— Critical issues concerning the Church —

Fellow Soldier,

Forces are still at work to take the grace-ruled Church captive to law; namely, elements of the Hebrew Roots/Messianic movement (HRM).  Just as the Seeker-Sensitive & Mega-Church waves are receding, HRM is roaring in to further erode faith in Christ and the traditional New Testament.  Though flimsily cloaked in Scripture, it’s harvesting a vast field of earnest but disaffected believers flooded for decades by the polluted waters of preceding waves.

Promising the “authentic” church, it appeals to those weary of a watered down, materialistic Christianity.  However, some HRM groups escort unwary believers far beyond the simplicity in Christ — from grace into legalism; a gradual, faith-destroying process.  Study Galatians and Colossians and be on guard.

Judaizing the Church

Today’s Pharisees are at work to seduce you.

(Part 4 of 7)

"See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." — Col 2:8

According to the Encyclopedia Judica, “Judaizers are persons who without being Jews, follow in whole or in part, the Jewish religion or claim to be Jews.”

False teachers and doctrine, a diluted gospel and man- made agendas are scattering many earnest believers.  Whether driven out or by volition, they are leaving churches that have fallen prey to the enemy, and the exodus has been feeding the growing House Church movement as well as the NAR, ECM and HRM.  Hurt unhappy bewildered and vulnerable, believers are lured into movements promising the real church by looking to its “roots.”  However, some roots plunge beyond traditions of men into the septic region of the world’s final religious system: Mystery Babylon.  Let’s begin by looking at their recruiting tactics.

The sales pitch: “Ya say you’re not satisfied?  Ya say ya want mo fo your money?  Telll-ya-whadom-gonna-do!”  That 50’s TV pitch is the pattern used by the HRM to lure disaffected believers into their faith-destroying trap.  It goes something like this: “You say you’re concerned about: changes in your church since leadership attended a Church Growth seminar? ... the dumbing down of sermons since the 40-day Purpose Driven program? ... the prevalent use of paraphrases? ... no longer hearing about sin, hell, repentance, blood, dying to self and the hard things of our faith? ... little spiritual protein coming from the pulpit? ... being marginalized in the church you’ve served for years?  You wonder why entertainment, rock, New Age, yoga, psychology and other enemy works are inside the church? ... why Starbucks and the public are invited into what is supposed to be a ‘sanctuary’ for the saints??”  The pitch continues ...

“Well, you’re not alone.  They’re some of the factors that brought us out of that mess and into the real Church.  You know, we also used to wonder: since Jesus was a Hebrew-speaking Jew dealing with other Jews in Judea, why was the New Testament derived from the Greek?  Have you also wondered?  Well, we finally have that settled as well.  You see, we’ve gone back to the basics: the roots; to the first century church model and it’s opened whole new dimensions of biblical understanding.  We also like the smaller gatherings  (often in homes) and the use of biblical tambourines and acoustic guitars.  No more computer screens, entertainers, whining guitars, monster speakers, drums and pulpit-controlled agenda ... everybody can participate.  We even dance!  More importantly, we go back to Jesus’ original language and Hebrew perspective.  We are learning SO much!  Afterwards, we generally sit down to a meal; we’re really like family and wish our times together didn’t have to end.  However, I must tell you: this isn’t for everybody.  It’s a ‘calling’ to a deeper, more biblical walk.” (Telll-ya-whadom-gonna-do!)

Inviting, huh?  We know; been there done that, decades ago with another movement.  It was delicious, but took years to purge and heal its effects.

Please hear this: as staunch supporters of Israel for over 30 years, we reject Replacement Theology and are not anti-semitic.  We prayerfully look forward to the fulfillment of all God’s promises to her, beginning with: ... all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob" — Ro 11:26.  We also love and pray for those ensnared in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic movements; most being hapless Christians.  Following God’s lead, we disdain Christ-less religions, Judaism included (why worship shadows?).  God instead favors a relationship and to that end, provided the only conduit: the Church, built upon Jesus Christ and His atoning work.  Therefore, Christianity is the sole channel for divine fellowship in existence today.  All others are impotent, mostly man-made attempts at self justification and fruitless efforts to gain God’s favor.

To begin Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer sounds the trumpet: “Christianity is totally opposite to Judaism and any mixture of the two must result in the loss of all that is vital in the present plan of Salvation.  One made its appeal to the limited resources of the natural man and conditioned his life on the earth; the other sets aside the natural man, secures a whole new creation in Christ Jesus, and counsels that new being in his pilgrim journey to his heavenly home.”¹ In spite of this sage counsel, HRM promulgators proceed otherwise.  They would have us liberally combine the two, suggesting an admixture leads to a more biblical, obedient and therefore, more God-pleasing life.  Pure deceit.

To be authentic, they say we need to change our approach to worship, get the sabbath right and call persons and things by their Hebrew names.  Some maintain that only by rehearsing the Mosaic feasts can one fully appreciate New Covenant theology and that learning Hebrew is all but essential to mining hidden treasures of our faith.  Moreover, we’re told it’s a major handicap to attempt Christianity with a Greek-based New Testament.  After all, they argue, since Jesus was a Jew, dealing with other Jews in Israel, it just makes sense to use a Hebrew-derived New Testament.  Some recommend study of “sacred” rabbinical writings to enhance N.T. understanding: the Midrash, Mishnah and Gemera (Talmud) not to mention a thorough, rabbi-led study of the Torah.  While the Torah requires Jews to obey 613 laws, some claim it also prescribes 66 for Gentiles and that Jews have a divine calling to teach them to all the world.  However, their aggressive Lubavitch faction focuses on “Seven Noahide Laws.”

These are the ways, we’re told, to really understand what Jesus is telling us in the red print and the apostles via their letters.  Seekers of a more biblical, deeper walk with God are tacitly encouraged to separate from garden-variety Christians with their false doctrines and traditions (Christmas, Easter, etc.).  Consciences are assuaged regarding their relationship to the Church with the rationale that Messianics are not better, just “called” to a more biblical level of Christianity (a more obedient, therefore higher and holier way).  Of course, these things are not revealed right up front, but gradually ... after the cultic hook is set.

Tracing the Roots of the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Movement reveal its main doctrinal sources to be blasphemous and their prime promulgators satanically orchestrated.  Such charges will be proven in subsequent articles.  Key players are the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research (JSSR) and Judaism’s Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic faction.  We will show that doctrines from both are derived from the Kabbalah; the source book of Jewish mysticism.  Underlying what might seem to be a biblically wholesome move of God, are demonic forces intent on the destruction of Christian faith and enslavement of all peoples to legalism.  It is rooted in and controlled by the same spiritual sewer that murdered Jesus 2000 years ago; the same evil that has persecuted the Church from the start.  To help make the point, operatives have managed to get a U.S. law passed making it a capital crime to worship Jesus.  Penalty?  Off with your head!  True!!  (Request a copy of that law; FR14-7).

Since the HRM is a broad, decentralized movement, not all of what we’ve written (or will) applies equally to every roots-type group.  I remind: we love Jews.  Our targets are neither race nor people, but spiritual combatants in the heavenlies (Eph 6:12) — unavoidable to all who accept the name of Christ.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul warns of the Judaizers who would steal our freedom in Christ: "... false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage" — Gal 2:4.  He later poses the questions: "... how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles?  Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?  You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!  I fear for you ..." .  Paul also warns the Colossian and Laodician churches: See to it that no-one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.  And ye are complete in Him ... Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." — Gal 4:9-11a; Col 2:10,16,17 (also see Rom 5:10).

Our sufficiency is in Christ, fueled by the pure truth of Scripture as revealed by the Holy Spirit.  Time itself is quickly running out.  We therefore urge you to intently gaze into the mirror (laver) of God’s Word to see where you stand with Him ... and with New Testament Truth.

 

• 1. The Kingdom in History and Prophecy, p6 — Dr. lewis Sperry Chafer

— Articles in this series —

Part-2 — Our Hebrew Roots —Without roots there can be no fruit.
Part-3 — Jews, Gentiles and The Church — God divided mankind into distinctive groups.
Part-5 — Judaism's Lubavitchers — They aim to teach all Gentiles their Noahide Laws.
Part-6 — "Messianics" ... whaa? — Does Scripture support Christians “keeping Torah”?
Part-7 — Messianic Christianity — A syncratic religion.
Part-1 — God Loves Israel ... and what God loves, true Christians also love.

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FR14-06