Dear Refiner's Fire...

Dear Sir,

On your site, you claim the following: Like Yeshua, Paul was a Torah observant, Sabbath and Feast keeping, kosher Jew....Please see our study on the Book of Romans.

Firstly, you should know that Paul was not a Jew. He was a Benjimite (of the tribe of Benjamin.

Secondly, the word "Jew" never ever existed in the old or early New Testament. It is a fairly recent invention, no doubt designed to obscure the difference between the TRUE bloodline of Judahites and the bloodline of the Edomites, who later converted to Judaism (which is NOT Mosesism in any shape form or fashion).

The term "Jew" can be dissected into three separate categories:

A person who was a citizen of Judea (could be a Judahite, an Edomite or some other genealogy) This could also strictly refer to Judahites or strictly Edomites. The (deliberate?) obfuscation of this term, along with Scoffield's DELIBERATE wrongful interpretation of the scripture has led to the confusion (Babel) of Judeo-"X"tianity today.

Why is this important? Because the Edomites (of whom King Herod was one) were and are NOT of the line of Judah and should in no way be considered so, just as 95 to 98% of present day Jews are of Edomite or Khazar lineage) they do not practice the religion of the Judahites.

You should also be aware the Judahites are NOT Israel. They were (and are) two separate kingdoms with two uniquely different histories after the separation of all twelve tribes.

I could go into much more detail, but if you do not have 'ears to hear', then I will save yourself and myself the trouble. If, on the other hand, you are interested, please e-mail me and I will provide more detail along with scripture.

Sincerely,

James

Our Response....

Andrew Gabriel Roth responds:

Dear James,

Thank you for writing to The Refiner's Fire! Thanks also for offering "more scripture" to back up your viewpoint, but we've seen all the arguments. Here's my reply: As Y'shua said, "Oh unbelieving generation! How long must I put up with you?" Sometimes, I really think I can understand that frustration--if only the tiniest bit. But let it be so anyway, to fulfill all righteouness.

Paul wasn't a Jew? Really? If that's the case, then why did he call himself a Jew? Let's do a little study:

Esther 2:5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,

So is Mordechai not a Jew because he is of this tribe? Really? Please think about this real hard. Maybe the fact that only Judah was left after the Assyrians scattered the Northern Tribes MIGHT be relevant.

Do you think Y'shua knew who his own people were and are, and if Rav Shaul had an inkling too? Meanwhile:

John 4: 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, BUT YOU JEWS claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Y'shua declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; WE (THE JEWS) worship what we do know, for SALVATION IS FROM THE JEWS.

So does the Samaritan woman not know her traditional enemies when she sees them, or is Y'shua not a Jew either? What about Pilate--just an ignorant Goy I guess, but he knew a Jew too when he saw--oh I don't know--Y'shua maybe...

John 18: 35 -"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was YOUR PEOPLE and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

As for Rav Shaul--one needs a new saw to cut through that. Here's something I like to refer to as "a-PAULO-getics":

Romans 1: 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of Elohim for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 3: 1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of Elohim. 3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify Elohim's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let Elohim be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

Romans 3: 29 Is Elohim the Elohim of Jews only? Is he not the Elohim of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one Elohim, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the Torah by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we UPHOLD THE TORAH!

OH AND LEST WE FORGET--RAV SHAUL CALLED HIMSELF A "JEW" TOO--NEVER A "CHRISTIAN":

Acts 21: 39 Paul answered, "I AM a Jew (PRESENT TENSE!!!), from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people." 40 Having received the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them IN ARAMAIC:

Acts 22: 1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 "I AM A JEW (PRESENT TENSE AGAIN!), born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for Elohim as any of you are today.

So, James, my question is: Are you suggesting that Benjamites are not Israelites? And, while I appreciate you email, I believe it is YOU who should understand Romans 11, not us, at The Refiner's Fire! (Has YHWH rejected His people? May it Never be...) Who do you think the New Covenant is for--Judah and Israel right? (YHWH never made a "new covenant" or any other covenant with the Gentiles, because He didn't have an OLD covenant with the Gentiles....) JUDAH = JEW. Zechariah 8:23 is not an NT term and even if it was Y'shua accepted its use. Plus last time I checked Benjamites, like the other tribes, were eternally subject to JUDAH, not the other way around (Genesis 49:11).