|
Hi Yvonne!
Thank you for writing to The Refiner's Fire!
Our advice is: GO for it! Many people are coming out of the church these days because "something doesn't feel right" there. These people are tired of the "watered-down" Christianity that man created. These people want to get back to God's TRUE Word, and back to TRUE worship. I believe those people are the "remnant" the Bible speaks about - the small remnant who want to hear and obey the TRUE Word of God, the way He meant for us to hear it.
Please understand, this is not to "knock" the "church" entirely, as there are some pastors who are teaching God's Word as it is supposed to be taught, and people who truly know the Lord [as opposed to those who are mere "pew warmers" who wouldn't know God if they fell on him, or those who go to church to look down on those who aren't dressed just right]. However, these good pastors are far outnumbered by the "feel-good", "ear-ticklers" whose goal is to fill the pews however they can. The bottom line is the church as a whole, is steeped in Paganism, because they continue to preach that "Jesus did away with the Law", when He clearly said that He did NOT; they continue to preach that the Old and New Covenants are two separate entities in which one supersedes the other, rather than one continuous Word from God; and, they continue to celebrate Christmas and Easter - holidays that, although originally meant for good - borrowed their customs from Pagan gods, and have become nothing more than commercialized, "me-oriented" days that basically have nothing to do with God anymore. [I know this train of thought angers some people, and I'm really sticking my neck out here, but truth is truth.] In today's society, where "religion" is frowned upon, only true believers still remember what these holidays are supposed to represent, and actually place their focus on God, where it belongs. However, my question is, once you know that you are purposely sinning against God by forcing Pagan holidays down His throat and ignoring His Torah which He said would last FOREVER, then why continue? God used to punish - even kill - people who veered from proper worship! Yes, Jesus did away with legalism and, because He offered Himself as a final Sin Sacrifice, we are forgiven anything for which we repent. But, since He didn't "do away with" God's original teaching and instruction, doesn't it stand to reason that we are to obey it? I found that the "church" as a whole, doesn't want to hear or admit these things, and that's why many people who are sensing that "something isn't right", are turning to Messianic Judaism.
PBy the way, "keeping Torah" doesn't mean we have to keep those original 613 commandments because most of them pertained to the priests and to people of that day, but it's interesting to know about them, nonetheless. Yvonne, I can't begin to describe the feeling when you start "doing" God's feasts! Unlike Christmas and Easter, God's feasts are all about HIM! It brings you so much closer to God. When I discovered the Messianic way, I knew deep in my heart, that THIS is how God wants to be worshipped!
A word of warning: when you do decide to attend a Messianic synagogue, make sure they are not too rabbinical (legalistic), focusing on the doing the "stuff", the Jewish liturgy, rather than focusing on Yeshua (Jesus' Hebrew name, which means "God is Salvation")! There are many Messianic synagogues out there who try to be too "Jewish" and concentrate only on the Torah, which is a blatant slap in the face of Yeshua! Although you get used to the traditional "Jewish stuff" that goes on in Messianic synagogues (eventually you'll find yourself actually beginning to look forward to it!), bear in mind that the focus should never veer from Christ. Also, there are many synagogues out there who teach that Jesus was Messiah, but not God. So, be on the lookout for any false teachings! If it doesn't line up exactly with the Bible, it is false!
You might as well know, many of your church friends (especially your pastor) won't like you attending a Messianic synagogue because it will sound too strange to them. But, the bottom line is: do you want to please your friends, or do you want to please God? Many Christians get angry because they will think you're going "legalistic", and many Jews who don't yet know Messiah, will get angry because they feel you're stealing from, and twisting their religion. Becoming Messianic will literally put you between that proverbial rock and a hard spot....
|
