Messianic Question

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

Thanks for responding Blume, I agree with what you said here, I was just bouncing ideas. I still think using hebrew names, dedicating saturday to God and at least conmemorating feast days is part of the hebrew culture that a church should have along with study of the OT. would you agree with me on that much or are you against that also?

When you say SHOULD, do you mean God requires it?

[Dedicated Mind]

Originally Posted by mfblume

When you say SHOULD, do you mean God requires it?

no, it's not a requirement, I just hate the anti jewish bias. I heard a pastor say from the pulpit, "Jesus was a cowboy". I think that is ignorance.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

no, it's not a requirement, I just hate the anti jewish bias. I heard a pastor say from the pulpit, "Jesus was a cowboy". I think that is ignorance.

I agree.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

What are the arguments against following the torah, not for salvation, but for the sake of being distinctive and learning more hebrew culture? I'm thinking apostolics follow holiness standards to be distinctive and separate, how about following the torah for the same purpose? Does anyone see anything wrong with that?

is seeking the "old paths" referring to 1950's culture or hebrew torah culture?

In my opinion both positions are spiritual blood poison. The Bible calls us to be conformed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. The Bible doesn't demand the rigid standards of most traditional Apostolics. In addition early Christians faced Judaizing heresies that were beginning to force Gentile Christians to live like Jews. Paul wrote the book of Galatians to address this error.

The problem with both focusing on “Apostolic standards” or “Messianic standards” is that they conform you into the image of the Apostolic movement or the Messianic movement. The danger is focusing on some form instead of focusing on the very person of Christ and being conformed into His image alone.

Instead of being pro "Apostolic Identity" or pro "Jewish Identity"... be pro "Jesus Identity". Why seek to be identified by anything other than Christ Himself?

Also... being "separate" has become twisted by the legalists. It's come to mean being "separate" for the sake of being separate not for the sake of what it was intended to be. True separation comes from BEING LIKE JESUS. Being conformed into Christ's image. Not His "Jewishness"... but into the very likeness of His character and person. By seeking to be separate for the sake of being separate, we miss out on the ultimate aim of the Christian faith... being conformed into the very image and likeness of Jesus.

[Aquila]

I have a rambling thought...

I always notice folks adding something to their Christian faith. For example, the Messianic thing here. And most of the folks that I know that do this Messianic thing... aren't even Jewish!!! ROFL

What gives? Is Christ not enough? Must we be identified as something austeer and eccentric? Why not simply be YOU... but a you that is cultivating the very image and likeness of Christ's character? Because God made only one of YOU. And you have something unique to offer the body of Christ. If we're all forced into a cookie cutter mold... we become merely religious cogs in a denominational or movement's machine.

I don't know. I know I'm probably being too hard on folks. I just think we're always trying to be cool, new, or eccentric... and not many are purely just seeking to be... Jesus.

Oh well, I'll stop rambling. lol

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Aquila

In my opinion both positions are spiritual blood poison.

right!