Mar 18, 2010
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 in Interfaith, Miscellaneous | 3 comments
In the past years, I’ve had countless people ask me “what religion/denomination are you?” This has been a tricky question to answer in a way that people understand.
I think Daniel Lancaster had one of the best answers, when he relates in one of his messages that he talked to a guy installing carpet in his house about this question. When he was asked about what religion/denomination he was, Daniel responded, “We’re Christians who practice Judaism.” He said the carpet guy thought a little while, and then said, “You know… that makes perfect sense!” To which Daniel quipped “Even the carpet guy got it!”
Unfortunately, prior to hearing Daniel’s wisdom, I would often use the word “Messianic” in my first attempts to describe our religious persuasion. Hence, my experiences have not all been that well received. Whenever I’ve made mention of the word “Messianic,” the majority of the time it was like being on a sit-com: the world froze…all conversations immediately came to an abrupt halt, music on the overhead ceased to play in the supermarket and all heads turn in my direction, while the person who asked the question looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights. The general response is, “Messy-what?”
Well, recently, I was signing up for something online related to Christian music. I was asked to choose my “denomination” from a select list. I was sure I was going to have to choose “other” as my option. However, low and behold, there was “Messianic” in the options list. Couldn’t believe it. Evidently, Messianic Judaism is slowly garnering popularity and credibility within the Church. Although this is not an end-all, this really gave me a boost and gave me hope for our purpose of restoring of the roots of our faith among the Church. It shows me that people like myself are now beginning to be viewed with some sense of credibility, rather than some kind of fringe movement. It also shows me that we are being looked at as co-laborers in the Kingdom with our brothers and sisters, rather than a movement of opposition. This give me great encouragement and hope for the future.
May we all be united in our service to Hashem and His risen Messiah as we slowly turn the tide to help bring people into a fuller understanding of the practical applications of living out His Word.
Dec 3, 2006
Posted on Dec 3, 2006 in Heresy, Interfaith, Judaism, Miscellaneous, Yeshua | 28 comments
Following on the heels of Boaz’s comments (http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/index.php?p=154#comment-423), I thought we could move the discussion over to this post and keep it focused. If you have sources that you believe to prove the Messiahship of Yeshua, then please post them here.
Jay – I know you will enjoy playing devil’s advocate here. Feel free to post your prooftexts of why you feel that he is not.
Everyone – please keep your comments focused to the topic, and keep personalities out of the way. This is a great exercise for being able to actually back up what we believe, as Peter encourages us to do
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
1 Peter 3:15,16
Lastly, Mr. Benzvi – I appreciate your concern. However, I believe you would do well to heed the words of Peter, also.
I look forward to a healthy discussion on a vital topic.
Shalom,
-Darren
Sep 16, 2006
Posted on Sep 16, 2006 in Dietary, Interfaith, Judaism, Personal, Torah | 2 comments
This weekend we are staying with relatives since we are back in our hometown. We are here for the weekend, because our family is giving us a baby shower this Sunday. Although they love us and love Hashem, they do not honor the Sabbath. This always presents some difficulty. Today is Shabbat and we just ran into this dilemma. Being in someone else’s home, we are not in control of what takes place. It is always a delicate balance of honoring Torah and being careful to not be a stumbling block to those whom might eventually find validity in Torah. With this situation in mind, I am very proud of my five-year-old son right now. (more…)
Aug 8, 2006
Posted on Aug 8, 2006 in Apostolic Writings, Interfaith | 3 comments
I need your help. Recently, someone wrote this “defense” for their reasons they reject the notion of submitting to Torah, along with a few burning accusations, which I think are completely inaccurate, and actually a reversal of what I perceive. How would you gently respond to this?
The whole understanding of scripture Old and New is more based on the Holy Spirit. All the Apostles recognized what had been inspired by the Holy Spirit to be scripture and on the same level as all other scripture. When Jesus speaks a rhema word to us it is still from Jesus and equal to all other revelation from Jesus. The difference that we will have is our point of reference. The Jews had the old testament but because of the rebellion of the Jews and the grace of God for the Gentiles, God blinded the hearts of the Jews so that even though they had the Old Testament that foretold of the Gospel of God through His son Jesus, they didn’t even recognize Jesus when He stood right in front of them. The Jews were blinded for a reason and there will come a time when their blindness will be removed.
[People who live according to the Torah], however, willfully blinded themselves to the Gospel taught in the New Testament. Christ revealed many new things in the New Testament that can not be understood by containing it in the box of the Old Testament. (Read the parable of the new and old wine skin) These new things were a building towards where God is and moving away from where man was. The OT was God taking Himself and putting Himself on man’s level. Coming to dwell on earth and having man worship God in a physical way. The NT is God moving things closer to where He is and having man worship in spirit and truth. Remember Jesus saying that a time is coming and now is when man will neither worship here nor there but in spirit and truth. Moving things to a spiritual level is why you really can eat anything. Jesus himself says that nothing entering a man corrupts him but what comes out of the heart corrupts the man. Now this teaching doesn’t blend with the OT thought because in the OT it was physical so God had purity on a physical level. Now it is on a spiritual level. Does that mean all of the OT is cancelled out? – no. Does this mean Christians don’t obey the commandments of God – no way. For God wrote His law on our hearts. He tells us that. The concept that is different is very much contained in the life of Paul. He was a Jew, a very zealous Jew that killed the Christians because of the Law. Did he finally come to the realization that the Christians were right and he was wrong by studying the law more? No. By studying the law more he persecuted the Christians even more. It wasn’t until Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and revealed the new covenant to Paul that he was forever changed. This new covenant is covered in Jeremiah 31 and again in Hebrews 8. The new covenant comes into place because the Jews broke the old covenant and God turned away from them. If [this group of Torah-observant people] turns from the new covenant and places themselves back under the old covenant then you won’t be able to understand the mystery revealed in Jesus Christ. Mainly because it just won’t fit. What I saw in the old testament jews was pride, arrogance and anger when Jesus and the apostles tried to reason with them concerning the new covenant. Ironically that is the same thing I saw in [these people]…isn’t that incredible.
Jul 27, 2006
Posted on Jul 27, 2006 in Interfaith, Judaism | 0 comments
Recently Boaz Michael posted some emails he had received and asked for some input on how to respond to them. Here is one of the letters, and my response. I would like to hear how YOU would have responded.
“Hi, I have a question about you people. I’m reform Jewish and not too religious. I have a friend who is not Jewish but wears a yarmulke around, acts like the orthodox and he says I should believe in the Jewish messiah just like him so that I can be “complete”. How can you expect to trick us into believing that? Even though I don’t care that much, it seems wrong to walk around looking like religious Jews and teaching Christian things. He mentioned that you could answer my questions.”
Dear Levy,
Thank you for your letter. Through your taking the time to write to us with your concerns, it shows me that you are serious about this matter, and I intend on giving you a genuine response.
First, let me say that it is not the intent of our organization (and presumably of your friend) to proselytize Jews—especially to a religion which condemns the righteous Torah of your forefathers. Unlike other organizations who use Jewish-type symbolism only in order to attract unsuspecting Jews for conversion attempts, our motives for Torah-observance are entirely different. Let me share a Scripture with you. The prophet Y’shayahu (Isaiah) says,
“And the foreigners who join themselves to Hashem to serve Him and to love the Name of Hashem to become servants unto Him, all who guard the Sabbath against desecration, and grasp My covenant tightly—I will bring them to My holy mountain, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer; their elevation offerings and their feast-offerings will find favor on My Altar, for My House will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” (Isaiah 56:6-8)
Through this passage Hashem tells us that if we (non-Jews) bind ourselves to Hashem and His covenant (Torah), then we will find favor before Him. Yes, for the last two thousand years Christianity has been a religion in opposition to and in competition with Judaism. There is no question of this. Countless Jewish lives have been lost in the name of “Christianity.” And for us to lure you into a religion which is against the Torah or would lead you to serve “gods whom you have not known” (Devarim/Deuteronomy 13) would be unthinkable.
The reason we do these things is not as a lure, but out of our genuine desire to express our devotion to the Almighty. And in our expression, if we are truly desiring to serve the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, how can it help but look Jewish? When we begin to follow the ways of Torah, the expressions of our faith will inevitably have similarities with you and your brothers and sisters. Although we do not deny our belief in our Messiah who himself said “I have not come to do away with the Torah…” (Matthew 5:17), we do not agree with historical Christianity in regard to positions of our relationship with the Jewish people or Torah-observance. We do not wish for you to think we are in any way a threat to our Jewish brothers and sisters. It is our desire that we would all serve Hashem sincerely, rather than seeing one another as a threat. We seek to understand your position, and to act in ways that honor the Name of Hashem, rather than damage it.
The Shmonei also says, “May Your compassion be aroused, Hashem, our G-d, and give goodly reward to all who sincerely believe in Your Name. Put our lot with them forever, and we will not feel ashamed, for we trust in You. Blessed are You, Hashem, Mainstay and Assurance of the Righteous.” This is our prayer—that Hashem would put our lot with your people and that we might serve Him in love and in fear throughout our days.
Last, we have an open-door policy. If you wish to continue dialogue on this subject or any other, we welcome your comments, your criticism and your insights. I hope that this might give you at least a small glimpse into understanding where we are coming from, and hope that it helps you understand your friend a little better. Again, we appreciate you taking the time to write to us. Please feel free to contact us anytime.
