God bless you every one.
The deceptions of the endtimes are growing thicker and faster!
This Mini-Despatch will be an introduction to the ever-deepening disasters occurring under the names of "The Hebrew Roots Movement" [HRM] and "The Messianic Jew."
We will be doing a booklet, in time for the next Despatch Magazine, to try and consolidate the whole issue for those who have no access or time to read the mountains of material that has been provided online from the authors mentioned below.
We have dealt briefly with the HRM/Messianic
Jew & Biblical Jewish Non-semitic positions
in our Mini-Despatches before, and
on-line our Website also deals with this topic.
All relevant Online material has been gathered for you at this link here.
http://www.despatch.cth.com.au/HRM_Jewish_material.htm
However, the deceptions to do with the Jewish converts are becoming more complex.
All of us must address the implications of such critiques as those found on these believers' Websites: [see our link above for their URLs & Material]
Timothy and Barbara Aho;
Richard Engstrom;
Tom Lamb and
Vicky Dillen.
Endtime Ministries, realising the enormity of the move by misguided Jewish men in our day, will be standing firm with those who refuse to move aside and allow the Judaizing of the Christian Church to proceed unchallenged.
Let the reader ask themselves these questions:
1. Do you believe that the Greek New
Testament used by believers through the centuries has never been sound.
That it should have been "translated" in the beginning by Hebrew scholars.
That it is only a "translation" in
Greek, not the Holy Spirit given Scriptures which GOD revealed in that
language, GREEK!
That is what
the HRM and other Judaizers are saying.
2. Do you believe that the Reformers
did not complete a sound and Godly English translation with the King James
Version?
That they were unsound, unlearned because
they didn't understand Jewish books and traditions, like the Midrash?
That is what
the Judaizers are saying.
3. Do you believe that the only ones
who can ever understand this "Midrash" are those who have Jewish race backgrounds?
Therefore they are the only ones who
can really help us renew our New Testament?
Therefore, of course, they must assume
Rabbi status in the Christian Church?
That is basically
what the Judaizers are leading to.
4. Are you willing to just stand aside
because these Judaizers are threatening and insulting those Christians
who dare to oppose the destruction of their own Greek New Testament?
Will you gullibly
accept the "Midrash" and Hebrew New Testament subversions?
Without a word?
5. Will you be one who is afraid to
stand against these Judaizers because they cry "anti-Semitic" at anyone
who challenges them and their power-plays?
Are you naive enough to think that
preserving Christianity as we have been given it by God, and not standing
for a Hebrew Roots deception, is "anti-Semitic?"
No, this is a
tactic used to silence protest, an emotional blackmail ploy!
The issues are far more complicated
than this mild discussion.
Too big for a Mini-Despatch.
If the reader is open for more, read
in particular the responses given by Richard Engstrom to Jacob Prasch,
these are eye-openers, called The Camel's Nose.
They [& others] can be found at
our site address given above, we have done this to consolidate all material
so those coming into the discussion can see it all as a whole.
THE
PHILADELPHIA CHURCH.
The amazing thing about all this "Jewish"
business that is sweeping the churches, is that the Bible has predicted,
in a sense, that this would happen in the Last Days.
Let us look carefully at the Philadelphia
Church passage in Revelation 3: 9.
But first we will examine 2:9, to lead
into it:
I will quote from the book by Henry
Morris, "Revelation", p 54.
These comments are about the church
at Smyrna:
"The church has
been burdened almost from its inception with Jewish converts who did not
want
to separate themselves
from the synagogue fellowship and from their lifelong customs, and
so were trying to impose circumcision and other aspects of the Old Testament
ritual and national ordinances upon the church - not only Jews in the church
but the Gentiles as well (Acts 15:2; Galatians 2:14; Colossians 2:16).
These 'Judaizers' influenced many Gentiles, and soon many of these came
to believe that conversion to Christianity meant, in effect, conversion
also to Judaism and that the latter was to be perpetuated, with some modifications.
in the church.
Eventually this would lead to a monstrous system of works-salvation and almost a complete disappearance of the doctrines of salvation by grace and justification by faith....wanted to continue the priesthood....conquered the laity and placed them again in legalistic bondage under a complex system of ritualistic ordinances, sacrifices, and penances....Smyrna, where the heavy outward pressure of the large colony of ethnic Jews was encouraging such compromise."
Let us now go
on to the Philadelphian church, which was historically the church in the
city of Philadelphia, a city founded by King Attalus of Pergamum. Philadelphia
was located about twenty-eight miles southeast of Sardis. It is still there
today as a town, under the name of Alasehir. Named by the king in honour
of his brother, Philadelphia means "brotherly love."
Philadelphia
has rough correlation, as application, to the Remnant Church during the
Last Days, small and not wealthy, yet bearing sound witness. It exists
alongside the Laodician Church in the Age of Apostasy, right at the end
of the Church Age. Laodicia has a meaning of "ruled by the laity." It is
a Church system with prosperous congregations, wonderful buildings and
an active program, but it is lukewarm spiritual, about to die away. It
panders to the wants and greed of the "laity." This corresponds with the
majority of Christendom in the Last Days.
In Revelation 3:9:
Quote again from Morris, ibid, p.p.72-73:
"Another common
experience to the two faithful churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, was opposition
from the false Jews of the so-called synagogue of Satan....Apparently the
false apostles and other false prophets who plagued the other churches
had been unable to get any hearing in these two churches, but the Judaizers
and would-be priests and ritualists were a problem. The true believers
would be vindicated, however, when these legalists who desired spiritual
worship for themselves (when not even angels would allow men to worship
before their feet - note Revelation 22:8,9) would be forced to bow in their
presence - certainly not to worship them, but rather to worship Christ
in His redeeming grace. Since this promise is not one of salvation to such
psuedo-Jews, but of condemnation, its fulfillment probably is the great
judgement assembly as expounded in Philippians 2:10,11."
Examine we MUST the shocking attempts
in our day to turn the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ into a Jewish system.
We must denounce the encouraging of
new Jewish converts to keep part or more of their old Jewish religiosity.
*This is coming out in the Church in
the calling of our Lord Jesus Christ by a Jewish name;
*leaving out the middle letter of the
word God;
*adding to the completed Canon of Scripture
Jewish interpretations and various Jewish books; *bringing the feasts of
the Jews into the Church;
*adding "Midrash" to the Holy Scriptures;
*calling converts some other name rather
than "Christian" (Messianic Jew, Fulfilled Jew etc); *insisting that
a move is coming where Jew and Gentile will become one (ALL who are converted
in reality ARE ONE in Christ Jesus, there is NO Jew or Gentile in Him,
Galatians 3:27,28).
*Some Jewish converts are insisting
that the name of Christ Jesus must be dropped by converted Jews, as His
glorious Name is unacceptable to Israelites. They call Him Messiah only.
*They also want to drop any reference
to "Christian" thus we get "Messianic Jew."
This is WRONG
believers,
we are all One
in Christ Jesus, those who have faith in Him are Christians together!
The name for a person stands for His
character, His work, His position, His standing.
It is all that He does, all that He
is.
The Name of Jesus
Christ our Lord is vital!
The Hebrew equivalent used by the Messianic
Jews in no way represents the true Name above all names.
"Jesus" means
salvation, and the person who honors that name takes by faith the substitutionary
sacrifice offered on the Cross (Acts 4:12).
"Christ"
means anointed One, the One Who is God, anointed prophet, priest and king.
"Lord" shows
that we must believe Him and obey the Living Word of God - bowing in worship
before Him.
The Greek for "Lord
Jesus Christ" is as follows:
"Kurios"
English "Lord." Christ Himself assumed this title, see Matt.7:21,22;
9:38; 22:41-45; Mark 5:19 (cp.Ps.66:16; the parallel passage, Luke 8:39,
has 'God.')
This signifies Christ's power, authority
and Divinity.
"Iesous" English
"Jesus." Is a transliteration of Joshua in the Hebrew. Means "Jehovah
is salvation." It was the name given to the Son of God in Incarnation as
His personal name.
It was given in obedience to an angel
sent from God the Father (Matt.1;21).
"Christos" English "Christ." The anointed One. This title was expressed accepted by the Lord Himself. See Matt. 16:17; Mark 14:61,62; John 4:26.
Should we call our Saviour, "The Lord Jesus Christ?" Of course we should!
Should Christians call the Lord Jesus Christ "Yeshua" or "Jeschua?" NO!
The Hebrew "Jeschua" in no way can replace
the title "Lord Jesus Christ." It demotes Him!
I will quote from Vicky Dillen here:
"From a Jewish article about Jesus we learn that the Talmud slanders our Saviour, Jesus Christ
'...the Jewish
Encyclopaedia admits that Jewish legends concerning Jesus are found in
the Talmud and Midrash and in 'The life of Jesus' (Toledot Yeshu) that
originated in the Middle Ages.
It is the tendency
of all these sources to belittle the person of Jesus by ascribing Him illegitimate
birth, magic, and a shameful death.'
Talmud:
'...He is called
a Christian who follows the false teachings of that man, who taught them
to celebrate the feast on the first day of the Sabbath, that is, to worship
on the first day after the Sabbath...Talui, The one who hanged...'
Many people believe
that the name for Jesus in Hebrew is Jeschua or Yeshua.
However, the
complete,
'...name in Hebrew
would be Jeschua Hanotsri - Jesus the Nazarene. He is called Notsri from
the city of Nazareth...In the Talmud Christians are also called Notsrim.
(Among other things). "Since the word Jeschua means 'Saviour,' the name
Jesus rarely occurs in the Jewish books. It is almost always abbreviated
to Jeschu...'
In the Talmud,
the name 'Jeschu [leschu]' can apparently be translated:
'...as if it
were composed of the initial letters of the three words. Immach Schemo
Vezikro - (meaning) - 'MAY HIS NAME BE BLOTTED OUT.'
Hebrew Roots proponents might say that these teachings are in the past. However, a review of various sources reveals the same or similar teachings."
There are many other Jewish religious
matters infiltrating the Christian Church as well!
The most dangerous of all is the attempt
to change the New Testament by Midrash interpretation, thus overthrowing
the very Greek inspiration given by the Holy Spirit. No rhetoric on this
serious matter should be countenanced, no rhubarb given by the proponents
of such a disaster should be accepted - in any shade of meaning. There
is NO "Midrash" [of whatever version] that should be accepted by
the Christian Church.
May God grant us all wisdom and spiritual insight into these very serious issues. Amen!
W. B. Howard ...Editor of Despatch
.
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