Last week I was involved in a conversation on Pete Rambo’s blog that brought up several interesting points from both sides of the table regarding One Law. For those not familiar, and in simplest terms possible (because I tend to be long winded), One Law is the belief that Torah is valid for Jew and Gentile. Now before I end up with a bunch of comments pro and con, I only brought this up to share what is happening in my heart over the diversity within the body of Messiah. I am seeing some diversity that is good and brings honor to the Father. But I am also seeing some that is not.
The conversation on Pete’s blog was good. I follow Pete’s blog, as well as James Pyle’s. These guys are on opposite sides of the table regarding One Law. Yet both have blessed me with great information and inspiration. Both have caused me to question some of my beliefs in a way that either caused change or solidified. This type of diversity is a good thing. And as I study Judaism, I see this pattern of differing opinions questioning and discussing God’s Word throughout the ages.
But yesterday was quite a different experience, one that broke my heart. Before getting into what happened, I must say that I am quite used to hearing Gentile Christians say that they no longer see a place for Israel in God’s plans. For those unfamiliar with this belief, it’s called Replacement Theology. This says that the church replaced Israel. Again, comments regarding the rightness or wrongness will miss the point of this blog.
So on to yesterday and my experience on Facebook. A brother in the Lord, who is a Sephardic Jew, posted an article talking against Israel and the ‘genocide’ of Gaza. Yet this was only the tip of the iceberg. Anyone who commented in favor of Israel, trying to point out that Hamas started the war, kept breaking ceasefires, and guilty of various war crimes, were called names like fool, murderer, liar, and the like. He kept quoting scripture, asking someone to prove by scripture that Israel had the right to exist, or defend its people, saying we should turn the other cheek.
Then he really floored me – he said Israel was a pagan nation and God was going to wipe them out, and that the Old Testament was done away with!
I just didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t…at least not until this morning. But I’ve got to tell you that my heart was breaking all day and night. I know the world can be deceived by the media, but a believer? And a Jewish one at that?
Then the verse, ‘even the elect may be fooled’ slammed truth home.
So this morning, I responded with couple of Apostolic Scriptures followed by these words:
The bulk of Yeshua’s teaching was to expound upon the Torah. The Israelites were expecting King Messiah to come. But His mission first was to come as the Son of Joseph, the suffering servant who dies on the battlefield. He returns as Messiah Son of David – the Conquering King. But what is most important is in Rev 19:30, where His name is The Word of God. And John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Yeshua is the totality of the word. This includes the Hebrew Scriptures. Messiah did not come to change the Torah but to show us how to live it out in its fullness. If anyone says Yeshua did away with the Torah or any of the Hebrew Scriptures, they stand in agreement with those who falsely accused Him of the same thing, looking for a way to put Him to death.
And his response was that I have not accepted Yeshua in my life.
The diversity I experienced with Pete’s blog, (which, by the way is leading to more discussion in future posts) was a positive experience. It was an exchanging of ideas, whether or not we agreed with each other. As one who followed the conversation more than participated, I did not feel any animosity, though sometimes people appeared frustrated.
The diversity I experienced on Facebook was a completely different matter. It was not brothers and sisters discussing our various beliefs in a situation, but a judgment against and often outright hatred toward anyone who did not agree with his position. There was no ‘agreeing to disagree’, just condemnation.
And I don’t think that kind of diversity brings honor to our Father or to the Lamb who died to take away our sin nature.
What about you? What do you think?
Where’s the ‘like’ button? LOL!!
I agree totally. When the fruit of the Spirit gets tossed out the window, we do not honor our King and do best to simply keep mouth shut and grow.
I have yet to find the plug in for that. LOL
A friend of mine has a favorite verse Job 40:4, “I lay my hand over my mouth.”
Me? I need to constantly pray, Put a guard over my lips and a watchman over the doors of my mouth.
Excellent post. Shared on my Facebook. And sent you a friend request. Shalom.
Thank you, Robin! I saw the friend request and accepted it. Thank you for sharing! Shalom aleichem!
Hi Ro. Stambled upon your blog by accident. I understand your concerns, however hard it may be this is just virtual world. This also happen physically but not only on Face Book but on different blogs as well. It could get quite nasty sometime. Now your definition of One Law is required addition. Main problem is not that Torah valid for Jew and Gentile (this is correct) but how much, what, when, where and for whom how much etc. I’m not “one law” so this is my description of a problem, however “one law” people may describe themselves. There is another hidden or semihidden problem is that “one law” in many ways is form of “replacement” theology. Again this is my view and my description. Thats how I see this problem from my Jewish side. Now what happen with you and that as you called him “sefardic jew”. He may be or may not be a Jew at all. and in this case it dos not matter if hi is Sefardic or whatever. If he is indeed is a Jew and a believer (???) it seems to, you are not aware of many cases in history when Jewish person behaved exactly like this. In another words you seems to touched agly side of some Jewish conflict here. Self hating Jew is something very familiar to me. There where others like Karl Marx for example. He was a Jew. As any nation we have good and bad people. If you are American so is with americans,, you have bad americans and good american. Nothing new in it. Re diversity: diversity is good. What you encountered is not a diversity but foolishness, plenty of foolishness. We have plenty of lunatics on both side be Jewish or Gentile
Eli, so glad you stopped by!
I think I was so floored because I have prayed and worshiped with this gentleman. I only mentioned he was a Sephardi Jew because he is always saying it, wearing his tallit. I think had this only been in the virtual world it wouldn’t have shocked me so much.
As to One Law, I understand your position and respect it. I guess I’m just a little simplistic. For me, if I’m adopted into a family, I follow the rules of that family out of a love response for being included and loved. With that, I realize my bloodline is still Italian (though 3rd generation American), but my allegiance and devotion is to my adopted Father and His children, of which I am gratefully one. For me, I am the one replaced by a new creature. But as I said, I do see your point and how it could be a form of replacement theology. This is why I usually don’t weigh in strongly for One Law, but quietly obey what I see in the scriptures, as the Spirit calls me to obey. And it is such a joy to obey!
Above all, I continue to pray to the Father, because I don’t want to do anything that displeases Him or hurts His people – out of love and appreciation for both. I’ve been wrong before and Hashem corrected me. I trust He will continue to do so.
I did a series on ‘Rules’ that explains my point of view.