwhy Yehudah is Hebrew for “Judah.” [Return]
16. !wrmX Shomron is Hebrew for “Samaria.” [Return]
17. larXy #ra Eretz Yisrael is Hebrew for “the Land of Israel.” [Return]
18. The Diaspora, or dispersion, refers to all Israelites (descendants of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Ya'akov) living outside of Eretz Yisrael. [Return]
Revised at Saturday, 27 November 2010 07:54 PM
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C., section 107, some material on this web site is provided without permission from the copyright owner, only for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research under the "fair use" provisions of federal copyright laws. These materials may not be distributed further, except for "fair use" non-profit educational purposes, without permission of the copyright owner. *Ari Levitt is the shem kodesh of Messianic Pastor Dr. Rickard (Ari) Levitt-Sawyer. As the free expression of my religious beliefs, the content of this website is protected under the provisions of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Except where otherwise specifically indicated, the opinions expressed on this website are my own, are sometimes highly speculative in nature and subject to differing interpretations, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of any other organization or individual. If you disagree with my opinions, please CLICK HERE before contacting me.
|
