A Tale of Two Messiahs

The subject of this post has come to me from two unconnected sources within a few days of each other and has really made me think differently about some pre-conceived ideas I had unquestioningly accepted., but which I must revisit and very likely discard.

It's strange how we look back to our childhood and remember vague conversations with our parents that somehow made an impression on our young minds and firmly rooted themselves into an accepted belief. I can't remember what prompted the subject, but I clearly remember a discussion with my mother concerning the difference between Jews and Christians. They worshipped in synagogues, we worship in churches, we believe in Jesus as the Messiah and they don't. Other than that, I don't think I ever gave further thought to the subject.

Today I know it's not as simple as that.There are many factors which have come into play that separate Christians and Jews. I want to focus on two major differences today; The Law and the Messiah.

I have often wondered why the Jews, as a whole, do not accept Y'shua (Jesus) as the Messiah. They are zealous for the Torah, Prophets and writings of what we today term "The Old Testament". These all testify of the coming Messiah in great detail, both his first and second coming. At his first coming, many Jews indeed did become believers and began living by the teachings of the disciples and apostles in obedience to all that he had commanded while with them. Today there are many Jews who believe in Y'Shua as Messiah. Do they, however, believe in the SAME Messiah as Christians? In fact, could the testimony of the Christian be considered a false witness with regard to the identity of the Messiah?

Let us reason together for a moment. As I previously stated, the Jews are well versed in the Torah and they know the prophecies of old concerning Messiah. Does the Christian Messiah meet the criteria of the one prophecied in the Torah? The answer, unfortunately, is NO! First, the image we have inherited from our forefathers of his physical appearance is totally false. It bears no resemblance to what Y'Shua would have looked like as a Jewish man in the first century. Second, the teachings of this Messiah to his followers would seem, to a Jew, to be diametrically opposite of what the real Messiah would teach.

The majority of Christians today have been taught a Messiah who has done away with his father's commandments. They have inherited a religion that has abandoned YHVH's (God's) Sabbaths and holy days, as well as his Torah. These hallmarks of true obedience have been replaced with idolatrous customs, traditions, symbols and holidays that Christianity has adopted from ancient sun-god worship. These are the very practices that YHVH condemned in the Torah and forbid his people to  follow. The majority of Christians don't put much stock in the Torah, though, because it's been done away with, nailed to the stake (cross) by their Messiah. How can a Christian convince a Jew to believe in Messiah when his/her doctrine and lifestyle are in opposition to everything our creator taught in his word? They would ask, can this be the Messiah? Are his followers living according to the Torah, in obedience to YHVH, or have they and their "Messiah" created some new religion?

Now, on the other side of the coin, the Jewish leaders have also borne responsibility in misrepresenting the Torah to their people, as well as to the Christian. Through the oral traditions of the elders, they have imposed burdens on their people by adding numerous man-made "commandments" to the Torah. It was these oral traditions that Y'Shua opposed in his day, not the Torah itself. In fact, he accused the religious leaders of making void the commandments of YHVH by their traditions. They taught a salvation by the deeds of the "law", both written and oral.

So how do we rectify the errors inheited on both sides? Can Christians come to recognize and accept the true Messiah, the Messiah of their bible? Can they come to realize that, although salvation comes by grace through faith, obedience is a direct result of repentance and allowing Y'Shua to live his life in them? Can the Jew also come to freedom in Messiah, freedom from the traditions of the elders that have enslaved them to a myriad of man-made commandments that do not bring about true repentance? Can they come to understand that salvation was never meant to come from the Torah, but through our savior?

Both Christians and Jews will one day be reconciled when they both return to "true" Torah. YHVH tells us of a day, yet in the future, when we will be joined together into one house, the household of faith. In that house there will be one king over all and one Torah. Many Christians and Jews today are beginning to come out of this world, this Babylon of religious confusion, and embracing the teachings of the true Messiah. They are breaking the chains of false doctrines and finding freedom in him alone. Most Christians will be content to remain in their respective denominations and many Jews will continue to adhere to the oral traditions of their Rabbis as if they were "law". This is soon to change, as the true light is about to shine on this world, exposing the darkness and leading the nations of the world to true repentance and salvation.

Trust

We live in perilous times. There seems to be so much to fear. I'm sure we all ponder the what if's of life. I have to confess that I am guilty. What if I lose my job, what if the stock market falls and my nest egg is wiped out, what if I am laid off from my job, or suddenly become ill and am unable to work? What if my spouse passes away, how will I support myself? What if a hurricane comes (that one is very real to me here in SE Louisiana) and blows my home away? Katrina is still etched in my memory.

I guess I've always been what you might call a worry-wart. I was meditating today and suddenly realized  how much I've improved with regard to abandoning worry. I have been really spending a lot of time in the word of God for the past several months and have discovered something very powerful. This is something that we should all know, especially if we are people of faith, but I think we sometimes forget. God's word is life! We are instructed to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. It is our nourishment, and when we are nourished, we are healthy in mind, body and spirit. As we feed upon his word, his peace and love fills us up and removes all doubt and fear. We begin to see all of his promises for our good and suddenly all of our concerns melt away.

We are given great advice in his word to avoid anxious thoughts and fears. We are told that perfect love casts out fear. We are instructed to live for today and not borrow the worries of tomorrow, for they will take care of themselves. Have you ever found yourself worrying "today" about "tomorrow" and, when "tomorrow" arrived, it wasn't as bad as you had imagined? The problem is that we already lived our worse fears and, although they never materialized, the effect upon our body and mind did it's damage. That is definitely not healthy and not what God wants for us.

I was reminded today that the highest honor we can bestow on our father is to trust him. I remember when I was a child. I was petrified of water. My parents told me the story of how a big wave on a Florida beach grounded me and that gave birth to my fear. I was a toddler at the time and don't remember the incident, but it undoubtedly left an indelible image upon my mind. When I was older, my parents were determined to get me over this, and my dad began encouraging me by getting into a pool and asking me to jump into his arms. He assured me that he would catch me and nothing would happen, but I wasn't convinced. My fear paralyzed me. However, through much patience and understanding, my dad was able to create in me a measure of trust that allowed me to take the plunge. That one leap of faith brought forth a very accomplished swimmer and gratitute for a dad that didn't give up on me, but through love and support, allowed me to dispel all fear and find enjoyment in one of life's most cherished childhood activities. Florida beaches have become my favorite vacation destination and I love the water!

We all have fearful thoughts. That is part of being human. We need to recognize them as pitfalls that Satan has placed in our path. God's word is filled to the brim with wonderful promises that can dispel all fear and worry. Some that mean a great deal to me follow:

.PROVERBS 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

ROMANS 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose

And.......my favorite!

Psa 91:1-8 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Saved By Works?

Christians often get very vocal with anyone who would dare insinuate that faith is meant to be accompanied by works. Indeed, the bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works lest any should boast, Eph 2:8-9. This is one of the first teachings given to new believers in Messiah. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sin is the transgression of the law, which demands death..We are all under the penalty of death because we all sin. Christ came as a sinless human to completely fulfill the requirements of the law and take upon himself the penalty for sin in our stead by death on the cross, freeing us from the requirements of the law. What is our response to be? Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Whereas it is absolutely true that we can do nothing to receive salvation, is it not also true that God expects those he has redeemed to leave sin behind and grow into maturity and obedience? Now that we have received the gift of the promised Holy Spirit to help us and teach us, we should be bringing forth fruits unto repentance. Sin should no longer have dominion over us. The scriptures teach that we are to leave the "old creature" behind and become "new creatures" in Christ. We are now part of the family of God, and surely God does not want a household of disobedient children. Even we who are parents want our children to obey us and follow our instructions. We teach them for their good, because we want to protect them and keep them from harm and the bitter results of following after evil. Certainly our heavenly father would want nothing less for his children. He wants to dwell with us and bless us always, but disobedience brings nothing but a curse. Therefore, his teachings and instructions are wholly for our good, that we may be a blessed people.They are not given to burden us or enslave us, any more than the laws of our nation. Laws are meant to protect and serve us. Isn't that the motto of our police, "To protect and serve"? The bible teaches us that law-abiding citizens have no reason to fear the law. Only those who break the law fear punishment.

God instructs us to consider our ways and love him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We could do nothing to save ourselves, that is true. However, now that we have been accepted into the household of faith, into the very family of God, by faith in the sacrifice of our redeemer, let us look to him as an example and follow in his footsteps. The bible is filled with admonitions to believers to keep his commandments. Many years after his death, burial and resurrection, the apostles taught the  new converts how they were to walk in Messiah. They all instructed the believers in Christ to leave sin behind and walk in newness of life. Christ died for our sins, but in no way allows for continual sin on the part of a believer. His death did not annul the law, but the penalty of breaking the law, being death. His grace is not a license to sin.

By the way, grace is not something new, exclusive to the New Testament. By grace, sin's penalty was satisfied in the Old Testament through the sacrificial system administered by the Levitical priesthood. It is now satisfied through the administration of our eternal high priest, Y'shua. Did you know, however, that there was never a sacrifice that covered deliberate sin, even in the old covenant?

May we all seek to leave any lingering sin and accept the grace of our savior with King David, who prayed, "Create in me a clean heart" and "Lead me in the paths (cycles) of righteousness."