We’ve all seen the disagreements Messianics have on various issues – Torah, gentiles, Israel, you name it.
The theology battle has been played out and rehashed a thousand times over, as we regularly say nasty things about each other through blogs, comments, and forum posts. (Hooray for the anonymity granted by the internet! It transforms otherwise decent people into vicious peanut galleries.)
Disagreements aside, there are some things we can agree on. There are some fundamentals we don’t actually fight about on the internet. (Surprising, yeah?)
Whether an unaffiliated Messianic Jew like Gene Shlomovich, a Bilateral Ecclesiologist like Derek Leman, a One Law guy like Dan Benzvi, a Jewish Christian like Joe Weissman, a Two House guy like John McKee, or maybe a Jew for Jesus, a Messianic gentile, or just plain independent Messianic without formal association, there are some things we crazy Messianics do find common ground on – oh yes! – praise God.
We agree that…
- Yeshua is Israel’s Messiah.
- The Torah is a basic moral guide for all of God’s people, and lays the foundation for all of Scripture.
- The Torah has different rules for different people. Women, farmers, Levites, foreigners, for example, all have different commandments applying to them.
- The Torah was given to Israel.
- When Messiah comes, gentiles will take on more Torah, including commandments traditionally reserved for Jews. Keeping the Feasts, shabbat, and even serving as Levites in the Temple, for example.
- The Jewish people have an irrevocable calling and purpose in God’s great plan, and that purpose is distinct from that of the nations.
- Gentiles in Messiah are part of the commonwealth of Israel.
- Gentiles do not need to become Jews to be saved or accepted in God’s sight.
- Jews do not need to become gentiles to be saved or accepted in God’s sight.
- A person is not saved through keeping the Torah alone.
- The Messianic movement is one in which God is restoring the people of Israel.
- The Tenakh and the Brit Chadasha (“New Testament”) are writings by men inspired by God’s spirit. They are basic, trustworthy guides to living a Godly life.
Those are pretty important issues, folks, and correct me if I’m wrong, but the various factions within the broad Messianic movement actually find common ground on these cruces.
Do we Messianics actually agree on these things, fine and diverse Kineti blog readers?