What We Believe

WE BELIEVE:

1. That the BIBLE, consisting of the Tenach (Holy Scriptures) and the later writings commonly known as the B’rit Hadasha (New Covenant), as put forth in the original tongues, is the only infallible and authoritative word of God. We recognize its divine verbal inspiration, and accept its teachings as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice (Deut. 6:4-9; Prov. 3:1-6; Ps. 119:89, 105; Isa. 48:12-16; Rom. 8:14-17; II Tim. 2:15, 3:16-17).
2. GOD - We believe that the Shema, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6:4), teaches that God is Echad, as so declared: a united one, a composite unity, eternally existent in plural oneness [Gen. 1:1 (Elohim: God); Gen. 1:26 "Let us make man in our image"; Gen. 2:24 Adam & Eve were created to be as one flesh (basar echad)], that He is a personal God who created us (Gen. 1 & 2), and that He exists forever in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as mentioned in Romans 8:14-17 (Father, Spirit, and Messiah - Son) and Matt. 28:18-20 (immersing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
1. GOD THE FATHER (Abba) - John 6:27b; I Cor 1:3; Gal. 1:1; Rev. 3:5, 21; Jer. 3:4, 19; 31:9; Mal. 1:6; Matt. 6:9, 32; Luke 10:21-22; John 1:14; 4:23; 5:17-26; 6:28-46; Rom. 8:14-15.
2. GOD THE SON (HaBen)
• God does have a Son [Ps. 2; Prov. 30:4-6 (cf. Heb. 1); Luke 12:35-37; John 1:29-34, 49; 3:14-18].
• The Son, called Yeshua (Jesus), meaning salvation, came to this world born of a virgin as He was conceived of the Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) [Isa. 7:14 (cf. Luke 1:30-35)].
• Yeshua was crucified (Matt. 27:31-50), physically died (John 20:32-37), was buried (Mark 15:42-47), and physically raised from the dead (Luke 24:1-45). After His resurrection He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:1-11) and is today at the right hand (Acts 2:32-35) of Abba (the Father) as the Intercessor (I Tim. 2:5-6).
• The Son is God (Deity), and is worshipped as God, having existed eternally [Ps. 110:1 (cf. Heb. 1:13); Isa. 9:6-7; Matt. 28:18-20; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-19; Rev. 3:21 (Heb. 1 - worshipped by angels); Rev. 4:8, 5:5-14].
• This One is the promised Mashiach (Messiah) of Israel [ Is. 9:6-7; 11:1; Dan. 9 (esp. verses 20-26); Isa. 53; John 1:17, 40-41, 45, 49; Mark 8:29].
• He is the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star (Num. 24:17; Rev. 22:16).
• He is our Passover, the Lamb of God ( I Cor. 5:7; Rev. 5; John 1:29).
3. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (Ruach HaKodesh)
• Introduced in Gen. 1:2b.
• In the Tenach, the Spirit of God came upon individuals during the times of our forefathers, like Moses, David (see II Sam. 23:1-3), and the Prophets, for specific purposes.
• In the New Covenant, the Messiah, Yeshua, promised His disciples that "the Comforter" would come to them after He was gone, described as the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17, 26), who was with them and would be in them. Yeshua further declared that the Spirit of Truth, would guide us into all truth and would glorify Him - the Messiah - not Himself (John 16:13-15). He empowers us (Acts 1:8). He seals us [Eph. 1:13; 4:30 (see NIV and Jewish New Testatment versions)]. If we have not the Spirit, we are not Messiahs (Rom. 8:9). The Spirit leads us and teaches us (Rom. 8:14-17). His indwelling enables us to live a godly life of increasing sanctification. Acts 2:38 says, ". . . Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
3. MAN
1. Created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), but:
2. through disobedience, man fell from his first state and became separated from God (Gen. 2:17; 3:22-24). Therefore, according to the Scriptures, all men are born with a sinful nature (Ps. 14:1-3; 49:7; 53:13; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:9-12, 23; 5:12).
3. Man’s only hope for redemption (salvation) is through the atonement made by the Messiah (Lev. 17:11; Isa. 53; Dan. 9:24-26; I Cor. 15:22; Heb. 9:11-14, 28; John 1:12, 3:36), resulting in regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Tit. 3:5), which is the new birth (John 3:3-8). For by grace we are saved through faith, it is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9) wrought by trusting in the shed blood of Yeshua.
4. Holiness is God’s standard of living for His people ( Rom. 12:1-2).
5. Immersion in the Ruach HaKodesh is available to all of God’s people who have hearts cleansed through the atonement of the Messiah (Acts 2:32-39). After this immersion, the Ruach (Spirit) may grant utterance in other tongues (I Cor.13:1; 14:12-15).
6. Yeshua the Messiah commanded all those who have been cleansed through the atonement wrought by His blood to be publicly immersed in a mikvah (baptism) in the Name of HaAv (the Father), HaBen (the Son) and HaRuach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) (Matt. 28:18-20).
7. As part of the atonement, divine healing of our spirits and souls is provided (Isa. 53:1-5; I Pet. 2:21-25).
4. RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT

We believe in the resurrection of both the redeemed and the lost: the former to everlasting life and the latter to eternal separation from God, a state of everlasting punishment (Job 14:14; 19:25-27; Dan. 12:2-3; John 3:36; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 10-15; 21:7-8).

5. THE MESSIAH - The Redeemer.

The Scriptures promised two "comings" of the Messiah:

1. First coming
• Promised in Dan. 9:24-26.
• Its purpose was to make an atonement for sin (Dan. 9:24-26; Isa. 53; Rom. 3:21-31; Heb. 9-10; John 3:16-17).
2. Second coming
• Promised coming in the air to receive the believers to Himself (I Thess. 4:13-18; John 14:1-6; I Cor. 15:51-57).
• Messiah’s return to the earth.
• The Redeemer shall come to Zion (Isa. 59:20-21; Zech. 14:4).
• Israel’s spiritual redemption (Zech. 12:8-13:1; Rom. 11:25-27; Heb. 9:28; Jer. 31:31-40; the New Covenant).
• Israel’s national restoration is to recover the remnant of His people Israel from the four corners of the earth, and restore the Davidic Kingdom (Isa. 11 - to re-establish the throne and kingdom of David, which will last forever) [Isa. 9:6-7 (cf. Luke 1:30-33); Jer. 23:3-8].
• When Messiah returns to the earth, He will physically reign from Jerusalem for one thousand years (Zech. 14:1-21; Rev. 20:1-10).
6. ISRAEL IN PROPHECY

We believe in God’s end-time plan for the nation of Israel and for the world. A central part of Messianic Judaism is the belief in the physical and spiritual restoration of Israel, as taught in the Scriptures. The greatest miracle of our day has been the re-establishment or rebirth of the State of Israel according to prophecy (Ezek. 34:11-31; 36-39; Hos. 3; Amos 9:11-15; Zech. 12-14; Isa. 11; 43; 54; 60-62; 66; Rom. 11:1-34) (see also Scriptures under part V. THE MESSIAH).

7. MESSIANIC JUDAISM
1. We recognize that Jewish people (physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, whether through the mother’s or the father’s blood-line) who place their faith in Israel’s Messiah, Yeshua, continue to be Jewish according to the Scriptures (Rom. 2:28-29). Gentiles who place their faith in Yeshua, are "grafted into" the Jewish olive tree of faith (Rom. 11:17-25) becoming spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham (Gal. 3:28-29).
2. We observe and celebrate the Jewish Holy Days given by God to Israel, with their fulfillment in and through the Messiah Yeshua to include the Pesach based ceremony of communion (Lu. 22:1-20; I Cor. 11:23-33). We believe that true "Biblical Judaism," the faith of first century believers which we seek to practice, acknowledges the continuity of faith in the one true God, revealed throughout the Scriptures, and ultimately manifested in God’s Son, Yeshua the Messiah. We believe that salvation has always been "by faith," and that works of law, or righteous acts, have never saved anyone (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 2-6; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 11:6, 39).
3. We acknowledge that the New Covenant body of believers is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who have received Yeshua the Messiah as the Promised Redeemer. The "middle wall of partition" has been broken down and now we worship the God of Israel as equals together (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:13-14).