I decided to place this in the counter missionary articles because it addresses an attitude that enhances the success of counter missionary efforts to eradicate or diminish Yeshua's achievements and position. I was inspired to write this following yet another attempt to "chip away" at the Messiahship, Kingship, and propitiatory death of our beloved Yeshua. I am FIRMLY convinced that a very powerful "Judaizing" influence is preventing the truth from being practiced among alleged followers of Yeshua. Over and over and over the thoughts expressed in my "ultra-Semitism" article are being confirmed. It is now happening almost on a daily basis.
It is time for Messianics who blindly rush to Judaic principles be heed the facts showing Rabbinic Judaism is NOT pure Scriptural truth, but is instead a religion of Sage worship. Rabbis, have created a situation in which their "oral" torah (rabbinic opinions) are elevated above, or at the very least, equal to the written Word of the Almighty Creator; therefore, by exalting THEIR own opinions to a Divine level, the rabbis have succeeded in forging a religion in which THEY are an object of worship! What a nice situation they've invented for themselves in their zeal to oppose Yeshua.
Rabbinic Judaism, along with the pagan Christian anti-Messiah false man-god "christ," has been an integral part of the adversary's mission to prevent the Jewish people from recognizing their Messiah - YAHSHUA! Watch out counter missionaries and pseudo-Messianics that seek to impose Judiac "Oral" traditions upon all! The truth you wished to remain hidden will be published and proclaimed as loudly as possible! I will prove my devotion to Yeshua by revealing what you hope remains hidden, just as I and others have done with Christianity. I will not relent in my proclaiming Yeshua as Messiah, King, and anointed Savior!
I continue to observe that it is common for both true monotheistic Messianics and counterfeit Messianics (the mangod promoters) to use a double standard when viewing Christianity and Judaism. In fact, my observation is that it is fast becoming the standard practice. This is extremely disturbing because it is yet one more bit of evidence showing that the importance of Yeshua is being significantly diminished among Messianics and Netzarims.
I will NOT back down from my promotion of Yeshua as Messiah, not even when faced with false and slanderous accusations of being anti-Semitic or anti-Torah - accusations that are implicitly or explicitly voiced by ultra-Semites who have swung their unstable pendulum of belief into the realm of embracing Rabbinic Judaism's fanciful "oral" Torah traditions of men. It is extremely sad that "Torah" is now a typical means by which people fall away from Yeshua. However, the truth is that anything pulling one away from Yeshua is not true Torah, instead, it is almost always Rabbinic anti-Yeshua opinion that people wrongly accept as "Torah."
Somehow, many Messianics have arrived at the conclusion that Rabbinic Judaism's traditions represent Truth, and are therefore rushing headlong to embrace it without considering that what they embrace firmly rejects Yeshua. There is a definite conflict of interest when a person claims to embrace both Yeshua as the Messiah and death-price for sin, AND Rabbinic traditions. My Messianic friend, Rabbinic Judaism and Messianic truth are NOT compatible, and if you think they are then you have somehow missed the STRONG opposition to Yeshua that Rabbinic Judaism represents! The counter missionary (anti-Yeshua) movement is dominated by Judaic thinkers!
The error among Messianics of lustfully embracing Rabbinic tradition is due in large part to the misconception that Rabbinic Judaism is the true Scriptural Hebraic faith. History proves this to not be the case; however, most that rush to embrace these oral "traditions of men" that the New Testament clearly opposes and that sometimes annul YHVH's actual Torah are apparently ignorant of the history surrounding the invention of Rabbinic Judaism. They also seem oblivious to the fact that what they are embracing is largely the same "Pharisaic" traditions that the New Testament (and of course Yeshua) specifically opposed! Many "Messianics" scan past the passages of New Testament writings that record the opposition posed by the mind set of Rabbinic tradition without giving them due diligence.
Friend, the "founding fathers" of Rabbinic Judaism are cut from the exact Pharisaic cloth that the New Testament strongly speaks against! These builders of the NEW religion of Rabbinic Judaism that had its beginnings in Yavneh following the destruction of the 2nd Temple are of precisely the same anti-Yeshua ideology that produced his death and the persecution suffered by the first century Netzarims (Messianics)! IT IS THE SAME IDEOLOGY! In fact, it is worse, since after the Temple destruction Rabbinic Judaism was devised with a primary purpose being opposition to the Messianic faith in/of Yeshua! You see, it is not just faith IN Yeshua that Rabbinic tradition opposes. It is also the faith OF Yeshua, since Yeshua practiced a TRUE Torah observant lifestyle, verses the "oral" traditions of Judaic sages.
Christianity began its horrific errors at the council of Nicea. Judaism began its at the councils of Yavneh. One of the first acts of Rabbinic Judaism's "founding fathers" was to literally curse and expel from the synagogues all that claimed allegiance to Yeshua! How can anyone calling themselves "Messianic" or "Netzarim" possibly embrace such an ideology?
But of course, if the truth be told, some do not hold to those beliefs and are liars masquerading as followers of Yeshua. Others are simply "star struck" and blinded by adoration for the Rabbinic way.
A recent member (now an ex-member) of the SHeMA Bulletin Board illustrated the contradiction between Rabbinic tradition and Messianic truth with his belief that Yeshua should not be promoted to the Jewish people even as he allegedly claimed to accept Yeshua. ?? He was either a liar masquerading as a Messianic or he was grossly deceived.
Excuse me, but who needs to embrace Yeshua MORE than the Jewish people? Is he not primarily the Messiah of the JEWS? Unfortunately, this past infiltrator's pseudo-counter missionary ideology is not as uncommon as you may think. I've seen it many times. It is similar to a traditional "2 ways of atonement" mentality some have long held. Such a belief system promotes that ONLY non-Jews (gentiles) need Yeshua and that Jews are to embrace Rabbinic Judaism.
Uhh? Doesn't Scripture teach that YHVH is no respecter of persons? Doesn't Scripture teach that HaShem is impartial? OF COURSE! Then how can their be one "way" for Jews and another for non-Jews? In truth, such teachings are simply one of many ultra-Semitic attempts to "counter" the missionary efforts of those hoping to introduce the Jewish people to their King Messiah. It is a particularly mischievous way to prevent encouraging the Jews to accept Yeshua while slyly appearing to acknowledge Yeshua as Messiah. It doesn't take much common sense to quickly recognize it for what it actually is - blatant counter missionary treachery.
In my opinion, other true monotheistic Messianics and Netzarims have the right idea. They seek to establish correct Halacha (Law) for Messianics. They strive to discover the faith OF Yeshua while maintaining a faith IN Yeshua. I admire and applaud such devoted people who wish to adopt Hebraic principles while remaining cautious to not go "overboard" by blindly and emotionally embracing Rabbinic traditions. Myself and others attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff in Rabbinic traditions and compare it to what is WRITTEN in the TRUE Torah, which is first given in the first five books of Moses then further unveiled and revealed throughout the Tanakh AND THE NEW TESTAMENT. Obviously, it is not an easy task, and often requires adjustment as study and prayer for guidance progress.
I ask that you dig beyond the "Oral" traditions to discover WHEN and BY WHOM those traditions were "canonized" as "Divine" within the voluminous writings of Judaic sages. I ask that you always compare them to the WRITTEN Scripture.