Defining the Messianic Faith
============================

 The Messianic Faith consists of disciples of Jesus (almost always
 called by his Hebrew name, Yeshua, by adherents) who seek the original
 uncorrupted truth from the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
 Disciples of the Messianic Faith use the Bible as their only
 authoritative religious text.

 Messianic disciples believe they are returning to a form of faith in
 God before Judaism and Christianity corrupted it. It is therefore
 important to identify the differences it has from Judaism and
 Christianity. Judaism rejects Messiah, Yeshua. Messianic disciples
 accept Yeshua ([John 1:1]). Christianity rejects the Law, or large
 parts of it that can be practised. Messianic disciples accept the Law
 ([Matthew 5:17--19]). Those are the fundamental defining differences
 that set Messianic disciples apart from Judaism and Christianity.

 In terms of belief, Messianic disciples believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is
 the visible almighty son of the invisible almighty Father. The Father,
 Son, and Spirit co-created all that exists, yet they make up one
 everlasting Almighty.

 Messianic disciples believe that Yeshua died for the sins of the
 world, and that he rose from the dead on the third day, and they
 believe most everything in the New Testament that Christians assert,
 with some important differences, held in common with the practices of
 Jews.

 Disciples practise the laws of the OT (which they call the Law or the
 Torah), including resting on the Seventh Day Sabbath (Saturday),
 keeping other annual feasts, like Passover, and observing Kosher laws
 (abstaining from pork, shellfish, and carrion birds). Contra
 Christianity, disciples don’t observe Christmas or Easter, and hold to
 a different chronology of Yeshua’s birth and Passion, and observe
 these events at different times from Christians (Yom Teruah, feast of
 Trumpets, and Passover and the Resurrection Sabbath).

 Messianic disciples believe that salvation begins with affirming a
 commitment to be faithful to Yeshua, to be faithful to keep his
 commandments, and then in keeping those commandments as best as
 circumstances permit. As long as the faithful commitment exists in the
 heart, the Messianic disciple will tell you that all sins are forgiven
 through Yeshua’s death wiping away the penalties of sin, including all
 sins before a person had a faithful commitment. Messianic disciples do
 baptise, and what Christians call “communion” is practised at
 Passover.

 Messianic disciples believe that Yeshua will return to wipe out all
 rebellion against him, and to set up his and his father’s kingdom on
 earth, that he will sit on the throne of David, and keep his covenant
 with Israel, ruling the nations, and giving them an opportunity to
 accept him. Messianic disciples believe they are full citizens of the
 heavenly kingdom of Israel, as much as any Jewish person might claim
 to be. They believe they will receive immortal bodies, and live
 forever in a recreated and perfected earth, which will be rejoined
 with heaven. They also believe in a last judgement, where evil doers,
 will be cast into a lake of fire, and be destroyed. Generally,
 however, they do not believe in the eternal torment of the lost, but
 only a very long and substantial torment for the Devil and his angels.

 Where will you find Messianic disciples? Being seekers, they are
 scattered and widespread. Some will be found in Messianic Jewish
 congregations. Some will be found in home assemblies. Many will be
 found online. Many will be found to belong to various Seventh Day
 Churches, or will attend them without believing everything they teach
 contrary to the Messianic Faith. They come from many nations, so many
 that they cannot all be listed, and nations lacking them will be
 small, but all believe they are included in eschatological Israel.

 Disciples are nearly always social conservatives, and hold to a
 Judeo-Christian worldview, oppose abortion, and anything called
 marriage except one man and one woman. They tend to be strict
 creationists.

 The Messianic Faith does not necessarily reject all other Christians
 as unsaved, but as it is a seeking faith, most are patient with those
 who seek (since they come from so many different backgrounds in the
 first place), though it has its share of zealots who are quicker to
 condemnation than to instruction, and its share of professing heretics
 and cult leaders, who have no business being disciples. Just like
 Christianity is plagued by Arianism, Sabellianism, Modalism, and other
 heresies (which don’t agree with the religious texts), so, too, the
 Messianic Faith.

 The Messianic Faith remains largely an individual commitment, and that
 of families holding to it. There is no large religious institutional
 structure to oversee it, though there are those who wish to achieve
 this. Most disciples believe in individual freedom of thought, and
 freedom to interpret the Scripture, and don’t smile on the idea of
 controlling institutions.


[John 1:1] <https://www.torahtimes.org/translation/john/book.html#1:1>

[Matthew 5:17--19]
<https://www.torahtimes.org/translation/matthew/book.html#5:17>

Original Article
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 This is a reprint, with minor punctuation and spelling edits, of the
 [original article] by Daniel Gregg of [Torah Times].


[original article]
<https://www.torahtimes.org/writings/messianic-faith/article.html>

[Torah Times] <https://www.torahtimes.org/>

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