It’s not like I have a lot of time to be surfing the web and reading blogs. I wish I did; there’s certainly some very interesting stuff out there. But, after I’ve read one or two of my favorite most uplifting Jewish blogs, there is one Hebrew Christian or “messianic” blog that I frequent. I have to say that it is one of the most prolific and varied blogs I’ve ever read. I first discovered it when a “google alert” told me that my name had appeared in the blog!
In today’s offering in this blog (which shall remain nameless – not because of loshon hara but because I don’t want to give them any free advertising), in the article of the day, the author indicates that it is an erroneous Jewish idea that a “Messianic Jew” is essentially an evangelical Christian.
Most, if not all, Hebrew Christians believe that they are practicing a form of Judaism, not Christianity. In fact, push a Hebrew Christian into a corner and he’ll admit that he believes that he is observing the “true” form of Judaism. That is, that Hebrew Christianity is where G-d intended for Judaism to go in the first place and that traditional Jews are the ones that have lost their way.
It is questionable whether they are moved to want to be identified as Jews because it quells a deep-rooted sense that they’ve betrayed their people and their G-d, and therefore assuages a sense of guilt, or if it is simply an attempt to “out” the “in” group so that they can become the new “in” group. Either way, one thing is clear, they’ve missed the point completely.
No amount of Jewish words, Carlebach tunes or Shabbat candles can make a pig kosher. Once one crosses the line and embraces a belief system which espouses the idea that G-d would take on physical form (see the admonition in Devarim 4:12-19), to make a sacrifice for sin (has G-d ever accepted human sacrifice?), because without such sacrifice atonement is impossible (btw, atonement has always only been through teshuvah, not the sacrifices – see my post on sacrifice and atonement), and that without believing that this sacrifice was made, one cannot have a relationship with G-d, nor receive forgiveness for sins, one has removed himself from Judaism and entered a world based on mythological and pagan concepts which are completely foreign to Judaism.
If a Jew wants to become a Christian, that’s between them and G-d, but don’t call it Judaism, ‘cause it aint.
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