Temple Beth Ohr  ~  House of Light

What is Messianic Judaism?

Messianic Judaism is one of the most misunderstood sects of Christianity. In fact, we are not another sect or denomination, rather the Christianity of the New Covenant Scriptures. We are many times accused of being a cult or a new religion. Yet that would be further from the truth. Messianic, is the Hebrew word for Christian or a follower of Christ/a follower of the Messiah. Messianic Judaism is an ancient movement that is 2,000 years old and has arisen again in the Body of Messiah. Early Christian believers have believed and lived as we do, until “Constantine the Great” abolished all and any of what seemed to be Jewish practice; forgetting of course that Jesus Himself was a Jew. This in turn was “The Great Deception” of Constantine, which forever changed Biblical Christianity and now began a new Roman Pagan Era. Messianic Judaism is Jew and Gentile coming together to form One New Man in the Messiah. Messianic Judaism started when our Messiah who was foretold by the prophets appeared on this earth and lived a sinless and perfect life. He did not come to start a new religion (after all Jesus was, is, and will always be a Jew); rather He came to show us what Biblical Judaism was and is suppose to be (Matthew 5:17-20). We mustn’t forget that while Jesus was here spreading the gospel, the good news of His Father, the New Testament had not yet been written. Yeshua (Jesus) was preaching and teaching straight from the Scriptures (the Old Covenant books).

We as Messianics strive to be like Messiah (Christ like) and thereby we strive to live Biblical lifestyles. This by no means makes us “Legalistic” (a word which isn’t found in scripture) in any way. For we do this out of love and obedience to the Father, and not to gain salvation. We as Messianic Jews adhere to the Torah, Prophets and Writings of the Hebrew Scripture, yet the one thing that distinguishes us from most of nominal Judaism is our study and adherence to the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant [or as is widely known to Christians, the New Testament) Scriptures. We still remain Jews once we accept Yeshua (Jesus) as our Messiah and we do not have any desire to go back. We also observe Biblical (and not rabbinical) Kosher as it is written in Leviticus 11. We believe if it is written in scripture then it is useful for teaching, reproof and instruction.

We as Messianic Jews also adhere to one of the most important pinnacles of our faith and that is God’s Appointed Times or as they are also called “The Feasts of the Lord”. We adhere to all of those that are biblically mandated in Scripture. We also encourage Christians alike to partake and celebrate of The Feasts of the Lord. These are the Feasts of the Lord; nowhere in scripture are they ever called the feasts of the Jews. The Lord also stated time and time again, that these Feasts were to be an everlasting and perpetual ordinance.

We are rich in our heritage knowing that our heritage lies not in being Jewish yet in Messiah Yeshua. Christian, this is your heritage as well, being grafted in to the Olive tree and now being a partaker of Abraham’s inheritance. God never intended his followers to branch out in many different denominations. We will one day worship as One Body again and what a day that will be!

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Matthew 7:7-8

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