September
29, 2015
Warning Against False Teachers
“As I urged
you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge
certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves
to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the
stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues
from a pure heart anda good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by
swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without
understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make
confident assertions.
“Now we
know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that
the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for
the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their
fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice
homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to
sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God
with which I have been entrusted” (1 Timothy 1:3-11).
Some Will Depart from the Faith
“Now the
Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by
devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the
insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with
thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by
God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).
* * * * * * *
The premise of the Hebrew Roots movement is the belief that the Church has veered far from the true teachings and Hebrew concepts of the Bible. The movement maintains that Christianity has been indoctrinated with the culture and beliefs of Greek and Roman philosophy and that ultimately biblical Christianity, taught in churches today, has been corrupted with a pagan imitation of the New Testament gospels.
* * * * * * *
The premise of the Hebrew Roots movement is the belief that the Church has veered far from the true teachings and Hebrew concepts of the Bible. The movement maintains that Christianity has been indoctrinated with the culture and beliefs of Greek and Roman philosophy and that ultimately biblical Christianity, taught in churches today, has been corrupted with a pagan imitation of the New Testament gospels.
Those of
the Hebrew Roots belief hold to the teaching that Christ's death on the cross
did not end the Mosaic Covenant, but instead renewed it, expanded its message,
and wrote it on the hearts of His true followers. They teach that the
understanding of the New Testament can only come from a Hebrew perspective and
that the teachings of the Apostle Paul are not understood clearly or taught
correctly by Christian pastors today. Many affirm the existence of an original
Hebrew-language New Testament and, in some cases, denigrate the existing New
Testament text written in Greek. This becomes a subtle attack on the
reliability of the text of our Bible. If the Greek text is unreliable and has
been corrupted, as is charged by some, the Church no longer has a standard of
truth.
Although
there are many different and diverse Hebrew Roots assemblies with variations in
their teachings, they all adhere to a common emphasis on recovering the
“original” Jewishness of Christianity. Their assumption is that the Church has
lost its Jewish roots and is unaware that Jesus and His disciples were Jews
living in obedience to the Torah. For the most part, those involved advocate
the need for every believer to walk a Torah-observant life. This means that the
ordinances of the Mosaic Covenant must be a central focus in the lifestyle of
believers today as it was with the Old Testament Jews of Israel. Keeping the
Torah includes keeping the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week (Saturday),
celebrating the Jewish feasts and festivals, keeping the dietary laws, avoiding
the “paganism” of Christianity (Christmas, Easter, etc.), and learning to
understand the Scriptures from a Hebrew mindset. They teach that Gentile
Christians have been grafted into Israel, and this is one reason every born-again
believer in Jesus the Messiah is to participate in these observances. It is
expressed that doing this is not required out of legalistic bondage, but out of
a heart of love and obedience. However, they teach that to live a life that
pleases God, this Torah-observant walk must be part of that life.
The Hebrew
Roots assemblies are often made up of a majority of Gentiles, including Gentile
rabbis. Usually they prefer to be identified as “Messianic Christians”. Many
have come to the conclusion that God has “called” them to be Jewish and have
accepted the theological position that the Torah (Old Testament law) is equally
binding on Gentiles and Jews alike. They often wear articles of traditional
Jewish clothing, practice Davidic dancing, and incorporate Hebrew names and
phrases into their writing and conversations. Most reject the use of the name
“Jesus” in favor of Yeshua or YHWH, claiming that these are the “true” names
that God desires for Himself. In most cases, they elevate the Torah as the
foundational teaching for the Church, which brings about the demotion of the
New Testament, causing it to become secondary in importance and only to be
understood in light of the Old Testament. The idea that the New Testament is
faulty and relevant only in light of the Old Testament has also brought the
doctrine of the Trinity under attack by many advocates of the Hebrew Roots
beliefs. As opposed to what the Hebrew
Roots movement claims, the New Testament teachings of the Apostle Paul are
perfectly clear and self-explanatory. Colossians 2:16,17 says, “Therefore no
one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a
festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day – things which are a shadow of what is
to come; but the substance belongs to Christ”. Romans 14:5 states, “One person
regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person
must be fully convinced in his own mind”.
Scripture
clearly indicates that these issues are a matter of personal choice. These
verses and many others give clear evidence that the Mosaic Covenant laws and
ordinances have ended. Continuing to teach that the Old Covenant is still in
effect in spite of what the New Testament teaches, or twisting the New
Testament to agree with the Hebrew Roots beliefs, is false teaching. There are aspects of the Hebrew Roots
teachings that certainly can be beneficial. Seeking to explore the Jewish
culture and perspective, within which most of the Bible was written, opens and
enriches our understanding of the Scriptures, adding insight and depth to many
of the passages, parables and idioms. There is nothing wrong with Gentiles and
Jews joining together in celebrating the feasts and enjoying a Messianic style
of worship. Taking part in these events and learning the way in which the Jews
understood the teachings of our Lord can be a tool, giving us greater
effectiveness in reaching the unbelieving Jew with the gospel. It is good for
Gentiles, in the body of the Messiah, to identify in our fellowship with
Israel. However, to identify with Israel is different from identifying “as”
Israel. Gentile believers are not
grafted into the Judaism of the Mosaic Covenant; they are grafted into the seed
and faith of Abraham, which preceded the Law and Jewish customs. They are
fellow citizens with the saints (Ephesians 2:19), but they are not Jews. Paul
explains this clearly when he tells those who were circumcised (the Jews) “not
to seek to be uncircumcised” and those who were uncircumcised (the Gentiles)
“not to become circumcised” (1 Corinthians 7:18).
There is no need for either
group to feel they must become what they are not. Instead, God has made Jews
and Gentiles into “one new man” in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:15). This “new
man” is referring to the Church, the body of Christ, which is made up of
neither Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:27-29). It's important for Jews and
Gentiles to remain authentic in their own identity. In this way a clear picture
of the unity of the body of Christ can be seen as Jews and Gentiles are united
by one Lord, one faith, one baptism. If Gentiles are grafted into Israel,
becoming Jews, the purpose and picture of both Jew and Gentile, coming together
as one new man, is lost. God never intended Gentiles to become one in Israel,
but one in Christ.
The
influence of this movement is working its way into churches and seminaries.
It's dangerous in its implication that keeping the Old Covenant law is walking
a “higher path” and is the only way to please God and receive His blessings.
Nowhere in the Bible do we find Gentile believers being instructed to follow
Levitical laws or Jewish customs; in fact, the opposite is taught. Romans 7:6
says, “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the
law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of
the written code”. Christ, in keeping perfectly every ordinance of the Mosaic
Law, completely fulfilled it. Just as making the final payment on a home
fulfills that contract and ends one’s obligation to it, so also Christ has made
the final payment and has fulfilled the law, bringing it to an end for us
all.
It is God
Himself who has created a world of people with different cultures, languages
and traditions. God is glorified when we accept one another in love and come
together in unity as “one” in Christ Jesus. It's important to understand that
there is no superiority in being born Jewish or Gentile. We who are followers
of Christ, comprised of many different cultures and lifestyles, are all of
value and greatly loved because we've entered into the family of God.
In this regard, it seems appropriate to end this short article urging the reader to pay attention to the events recorded in Acts 15:1-19,
The Jerusalem Council
“But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved’. And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses’.
“The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will’.
“And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
In this regard, it seems appropriate to end this short article urging the reader to pay attention to the events recorded in Acts 15:1-19,
The Jerusalem Council
“But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved’. And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses’.
“The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will’.
“And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
After this
I will return,
and I will
rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will
rebuild its ruins,
and I will
restore it,
that the
remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the
Gentiles who are called by my name,
says
the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.
‘Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues’”.
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter:
‘The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
‘Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues’”.
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter:
‘The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
- that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols,
- and from blood,
- and from what has been strangled,
- and from sexual immorality.
